It’s entirely possible that Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the tree of life because cherubim guarded the way to that tree (Genesis 3:24), and cherubim seem to be associated with the dwelling place or meeting place with God (Exodus 25:10-22).

Their offerings were not both received by God. The LORD respected not only Abel’s offering, but Abel himself. The LORD did not receive (did not respect) Cain and did not respect his offering.

Many people have thought that God accepted Abel and his offering because it was a blood-offering, an animal from a flock (likely a sheep or a goat). In this thinking, Cain and his sacrifice were rejected because this offering of the fruit of the ground, an offering made without blood. In this thinking, only a blood sacrifice could please God.

This isn’t true at all. The offerings were not accepted or rejected based on blood, but on the basis of faith. The writer to the Hebrews clearly explained why the offering of Abel was accepted and the offering of Cain was rejected: By faith Abel offered up a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4).

Cain’s offering was the effort of dead religion, while Abel’s offering was made in faith, in a desire to worship God in spirit and in truth. In the sacrificial system God later gave to Israel, grain offerings were acceptable before God (as seen in Leviticus 2), though not as an atonement for sin.

The offering of Cain was no doubt more pleasant to look at. A nice arrangement of produce looks better than a dead and dismembered lamb. But God was more concerned with faith in the heart than with artistic beauty.

Here, it was one lamb for a man. Later, at the Passover, it would be one lamb for a family. Then, at the Day of Atonement, it was one lamb for the nation. Finally, with Jesus, there was one Lamb who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Jesus was and is God’s perfect sacrifice, and His sacrifice makes it possible for His people to bring their own sacrifice of praise, and to give themselves as living sacrifices to God. Receive His sacrifice and brings yours to God in faith.

Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 4

The verse plainly says that God formed man of the dust of the ground. When God created man, He made him out of the most basic elements, the dust of the ground. There is nothing “spectacular” in what man is made of, only in the way those basic things are organized. God took simple substances and so brilliantly combined them that truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made – the human body is marvelous (Psalm 139:14).

When the Bible uses dust in a figurative or symbolic sense, it means something of little worth, associated with lowliness and humility. In the Bible, dust isn’t evil, and it isn’t nothing; but it is next to nothing.

When Abraham spoke of himself as being merely dust and ashes, he emphasized his humility (Genesis 18:27). When Hannah thanked God for lifting her up, she proclaimed that God raises the poor from the dust (1 Samuel 2:8). When God spoke to King Jehu of Israel of his humble beginning, the LORD said that He lifted Jehu out of the dust, making him a ruler (1 Kings 16:2).

God did something wonderful with that lowly dust. He breathed into Adam the breath of life. With this Divine breath, man became a living being, like other forms of animal life. Genesis 1:20-21 describes animals as living creatures and living things, and the same phrasing is used in describing Adam as a living being. Yet only man is a living being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

The word used for breath in Hebrew is ruach, a word that imitates the very sound of breath. This same word can also be translated as spirit. God created man by putting His breath, His Spirit, within him. God breathed some of His own breath into mankind, making man after His likeness.

Dear friend, in one sense you are a collection of very normal, not-very-costly chemicals. By some calculations, the value of all the chemicals and compounds in the human body (oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and so forth) is worth less than $600 USD. That’s something, but for many people it is not a fortune.

In a greater sense, you are so valuable that it is difficult to comprehend. You are so valuable that Jesus Christ laid down His life for you as a demonstration of His love.

What makes humanity so valuable? It is the breath of God that gives us life, making us in His image. Today, appreciate both your lowliness and your great value before God – both are true!

Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 2

In prayer, believers sometimes are hesitant to simply ask for what they need. Maybe we worry that we are bothering God, so instead of asking we settle for less, do the best we can, and decide to wait until things arereally bad before we pray about it.

It shouldn’t be that way. In Philippians 4:6, God tells us at least two things:

– NO-thing should fill us with anxiety.
– EVERY-thing can be made a matter of prayer.

Remember: be anxious for nothing is presented as a gentle command, not as an option. Undue care trespasses into God’s territory for our lives. Chosen anxiety make us to be the father of the household instead of a child. Of course, there is a difference between chosen anxiety and a godly concern, but every worry and undue concern the believer chooses to cling is an unknowing criticism of God. It is almost like saying, “get off the throne God, let me worry about this for both of us.”

