#discipleship — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #discipleship, aggregated by home.social.
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“You can either be god of certain areas of your life, or let Me be God of your whole life.”
― The Skit Guys -
Most men settle for shallow, convenient lies because truth is too heavy to carry. It’s time to stop performing for people and start living under the authority of Scripture. Strip away the facade and get real with God. 📖🔥
#BiblicalManhood #TruthMatters #Discipleship
https://bdking71.wordpress.com/2026/08/15/the-clothing-of-truth-stripping-the-lies/
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The early morning is still dark when my hound and I arrive at the dog park. Almost immediately, there is a flash of white, and suddenly chaos ensues.
A cat is trapped inside the smaller of the two fenced-in areas. Even though a chain-link fence separates the two, both animals instantly go into a frenzy. My hound begins howling, while the terrified cat races back and forth, careening into the fence as it desperately searches for a way out.
I try to help it escape, all to the loud dismay of my hound, but the cat is too frightened to understand what I am doing. After crashing into the fence several times, it finally collapses low into the grass and simply lies there. I keep my distance, unsure whether it may be injured or sick.
Eventually, I leave the gates open and manage to pull my thoroughly over-hyped hunter away from the scene, fighting against everything years of breeding and evolution have taught her to do.
It takes most of the morning at home—and then a return trip to the now-empty dog park, where she follows one scent trail after another—before she finally begins to calm down.
Needless to say, it was not the most ideal way to start my day.
I, too, needed some time before I could let the chaos of the morning fade away.
And perhaps that was the first lesson.
There are some things that are better left alone.
That sounds simple enough, but I am not especially good at it. Neither, apparently, is my hound.
Once she caught the scent, something ancient took over. The world became very small. There was no longer a dog park, no morning, no leash, no person calling her name. There was only the cat.
I wonder how often I live that way.
Something catches my attention—a problem, a slight, a fear, an argument, a worry, some unfinished thing—and suddenly the whole world narrows around it. I circle it. I howl at it. I follow its scent long after the thing itself has disappeared.
There are habits in us that are older than our intentions.
The hound was not making a philosophical decision to terrorize a cat. She was doing what generations of hounds had prepared her to do. Her body knew before her mind could know.
Human beings are not so different.
We carry instincts of our own: to defend ourselves, to retaliate, to prove ourselves right, to pursue what frightens us, to hold tightly to what we think belongs to us. Sometimes we call these things personality. Sometimes, principle. Sometimes even righteousness.
But occasionally, they are simply old instincts running loose.
The spiritual life may involve learning that not everything within us deserves obedience.
Paul wrote about taking thoughts captive. Jesus spoke repeatedly of watching, waking, remaining alert. Perhaps part of discipleship is noticing the moment when something inside us begins to run.
There is a hound within me, too.
There are things I chase simply because they moved.
There are arguments that do not need another reply. There are offenses that do not need another inspection. There are anxieties whose scent I follow until I have wandered miles from peace.
Sometimes, faithfulness means pursuit.
Sometimes, faithfulness means calling the hound home.
But there was another creature in the story.
The cat.
The more frightened it became, the harder it tried to escape. And the harder it tried to escape, the more violently it crashed into the fence.
There was probably an opening somewhere. I had opened gates. I was trying to make a way.
But fear could not see the opening.
Fear only saw the threat.
So the cat ran harder.
I know something about that, too.
There are moments when I become frightened enough that I begin throwing myself against whatever boundary happens to be nearest. I want out of the discomfort immediately. I want the problem solved now. I want certainty restored.
And sometimes, in trying so desperately to escape, I hurt myself against the very thing I am trying to get through.
The Psalmist says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
We often print those words on peaceful photographs of mountains and lakes.
But perhaps they belong just as much at a chain-link fence.
Be still.
Not because there is no danger.
Not because everything is fine.
But because panic is not always capable of recognizing an opening.
There are times when running is necessary.
And there are times when running harder only drives us deeper into the fence.
Eventually, the cat did something remarkable.
It stopped.
It lowered itself into the grass and became almost completely still.
At first, I thought it might be injured. Perhaps it was.
