INTRODUCTION

Murder is an act of hatred that comes from the heart of man (Matthew 15:19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
See All...; Mark 7:21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
See All...). Man, however, is not the first to invent such evil thoughts. According to John 8:44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
See All..., the Devil "was a murderer from the beginning." The Lord gave His own life to save whosoever would come unto Him, but the Devil takes the lives of others in order to further his agenda. Herein lies one of the great differences between the Lord and Satan. The Lord puts so much value on the lives of others that He gave His own. The Devil puts so much value in himself that he takes the lives of others. When one man murders another, he is actively fulfilling the will and work of the Devil.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) We are no match for the Devil (Luke 22:31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
  See All...; 1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
  See All...). Hatred begins in the heart (Leviticus 19:17Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
  See All...a). The Devil wants hatred to lead to murder. Sometimes it does and sometimes it does not, but it is still sin (Genesis 27:41And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
  See All...; Acts 23:12And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
  See All...; John 13:2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
  See All..., 27).
• Why is it important to learn of the origin of murder? Whose purpose and desire is one fulfilling when he carries out a murder?  Whose will is one opposing by murdering an innocent person?
• How is capital punishment diametrically opposed to murder? Who is the source of murder? Who is the source of capital punishment? Why is capital punishment necessary?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to guard you from the purpose and desire of Satan.
• Ask God to turn the hearts of those who would murder others.

HYMN

Yield Not to Temptation

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