LRH: Order in Our Relationships - Stopping the Blame Game

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bless you.

And you say....

Welcome to Logos Rima R with God's servant, Rev.

Dr.

Joseph Baalbin, Head Pastor of Harvest Chapel International Kumasi. And now,

to today's message.

Let's take our confession, Joshua 1, verse 8. This book

Joshua 1:8

of the Lord shall not depart out of my mouth.

but I shall meditate in it day and night, that

I may observe to do according to all that is

written in it. For then I will make my way prosperous,

and then I will have good success.

Amen.

Why don't you take your seats in this presence as

we welcome each other to the presence of God and

continue with our discourses on how best We can bring

order into our relationships.

Hallelujah. Amen.

And remember our text for the month. Our anchor scripture

is taken from Colossians 3.13. That be gentle and ready

to forgive. Never hold grudges. Remember that Lord forgave you

so You must forgive others. We read last Sunday, we

read and took a look at the message translation which

begins from 12 to 14.

Very interesting.

It says, so chosen by God for this new life

of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you. Compassion, kindness, humility,

quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick

to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as

the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you

put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment Never

be without it.

Amen.

So the troubled relationship, as I said, those are the signs.

And then in verse 9 of chapter 3, God calls

out to the man. It's a very, very important verse. Very,

very important. Very, very significant. Adam and Eve went into hiding.

They were uncomfortable. Like I said, when you are sinning,

you don't enjoy the presence of God. So today when

they come, they're submarine believers. So today they will come

and then they will go. It's not their move. All

the others, they are excuses. The real thing is the uncomfortableness.

And look at God, verse 9. God came and.

Said, Adam, where are you? Where are you? Don't hide.

That was it. Come out of the hide. If you

look at what God did for them, it's like God

wants us to come. That's why he goes over us.

We have the courage to come every time.

Amen.

It doesn't matter the names that they are giving us,

but we will come. We will fall seven times, but

we will rise up again. And allow the Holy Spirit

to do His work of grace in our life. So

you will see that if you are genuine, you are

following hard. You are following hard. Because effort must be applied.

As the days go by, as the years, you are

being changed. And you are looking more and more like

the genuine article. Bearing the image of God and the

likeness of God.

Hallelujah. Amen. So the point in verse 9 that I

just said, God.

Will never give up on us, but will continue coming, seeking,

and calling us out. Where are you? Where are you?

Where are you?

Come.

I can work on you. It doesn't matter who you are. Hallelujah. Amen.

And then in verse 10, we see Adam making the confession.

I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid.

I was afraid because I was naked.

Amen. When they're in relationship. Have you seen me before?

You look at that. So unpleasant emotions take over our lives.

When you and somebody are not getting well and you meet,

those unpleasant emotions, they come up.

They surface. Because no matter when I meet you, I

should be able to smile at you and say hello. Hallelujah.

All things being equal.

Do you like that awkward thing that is going on

in your heart? You know, the natural you, the real you,

the born-again you.

You want to say hello and smile to everybody.

Now, because of the fractured relationship, now when you meet,

even when you greet it, it's a ladder. You don't

give your hand, you give a ladder. No blood inside.

So the blood freezes. So when you hold the hand,

it's like that. You know, blood indicates what?

Warmth. Affects it.

So when you get, when somebody's every time they're greeting you,

it's a ladder like, and there's something there. Me and you,

there's no warmth between us.

Hallelujah. Amen.

If you don't invoke it and it's natural, it just

tells you that that is what is happening. That's why

the ladder handshake. Amen.

So unpleasant emotions, that's what he's confessing here. Takes over

our lives. Shame, fear, Panic. Hallelujah.

And then we say that the best option for us

is to go into hiding.

So we hide. Hallelujah.

But then in verse 11, we know what really went on.

He said, have you eaten from the tree whose fruit?

Now listen to what God said. I commanded you not

to eat. Commanded you. Have you disobeyed the commandment of God?

It will fracture the relationship between God. We are saying

that the upward, heavenward relationship must work.

It must grow. It must mature.

If that is not working, look at the commandments of God.

And the commandments, the commandments must do. Citizens of the

kingdom of God, they are under commandment. It's our civic

responsibility to obey the rules that governs kingdom life. And

that one, it is the God, the king of the universe.