But there was also something strangely wise about that surrender. When every frantic attempt had failed, the animal finally quit fighting the entire world.
Sometimes, this is where grace begins.
Not when we finally overpower the situation.
But when we stop exhausting ourselves against it.
“Come to me,” Jesus says, “all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens.”
Not: figure everything out.
Not: run faster.
Not: break the fence.
Come.
Rest.
There is perhaps a third lesson as well, and it concerns my own place in the drama.
I could not make either animal understand what I was trying to do.
The cat could not understand that I was trying to help it.
The hound could not understand why I was preventing her from doing the one thing that seemed most important in the universe.
From their perspectives, I was probably interfering with both of them.
Yet I could see something, neither could you see.
I could see the whole enclosure.
I could see the gates.
I could see the fence.
I could see the danger.
I could see the way out.
That thought has stayed with me.
Perhaps there are moments when God seems strangely obstructive because God sees the whole enclosure.
We pull toward something, and the leash tightens.
We run toward an opening and somehow find ourselves redirected.
We pray for one thing and receive another.
From inside our frightened or excited little worlds, divine restraint can feel like abandonment or interference.
But perhaps the One holding us back can see something we cannot.
The old prayer says,
Your will be done.
There are days when that prayer may simply mean:
God, if I am chasing something I should leave alone, pull me back.
If I am panicking against a fence, help me become still enough to see the gate.
And if I cannot understand what you are doing, help me trust that you see more of the field than I do.
By the time my hound and I returned to the dog park later that morning, the cat was gone.
Only the scent remained.
Naturally, the hound investigated every inch of it.
She ran from fence to fence, nose down, reconstructing the entire drama from invisible traces.
Eventually even those grew faint.
Her breathing slowed.
Her body loosened.
The morning became a morning again.
Perhaps that is grace too.
The thing that once filled the entire world eventually becomes only a scent in the grass.
The crisis passes.
The fear fades.
The instinct quiets.
What seemed moments earlier to demand every ounce of our attention becomes simply one more thing that happened.
And somewhere between the hound and the cat I recognize myself.
Sometimes I am the pursuer.
Sometimes I am the pursued.
Sometimes I chase things better left alone.
Sometimes I run terrified into fences that cannot possibly become doors.
The difficult wisdom is learning which is which.
Perhaps this is why the spiritual life requires so much attention.
To know when to pursue.
To know when to stop.
To know when to run.
To know when to lie quietly in the grass.
To know when the leash pulling against us is not punishment but mercy.
And above all, to remember that somewhere beyond the frenzy there may already be an open gate we are simply too frightened—or too excited—to see.Prayer
God of the open gate,
#Anxiety #beStillAndKnow #cat #ChristianReflection #Discipleship #divineGuidance #dogPark #Fear #FindingPeace #Grace #hound #instinct #lessonsFromAnimals #LettingGo #Mercy #openGate #Prayer #spiritualLessons #SpiritualReflection #TrustInGod
When I chase what I should release, call me home.
When old instincts rise in me—fear, anger, pride, the need to be right—teach me that not every impulse deserves obedience.
When I am frightened and cannot see a way forward, keep me from throwing myself again and again against the same fence. Slow my breathing. Quiet my spirit. Help me become still enough to notice the opening I could not see before.
Give me wisdom to know when to pursue and when to stop, when to act and when to wait, when to hold on and when to let go.
And when your restraint feels like a leash pulling against everything I want, give me enough trust to believe that you may see more of the field than I do.
Make me gentle with frightened creatures, including the frightened places within myself.
Let the things that consume me today become, in time, only a fading scent in the grass.
And when chaos narrows my world, remind me that beyond the fence there is still a morning, still a horizon, still grace, and perhaps an open gate I have not yet learned to see.
