"Using God's Name In Vain!"

We've heard the phrase before about using God's name in vain. Growing up we automatically assumed that using His name in vain was connected to cussing or using bad language. Basically that is true, whenever we speak evil of people, or speak ill over them, that can be considered cursing them; especially since we have God given power in our tongues to bless.  Somehow we thought if we didn't use the name of 'Jesus', or say 'God', then we were okay.  But truthfully every day we can hear someone who is NOT cussing, use God's name in vain.  

Vain- means producing no results or useless...

Taking a name in vain- means using someone's name in a way that shows lack of respect...

Based on this definition,  perhaps taking God's name in vain is not just cussing.  If we use His name in a way that is not profitable or does not produce, we have used His name in vain.   Taking his name in vain could be anything from the prayers that we pray- that are against His word, to the  things that we say that God is doing that has nothing to do with Him.  How many times have you heard someone say "God told me to..."  and you and everyone knows that God was not in it?  Anytime we use the Name of Jesus for our own reasons, to benefit us without His written permission, that is a form of  writing a check, it results in "spiritual forgery". Those prayers are left marked as 'insufficient."  

SUFFICIENT OR INSUFFICIENT PRAYERS 

If we really want to get the benefits of His name, we have to know the benefits of His word.   The Bible says that God has  exalted His word above His name, which means that His name is only as good as His word.  We see this in business every day.  

If someone tells you that they will be there and contribute to a project, and they never do... after awhile, when you hear their name, you roll your eyes.  You don't wait on them, and you don't count on them after understanding that they don't keep their word.  Their word has given their name a reputation that says "Unreliable".  In the same way, God has shown us that He means what He says.  What He has written is what He will do, so when you use His name towards what He has said, in the context that He meant it...  scripture says "He hastens to perform His word".  Sufficient funds.   

But when we apply His name to what we want and we have no word to back it, that is an insufficient prayer. It produces no results, and is useless.  To continue to pray insufficient prayers in the name of Jesus is disrespectful to His name. God is only obligated to what He said in His word that He would do.   After years of "name it and claim it",  "believe it and receive it", and "Blab it and Grab it!"  We need to realize God is not moved by any of that.  As Believers, we have disrespected His name by showing the world prayers prayed in His name,  that never get answered....

Christians, we may still get upset when we hear cussing, or when we hear God's name being taken in vain in a movie, but instead of trying to get the speck out of someone else's eye, see that there is a HUGE plank in our own. Every prayer prayed in fear, God is not obligated to answer.  Any pray prayed for revenge on others, God is not obligated to answer.  When we ask Him to do anything outside His word, we are using His name in vain.  Be encouraged to read the word of God, ask Him for understanding and balance so when we encounter an opportunity to  use His name, we do it with power, and according to His word.  That is when we will see the POWER OF HIS NAME!