This week, we will be focusing on Genesis 4:1-26, Anger According to God.
We all get angry. It's a common emotion.
We get angry at traffic...at politics...at our sports team...at people.
Oftentimes our anger feels justified...even comforting. We hold onto it. We nurse it. We let it simmer and grow. We justify it. And then we act on it in ways that we may have never expected.
Anger in itself is not a sin. In a sin-cursed world, it would be odd if we never felt anger at the unjust and unfair things that happen to us or to others. But there is a serious danger to anger, especially when we let it reside in our hearts over time...and when we never stop to think about what's driving our anger nor allow the Lord to search our hearts and expose the fear, envy, selfishness, and pride that often lie at the root of our bitterness.
The story of Cain and Abel is well-known.
But there is much truth in this story that needs to be explored and applied to our daily lives.
Sin is crouching at the door of our hearts, eager to attack, waiting to consume us.
When we ignore God's Word and choose to act on our own impulses, we experience the consequences...and others suffer the collateral damage.
May the Lord deliver us from our own sinful desires, strengthen us inwardly, and call us to a deeper love and trust in His goodness and grace!

This week, we will be focusing on Genesis 3:14-15, The Real Battle According to God.
We are going to spend an extra week in Genesis 3. The topic is too important, especially with the election coming up on Tuesday.
Our nation seems to be in the balance. Emotions are high. Anxiety is even higher. Based on surveys, this is one of the most frustrating, divisive, expensive, and nerve-racking elections in recent history.
24/7 news...social media...YouTube videos...only amplify the anger and the angst.
So how do we live in this present generation? How do we think? How do we respond?
Genesis 3:15 is one of the most important verses in all of Scripture.
It is the first prophecy, the first promise, the "first gospel."
And it reminds us that we are part of a bigger story.
There is bigger conflict going on in the world.
The seed of the woman and the serpent.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.
All of history...all of Scripture...is the playing out of this one cosmic conflict.
Earth is the stage. And we are in the middle of it.
As believers, the seed of the Messiah, citizens of His kingdom, we are to think differently, see differently, live differently.
Our weapon is truth. Our motivation is love. Our hope is Christ.
There is no reason to fear. There is every reason to rest in God's sovereignty and to rejoice in His final victory. This is what it means to live by faith and not by sight.
May God open our eyes to His truth and empower us through His Spirit so that we can live faithfully for Him in this present generation!This week, we will be focusing on Genesis 3:14-15, The Real Battle According to God.
We are going to spend an extra week in Genesis 3. The topic is too important, especially with the election coming up on Tuesday.
Our nation seems to be in the balance. Emotions are high. Anxiety is even higher. Based on surveys, this is one of the most frustrating, divisive, expensive, and nerve-racking elections in recent history.
24/7 news...social media...YouTube videos...only amplify the anger and the angst.
So how do we live in this present generation? How do we think? How do we respond?
Genesis 3:15 is one of the most important verses in all of Scripture.
It is the first prophecy, the first promise, the "first gospel."
And it reminds us that we are part of a bigger story.
There is bigger conflict going on in the world.
The seed of the woman and the serpent.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.
All of history...all of Scripture...is the playing out of this one cosmic conflict.
Earth is the stage. And we are in the middle of it.
As believers, the seed of the Messiah, citizens of His kingdom, we are to think differently, see differently, live differently.
Our weapon is truth. Our motivation is love. Our hope is Christ.
There is no reason to fear. There is every reason to rest in God's sovereignty and to rejoice in His final victory. This is what it means to live by faith and not by sight.
May God open our eyes to His truth and empower us through His Spirit so that we can live faithfully for Him in this present generation!

This week, we will be covering Genesis 3:8-24, The Fall According to God.
It is sort of funny how the preaching calendar lined up this week. The Sunday that we are having our annual Fall Fest is the very Sunday we are talking about the fall of mankind.
Obviously, they are vastly different .
Genesis 3:8-24 tells us what went wrong with the world after our first parents sinned.
Shame.
Separation.
Selfishness.
Suffering.
Every aspect of our lives and our world has been impacted by sin.
We don't live in Eden any more.
Just look at the newspaper or listen to the news and that becomes painfully evident.
Understanding Genesis 3 gives us perspective on the world. It enables us to see things properly. It expands our view of the spiritual battle that we are in. It exposes our own selfish tendencies. It helps us understand the impact of shame. It shows us where the true problems of our culture lie. And it points us to the only hope that we truly have in this life.
Genesis 1-3 are absolutely essential if you are going to understand reality.
Let's dig deep into God's Word...and ask Him to open our eyes to His truth!