Amen. -
Salvation does not just remove your guilt and shame; you are not just saved out of bad stuff. You are saved into something. For those of us in Christ, what happens to Christ happens to us. His fate is your fate. This mystical union transforms our purpose and power for ministry.
https://keelancook.com/live-as-though-you-cannot-die -
Stop looking for a "fix" for your suffering. Pain isn't a glitch in your life—it’s a furnace meant to shatter your ego and align you with the sovereign I AM. It’s time to stop being domesticated and start being a disciple. 🔥🔨 #Sovereignty #Discipleship #Faith
https://bdking71.wordpress.com/2026/08/09/the-furnace-of-the-sovereign-why-pain-isnt-a-glitch/
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The Great Commission isn't for a select few; the call to make disciples of the nations is for all. We feel the tension of sending our children. It will be a sacrifice for them, and for us. Yet, what more worthy cause exists than taking salvation to those who have never heard?
https://keelancook.com/parents-raise-up-missionaries #missiology #missions #churchleadership #parenting #discipleship -
The widespread adoption of the term 'Nones' often conceals more than it reveals. New research suggests four distinct categories: NiNos, SBNRs, Dones, and Zealous Atheists. Understanding these distinctions clarifies the worldviews at play and helps ministry leaders think critically about effective discipleship strategies, rather than applying one-size-fits-all approaches. #theology #discipleship
https://keelancook.com/navigating-the-nones -
People go… then what? Once trip members return home, they are faced with at least three realities, including losing sight of those for whom they prayed. A simple reminder, like a sticker, can fight back against these obstacles and make it easier to tell their story and maintain connection. Raise an Ebenezer.
https://keelancook.com/make-it-easy-for-members-to-tell-their-trip-story -
We treat faith like a EULA, hiding behind loopholes and exit clauses. It is time to stop playing the contract game and accept the unbreakable covenant that survives the coming fire. Are you a convert or a disciple? ⚔️🔥 #CovenantNotContract #BiblicalManhood #Discipleship
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We often misappropriate Do not judge as a blanket prohibition to any form of correction. Jesus' original words condemn hypocrisy and call us to lovingly confront one another inside the Christian community, after removing our own beams. This is crucial for the church today.
https://keelancook.com/on-splinters-beams-and-correcting-others-part-1 -
It’s in the Blood
In 1539, a fugitive former-priest-turned-Anabaptist, in his seminal work “The Foundation,” penned the following words:
“Christ is our fortress; patience our weapon of defense; the Word of God our sword. …Iron and metal spears and swords we leave to those who, alas, regard human blood and swine’s blood of well-nigh equal value.”
So said Menno Simons, principal leader of the Protestant sect which then became known as the Mennonites.
More than 500 years later, his words still resound with a mighty truth.
At the risk of sounding morbid, it has to do with blood.
While Menno specifically refers to the difference between human blood and that of an animal, his larger point is the “value” we place on the blood of another.
My point is quite simple.
Killing will not end through education, conflict resolution, or disarmament, though all of these are important and can help. Killing will end only when there is a fundamental shift in the mind and heart of those who kill.
For how can you kill someone if you believe that their blood is just as valuable as your own?
Let’s call it – for lack of a better term – bloodism.
The other – their humanity, life, blood – is somehow less than I, and therefore, their humanity, life, blood, is not as valuable as my own. It becomes quite easy then to justify killing the other, ie. spilling his/her blood.
The directors of death throughout history from every nation, tribe and religion have understood and disseminated this concept quite well. A person (and those like him/her) is described as having the wrong beliefs, the wrong skin color, the wrong gender, the wrong age, the wrong station in life, the wrong land, the wrong possessions, the wrong clothing, the wrong language —- the wrong blood. These others are not as valued as you are, the leaders of the macabre scream, though they couch their speech in terms such as vigilance, freedom, history, security, and truth.
Then the killing begins.
The Nazis did it to the Jews. Israelis do it to the Palestinians. Hutus did it to the Tutsis. Shiite do it to the Sunni. Palestinians do it to the Israelis. Sunni do it to the Shiite. Muslims do it to the Christians. Christians do it to the Muslims. This country does it to that country. That neighborhood does it to this neighborhood. This race does it to that race. That religion does it to this religion.
And any one of a million other combinations.
STOP!
Do not allow your mind and heart to be filled with bloodism.
We are made in the image of God.
ALL of us.
And that divine DNA resides in the very marrow of our bones and flows through our veins.
It’s in the blood.
