Psalm 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

When you hear the word dependent what do you think? Child? Tax deduction? Needy? There are many ways to look at the word and for all practical purposes could be considered helpless. We do not like the word helpless. We shy away from such thoughts because there is little if any hope in that word. We always want to think there is a source of help and a hope.

In truth dependent means community. We are part of something bigger than just ourselves. We are always pointing to personal responsibility in relationship with God. Salvation comes to individuals based on personal acceptance. I am only saved by faith, my faith cannot save you. Yet once we accept that great salvation we become part of something much greater, the body of Christ.

We are dependent upon each other within a body, no one part supplies all needs. Each part is vital in order to achieve a whole healthy, complete body. Christ is perfect, AMEN? That being the case, and with us being a part of the body, we await the perfect completion of that body, so that we may be delivered a whole and perfect body to the wedding.

In this we are dependent on every soul that makes up that body and cannot be delivered until that last soul accepts Christ by faith. In this we are depending on each other to do the one thing we are all called to do within the body of Christ, no matter what part of the body you are, eye, ear, lip or little toe.

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

We have a dual citizenship, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are now citizens of His Kingdom. We are secondary citizens of this earth, sojourners, journeying in a foreign land, resident aliens of a sort.

Do you believe that? Is your first allegiance to the King of Kings? The reason I ask this is relevant to this issue of things that are freely given to us by God. These things are given to Kingdom citizens in the realm of the King, not of this earth. They are spiritual and manifest themselves through the Holy Spirit. They are not of this world.

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

If you seek earthly rewards, recognition, title, position, possessions and glory, that is a clear indication of where your allegiance lies. None of that is transferable to the Kingdom, they are not spiritual in nature.

Psalm 118:17-19 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:

How exactly should we know which treasures are laid up in heaven?

Psalm 118:23 This is the Lord‘s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

It is theft to glory in what the Lord has done.