Mon.’s Devo - Thou Shalt Not Kill. 9-17-12

Read Ex. 20:13 This is the commandment that we all feel relieved about because we are not murderers... but aren’t we? The New Testament says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Have we not all killed with our mouths and talked negatively about another person? I sure have. With our mouths we are either speaking life or death. I’d say venture to say that we break this commandment the most. James said it so well in James 3:5-10 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” Jesus, in the Beatitudes gave us a lesson on how to do this. He told us to love not only our neighbors, but our enemies and to bless those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you. Before that he talked about turning the other cheek to someone who slaps you. The Old Testament was about obeying a written set of rules set up by God. The New Testament was about a change of heart that would manifest a changed life. It took a born-again believer past the law into the spirit. Lord, put a watch over our mouths and may we speak life with our tongues - always.