July 28, 2014
#anabaptist #AnabaptistTheology #Antiwar #Blood #Bloodism #ChristOurFortress #ChristianEthics #ChristianPacifism #ChristianReflection #Discipleship #DivineDNA #enemy #enemyLove #faithAndViolence #HereAreSomeWordPressTagsThatFitThePostMennoSimons #HumanBlood #humanDignity #imageOfGod #imagoDei #ItSInTheBlood #JesusAndNonviolence #killing #kingdomOfGod #LoveYourEnemy #MennoSimons #mennonite #MennonitePeaceWitness #Nonviolence #Patience #peace #peaceTheology #Peacebuilding #Peacemaking #reflection #religion #SacredLife #SermonReflection #TheFoundation #theologyOfPeace #thoughts #Violence #war #WarAndPeace #WordOfGod #Writing -
Jesus Embodied the Marginalized
Jesus was a Jewish homeless vagabond, born in poor conditions to a woman whose husband was not his father, raised a refugee in Egypt, despised by his own people, hated by the religious leaders, physically assaulted by law enforcement, and executed with capital punishment, even though he was completely innocent. He did not just reach the marginalized—he embodied the marginalized. His entire life said, “Pay attention to the least of these.”
You can’t preach Jesus as he is without Jesus as he was.
#Bible #capitalPunishment #ChristianFaith #Christianity #discipleship #gospel #homelessness #Jesus #leastOfThese #marginalizedPeople #poverty #refugees #religiousLeaders #socialJustice #theology -
Jesus expects his followers to love their enemies. It’s counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. Our motivation for this radical ethic isn't to win friends or change minds, but to bear the family resemblance as children of our Father in heaven. We live in a way that authenticates the message we share.
https://keelancook.com/christian-bear-the-family-resemblance -
Pastors lead in encouraging diverse fellowship, but fostering multi-life-stage discipleship isn't solely their burden. Members share this vital responsibility. Breaking peer bubbles is a church-wide calling for deeper spiritual growth.
https://keelancook.com/bust-the-peer-bubble-in-your-church -
The first Adam filled the world with rebels, but God through Christ, the second Adam, creates a new people. He fills the world with worshipers and ministers. The cross invites us not to selfishness, but to be part of this new kingdom God is creating. It's a call to entirely new desires, not old ones.
https://keelancook.com/live-as-though-you-cannot-die -
Your testimony is not the gospel message, but it is a clear demonstration of the gospel’s power. It is one story of the gospel applied, revealing the righteousness of God because the righteous live by faith. This is God’s design: to make His disciples into living examples of His power to save.
https://keelancook.com/art-of-personal-testimony -
Ananias, Sapphira, and the Death of Utopia
According to Sigurd Grindheim, Greek and Roman philosophers sometimes imagined a utopia in which a community “lived together in perfect harmony and shared everything.” That being said, when the early church launched and looked very much like this description, some may have thought that utopia had finally been realized.
But as with all good things, Satan always finds a way to twist it. The first offenders of the new Christian utopia were a couple named Ananias and Sapphira. Having recently sold some property, the couple agreed to give the proceeds to the church, but they kept some back for themselves without mentioning it. Peter recognized this decision as the work of Satan in their hearts, and the two died supernaturally.
This story is enough to send shivers down our spines, as it is one of the most intense stories of judgment in the New Testament. But this is not a story about tithing or generosity, as some pastors might retell it. This is the story of a couple who wondered how they might use the church’s new utopian society to get ahead. They didn’t face judgment because they kept some of their own money to themselves—that was always their choice to make. They faced judgment because they wanted people to think they were far more generous than they were. As far as anyone else knew, they had given all of their money away. In this new utopia, such an action would make them look holy and righteous, gain the community’s respect, and likely move them up in leadership.
As I was listening to the radio this morning, a historian was discussing the ideals around the founding of America. These were the beliefs and actions that set us apart from the rest of the world. We were a republic, and we cared about the pursuit of happiness, liberty, and justice for all.
