Based on “Respect Life – No Anger” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 4/4-5/09,
Message #2477; Daily Devotional #1 - “I Would Never!”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13) This commandment is pretty self-explanatory. Most of us would never even consider contemplating murder, much less commit the act. I believe many people sitting in our prison system never dreamed they would end up doing what they have done. If you were to go into a classroom of children and ask them what their goals are for their life, I feel confident that murder would be furthest thing from their minds. They wouldn’t even consider it.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): So what’s the problem? Why do we see violence increasing at an alarming pace? The Bible has an answer. Man’s heart is deceitfully wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9) Murder is usually the end result of emotions that have gone unchecked and not been dealt with. Why else would you see people in the news committing acts that seem contrary to their personalities? We have all seen neighbors interviewed after a horrible tragedy stating, “I’ve lived next to this person for 15 years, and I never thought they were capable of this.” If hurt or disappointment is left unchecked, it will turn to anger, then rage, which then can turn to murder.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Jesus gave us a stern warning regarding our hearts. He stated, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22a) We do have hope, and it’s Jesus. Without Christ, man cannot follow God’s Word on his own, and we could never be good enough to merit heaven. (Ephesians 2:8-9) It’s impossible. God knew when sin entered the world that man would need a Savior and a set of instructions to live by. He gave us His Son and His Word. (John 3:16-17) If you are battling hurt, anger, unforgiveness, or bitterness in your heart, give it to God and ask for forgiveness. He will heal the wounds and restore you. Life is hard. We will get hurt. Hanging onto all those deadly emotions hurts us more than we could ever imagine, and if left unchecked, could lead to disastrous consequences. Surrender your life to Jesus. God wants to heal every hurt and restore every broken heart. He cares for you. Will you trust Him today?
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Matthew 15:19, Galatians 5:1, Luke 23:34
HS
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
New King James Version = NKJV, King James Version = KJV.