God is not a thug
I recently shared with someone how I grasped the operation of the kingdom of God. It wasn't how you might think. I led a pretty rough life before I met Jesus. I made some stupid choices and hung out with others who'd done the same. Some of these people were known for their choices. They had authority in certain neighborhoods because of their reputation, and they enforced it with threats and violence. I was not known by most people. However, because I was known by one or two who were, I had access to their authority by association. I was able to walk freely in places I wouldn't otherwise. If there was a question, using their name granted me access others didn't have. I relied on their reputation, not mine. So when I learned about the kingdom of God and prayer and using authority, it made perfect sense to me. God owned the world, and I belonged to him. I could go anywhere, doing business in his name. Yet, God has a way of turning things on their head. He let m...