This description sat oddly with me on America’s 250th birthday. I’m all for putting power in the people’s hands, but I can’t think of any American who really feels like they have any real sway over the government. I can think of people who believe the whole world has equal access to happiness, liberty, and justice, but anyone who has done the research unequivocally knows that’s not true. While the ideals themselves are good, we are hardly a shining city on a hill of those ideas 250 years later. What happened?
Any of the utopian ideals America was founded upon have been corrupted over time by the same forces that pried at the church’s utopia in its earliest days. With a little bit of money and deceit, you can buy your way forward in any system and then turn it back to glorify yourself. Not even the church itself can create a system that’s so perfect that Sin won’t find a way to manipulate it, for Sin knows how to twist everything. There is no ideal or action so pure that it can’t be twisted in some way. Even our pursuit of Jesus himself can be turned into religious legalism and hatred if Satan grabs hold of our hearts and minds along the way.
Yes, there are better ways to do things, and those ways should always be chosen. But we should never be so naive as to think we have finally found the kind of governor or governance that is impervious to Sin. Checks and balances must always bring about prophetic correction—and that will only happen when your checks and balances aren’t also corrupted by Sin.
The world is a mess. May we keep our eyes on Jesus always. We may not always have the power to change the systems of this world, but we always have the space to let the Spirit change us as we live within those systems.
#Acts5 #America #AnaniasAndSapphira #BiblicalTheology #ChristianCommunity #church #corruption #discipleship #governance #justice #kingdomOfGod #liberty #politicalTheology #propheticWitness #republic #satan #sin #socialJustice #temptation #utopia -
John Paton recalls his father pouring out his whole soul with tears for the conversion of the Heathen World. We felt as if in the presence of the living Saviour. That calling in the son was formed and established by the example of the father. What are we modeling for our children?
https://keelancook.com/parents-raise-up-missionaries #missiology #missions #churchleadership #parenting #discipleship -
If you are in church leadership, you have a responsibility to help your members tell their mission trip story. This isn't just about sharing an experience; it's about moving the experience past a trip into impact on your congregation when they return. Spending time on this benefits your church greatly.
https://keelancook.com/make-it-easy-for-members-to-tell-their-trip-story -
For too long, the Nones have been treated as a monolithic black box, implying a single set of ministry methods. But Nones are a cluster of groups with varied worldviews and receptivity. Different people respond differently to ministry. This clarity matters for making disciples among our neighbors and the nations. #missiology #churchleadership #evangelism
https://keelancook.com/navigating-the-nones -
The Men Without Monuments: A Biblical Perspective
The men remembered by monuments did not spend their lives demanding recognition. They earned it. Scripture teaches the same principle: God honors the humble and opposes the proud. In an age obsessed with self-promotion, that lesson may be more important than ever.https://polymathchristian.wordpress.com/2026/06/24/the-men-without-monuments-a-biblical-perspective/
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The Maranatha Empire
There is a prayer so holy that it should burn the tongue of every empire that tries to speak it.
#anabaptist #antiImperialTheology #breadAndCup #ChristianEthics #ChristianNationalism #ChristianWitness #Church #churchAndEmpire #comeLordJesus #cruciformFaith #Discipleship #domination #Empire #empireCritique #Faithfulness #FootWashing #Humility #Jesus #kingdomOfGod #LambOfGod #Maranatha #MaranathaEmpire #Nonviolence #peaceTheology #Peacemaking #Power #propheticChristianity #PropheticEssay #religiousPower #Revelation #SpiritualReflection #Theology
Maranatha.
Come, Lord.
It is the cry of the small church under pressure. The cry of the persecuted and the patient. The cry of those who have no armies to summon, no throne to defend, no voting bloc sufficient to save them, no market share large enough to secure their future. It is the cry of those who wait because they know they are not God.
But in every age, there are those who take this prayer of waiting and turn it into a banner of possession.
They say, “Come, Lord,” but what they mean is, “Give us control.”
They say, “Thy kingdom come,” but what they mean is, “Let our faction rule.”
They say, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” but what they build are prisons, borders, propaganda machines, religious celebrity platforms, and monuments to their own fear.
This is the Maranatha Empire.
