A Knight of A New Order

Stop calling yourself a man of God if you won’t take responsibility for the house God put you in.

If you’re tired of letting your family drift, of feeling like a weak leader with no plan—this is your line in the sand. This devotional is a call to stand up, pick up your sword, and lead. Christian fatherhood and servant leadership start right where you live. You don’t need a pulpit. You need courage, conviction, and clarity from the Word of God.

John 21:17 (ESV)
“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

Wouldn’t it be strange to work hard, save money, build credit, and finally buy a house—only to take care of one room and let the rest rot? That would be foolish. And yet, that’s how too many Christian men live. They show up on Sundays, maybe read a verse or two, but ignore the rest of their spiritual house. The kitchen’s falling apart. The roof is leaking. The foundation is cracking—but hey, the living room looks good.

That’s not shepherding. That’s playing church.

Men, when you pick up the sword, your house becomes your responsibility. Not just your finances, not just your lawn—your people. Your house is your first church. Not the building you drive to, but the one you wake up in. Your wife. Your kids. Even your own heart.

When Jesus pulled Peter aside in John 21, He asked him three times, “Do you love me?” Each time Peter said yes, Jesus responded with a different command:

1. Feed my lambs – Care for the young. Raise them up in truth.
2. Tend my sheep – Watch over the flock. Lead them.
3. Feed my sheep – Keep them strong. Stay on mission.

Jesus didn’t say, “Great, Peter, go feel good about being forgiven.” He said, lead. Shepherd. Take responsibility.

That’s what He’s saying to you.

We live in a time where men are passive, absent, or afraid. Too many quit. Too many stay quiet. But God is still looking for shepherds who will step forward and say, “My house will not be neglected. My family will not go without a leader.”

A knight belongs to an order—a brotherhood of loyalty, honor, and allegiance. He doesn’t fight for himself. He fights because his king gave him a mission and entrusted him with people to protect. That knight doesn’t design his armor. He doesn’t smelt his sword. The king provides the weapon. The king sets the orders. The knight obeys.

God has done the same for you:

• The Bible is your sword – Hebrews 4:12 says it is “living and active… sharper than any two-edged sword.”
• The mission is clear – Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
• The command is simple – “Love the Lord your God… and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

You were not created to be soft, lazy, or indifferent. You were called into a new spiritual order. You were saved, not just from something, but for something.

Prayer is one of your greatest assets. Not as a last resort—but as a frontline weapon. If the Word is your sword, then prayer is your battlefield communication. It connects you directly to the King. It’s in the prayer room that strategy is revealed, peace is given, courage is restored, and grace is poured out. It is one of the highest expressions of grace—the fact that a man like you or me can walk straight into the presence of God and be heard.

You don’t have to carry this weight alone. But you do have to carry it. You can’t pass it off to your wife, your pastor, or your parents. Your home needs you to be the shepherd. Not when you feel ready. Not when life settles down. But Now.

Oswald Chambers said, “God puts the holiness of His Son into me, and I belong to a new spiritual order.” If that’s true—and it is—then we don’t just wear the armor. We live the life. We walk in holiness, not to look good, but to be good. To reflect the King we serve.

Men, your house doesn’t need a perfect leader. It needs a faithful one.

Pick up the sword. Tend the sheep. Take full control.

Today’s “Shepherding in Action” Value
Faithful responsibility. A shepherd-leader doesn’t wait until he feels worthy—he obeys because God has already made him ready.

Reflect / Apply / Share

1. Reflect – Have I been feeding and tending the sheep God placed in my home, or just showing up in one or two rooms?
2. Apply – What specific area of my household leadership do I need to take full responsibility for today?
3. Share – Who is a man in my life I can challenge or encourage to step up and lead his home with boldness?

Bible References (ESV)

• John 21:17 – “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.'”
• Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
• Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
• Matthew 22:37-39 – “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Personal Prayer
Lord, I’ve wasted too much time giving partial effort. Help me pick up the sword, lead my home with faith, and stay on mission no matter the cost.

These weekday reflections flow from my time in God’s Word. I invite you to join me and other Men of the Shepherd in building Christ-centered homes—leading, discipling, and serving like Jesus.
If these reflections encourage you, please like, share, and pass them on so more men can grow in their calling.
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