The Archives Devotional Magazine June 2015 | Page 12

Read the scripture

“FORGIVENESS IS THE ECONOMY OF THE HEART. FORGIVENESS SAVES THE EXPENSE
OF ANGER, THE COST OF HATRED, THE WASTE OF SPIRITS.” ―HANNAH MORE
DAY 3
“You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does
will be brought to trial.’ But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be
brought to trial, if you call your brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ you will be brought before
the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the
fire of hell. So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember
that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at
once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.”
“If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while
there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the
judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail. There you will stay, I
tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But now I tell you: anyone who
looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his
heart. So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for
you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right
hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of
your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell.”

First pray, then read. This week's
reading is Matthew 5-6.

Think about the text
What is the passage about? What
does it tell me about God the Father,
Jesus, the Holy Spirit? What does it
teach about life? Is there a
command? Example? Promise?
Warning? Error to avoid? What is the
main thing I can learn?

Apply it to life
Is there a call to action? A duty to
fulfill? A message to tell someone?
Try applying this passage to your life.
Maybe it’s an action, prayer, or a
personal change.

NOTE

What is it like preaching to thousands of people?
You ever meet one of those people who are born for the theater? George Whitefield was
one of those people, but used his talent for street preaching. In the 1700’s, after putting
himself through Pembroke College in Oxford, he began telling people about God in the
streets of London, just as Jesus spoke