John 1:1-5   ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning.

³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Isaiah 12:2 - ²Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”

Quick Chapter Summary

Cain and Abel

1. Eve gives birth to two sons: Cain, the older, and Abel .
2. Abel is a shepherd a finds favor in God’s eyes by bringing a pleasing offering to the Lord.
3. Cain is a farmer and skimps on his offering. The Lord isn’t pleased with this.
4. Cain becomes angry with the fact that his brother’s offering was better than his.
5. Cain lures Abel out into the field and kills him.
6. God curses Cain, places a mark upon him and sends him away.
7. Genealogy of Cain:
   1. Cain fathers Enoch.
   2. Enoch fathers Irad.
   3. Irad fathers Mehujael.
   4. Mehujael fathers Methushael.
   5. Methushael fathers Lamech.
   6. Lamech fathers Jabal — Jabal’s descendants are nomadic.
   7. Lamech fathers Jubal — Jubal’s descendants are musicians
   8. Lamech fathers Tubal-Cain — Tubal-Cain’s descendants are blacksmiths.
8. Lamech is a very boastful and ungodly man.
9. Eve gives birth to Seth.
10. Seth has a son named Enosh.

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Full Text Genesis Chapter 4

Quick Chapter Summary

Continuation of the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (these are Jesus’ teachings)

1. Jesus discusses judgment:
   1. Do not judge anyone, for similar judgment can also be placed on you.
   2. Always reflect on yourself before pointing out other’s flaws. How can you hypocritically point out a small flaw in another when you are guilty of a much larger one?
   3. Teaching others should be done within their spiritual understanding.
2. Jesus continues with seeking the things of God
   1. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.
   2. Jesus compares how parents take care of there children’s needs to how God will fulfill our needs in a greater capacity.
   3. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have the do to you.
3. Wide and broad is the road to destruction and hell. Narrow is the road that leads to eternal life.
4. Jesus warns against false prophets. He points out that you can recognize them by the ‘fruit’ they produce, by there works and actions.
5. Building upon God’s Word is like building on rock. Your faith will stand the storm. Anyone who hears the Word and rejects it is building on sand and is doomed to destruction.
6. The people listening to Jesus are amazed because He teaches differently; as one who has actual authority.

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Full Text Matthew Chapter 7

Proverbs 20:24 - ²⁴A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

Another amazing insight from the book of Proverbs. In my life…this rings true on a regular basis. Sometimes God gives me some foresight into the road ahead…but more often then not, I see the plan in the ‘rear-view’ as I continue my journey to the next part of His plan.

I’m sure there are plenty that will argue that free will is what governs us. I’d challenge you to think of this for a second. A master luthier (guitar/stringed instrument maker) spends months shaping and forming his next creation. And when the finishing touches are put on it and he sits down to play it…wouldn’t it be an absolute shock it the first string plucked sounded like a trumpet… My point is that God made you. He knows every aspect of you. Every facet of your personality, your mind, your being. To often our minds take the phrase ‘God made me’, and turns it into the visual of God piling up so dirt…mushing it into a humanoid shape…and then ’say the magic words’…PPoofF! We have human. God created more than that. He created the way you perceive things, the environment you’d be exposed to, your ability to interpret things…and the way you see the world. With a hand in creating all of that…it would probably be pretty easy to create us so that we were prepared to take the journey He had in mind for us.

Prayer

Lord,

I praise you for I am ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. Some days I feel overwhelmed with the tasks set before me. Help me to use the abilities that You have created in me to accomplish the tasks that You have given to me. I love You. I know I don’t say that enough. I love You. Thank You for loving me first.

Amen .