Paul said everything is the proper subject of prayer; there are not some areas of our lives that are of no concern to God. We should come to God with both prayer and supplication. Prayer and supplication are similar, but distinct; prayer is a broad word regarding all our communication with God, but supplication is a direct asking for something from God. It’s not wrong to ask God for things. We ask leaving it all in His will (that’s best for us anyway), yet many prayers go unanswered because they don’t ask God for anything.

God simply tells us to let your requests be made known. Doesn’t God already know our requests before we pray them? Of course He does; yet He will often wait for our participation and partnership through prayer before granting.

Finally, with thanksgiving cautions against a whining, complaining spirit before God when the believer asks. God wants us to be:

– Anxious for nothing.
– Prayerful for everything.
– Seeing reason to be thankful for all things.

Bring your needs to God. Don’t wait until you can’t hang on much longer. Make prayer your first resource instead of your last resort.

Click here for David’s commentary on Philippians 4

If there is any consolation in Christ. Do Christians receive consolation in Christ? Yes, they do. Every Christian should know what it is to have Jesus console their soul. Luke 2:25, says Jesus is the Consolation of Israel. And in 2 Corinthians 1:5, For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:16, says that God has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. Of course, in Jesus Christ there is great consolation – but are you experiencing it?

If there is any…comfort of love. Do Christians receive any comfort of love? Yes, they do. Every Christian should know what it is to have Jesus give them the comfort of His love. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says that God is the God of all comfort. There is no circumstance beyond His reach to comfort. The word comfort in this passage has the idea of more than sympathy. It also has the idea of strengthening, helping, and making strong. The love of God in the life of the believer makes them strong and brave. Of course, in Jesus Christ there is comfort of love – but are you experiencing it?

If there is any…fellowship of the Spirit. Do Christians receive any fellowship of the Spirit? Yes, they do. Every Christian should know what it is to have the fellowship of the Spirit. “Fellowship” here is the ancient Greek word koinonia. It means the sharing of things in common. Believers share life with the Spirit of God that they never knew before. The Holy Spirit fills, guides, and moves in our lives in a powerful and precious way. Of course, in Jesus Christ there is fellowship of the Spirit – but are you experiencing it?

If there is any…affection and mercy. Do Christians receive any affection and mercy? Yes, they do. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:5: the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Every Christian knows something of the affection of God, and the mercy of God – but are you experiencing them?

Paul suggests that these should be obvious parts of the Christian’s experience. These things should be just as real in our lives as the wetness of water, the hotness of fire, and the hardness of rocks.

Are they obvious parts of your life?

Click here for David’s commentary on Philippians 2

The idea behind utterance is clear speaking. Added to boldly, Paul asked for prayer that he might proclaim the gospel both clearly and with a fearless power. It is easy to neglect one or the other. Preachers need more clarity in their preaching today. It’s easy to get lost in small details, side issues, and speculations. Clear preaching is a gift to both the church and the world, and preachers need prayer for clear speaking (utterance). When this clarity is combined with boldness, great things happen.

When Paul asked his readers to pray for the grace to be a clear, bold preacher of God’s truth, he probably had in mind his upcoming defense before Caesar. When Jesus first called and rescued Paul, God told him he would preach to kings (Acts 9:15). Another opportunity to do that was coming soon, and Paul needed and wanted the prayer support of fellow believers.

Paul might have asked for other things, such as relief from his imprisonment or other comforts. But his heart and mind were fixed on his responsibility as God’s ambassador.

Think about Paul’s wonderful self-description: an ambassador in chains. Of course, the ancient word used here for chains usually meant a prisoner’s shackles. At times, Paul wore the iron bands around his wrists and carried the chain that held him to the prison.

But that ancient word we translate chains could also be used for the gold adornment worn around the neck and wrists of the wealthy and powerful. On special occasions, ambassadors wore such chains to show the riches, power, and dignity of the government they represented.

Which sense did Paul mean when he called himself an ambassador in chains? I think he meant it in both senses! Paul looked at his prisoner’s chains and considered them to be the glorious adornment of an ambassador of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ, what the world uses with the intention of shaming and binding the believer may be transformed to something glorious. It was true for Paul; it can be true for you today. Acknowledge the chains, but don’t focus on them: you real identity is to be God’s ambassador.

Click here for David’s commentary on Ephesians 6