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Saturday, February 21, 2009
Murder!
"You have heard that it was said to our people long ago,
'Don't kill any person. And any person that kills will be
judged.' But I tell you, don't be angry with another person.
Every person is your brother. If you are angry with other
people, you will be judged. And if you say bad things to
another person, you will be judged by the Jewish council. And
if you call another person a fool, you will be in danger of
the fire of hell."
-- Matthew 5:21-22 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
As religious people, it is so easy for us to feel pious and righteous
when we hear of all the horrible things done in our world that are
ungodly. "Thankfully I'm not one of them!" we can smugly think to
ourselves. Jesus shatters all of our smugness. He tells us that he
wants our righteousness to exceed that of the Pharisees and Scribes. He
really means it. The next several verses will drive this point home.
The character of heart described in the beatitudes is now demanded of
disciples in our everyday lives. There's no room for smugness when
Jesus tells us that angry hatred, slanderous gossip, or shaming speech
puts us in the same category as murderers. His point? Murder starts in
the heart and works its way out. These two actions are all part of the
same continuum -- different by degree, not by kind.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
O Lord, purge from my heart all bitterness, hatred, and venomous anger.
Give me your Spirit of forgiveness and grace. I want to be pure in
heart and hold nothing against those you love. Father, I don't want to
poison my heart with the stains of Satan's tools of anger,
judgmentalism, and disrespect. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0221-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+5:21-22&sr=1&t=erv
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