He is the one who gives out the commandment and

the principle. You want to thrive and be in his

good books, you have to obey.

Amen. Hallelujah. Amen.

So God says, have you disobeyed the commandment of the Lord?

And then sooner than later, as you grow in the

Lord and you mature, you realize that it's a very

foolish thing to do, to disobey the commandment of God.

Because the price to pay for it is not worth it.

Look at Adam and Eve. They were hiding.

Very unpleasant and very uncomfortable. And they said, we heard you.

They said, we heard your voice. We heard your shuffling

of your feet in the garden and we had to run.

We simply had to go into hiding. Hallelujah. Amen.

Anytime that you disobey the commandments of God, that is

how we.

Demonstrate our love.

So the more and more you are doing it, the

more you are introducing friction between your relationship with God.

Hallelujah. Amen.

And then we saw the blame game in verses 12

and 13 when the man said it was the woman

and then the woman said it was the serpent. And

we said that we always look for scapegoats. But God

wants us To take responsibility for your sins.

Why? Because you forgive us. You can't forgive yourself.

You hear some people say, oh, I forgive, I can't

forgive myself.

No, you can't.

So who will forgive you? If you are not, you

will forgive yourself. And all the other people today are

not forgiving you. So you find out that you are

an emotional wreck. And then you will be running away

from people, from God and from people. God has forgiven you.

Praise God. It comes with the grace to forgive yourself.

There is therefore.

Now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus because the

law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has

set us free from the law of sin and death.

There's no condemnation. Our hearts don't condemn us.

That is why we are able to come into his

presence and sing and clap and dance. In his presence

you are disinhibited. Hallelujah. And in that mood, you are able.

To relate and connect with people easily. Because we have

the Holy Spirit in us. And he energizes us.

It is his life. Like we say, it is his life.

Like somebody will say, you know, I used to be,

Pastor Jeff will say, Pastor Jeff will later experience.

This, I'm a very timid man.

But this timid man has visited almost everybody in this church.

He knows everybody in this church. So when he goes there,

what does he go and talk to? The Holy Spirit

takes over. Amen.

Every time he says, Daddy, I have to go and visit.

I just want to visit them. But on his own,

he's a shy person. But when the Holy Spirit moves forward, schools.

That's how it works. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Excuse me. That's how we build relationships. So he knows

almost everybody's house.

They visit everybody. They know everybody's home. Immediately they can say,

we'll go and visit. And they will bring a report. Hallelujah.

Amen. The Holy Spirit is responsible. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen.

But as we said, God, and for me, that is

also another very, very pivotal truth.

God is the king.

His word is law, the commandment. So God said, no,

you know, Adam, yeah, yeah, I can forgive you. That's

why I came looking for you. I love you so much.

But the king's law, it has to be obeyed. And

the punishments, decree for your error has to be applied.

Adam should have died in the garden of Eden. You see,

there's this thing about God that I.

Don't know how we can explain it, but it's very tough.

I'm sure, you know, one day we will ask him,

but he just tells us about, I think it's an

offshoot of the love of God for all his creation.

Amen.

How many of us I'm sure you don't have any

choice anyway. How many of us believe that Satan has

been judged already? The Bible says he has been judged.

So why is he hanging around? Amen. According to the Bible.

His faith is sealed. He has been judged. Amen.

So why is God not incarcerating him in death? So

you understand why he left Adam to hang around for

900 years.

Amen. Amen. If Satan is still around.

And he's still doing a lot of harm and God

has not incarcerated, then you and I, you too, now

you understand why you are around.

The Bible says that.

Understand some of these things so that, like I said,

don't be foolish. Don't be silly and say that I'll

make nothing. God said I'll die and I'm still alive.

No, no, no, no, no.

You are not understanding the ways of God. Even Satan

is hanging around. He says, and God says, it will

be for a season. But surely, surely he will be

incarcerated and severely judged. God had said that on the

day you die, you surely die. And when we came

to the punishment in Genesis 3, we saw it. He said,

from dust to dust, from dust you will be, and

to dust you will return.

And he pronounced it.

And then the same God, when he finished, He said, come, come, come, Adam,

look at the fig leaves that you have sown.

It's not nice grass. Let me get you something better.

