Tag: theology

Devotions, Teen Devotions

😎 Kingdom Teen Devotional — Day 34

Rooted & Raised

“If your right eye causes you to stumble…”

— Matthew 5:29–30 NASB1995

🔥 Cut It Off Before It Kills You

Jesus doesn’t speak in soft tones here. He uses graphic language to make a point: sin is serious, and compromise is deadly. If you know what pulls you into darkness—eliminate it. Not later. Now.

Purity doesn’t happen by accident. It takes guts. Guard your eyes. Make hard choices. Stop justifying what needs to go.

🖊 Real Talk:

  • What’s one thing you know you need to cut out but haven’t?
  • What’s holding you back from giving it up?

✨ Try This:

Delete, block, or walk away from one thing this week that keeps tripping you up. Tell a trusted friend and invite accountability.

✍️ Prayer:

Jesus, I want to be holy. Show me what to cut out, and give me the strength to do it. I don’t want anything more than I want You. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧢 Kingdom Kids Devotional — Day 34

Rooted & Raised

“If your eye causes you to sin, take it out…”

— Matthew 5:29 (Paraphrased)

👁 Eyes That Obey

Jesus isn’t really telling us to hurt ourselves—He’s showing us how important it is to run away from things that lead us to do wrong. If a video, game, or toy makes you want to disobey, it’s better to stop using it than to let it control you.

Jesus wants your heart to be full of good things, and sometimes that means saying goodbye to things that hurt your heart.

🏛 Long Ago…

Children in the early church learned to say no to things that pulled them away from Jesus. They chose truth and walked in light, even when it was hard.

💡 Think About It:

  • Is there something I watch or play with that leads me to disobey?
  • What would Jesus want me to do about it?

✨ Let’s Pray:

Jesus, help me know when something is not good for me. Give me strength to stop doing things that make me sin. Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 34

Rooted & Raised

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it from you…”

— Matthew 5:29–30 NASB1995

💔 Radical Faithfulness

Jesus uses intense imagery here to wake us up to the seriousness of sin. He’s not calling us to mutilation, but to elimination. Cut off whatever causes you to stumble—whether it’s a habit, relationship, or device.

Kingdom women don’t flirt with sin. They flee from it. Jesus is worth more than anything you might be tempted to keep. Your purity, peace, and purpose are worth guarding—because they reflect Him.

🔗 Ante-Nicene Reflection

The early Church practiced radical repentance. Converts burned scrolls of sorcery, fled immoral professions, and broke ties with sin to walk in the light. They didn’t downplay sin—they surrendered it.

💭 Reflect

  • What have I tolerated that Jesus says to tear out?
  • Am I willing to give up what draws me away from Him?

✨ Prayer

Lord, show me what needs to be removed from my life. Give me the courage to let go of anything that keeps me from You. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Kingdom Kids Devotional — Day 33

Rooted & Raised

“Do not look at someone in a wrong way…”

— Matthew 5:27–28 (Paraphrased for children)

👀 Eyes That Please God

Jesus teaches us that it’s not just wrong to do bad things—it’s wrong to think about them in our hearts. God sees everything, even what we look at and think about!

He wants our eyes and thoughts to be clean and kind. We should look at others with love and respect—not in a way that makes them feel bad or like an object.

🏛 Long Ago…

Children in the early church were taught to treat others with honor. They learned early that thoughts matter to God, and He helps us have clean hearts.

💡 Think About It:

  • Are there pictures or shows you shouldn’t watch?
  • How can you use your eyes to honor God?

🙏 Let’s Pray:

Jesus, help me use my eyes and thoughts to show love. Keep my heart clean and full of Your truth. Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 33

Rooted & Raised

“But I say to you… whoever looks at a woman with lust…”

— Matthew 5:28 NASB1995

💔 The Battle for the Heart

Jesus doesn’t lower the standard—He lifts it from mere behavior to the inner life. He isn’t just concerned with physical adultery but with heart-level unfaithfulness. Lust is not a fleeting thought—it’s a willful look that distorts love into self-centered desire.

Kingdom women are not called to be passive observers of this command. Whether single or married, we are called to honor the body, mind, and soul—ours and others’. Modesty, purity, and covenant faithfulness are not outdated—they are Kingdom values.

🕯 Ante-Nicene Reflection

The early Christian women lived with dignity and intentional modesty. Their purity was not only physical, but spiritual. They were taught to guard their hearts and to help their brothers do the same—by how they dressed, spoke, and lived.

💭 Reflect

  • Am I guarding my heart and mind against impure thoughts, media, or habits?
  • Do I see purity as a gift or a burden?

🙏 Prayer

Lord, help me to live in purity—not for show, but for You. Cleanse my heart and shape my desires to reflect Your holiness and love. Amen.

Kingdom Discipleship, Kingdom Living

Priests on Mission

Rooted & Raised

Living for the Glory of the King

A royal priest is not idle. They are not hidden behind temple walls. They are sent ones—ambassadors of the Kingdom, commissioned by the King to represent Him in the world.

“As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.”
— John 20:21

The mission of the Church is not survival—it is proclamation, compassion, and witness. And every priest in the Kingdom is part of that mission.

Priests Are Ambassadors, Not Tourists

“We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:20

The Kingdom of God is not something we escape into—it is something we carry with us. Priests are not tourists on earth. They are citizens of heaven, placed strategically by God in families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and nations to shine His light.

Wherever you are, you are on mission.

