Change the Rules
You, as a Jesus follower, are almost certain to at times find yourself aligned with the majority party or a pending nominee, and at others unaligned with one or both. Regardless of your current status, you should seek a multitude of godly counsel (Pr. 11:14) and expect the same of your elected leaders.
Protests and a Ceasefire
God’s Word repeatedly reminds us to persistently pursue peace because true and lasting peace will not be fully attained until eternity. That does not reduce our tenacity in pursuing it (we should aim to model the Prince of Peace), but it should provide a bulwark against discouragement when peace proves to be elusive.
Bolton Raided
You very likely have zero knowledge about whether John Bolton is guilty or innocent. Likewise, you have no visibility into whether the motives of law enforcement are pure or tainted. You do, however, have the ability to avoid pre-judging either question and—to the extent you choose to follow this story at all—commit to a fair evaluation of the facts on both sides before coming to even an internal conclusion on the merits.
A Week of Peace
We as The Equipped community remain in steadfast prayer for those living in a war zone. We also remain steadfast in our pursuit of peace (Ps. 34:14), while acknowledging that true and lasting peace requires far more than just the cessation of war.
Military Parade in Beijing
This week, pray that world leaders would abandon a course of gathering authority unto themselves and instead embrace a humility that seeks broad counsel.
In a similar way, let’s you and I commit to carefully considering the trusted counsel of godly friends as we endeavor to follow Jesus through life’s tricky decisions.
Not Unanimous
More economic winds. You almost certainly have no control over what the Fed decides to do about interest rates. You do, however, have a great deal of responsibility to wisely steward the resources entrusted to you.
Starving Hostages
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues to wage, outcry over the ensuing humanitarian collateral damage is growing.
Jobs Lost
It is a very stressful thing to lose a job. It is a stressful thing to live in fear of losing your job and your means for provision. But, as a Jesus follower, you are reminded that God cares for the “birds of the air,” but deems you “much more valuable than they” (Matt 6:26). You are invited to give Him your anxiety and to trust Him to provide (1 Pet. 5:7).
Can Church Sanctuary Status Shield Illegal Immigrants from Arrest?
Any encounter with ICE within the context of immigration and border enforcement exposes churches and, more particularly, church personnel to the risk that they will be charged with a crime if they continue to provide sanctuary to illegal aliens, particularly aliens who ICE seeks. For churches that intend to continue such a policy, the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind the Biden Administration's rules raises a flood of questions that place such behavior in harm’s way.
Trade Deals
The economic winds will at times blow in your favor, and in others they will be a stiff headwind. But if your hope is in the eternal, you can chart a steady course in all conditions!
Starvation
Gazans are starving—an inhumane reality that must be addressed. Hamas continues its mission to eradicate Israel (including by continuing to hold hostages) and it must not be tolerated or excused. There is no easy solution here. That is the hard truth.
Repeat Offender
We are all sinners (dare I say even repeat offenders) who have fallen short of the mark (Rom. 3:23). You and I both find ourselves in need of a Savior. In the same breath, there is cause for great rejoicing because the cost of your sin has already been paid in full (Rom. 6:23). Your redemption is a free and finished work, so walk free of your sin and leave it behind today!
The Epstein Saga
Your impact on behalf of the vulnerable can begin immediately. Walk upright. Defend those vulnerable to oppression. Desire and pursue equal justice.
Ryno
Hero or not, each of us will die. Your physical body will one day give out, and only your eternal being will remain. I confess much of this is beyond my finite mind, and yet it is the foundation of my greatest reason for hope. My eternity has nothing to do with my fragile and failing body, and everything to do with the One who created me and called me his own!
Championship Identity
Scottie Scheffler is the top-ranked player in the world and made news earlier in the week by speaking candidly about the reality that success in golf is “not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.”
Pressure on Putin
The United States is turning up the pressure on Russia both economically and militarily. U.S. President Donald Trump announced both planned economic tariffs on Russia and an increased supply of weapons for Ukraine in an effort to turn back the military offensive led by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Department of Education Resumes Closure
The U.S. Supreme Court has lifted a lower court’s injunction that had temporarily blocked the Trump administration from dramatically scaling back the U.S. Department of Education. The decision allows the administration to move forward with its plan to reduce the footprint of the agency—a plan that contains both elimination of programs and personnel as well as reorganization of certain programs to other federal agencies.
Church Endorsements
Birthday Bill Signing
America’s 249th birthday—July 4, 2025—was celebrated with fireworks, BBQs, and the signing of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” After months of negotiating and drafting, the U.S. House and U.S. Senate finally approved joint language just in time for the bill to be signed into law on Independence day. The bill-turned-law makes significant changes to U.S. tax law, as well as spending programs.
Peace Pact
After 30 years of fighting between dozens of factions, and hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of people dead, there is a new peace deal in place between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.