How Do You Use God's Name?

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."                                                    Exodus 20:7   NKJV

Many people use the name of God or Jesus as a swear word. In many circles you can hear this every day. Furthermore, at extreme times of pressure and stress in our own lives, we may be tempted use His name this way too. But is this taking His name in vain? In one way yes, it is disrespectful and dishonourable. But I believe this goes much deeper.

Just what is His name, anyway? Is it God? Is it Jesus? In Exodus we get a clearer picture:

"13 Then Moses said to God, 'Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?'
14 And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."   Exodus 3:13-14   NKJV

This really is Yahweh  and means 'God is.' He has no equal! Moses would have been familiar with this term because, his mother was called Jochabed, which is Yahweh my glory. 
David Guzik comments, 'I AM means 'God is', there was never a time when He did not exist, or a time when He will cease to be.'

Therefore, if God is I AM, why then do we say things like, 'I AM ILL - I AM DEPRESSED, I AM FED UP etc. etc.' Saying things such as this is contrary to the Word of God that says, 'by whose stripes you were healed,' 1 Peter 2:24 or 'I AM the LORD who heals you,' Exodus 15:26, or 'who heals all your diseases,' Psalm 103:3. So, if God says His name is I AM, then we are taking His name in vain. We are not only disagreeing with His Word but we're being disrespectful about His name too. 

God (I AM) says 'I AM the LORD,' Jesus used this term as well:

'I AM the Light.'   John 8:12
'I AM the Bread of Life'. John 6:48
'I AM the Good Shepherd'  John 10:11

Therefore, if Jesus recognises this name, then shouldn't we be careful when we use it? Shouldn't we be confessing, 'I AM a well man/woman,' 'I AM healed.' I AM filled with the Blessing of God?' 

We need to watch the words that come out of our mouths. They are death or life Proverbs 18:21. Say things like, 'I AM a Christian and I AM carrying Jesus' Name.

So as we enter into a New Year, change what you say. Instead of saying that you're sick, say that you're well. Instead of saying you are broke, say that you are blessed. Start walking into 2020 as a Blessed woman or man of God and filled with the Spirit of Jesus.

Say I AM going to have a Blessed New Year.

Happy New Year everyone

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com