This post is Day 9 in a series of studies about “Commandments”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Commandments – Day 9

A very short command for this sixth commandment! Is it not common sense that we are to be nice to others? How tragic that there were only two brothers on the earth, and one killed the other! We read of Cain killing his brother because of jealousy in Genesis 4.

Exodus 20:13

You shall not murder.

The Thought

A very short command for this sixth commandment! How sad it is that it even had to be made a command from God to His people! Is it not common sense that we are to be nice to others?

How tragic that there were only two brothers on the earth, and one killed the other! We read of Cain killing his brother Abel because of jealousy in Genesis 4. This lead to Cain lying to God about his brother’s whereabouts. One sin often leads to another, we must be careful.

Sadly other religions do not have this same command from their gods, and on too many occasions people have felt that killing others (particularly Christians), is pleasing the god they serve. A demon-god!

I am sure that no-one reading this is contemplating murder, but I do wonder how many of us have “murdered” people through our words! We can all be guilty of saying things in haste or of criticising others, and words can destroy. A child who is often told by teachers or parents that he or she is stupid will have such a low opinion of themselves that they will grow to fit that description; “murdered” by family or teachers!

Action

Pray today for those who have lost family members because of aggression from followers of other gods. It happens daily in many places. eg. India, North Korea, and Africa.

Pray for your own thoughts, and ask the Lord to show you good things about the people you find it difficult to like, remembering that we are to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44)!

Read the full chapter of Matthew 5 today and be blessed, much of it will be familiar, but God’s Word can teach us something new even when we read familiar passages. Pray that He will do that for you today.

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