Mastodawn

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

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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Intentional Faith Nov 20

When Jesus Sends the Helper We Didn’t Know We Needed

A Day in the Life of Jesus

John 16:5–11 draws us into one of the most intimate, tender, and emotionally complex moments in Jesus’ ministry. He is on the brink of the cross, preparing His disciples for His departure, and they are filled with sorrow. Their world is changing too quickly, too painfully, too mysteriously. And in the middle of their fear, Jesus tells them something that seems impossible to accept: “It is best for you that I go away.”

Every time I read this passage, I feel the tension in my own spirit. We understand the disciples’ grief. We understand their sense of loss. And yet Jesus speaks into their sorrow with a promise that has shaped every moment of Christian life since Pentecost: “If I go, I will send the Comforter to you.”

This moment in the life of Jesus becomes a window into our own walk with God—because there will always be seasons when we do not understand the purpose of His movements in our lives. There will be days when His leading feels like loss, and His silence feels like absence. But Jesus reminds us that what feels like loss to us can be preparation for something greater God desires to place within us.

Today’s passage is more than a theological statement—it is an invitation to see the Christian life through the lens of the Holy Spirit’s presence, power, and purpose. And as we walk through this day with Jesus, we discover why the Spirit’s arrival was not merely beneficial but absolutely essential for the life we are called to live.

Walking With Jesus Through John 16: Feeling the Weight of His Words

When Jesus says, “None of you asks Me where I am going,” He is not scolding His disciples, but revealing the depth of their sorrow. Their hearts were so overwhelmed that they could not yet see the beauty of what was unfolding. The loss of Jesus’ physical presence felt unbearable. But Jesus saw beyond their sorrow to the gift that was coming—a gift meant not just for them, but for all creation.

The article reminds us that Jesus’ earthly presence was limited to one place at a time. He could teach in Galilee, but not Judea at the same moment. He could walk with Peter, but He could not simultaneously sit with Thomas in his doubts. His humanity was real. His limitations were real. And His departure was necessary so that His presence could become universal—not confined to a single hillside or synagogue, but living within every believer across time and geography.

This alone reframes everything. Jesus is telling them—and us—You will not lose Me. You will gain Me in a way you never imagined.

As Leon Morris once wrote, “The Spirit would do for the disciples and the world what Jesus could not do in His physical presence: apply the reality of redemption to the human heart.” Jesus’ leaving does not subtract His presence; it multiplies it.

The Three Tasks of the Spirit: Jesus’ Explanation for Why We Never Walk Alone

Jesus then unpacks three essential works the Holy Spirit will accomplish when He comes. These tasks become the foundation of the Spirit’s ministry in the world and the believer’s life.

The Spirit Convicts the World of Sin

Jesus begins with a truth that confronts the deepest need of the human heart: we do not naturally recognize our need for God. The world’s sin, He says, is unbelief—not merely bad behavior, but the refusal to believe in Him.

This means the Spirit does something we cannot do for ourselves. He opens our eyes. He awakens the heart. He reveals the truth we would otherwise ignore. No one comes to saving faith because they figured out enough information; they come because the Spirit whispered to their soul, “This is true. This is for you.”

A. Carson comments that the Spirit “exposes the bankruptcy of unbelief,” showing us that our attempts at self-salvation are empty. The Spirit removes the blindness so we can see Jesus as He truly is—not just a teacher or miracle worker, but Savior and Lord.

In my own life, I look back at moments when the Spirit gently, persistently nudged me toward truth even when I resisted. He has confronted my pride, softened my fears, exposed my idols, and reminded me that unbelief is not merely doubt—it is misdirected trust. And still, He continues the work. The Spirit convicts because He loves us too much to leave us as we are.

The Spirit Reveals God’s Righteousness

Jesus tells the disciples that righteousness will become clear because He is going to the Father and will no longer be physically seen.

This is a staggering statement. Jesus is saying, I am the revelation of righteousness. To know what God desires, you look at Me. To understand holiness, you look at Me. To grasp the heart of the Father, you look at Me.

But once Jesus is no longer physically present, the Spirit takes on this role—illuminating the truth of who Jesus is in the minds and hearts of believers. The Spirit does not invent righteousness; He reveals it. He points us back to Christ. He brings to remembrance everything Jesus taught. He cultivates the life of Christ within us.