It is not one nation only, though nations may become its servants. It is not one denomination only, though denominations may become its chapels. It is not merely Rome, nor Geneva, nor Washington, nor Moscow, nor any other city that has mistaken power for providence. The Maranatha Empire is the recurring temptation of the religious heart: to stop waiting for Christ and begin replacing him.
It begins quietly.
It begins with concern.
The world is dangerous. The children are vulnerable. The church is shrinking. The enemies are multiplying. The culture is changing. The old certainties are crumbling. The people are afraid.
Fear, when baptized, often calls itself faithfulness.
So the frightened church begins to reach for tools Jesus refused.
A throne.
A sword.
A spectacle.
A scapegoat.
A strongman.
A law that can accomplish what love has not yet persuaded.
A state that can enforce what the Spirit has not yet formed.
A leader who promises to defend Christ, as though Christ ever asked Peter to keep swinging after Gethsemane.
This is how the prayer becomes an empire.
The early church cried, “Come, Lord Jesus,” because it knew that Caesar was not Lord. The Maranatha Empire cries, “Come, Lord Jesus,” because it wants Caesar to become useful.
The early church broke bread in homes. The Maranatha Empire builds platforms and calls them altars.
The early church welcomed the stranger. The Maranatha Empire sees the stranger as a threat.
The early church died rather than kill. The Maranatha Empire kills and calls the dead collateral damage in the defense of righteousness.
The early church believed the Lamb had conquered. The Maranatha Empire keeps looking for a beast strong enough to protect the Lamb.
And there is the blasphemy.
Not that empire rejects Christ outright. That would be too honest. The Maranatha Empire does something more dangerous. It uses Christ as decoration for a power that is fundamentally afraid of the cross.
It sings of the Lamb while trusting the dragon.
It preaches resurrection while organizing itself around survival.
It displays the cross while despising weakness.
It quotes Jesus while ignoring the people Jesus told us to notice: the poor, the imprisoned, the hungry, the foreigner, the enemy, the child, the wounded man beside the road.
The Maranatha Empire is not built by atheists. It is built by believers who have lost patience with the way of Jesus.
For the way of Jesus is slow.
It is seed, yeast, salt, light.
It is foot-washing.
It is forgiveness seventy times seven.
It is refusing the shortcut of domination even when domination appears efficient.
It is telling Peter to put away the sword when everything in Peter’s body screams that this is the moment for holy violence.
It is standing before Pilate and saying, “My kingdom is not from this world,” not because the kingdom has nothing to do with the world, but because it does not come by the world’s methods.
The Maranatha Empire cannot tolerate this.
It cannot tolerate a Messiah who will not seize power.
It cannot tolerate a church that would rather be faithful than influential.
It cannot tolerate a people whose politics begin at the basin and towel.
It cannot tolerate enemy-love, because enemy-love ruins the machinery. Empire requires enemies. It needs them. It feeds on them. Without enemies, the crowd might look too closely at the throne.
So, the Maranatha Empire manufactures urgency.
There is no time to love.
No time to listen.
No time to discern.
No time for reconciliation.
No time for peacemaking.
No time to ask whether the means resemble the Christ we claim to serve.
The hour is late, they say. The danger is great. The stakes are too high. We must act now. We must take control now. We must win now.
And somewhere beneath all that urgency is a terrible confession:
They do not actually believe the Lord is coming.
Or, if he is coming, they do not trust him to arrive in the right way.
So they build him an empire to inherit.
But Christ does not inherit empires.
He judges them.
He walks in alleyways, not palaces. He asks whether the churches have kept their first love. He warns those who are rich and comfortable and self-satisfied that they may be poor, blind, and naked. He stands at the door and knocks, not because he has been defeated by secularism, but because religious people have locked him outside while holding meetings in his name.
The Maranatha Empire is always shocked when Jesus is found outside the gate.
Outside the camp.
Outside respectability.
Outside the approved narrative.
Outside the walls with the crucified, the excluded, the unclean, the inconvenient, and the condemned.
The empire expected him in the capital.
But he is with the refugees.
The empire expected him in the cathedral of victory.
But he is with the mother of the disappeared.
The empire expected him on the reviewing stand.