Then he slew one of the innocent animals, skinned them,

and then sealed durable.

Clothes for them.

It tells you about the heartbeat of God when he

says that he's not desirous of having any man to perish,

but that all should have everlasting life.

God so loved the world.

So you're doing all those mean things and disregarding the

commandments of God and you're still hanging around.

It's the love of God. It's not for a license

to sin. It's the love of God for repentance. Amen.

And even for us in the kingdom, that's why you've

realized that the Bible is always teaching us the same thing.

Peter would say to say the same thing again and again.

His desire is for us. It's beneficial to hear it.

But the whole gospel is centered around a few things.

Jesus said he loved God.

And that's it. That's it. I love you. The gospel

of God is the best.

I love you because you are my creation.

My DNA is in you. Just repent and then we

are good to go. Hallelujah. Amen.

So the curses came and as I said, God knows

what he's doing. And As much as the curse was activated,

God's love was also activated simultaneously.

The curse was activated. God pronounced it.

And then when he finished, in verse 20 of chapter 12,

chapter 3.

That's where he clothed him.

Amen. God drew close to Adam and Eve and clothed

them in durable clothes, signaling that, look, I want us

to be reconciled. And theologians will tell us that the

shedding of the innocent blood was what atoned for the moment.

And that's the undergirding truth underlying the Old Testament blood

sacrifices and rituals that we see that people had to

go through, especially the life of Israel, to draw close

to God. Pending the permanent sacrifice, the Lamb of God,

He Himself, taking our place.

And entering our creation.

So that he could die for us. And breach the gap.

The distorted relationship. The disorderly relationship.

In creation.

And now the gates have been thrown open. And everyone

can come to God.

In penitence and in humility. Not in arrogance. Hallelujah. Amen.

And then the last part. Or sad part. Is that

22 to 24 that. once again, it also tells us

about the full nature of God. As much as He

is love, He is also a holy God, and He

is a just God.

The soul that sins shall die.

So now we see God, maybe we should say reluctantly,

and in A lot of pain and a lot of tears,

he said. Then the Lord God said, look, the human

beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil.

What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree

of life and eat it? Then they will live forever.

So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden.

And he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from

which he had been made. After sending them out, the

Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the

Garden of Eden. and he placed a flaming sword that

flashed back and forth to guard the way to the

tree of life.

Hallelujah. Amen. That was a very tough act of God,

but he had to do it. Amen. Hallelujah.

So now, so this is the picture where Moses paints

for us on the Bible so that we can see

how the Relationship between God and his star creator was ruined,

but not beyond repair.

That's what the narrative says. It was not beyond repair. Hallelujah.

Because God took those proactive measures to win back the

heart of the man. For God so loved the world

that he gave his only begotten son. Whosoever believes should

not perish, but have everlasting life. Now let's look at

life outside the walls of the garden. The Cain and

Abel story is going to tell us.

Hallelujah.

We see very much clearly the ruined relationship of God,

of creator God, and the creator man. God's star creator. Now,

as we go beyond the walls of the Garden of Eden,

we are going to see the distorted and disorderly relationship

between humans. And that's why I made that point. Nobody

is born as a nice person. So as we look

at the stories of Cain and Abel, let's get that

in mind. Abel was not born a nice person. Neither

was Cain born a nice person. So what dictated the two?

Once again, the instructions of God. The commandments of God.

Who was ready to be tilted, mentored, coached. Who was

going to allow the word. Remember the word of God.

The Bible says there is a spirit behind it.

The words that I speak to you, they are spirit

and life-injecting or life-giving words. Abel was open and open

to the word of God, to allow the word of

God to work in his life.

Hallelujah. What about Cain?

Let's read from 1 to 7, chapter 4. We have

here 1 to 15. Let's read it and then we'll

pick up the lessons. Now, Adam had sexual relations with

his wife Eve.

And she became pregnant. When she gave birth.

To Cain, she said, With the Lord's help, I have

produced a man. Once again, Eve, best for me.

In excitement.

That tells you that they were in conversation with God.

Amen.

