Lord, Help Us to Remove Malice from Our Heart

Today's Devotion, Lord, help us to remove malice from our heart. In Job 1 verse 6 to 12 it is written, Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, From where have you come? Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro from the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house, and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work on his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your hand.

Only against him do not stretch out your hand. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Even though the devil is the enemy, God communicates with him, and many of us have developed the habit of keeping malice with people who we see as our enemy.

You don't have to do anything wrong for someone to malice you. All you have to do is to tell them the truth. God is the God of truth, and the devil is the father of lies.

In Hebrews 6 verse 18 it is written, So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. My brothers and sisters in Christ, we do not have the privilege of keeping malice with others. In 1 Peter 2 verse 1 to 2 it is written, Therefore putting aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all slander, like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.

Heavenly Father, you have made it clear that you do not condone malice. Help us to forgive others as you have commanded, and to not seek revenge. We come against malice in our churches, our families, and our workplace.

Lord, we repent from any malice in our heart, and fill us with your peace. Help us to be slow to anger and quick to hear, so that our life produces what is right before you.

All these we ask in Jesus name, Amen.