Keepers of the Home – Topic No. 8 – Following God’s Commands
We have already discussed God’s first and second commands, but this week we’ll be studying the rest of the commandments:
From Exodus 20:1-17
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor
God’s 3rd command, “You shall not misuse the Lord’s name.” How often have we callously thrown around God’s holy name in a curse? Did you know that the ancient Hebrews as well as some modern-day Christians refuse to even speak the name “God” because it is so holy, so sacred to them that they would dare not even speak His name? You might have seen them type out “G-d” even? Exodus 15:11 says, “"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”
God’s 4th command: “Keep the Sabbath Day holy.” C’mon, admit it…do you really have a day where you set it aside to focus on God and growing closer to Him? I want you to answer truthfully here! For some, Sabbath Day is Sunday. For others, it’s Saturday. But whichever day you deem the Sabbath, you MUST set aside one day each week to rest your body, rejuvenate your mind, and focus on the Lord God Almighty. Do you HAVE to sit in a church pew to do so? Probably not…but I highly recommend you get in the habit of doing so! Learning to devote a day to the Lord will teach your children to do the same. This is a requirement of the Lord for everyone.
God’s 5th command: “Honor your father and mother.” Many parents are not teaching their children to respect their authority in the family home. Too often, the parents are left cowering at their children’s demands instead of their children obeying their parents’ commands. “Kasey, it’s your turn to wash the dishes.” Kasey should wash the dishes. Sure, she may complain about it, but in the end, your request should be fulfilled. “Johnny, pick up your toys before we go out to play.” Johnny stomps his feet and throws himself onto the floor. At this point, some parents would cajole or bribe Johnny into picking up his toys…however, a parent who is teaching respect and authority for elders will stick to their guns and not take Johnny out to play until the toys have all been picked up.
God’s 6th command: “You shall not murder.” I once heard a sermon on this very commandment. The pastor preached that the original word for “murder” in this verse actually means to take an innocent life. Others believe this is a command against any form of killing or death.
God’s 7th command: “Don’t sleep with someone who isn’t your spouse.” This is the proper translation for this command. Premarital sex, extra-marital affairs, both of these fall under God’s 7th command for our lives.
God’s 8th command: “Don’t take what isn’t yours.” Ever been to a grocery store and realized that the cashier gave you back too much money? Ever wanted something in a store so badly that you took it without paying for it?
God’s 9th command: “Don’t speak falsely of someone else.” Whether you’re visiting with a group of gal pals or angry with your coworker, you should never lie about something they have or have not done. It’s okay to get irritated with someone and want to talk about it with your close friends, but you should never, ever lie about the situation to make it look better for yourself.
God’s 10th command: “Don’t be jealous of what others have…and you don’t.” This is a tough one in modern-day society. Americans have been taught that if they want something badly enough, even if they can’t afford it, just put it on a credit card and pay for it later. Or your best friend gets a brand-new car and you’re jealous because you can’t afford one. Or…and this one’s tough for Christian women…a female church member has a handsome husband, two cute, well-dressed kids, and a beautiful ring on her finger. She arrives to church on Sunday mornings with a smart, new outfit and a fabulous new hair cut…and we want that life, too.
Questions and Answers to Share with your KOTH Partner:
1. Can you list all 10 commandments to your children without peeking?
2. Do your children know all of the 10 commandments?
3. Out of all of the 10 commandments we have studied, which one is most difficult for you…and why?
4. Can you pray about these 10 commandments in the upcoming week and ask God to reveal to you which areas of your life He would have you focus on in relation to His 10 commandments?
5. Please share with your KOTH partner which area you would like to have specific prayer for in regards to God’s 10 commandments.
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