Ten Commandments #6

Well my friends I am back from the mission field and it was a great trip. There isn't much more of a blessing one can get than serving others. Thanks for the prayers and please pray for me today as I am not feeling the greatest...getting a cold I think!

Now for today's devotion.

This commandment sounds very easy but we may need to dig a little deeper to see we have all broken it!

Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder."

I can hear many folks right now saying "Finally one I have kept all my life" oh really? Jesus compares murder with anger against our brothers and sisters. Look at this passage:

Matthew 5:21-24


21"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old, `Thou shalt not kill,' and `Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.'


22But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, `Raca,' shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, `Thou fool,' shall be in danger of hell fire.


23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,


24leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Wow how many times in our lives has somebody irritated us to the point that in our hearts we hated them? I know I can think back through the years and come up with many. I hope and pray as we go through our walk with the Lord that we grow and learn not to hate anyone! In our society today as it has been in the past also we have folks who are still prejudice. This is a form of hate and must be dealt with in one's life.

Jesus even goes on to tell us if we have something against a brother that He doesn't want our sacrifices either, He wants us to get our relationships right first...wow!

So as you can see again we are guilty of not following another commandment of the Lord. As first glance we can say I have never murdered but from the mouth of Jesus we have! OUCH!

Thank you Jesus for forgiveness, mercy, and grace! Have a great day in the Lord and chew on this for a while!

God bless...Tom