They had a relationship with God. That is why Eve

could praise God. It's a voice of praise. Eve was

praising God. She said, with the Lord's help, I have

produced a man. And theologians will tell us, Bible scholars

will tell us that if it was more like a hooray,

the Messiah that was promised in Genesis 3.15 has come

and he's going to bruise the serpent's head whilst it

also bruises. And they were so expectant that And the

Messiah was going to come and do the permanent sacrifice

for them and heal the creation. And the relationship between

God and his creator or his star creator man and

then amongst themselves. But that wasn't it. Verse 2. Later

she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

And when they grew up, Abel became a shepherd while

Cain cultivated the ground.

Verse 3.

When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some

of his crops as a gift to the Lord. For

Abel also brought a gift, the best of the firstborn

lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift.

Abel and his gift. Let's go on five. But he

did not accept.

Cain and his gift. Cain and his gift. This made

Cain very angry and he looked dejected. Hallelujah.

Today we'll do an exercise. If we don't finish, we'll

continue on then. Everybody will submit their own and then

I'll mark it.

Hallelujah. Amen.

We are going to list the characteristics of K and

the characteristics of Abel. So as we are going, take

note and then we'll compare it to you.

Hallelujah.

You'll compare it to what is going on to you.

I'll give you an example then we'll do it.

Hallelujah. Amen. So let's read quickly. But he did not accept.

Why are you so angry? The Lord asked Cain, why

do you look so dejected? So already we can pick

two here. Cain was an angry man and a very

dejected looking man. When you see him, you can't say, no, no,

leave me alone. I can't smile. I don't smile at you.

You are not my friend. Because it wasn't working between

him and God. Now, God comes out. God is very

kind though. This angry man, oh, you think your anger,

your anger won't put off God, oh. That's why you

say we shouldn't call you.

We'll call you. Hallelujah. We'll call you.

But when God mentions you and whispers your name, we'll

call you. We'll come and visit you.

Hallelujah.

Amen. He said you will be accepted if you do

what is right. But if you refuse to do what

is right, then watch out. Sin is crouching at the door,

eager to control you. But you must subdue it and

be its master.

Eighth.

Oh, Cain.

One day, Cain suggested to his brother, let's go out

into the field. And while they were in the field,

Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. Now, afterward,

now listen to this conversation. His relationship with God. We

have seen that with his brother. Now, look at the relationship.

After what the Lord asked Cain, where is your brother?

Where is Abel? I don't know.

Cain responded, am I my brother's guardian? But the Lord said,

what have you done? Listen, your brother's blood cries out

to me from the ground. Now you are cursed and

banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother's blood.

No longer will the ground yield good crops for you,

no matter how hard you work. From now on, you

will be a homeless wanderer on the earth. Cain replied

to the Lord, my punishment is too great for me

to bear.

Now, if you were God, now listen to God.

That's the heart of God. You have banished me from

the land and from your presence. Banished me from your presence.

You have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me.

Will kill me. Listen to God.

The Lord replied, no, for I'll give a sevenfold punishment

to anyone who kills you. Then the Lord put a

mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to

kill him.

Amen. So now let's come back. Can we start? Okay.

I don't know how many I have here, so I'm

just giving you an idea. He was a very temperamental man. Angry, envious, jealous, arrogant, rude, disobedient, cruel, disrespectful, cheeky, unforgiving,

lying man. I hope you get the exercise. So don't

take my... Don't take my... Don't... Don't take my own.

But I'll read through again. And then as I said,

this will be an exercise. And then as we are

reading through Cain.

No, no.

You check the list very well. And then you see yourself.

Whether you are more like Cain or more like Abel.

Okay, Cain.

Let's look again. I said, as I was writing. He's

a very temperamental man.

Angry. Envious. Jealousy. Arrogant. Rude. Disobedient. Cruel.

Disrespectful, cheeky, unforgiving, lying man. That was what I picked

from Kate. What about Abel? Let's do the exercise and

then I'm sure that maybe on Sunday as we continue

looking at their lives, we will see. But remember, as

I said, no man is born a nice man. We

all learned it here. It's an acquired exercise. And for

you and I in the kingdom, the Holy Spirit will

teach us How to behave towards God and towards one another.

The difference between Cain and Abel. Because they were all

in Adam's household. They were all instructed in the ways

of God.

But their obedience.

How well are we obeying them? How well are we

taking our instruction? How well are we modeling the truths?

How prepared are we to obey the instruction? Rise up

on your feet.

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