The Mission Is Local and Global

The early Church did not wait for a mission board or a conference. They carried the Gospel from house to house, from city to city, from nation to nation.

  • They planted churches
  • Served the poor
  • Preached boldly
  • Raised up disciples
  • Endured persecution with joy

“They go out not seeking glory, but seeking souls.”
— Tertullian, Apology 50

The mission didn’t stop at conversion. It continued through discipleship, justice, and love.

The Mission Is Fueled by the Holy Spirit

Jesus told His disciples not to go until the Spirit came (Acts 1:4–8). Why? Because mission without the Spirit becomes mere activity. But when priests move in the power of the Holy Spirit, lives are transformed.

  • He gives boldness (Acts 4:31)
  • He gives direction (Acts 13:2–3)
  • He opens hearts (Acts 16:14)
  • He convicts and comforts (John 16:8)

What We Can Learn

  1. Every priest is called to mission—not just ministry leaders.
  2. Wherever you are, you are sent.
  3. The Spirit empowers the mission of the Church.
  4. Our lives, love, and labor reflect the glory of the King.

Sources:

  • The Holy Bible — John 20:21; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Acts 1:4–8; Acts 4:31; Acts 13:2–3; Acts 16:14; John 16:8
  • Tertullian, Apology 50
  • Didache, ch. 14
  • Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?
  • Justin Martyr, First Apology
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Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Kingdom Family Devotional — Day 33

Rooted & Raised

“Whoever looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery…”

— Matthew 5:28 NASB1995

🧠 Training the Heart, Not Just the Habits

Jesus addresses a truth that’s often ignored in family life: sin starts in the heart, not the hands. It’s not enough to warn our children about bad behavior—we must shepherd their desires, habits, and thought life.

This passage gives mothers a sobering call: to raise children who honor others, who see people as image-bearers—not objects, and who understand that purity is more than a rule—it’s a reflection of God’s holiness.

🕯 A Mother’s Role

Teach your children to guard their eyes, to value modesty, and to resist the pull of a culture that normalizes lust. But do it with grace—reminding them that God is after their hearts, not just their screens.

📖 Talk About It:

  • How does the media shape how we view others?
  • What does it mean to honor people with our eyes and minds?

🧰 Kingdom Practice

As a family, commit to guarding your home: choose content carefully, talk about respect and purity, and keep conversations open. Build a culture of holiness, not shame.

✍️ Prayer

Lord, help us raise children who love purity—not out of fear, but out of love for You. Let our home be a place where hearts are trained in truth and grace. Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

😎 Kingdom Teen Devotional — Day 33

Rooted & Raised

“Whoever looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery…”

— Matthew 5:28 NASB1995

📱 Purity in a Culture of Clicks

Let’s be real: the world doesn’t just excuse lust—it markets it. From scrolls to screens, you’re bombarded with images and messages that make impurity seem normal.

But Jesus says your heart matters. Not just what you do—but what you feed, fantasize, and focus on. Lust isn’t harmless—it’s destructive. And purity isn’t just about avoiding sin—it’s about protecting something sacred.

🔊 Real Talk:

  • What are you consuming that’s slowly shaping how you see others?
  • Are you fighting the battle for purity—or giving in?

✨ Try This:

Audit your apps, shows, and music. Ask: Does this honor God or stir up sin? Replace what pulls you down with what draws you closer to Christ.

✍️ Prayer:

Jesus, guard my heart. Help me turn away from anything that distorts love or dishonors You. Teach me to honor You with my eyes and my desires. Amen.

Kingdom Discipleship, Kingdom Living

Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Rooted & Raised

Intercession in Action

Priests don’t live for themselves. They carry the weight of others. In the Kingdom of God, one of the most powerful expressions of our priesthood is this: interceding for and supporting one another.

To intercede is to stand in the gap—not just in prayer, but in presence, compassion, and love. The royal priesthood is not about platform—it’s about bearing burdens with and for others.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2

Jesus, Our Great Intercessor

“He always lives to make intercession for them.”
— Hebrews 7:25

Jesus not only bore our sin—He still bears our needs before the Father. As His followers, we reflect His priesthood when we lift others up in prayer, help the hurting, and walk alongside the weary.

We do not merely observe others’ pain—we enter into it, in love.

Intercession Is More Than Words

True intercession is:

  • Empathy that acts
  • Prayer that costs something
  • Sacrifice of time, comfort, and convenience
  • Standing with the broken, not just praying from afar

“When you see your brother in need, do not wait—run to him as if to Christ Himself.”
— Hermas, Mandate 8

The early Christians met needs daily. They pooled their resources, fasted for one another, and took in the rejected. Their love was priestly and practical.

Burden-Bearing Requires Humility and Strength

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak…”
— Romans 15:1

Burden-bearing isn’t always convenient. But it is always Kingdom. The Holy Spirit enables us to carry what we cannot carry alone. And in doing so, we become living expressions of Christ’s compassion.

What We Can Learn

  1. Priestly ministry includes practical love and intercession.
  2. To bear burdens is to imitate Christ.
  3. We serve best when we step into others’ pain, not around it.
  4. Every act of compassion is holy in the eyes of God.

Sources:

  • The Holy Bible — Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 15:1; 1 John 3:16–18; James 5:16
  • Hermas, Mandate 8
  • Didache, ch. 4
  • Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 38
  • Tertullian, Apology 39
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Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 32

Rooted & Raised

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