“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12 NLT)

The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. The final six deal with our relationships with people. In the commandments that follow this one, we find “You must not murder.” “You must not commit adultery.” “You must not steal.” “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.” “You must not covet.”

Before God deals with other human relationships, however, He begins with the family. “Honor your father and your mother.” The family is very important to God. Few things can bring us as much pleasure in life as our families. And few things can bring us as much pain in life as our families. Kids have problems with parents. Parents have problems with kids. Kids have problems with one another. Parents have problems with one another. Often at the same time.

But we must never lose sight of the family’s importance. God created the family dynamic. Our very existence as a society is contingent on the success of the family. As I’ve said before, a family can survive without the nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family.

Maybe that’s why Satan hates it so much and does everything he can to undermine it. Tragically, in today’s twisted times, mothers and fathers often are not even around to honor. Especially fathers. A man and a woman faithfully raising their children together is becoming less and less the norm.

I remember that I moved around a lot when I was a kid. I came from a divorced home, and it caused a little bit of scandal each time we relocated. “He’s from a broken home,” people would whisper. It was a bit of a rarity in those days. Today, coming from a stable home is almost as rare. “What? Your mom and dad are still together? What’s with that?”

We tamper with God’s order at our own peril. The fifth commandment isn’t simply a reminder to kids; it’s a call to action for all God’s people to prioritize the cornerstone institution He created.

You don’t need to see the latest statistics and studies to tell you the impact of broken homes and dishonored families. You can see it in your neighborhood. You can see it in your church. You can see it in your local schools. Maybe you can see it in your own family, extended or nuclear.

The fifth commandment is a reminder to put the best interests of our spouse, our kids, and our parents ahead of our own desires and wants. It’s a reminder to honor our commitments to the people closest to us, especially when things get rocky. It’s a reminder to embrace the responsibilities of parenthood. It’s a reminder to forgive the people whose closeness to us makes it easier for them to hurt us. It’s a reminder to swallow our pride and take the necessary steps of reconciliation.

When we honor our father and mother, we honor the family. And when we honor the family, we honor God.

Reflection question: How can you honor your father and mother? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” (Exodus 20:8–11 NLT)

The fourth commandment has produced more confusion, misunderstanding, and hard feelings than any of the others. Let’s find out what it is and what it is not.

It should be noted that this commandment was given specifically to Jewish people. The Sabbath—the seventh day of the week, Saturday—was to be a day of total rest. This command does not really apply in its literal form to a Christian living under the New Covenant. Let me give you a few fast facts about the fourth commandment to help explain why.

Number one, it is the only commandment that is not repeated in the New Testament. Every other commandment is repeated; breaking the Sabbath is never mentioned.

Number two, Jesus never taught anyone to keep the Sabbath. In fact, He Himself was accused of violating the Sabbath. That’s one of the reasons that He was crucified. The religious leaders had so perverted and twisted the meaning of the Sabbath that it was turned into a miserable religious mess. Because Jesus healed people on the Sabbath, those leaders accused Him of breaking the fourth commandment.

Number three, the Sabbath was fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. In Hebrews 4, we read, “So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest” (verses 9–11 NLT). The Sabbath foreshadowed what Christ would accomplish on the cross. All other world religions essentially say, “Do.” Christianity says, “Done.” Enter into that rest. Enter into the finished work of Jesus Christ.

So, for Christians, the Sabbath is a day set apart for God and our relationship with Him.

A day when we unplug from the distractions of life and recharge ourselves spiritually. A day to focus on who God is. A day to spend at church with family and friends. A day to think of the things of the Lord.

When we “remember the Sabbath,” not only do we honor the Lord, but we also grow in our relationship with Him.

Reflection question: What does observing the Sabbath—or the Lord’s Day—look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

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Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.” (Exodus 20:7 NLT)

God’s name is important to Him. There is power in His name. Anyone who tries to diminish that power by taking it lightly or using it in a way that dishonors Him is breaking the third commandment.

One way people misuse the name of the Lord is by swearing by it. As in, “I swear to God, I’m telling you the truth.” People who swear to God often do so because their own word—their own name—isn’t reliable. They’re known to make commitments they don’t keep or to say things that aren’t true.

This misuse comes into sharp focus in a marriage ceremony. If we commit ourselves to our spouses with vows that invoke God’s name, we must honor those vows. If we bail on the relationship we vowed to uphold, we’re misusing God’s name.

Another way we misuse the Lord’s name is by saying, “Oh, my God” or “Oh, God.” When we drop those words into casual conversation—or any conversation—we’re treating God’s name like any other exclamation. We’re ignoring the importance God places on His name and using it simply as a thoughtless sentence filler. We’re not actually calling for Him. We’re not praying to or worshiping Him. We’re simply borrowing His name for our own conversational purposes.

Some people misuse God’s name by leveraging it for personal gain. They market themselves as Christian business owners, or Christian salespeople, or Christian service providers, hoping to attract Christians as clients. They wear their faith on their sleeve to set themselves apart in the marketplace. That’s a misuse of God’s name and His work in our lives.

And that brings us to what I believe is the worst way of misusing the name of the Lord: hypocrisy. If you claim to be a follower of God, if you call His Son Savior and Lord, people can and should expect to see Christ in you. In the way you talk. In the decisions you make. In the priorities you demonstrate. In the way you interact with others. In your business dealings. In the way you treat your enemies.

If they don’t see Christ in you, if instead they see someone very much like the unbelievers they know, they will rightly question your faith. They will double down on their doubts. They will lean harder into their cynicism. Christian hypocrisy creates a huge stumbling block for unbelievers. It makes them question the power of God to change lives.

If you claim God as your heavenly Father with your words but deny Him with your actions, you are misusing His name.

Honor the name of the Lord—not just with the things you say, but also with the way you live.

Reflection question: What’s the biggest challenge for you when it comes to not misusing the name of the Lord? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.