But he is washing feet in the basement.
The empire expected him to bless the troops.
But he is asking why his followers are still carrying swords.
This is why Maranatha must remain a dangerous prayer.
It must never be allowed to become a slogan for conquest. It must never be printed on the banners of those who are unwilling to be converted by the One they summon. To pray “Come, Lord” is not to invite divine endorsement of our projects. It is to invite judgment upon them.
Come, Lord, and judge our churches.
Come, Lord, and judge our flags.
Come, Lord, and judge our markets.
Come, Lord, and judge our weapons.
Come, Lord, and judge our sermons.
Come, Lord, and judge our secret hatreds.
Come, Lord, and judge the ways we have used your name to avoid your way.
This is the prayer empire cannot honestly pray.
Because if the Lord comes, the first thing to fall may not be our enemies.
It may be our idols.
The algorithm.
The nation.
The party.
The brand.
The gun.
The strongman.
The myth of innocence.
The lie that we can harm others for a righteous cause and remain untouched by the harm.
The Maranatha Empire teaches us to fear the collapse of Christian influence.
Jesus teaches us to fear gaining the world and losing our soul.
The Maranatha Empire asks, “How do we take back the culture?”
Jesus asks, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?”
The Maranatha Empire says, “Blessed are the winners.”
Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek.”
The Maranatha Empire says, “Blessed are the forceful, for they shall secure the future.”
Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
And perhaps this is the word for us now:
The church does not need to become more powerful.
The church needs to become more faithful.
Not passive. Not silent. Not withdrawn into pious irrelevance. But faithful in the particular, cruciform, stubborn way of Jesus. Faithful enough to resist evil without becoming its mirror. Faithful enough to tell the truth without hatred. Faithful enough to protect the vulnerable without worshiping violence. Faithful enough to build communities of economic sharing, hospitality, forgiveness, courage, and joy. Faithful enough to be a people who can live without controlling the outcome.
That is the hard part.
Empire is attractive because it promises control.
Jesus offers communion.
Empire promises security.
Jesus offers peace.
Empire promises victory over enemies.
Jesus offers reconciliation that may begin with our repentance.
Empire promises to make us great.
Jesus invites us to become small enough to enter the kingdom.
So, let the Maranatha Empire fall.
Let it fall first in us.
Let it fall in every place where we have confused anxiety with zeal. Let it fall where we have preferred dominance to witness. Let it fall where we have wanted laws to do what discipleship would not. Let it fall where we have used the suffering of others as fuel for our own righteousness. Let it fall where we have asked Jesus to come only after we have arranged the throne to our liking.
And when it falls, may something older and more beautiful remain.
A table.
A basin.
A towel.
A loaf.
A cup.
A people gathered without illusion, without empire, without the need to be impressive, whispering the ancient prayer not as conquerors but as witnesses:
Maranatha.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Come not to crown our domination, but to free us from it.
Come not to baptize our fear, but to cast it out.
Come not to make our empire holy, but to teach us again that your kingdom comes like a seed, like yeast, like mercy, like a Lamb who was slain and yet lives.
And until you come, make us faithful.
Not imperial.
Not triumphant.
Not afraid.
Faithful. -
Light for My Path (Christian Music) = Share in the joy ❤️ of this new worship song! - #God #Jesus #TheLord #Praise #ChristianMusic #Bible #Music #Song #Faith #Hope #Trust #Light #Path #Guidance #Strength #Journey #Purpose #Truth #Love #Devotion #Praise #Worship #Discipleship #InnerPeace #SpiritualGrowth #Community #Unity #Belonging #Transformation #Uplift #Grace #Mercy #Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WI3kWyEhp8
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Faith's Guiding Light (Christian Music) = Another beautiful tune 🎵 to praise the Lord! - #God #Jesus #TheLord #Praise #ChristianMusic #Bible #Music #Song #Worship #Prayer #SpiritualJourney #DivineLight #ChristianBelief #Faith #Hope #Redemption #Praise #Grace #Community #Love #Salvation #Gospel #Sacrifice #PathwayToHeaven #Glory #Devotion #BibleStudy #Strength #Peace #Mercy #Joy #Discipleship #Gathering - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
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The Litany of the Call to Discipleship is a prayer that invites us to follow Jesus with trust and courage. 🙏
Through short lines and shared responses, it recalls people in the Gospels who answered God’s call. This prayer reminds us that discipleship is a journey. When we pray it, we ask for the grace to listen, say yes, and follow Christ in daily life. ✝️
https://young-catholics.com/13687/litany-of-the-call-to-discipleship/
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Unshakeable Foundations in a Turbulent World
706 words, 4 minutes read time.