This means we do not grow in righteousness through willpower alone; we grow because the Spirit forms Christ within us. He shapes our desires, redirects our thinking, and empowers obedience where we once struggled.

I often hear believers say, “I know what’s right, but I don’t always want to do it.” The Spirit’s job is not only to show what is right but to make righteousness increasingly attractive—until it becomes the joyful longing of the heart.

It is the Spirit who transforms righteousness from obligation into delight.

The Spirit Demonstrates Judgment Over Satan

Jesus ends with a triumphant declaration: the prince of this world has already been judged.

This is not future tense; it is a completed reality. Satan’s judgment is rooted in Christ’s victory on the cross. And the Spirit’s role is to make that victory real and present in the life of the believer.

The Spirit reminds us that evil does not win. Temptation does not have the final word. Fear does not rule the believer. The spiritual battles we face have already been addressed by the cross and resurrection. The Spirit assures us that the enemy’s defeat is not theoretical; it is active.

John Stott once wrote, “The Spirit does not merely comfort us by telling us that Christ has won. He applies Christ’s victory to our daily struggles so we can live in the freedom Jesus purchased.”

When we feel spiritually attacked, overwhelmed, or defeated, the Spirit whispers the truth:
“You are standing on victory ground already.”

Why Jesus Had to Leave: Seeing the Gospel Through the Spirit’s Arrival

The article closes with a simple but mighty truth:
“If Jesus had not left, the Spirit would not have come.”

This is more than a doctrinal statement; it is the hinge on which our entire spiritual life turns.

If Jesus had not died, sin would remain unforgiven.
If He had not risen, death would remain undefeated.
If He had not ascended, the Spirit would remain unpoured.

The Spirit is not an optional part of the gospel—He is the continuing presence of Jesus in the world.

And this changes everything.

When you feel alone, the Spirit says, “I am with you.”
When you feel confused, He whispers, “I will guide you.”
When you face temptation, He strengthens you: “You are not powerless.”
When you face fear, He comforts you: “You are not forgotten.”

We sometimes imagine that life would be easier if Jesus walked beside us physically. But Jesus Himself says the opposite. The Spirit is not a downgrade—He is the fullness of Christ in every believer, in every moment.

Through the Spirit, Jesus is not simply near us—He is within us.

Living With the Helper Today: A Pastoral Reflection

As I reflect on this passage, I realize how often I underestimate the Spirit’s presence in my own life. I rush ahead, make decisions quickly, and carry burdens long before inviting Him to lead or lighten them.

Yet Jesus says the Spirit is our Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, and Guide. He is the divine presence that walks with us into places we would never have the courage to go alone.

And if Jesus believed the Spirit was so essential that He called His own departure “best,” then I must reshape my own expectations of the Christian life.

Walking with Jesus today means welcoming the Spirit’s voice:
when He convicts
when He comforts
when He guides
when He strengthens
when He redirects
when He calls me to trust

The Spirit is not merely a theological category—He is the heartbeat of our discipleship. He continues the work Jesus began, and He brings the presence of Christ into the very center of our daily lives.

A Pastoral Blessing for Your Journey Today

As you walk through this day, may you sense the gentle nearness of the Holy Spirit—
the One Jesus promised,
the One who came to dwell within you,
the One who carries the presence of Christ into every moment you face.

May He convict you where you need clarity, strengthen you where you feel weak, comfort you where your heart is burdened, and remind you again and again that you never walk alone.

May you feel the truth of Jesus’ words: “It is best for you that I go away.” For because He went, the Helper came—and because the Helper came, Christ is with you always.

Relevant Christian Article Link

A helpful resource on the ministry of the Holy Spirit:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org

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Greg Johnson Oct 14, 2024

Martin Luther was a Lutheran pastor. Here he argues for the support of clergy by the people. He says that peasants, citizens, and nobility, all deal stingily with their pastors. In so doing they are like ill-bred children.

Is pastoral pay the one place where it is acceptable to agitate for fairer wages, over the mutually-agreed-upon contract?

How can you give to the ministry as you should?

#christian #faithandaction #dailydevotionals #godlypost #godfirstlife