S – The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵ but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. 

Genesis 4:4–5 CSB

O – C ommentary:

Abel, however, seems to be lined up with man’s original purpose, to have dominion over life (cf. 1:28); he kept flocks. These coincidental descriptions are enhanced with their actions in worship. Abel went out of his way to please God (which meant he had faith in God, Heb. 11:6), whereas Cain was simply discharging a duty. Abel’s actions were righteous, whereas Cain’s were evil (1 John 3:12). These two types of people are still present.

Cain’s lack of faith shows up in his response to God’s rejection of his offering of fruit (Gen. 4:5). Rather than being concerned about remedying the situation and pleasing God, he was very angry.

4:6–7. Cain was so angry he would not be talked out of his sin—even by God

“Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Early in creation, comparison to others and anger are revealed in human nature. It is imperative that both are conquered.  Cain wasn’t focused on his own relationship with God and how to make that better.  His anger was too far gone for even God to change.  We must surrender and yield our hearts and emotions to God instead of seeking our own will.

R – Heavenly Father, you are holy and just.  Help us to see your will and plans as best for us.  Let us learn to celebrate others and be angry in a healthy way.  Your will is what is best for us.  We invite your Holy Spirit to help us follow your direction.

S – The man named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹ The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.

Genesis 3:20–21 CSB

O – Commentary:

All God’s dealings with people as sinners can be traced back to this act of disobedience by Adam and Eve. God is a saving God, however, and the fact that He clothed … Adam and Eve testifies to that. An animal was sacrificed to provide garments of skin, and later all Israel’s animal sacrifices would be part of God’s provision to remedy the curse—a life for a life. The sinner shall die! (Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 6:23) Yet he will live if he places his faith in the Lord, who has provided a Substitute. The skin with which God clothed Adam and Eve perpetually reminded them of God’s provision. Similarly in the fullness of time God accepted the sacrifice of Christ, and on the basis of that atonement He clothes believers in righteousness

 “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – This establishes God’s plan for sin.  He covers it with a sacrifice.  Today is Easter Sunday.  We celebrate the ultimate sacrifice that took care of it for eternity.  Jesus gave his life and shed his blood so we could have eternal relationship with the father. 

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Of all days, we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf.  Thank you for loving us so much that he paid the ultimate price for our sins.  We love you today, God.  We accept and walk in your forgiveness and redemption.

S – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him

Genesis 2:18 CSB

O –  The first time in creation God said something wasn’t good.  Man was not created to be alone so God created woman so it would be good.

Helper – âzar, to surround,  protect or aid

Corresponding – nâgad, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); to expose, predict, explain, praise:

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – The longing for others in our lives goes all the way back to the garden.  It is God’s desire and character for relationship and community.  This is in us as well.  God equips each of us with a wonderful, healthy desire for others in our lives.  This comes with challenge but the positives far outweighs it.  Everybody needs somebody.

R – Heavenly Father, you are our master craftsman.  Thank you for the relationships you have put in our lives.  We need you to be the center of all of the relationships.  Thank you for those in our closest circles who speak life, truth and love to us.

S – Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:2–3 CSB

O –  Commentary:

God’s first creative word produced light. The elegance and majesty of Creation by decree is a refreshing contrast with the bizarre creation stories of the pagans. Here is demonstrated the power of God’s word. It was this word that motivated Israel to trust and obey Him.

The light was natural, physical light. Its creation was an immediate victory because it dispelled darkness. Light and darkness in the Bible are also symbolic of good and evil. Here began God’s work which will culminate in the age to come when there will be no darkness (Rev. 22:5). Israel would know that God is Light—and that the Truth and the Way are with Him. In the darkness of Egypt (Ex. 10:21–24) they had light; and in the deliverance they followed His light (Ex. 13:21).

“Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

“Darkness” –chôshek, the dark;  darkness; fmisery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness:— night, obscurity.

, The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words

A – In the existing darkness, God created light.  Darkness brought light to a environment that already existed.  Darkness came first.  This is true to our lives in the same way.  We are born into a sinful nature because of the sins of Adam and Eve.  Only a relationship with God can dispel the power and presence of darkness.  It must be replaced with the “light” of His presence.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the Creator of all.  Thank you for loving each of us enough that in al that you created, you thought of us.  Thank you for dispelling the darkness that kept distance between us and you.  Thank you for eliminating the chaos, ignorance, sorrow and wickedness that kept us on a path of destruction.  We love and surrender to you.

S – Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. 

²⁵ Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah ²⁶ when he said, 

Go to these people and say: You will always be listening, but never understanding; 

and you will always be looking, but never perceiving. ²⁷ For the hearts of these people 

have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; 

otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.^, 

Acts 28:24–27 CSB

O –  Commentary:

The disagreement among the Jewish leaders in Rome about Paul’s message showed that they were not amenable to the gospel. With prophetic insight Paul applied the words of Isaiah (6:9–10) to his own contemporaries. Obstinate refusal to believe results in calloused hearts, deafened ears, and spiritually blinded eyes. This had happened to Israel both in Isaiah’s day and in Paul’s (cf. Rom. 11:7–10). Interestingly Paul ascribed Isaiah’s words to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 4:25).

“Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – It is worth noting in finishing the book of Acts that the central conflict of Paul’s time is also a conflict today.  Overall, the Jewish culture doesn’t not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and the Gentile nations are more readily accepting of this.  Also, all of us can e calloused in hearing the word of God and “turning it off.”  The answer to both is accepting Christ as our savior and living daily in relationship with Him.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the one, true God.  It is easy to believe in ourselves more than you.  Help us to invite you into our lives daily and live out our relationship with you.  Give us strength and faith to put you first and our own will second.  You are God and we put you on the throne of our lives.

S – But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴

Acts 27:43–44 CSB

O – Commentary:

Because soldiers were accountable with their own lives for any prisoners who escaped (cf. 12:19; 16:27) they planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. For the soldiers this was simply a matter of self-preservation.

The centurion, however, wanted to spare Paul’s life. He saw the value and trustworthiness of this prisoner and so forestalled the soldiers’ plan. Obviously God was sovereignly at work to spare Paul for ministry at Rome and to guarantee the fulfillment of his prediction (v. 24)

“Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – God granted Paul favor with the centurion even in all the other “storms” in his life.  It is hard to imagine the strength Paul is showing while  a prisoner, in terrible storms, on a boat ready to be destroyed, hadn’t eaten in 14 days and still, he knows he is going to make it to Rome.  All of it comes together to fulfill God’s plan.  When people ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people,” this shows that God is a part of this too.  Only God knows why he allowed all of those challenges but He did.

R – Heavenly Father, you are all present and powerful.  We invite you to do your will in our lives today.  We surrender our expectations and will to you.  We trust that you have our best interest in the purpose and plan you have for us.

S – Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily?” 

²⁹“I wish before God,” replied Paul, “that whether easily or with difficulty, not only you but all who listen to me today might become as I am—except for these chains.

Acts 26:28–29 CSB 

O – Commentary:

This enigmatic remark might have been ironic, incredulous, scoffing, or brushing off Paul’s challenge. It also might have been a direct statement of Paul’s persuasiveness, or a direct statement about or genuine question of Paul’s intention. It seems best to take Agrippa’s reply as deliberately evasive: He didn’t want to admit that he believed the prophets (26:27), for Paul had just made a strong case, and the next step would be to believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah to whom the prophets pointed. Agrippa didn’t want to take that step. On the other hand, he didn’t want to say that he didn’t believe the prophets, for that would alienate the Jewish subjects to whose loyalties he wanted to appeal. His non-committal response underlines his discomfort with Paul’s testimony.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Paul calls the court to salvation while on trial.  The irony of it gives us a fresh picture of God’s working in situations that don’t make sense.  You would expect Paul to plead for his freedom and release.  Instead, he shares his story and the plan of salvation.  God will use us if we make ourselves available.  The final irony is that they would have given him his freedom but he appealed to Caesar.

R – Heavenly Father, you are unlimited in power and presence.  We invite you into all the situations and conversations today.  You draw others to you by your Holy Spirit and love.  Help us to be vessels for you in the way we speak and interact with others.

S – If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!

Acts 25:11 CSB

O – Commentary:

There is some debate as to whether Festus was legally bound to remand the case to Caesar (Nero, who reigned from a.d. 54–68), or if he could have chosen to handle the case himself. If Festus had decided to hear the case and made a negative decision, Paul could still have appealed to Caesar. But Festus probably had no alternative but to transfer the case to Rome. So after he had conferred with his council, he announced that in view of Paul’s appeal, he must go to Caesar.

“Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Paul’s time imprisoned in Rome changed the history of the world with some of  the letters he wrote.  Many of these letters became the New Testament.  God has a plan in our situations that don’t make sense some times.  We can trust that he is working even when we don’t see it.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the King of all Kings and there is none greater than you.  We invite you to lead us in your purpose and plans today.  Even when it doesn’t make sense, we will walk in trust and faith that you will work it for our good.

S – I always strive to have a clear conscience toward God and men. 

 Acts 24:16. CSB

O – Commentary:

Paul stressed that he had acted with a clear conscience (see 20:27, 33; 23:1; 1 Cor 4:4; 2 Cor 1:12; 4:2; see 2 Tim 1:3). He had not departed from his Jewish heritage (24:14), and he had no fear of God’s judgment (24:15).

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Paul stresses his discipline to have a no “unkept business” with God or man.  It is a good reminder for us.  We must search ourselves for any sin we have not dealt with God.  Dealing with sin in our lives allows for a stronger relationship with God.  The same is true for others.  When we deal with the conflict with others, it frees up the path for greater relationships.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Please help us to discern anything that will slow down our relationship with you.  We want to know you fully and be fully known as well.  Same with others in our lives.  We want nothing to hold back our ability to build healthy relationships with others.

S- The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.” 

Acts 23:11 CSB

O – Commentary:

The importance of this vision was not only in its comfort and encouragement (cf. 18:9–10) but also in the confirmation it gave of Paul’s plans to go to Rome. The gospel of Christ would literally go from Jerusalem to Rome by means of the Apostle Paul. This was the fourth vision the Lord gave Paul (cf. 9:4–6; 16:9; 18:9–10).

“Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – When we recognize in hindsight that God’s plan in sharing the gospel was to reach the world, the journey of Paul and the early church makes sense.  I cannot imagine what it felt like at the time it was happening.  I am sure Paul needed assurance and encouragement that God was directing this.  We can receive the same through the Holy Spirit bringing comfort and guidance in our lives.

R – Heavenly Father, you are all knowing and always present.  Thank you for comforting and guiding our lives.  Each of us face challenges and trials.  Your presence is important to us and gives us hope, strength and courage to journey forward today.