Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

The Holy Spirit is telling me to highlight the issue of not prioritizing God in our lives.

Today’s scripture, Genesis 4:3-7 NLT
[3] When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. [4] Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, [5] but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. [6] “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? [7] 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.”

Consider…
John McCarthur’s commentary on these verses said that Cain’s gift was rejected by God because it wasn’t a pre-approved offering.

While that’s an interesting perspective, I believe there’s another one that the Holy Spirit has given me. He showed the difference on the offerings is found in two four letter words:

• Some
• Best

You see Cain, like many of us, gave God some of what he had versus his best. We give God…

• some of our time
• some of our resources
• some of our love
• some of our attention
• some of our obedience

…the problem with our ‘some’ offerings is we don’t serve a sometime God!

What’s interesting is Abel didn’t have to give God all of his livestock, he simply gave God his best.

That’s the mistake many of us make, we’re so focused on the quantity that we overlook the quality of what we give God! God wants our best!

You see the quality of what you give you shows how much you value the recipient.

Many people like to quote Malachi 3:10 as an incentive to tithe. However, Malachi 1:6-8 (NLT) is the backdrop to that verse. It says…
[6] The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ [7] “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. “Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ “You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. [8] When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Notice, the priests were giving God blind, crippled and diseased animals. While they did their religious duty, they didn’t honor God’s relationship desire. I say that because emphasized His disappointment in not being honored as their Father and respected as their Master.

I pray that God is not disappointed with us for the same reasons.

By the way, here’s Malachi 3:8-10 (NLT)…
[8] “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. [9] You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. [10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

Notice verse 10 is a challenge to honor God and experience His blessings instead of the curse the people were under because of their dishonor and disrespect.

In case you think this is just an old testament issue, let me direct you to Jesus’ words in Luke 14:26 (NLT)…
[26] “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.

I like how Jesus said ‘by comparison’. He wasn’t saying we should hate the people we love, but that we should love Him so much more that our love for others pales in comparison.

I’m also reminded of Mark 12:28-30 (NLT) which says…
[28] One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” [29] Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. [30] And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

Don’t miss the fact Jesus said the most important commandment is we must love YHWH with our ALL!

That pressed play on Forever Jones singing…

There’s a voice that cries out in the silence
Searching for a heart that will love Him
Longing for a child that will give Him their all
Give it all, He wants it all

And there’s a God that walks over the earth
He’s searching for a heart that is desperate
And longing for a child
That will give Him their all
Give it all, He wants it all

And He says love me, love me with your whole heart
He wants it all today
Serve Me, serve Me with your life now
He wants it all today
Bow down, let go of your idols
He wants it all today
He wants it all today
He wants it all today
He wants it all

God wants to be our priority! Indeed He wants us to honor and respect Him with our best, because that shows Him He has our heart!

Show God how much He means to you by putting Him first.

Today’s song is…
I Put You First

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)