Thread by @glprater

#GeraldsDevotional
Fighting Over Kingdom Assets
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As I woke up this morning and received this message from the Lord, it was very personal to me. You’ll see why in the conclusion. In this world we all have a natural tendency to want to fight to defend our own honor and interest. We defend and protect our name and our material

interests against others who would try to harm them. Think about Matthew and the other tax collectors during the days of Jesus. They were despised and hated by the Jews for two reasons. The Jews thought that the tax collectors unfairly took material possessions from them to

benefit themselves financially and to give what belonged to them to the Roman authorities. The Jews also hated tax collectors because they thought that their actions harmed the reputation of the Jewish people. They thought that the tax collectors (who were their brothers) gave

them a bad name and needed to be attacked and shunned. A lot of this could also be applied to the divisive relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans.

This principle and tendency remains very strong in us today, even in the children of God. We are very quick to go to war

to defend our name or material possessions when we feel that we are being taken advantage of or abused. We fight to make deals that are always in our best interest. We are like James and John, the disciples of Jesus, in that we are quick to want to call down thunder from heaven

when we feel that we are insulted or cheated in any way (see Mark 3:17).

There are several notable problems when we respond like this as children of God. First, we are typically responding based on our own emotions. In those moments we are not seeking or listening to the

Holy Spirit for help. We are dealing with the situation and fighting the battle the manner that we think is appropriate. We may not be aware of how God is using this situation for His purpose through us and we stop following Him.

We also forget who the real owner is of those things that we are fighting to defend. When we are saved and give our lives to Jesus, we give all of it to Him and He becomes the owner and Lord, right? We begin to do what we do and live our lives as His representatives (in His name)

right? So whose material possessions or name are we really defending? Does He need or want us to defend, fight for or to take back what belongs to Him? In the end, who is really in control of His name and His assets?

This message was very personal for me because I found myself

in a one of these situations in recent days regarding a large financial transaction. I was prepared to go to war against another person and their reputation over a material dispute. As my emotions were raging, the Lord got my attention and reminded me about what was most

important in this transaction. He is my provider and the money all belongs to Him anyway. And my reputation and honor also represents Him.

So let us all be mindful today of whose name we represent and who really owns all of our assets. Now let us read the scripture that He

placed on my heart this morning to go along with this message. It is found in Paul’s letter of 1 Corinthians 6:7-11.

7 Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let

yourselves be cheated? 8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor

sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

- 1 Corinthians 6:7-11
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