Psalm 119:116 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Introduction
In a world filled with uncertainty, it’s easy to feel like our foundations are shifting beneath us. But what if we told you that despite the chaos around us, your foundation can remain unshakeable? In this devotional, we’ll explore how Psalm 119 can be the anchor of hope in turbulent times.
The Power of Scripture
Psalm 119 is a powerful reminder of the impact of scripture on our lives. As we read through these verses, we’re struck by the depth and richness of God’s Word. It’s not just a book of rules or regulations; it’s a living, breathing source of life that can guide us through even the darkest of times.
David writes, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NIV). This verse speaks to the transformative power of scripture in our lives. When we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, it becomes a source of guidance, comfort, and strength.
Building Unshakeable Foundations
To build unshakeable foundations, we need to focus on what truly matters. We can’t control the external circumstances that surround us, but we can control how we respond to them. As believers, our foundation is built on the rock of Christ, and His Word is the anchor that holds us fast.
But it’s not just about knowing scripture; it’s about living it out in our daily lives. When we make God’s Word a priority, we begin to see the world through His eyes. We start to understand that everything we face can be transformed by His power and wisdom.
The Importance of Community
As believers, we’re not meant to go it alone. We need community – people who will encourage us, support us, and challenge us to grow in our faith. When we surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, we become a source of strength for one another.
The early church was built on the foundation of discipleship, where believers were committed to one another and to spreading the Gospel (Acts 2:42-47). As we seek to build unshakeable foundations in our own lives, let’s not forget the importance of community. Let’s reach out to those around us and support them in their walk with God.
Prayer for Unshakeable Foundations
Lord, help us to build unshakeable foundations on Your rock. Give us a deepening love for Your Word and a desire to live it out in our daily lives. Surround us with people who will encourage and support us on our journey. And as we face the challenges of this world, may You be our anchor of hope, holding fast to our hearts and guiding us through the turbulent times.
Reflection / Challenge
- What are some areas in your life where you feel like your foundation is shifting? How can you apply Psalm 119 to those situations?
- In what ways do you currently prioritize scripture in your daily life? Are there any changes you could make to deepen your relationship with God’s Word?
- Who are some people in your life who can help you build unshakeable foundations? How can you reach out to them and support one another on your journey?
Prayer / Closing
May the anchor of hope hold fast to our hearts, guiding us through the turbulent times. Amen.
Call to Action
If this devotional encouraged you, don’t just scroll on. Subscribe for more devotionals, share a comment about what God is teaching you, or reach out and tell me what you’re reflecting on today. Let’s grow in faith together.
D. Bryan King
Sources
- Unshakeable Foundations – Bible Gateway
- Unshakeable Foundations in a Turbulent World | Desiring God
- The Unshakeable Foundation of the Gospel – Christianity Today
- Unshakeable Foundations in a Turbulent World | The Gospel Coalition
- The Unshakeable Foundation of the Gospel – Desiring God
- Unshakeable Foundations in a Turbulent World | Barna Group
- The Unshakeable Foundation of the Gospel, According to Biblical Scholar – RBC News
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
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Shine Your Light (Christian Music) = Fresh melody of love 💖 for our Savior! - #God #Jesus #TheLord #Praise #ChristianMusic #Bible #Music #Song #Faith #Grace #Hope #Love #Prayer #Community #Unity #SpiritualGrowth #Devotion #Peace #Worship #TrustInGod #Forgiveness #Service #Mercy #Discipleship #Purpose #Reflection #Eternity #Compassion #Fellowship #Renewal #Joy #Guidance #Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZPU1dQmJxE
