The misery and grief of war was again on full display in this attack. Ten people, including at least three children, were killed in Ukraine by the bombings, and more than 50 were injured. It is an all-too-common reality of the ongoing war, as civilian casualties and injuries continue to climb.

It has been a relentless decade of disease and violence for the people of Congo. The current outbreak is in the headlines because of its urgency in the moment, but in reality, the people of Congo have had one life-threatening emergency after another. They have been living in a state of emergency for far too long, and our community stands with them in prayer this week.

This week, let’s lift our eyes off ourselves and set them first and foremost on the “author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). Let us then focus our prayer and petitions on behalf of those feeling the firsthand impact of fires on both sides of the Atlantic.

The rage war is everywhere. But it is not yours to wage. It is peace that guards you.

We as The Equipped family have had a regular conversation about how to use the World Cup to reach the nations for Jesus. Now, as teams and fans return to their respective home countries, let us reflect across all our varied nationalities on the ways in which we should carry out our common call to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).

The smoke from raging Canadian wildfires covered large portions of the U.S. this week, with major cities including Chicago, Washington, DC, and New York City significantly impacted. The smoke was at times thick enough to shroud the skyline and dramatically reduce air quality, which led to many cancellations of outdoor events.

We reflect on this truth nearly every week: Life on Earth is short, but eternity is forever.

Once again, life on Earth is short. Far from a flippant repeated reminder, it is helpful for us to continually hold this reality close as we prioritize our limited days.

Scandal and politics seem at times to be ubiquitous. As a Jesus follower endeavoring to invest in the welfare of your community, your city, and your nation, it can be a discouraging reality.

Remember, however, that yours is a story of rescue and redemption from scandal! Your sin once threatened to condemn you to an eternal separation from your Creator and Savior, but the astounding—and even scandalous—love of your God wiped away your sentence and put in its place the gift of eternal life!

The United States of America is officially 250 years old. Saturday marked the quarter millennium—or semiquincentennial—of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Freedom is worth prioritizing because you were created and designed to be free! Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Life on Earth is both short and fragile. We are reminded of these truths regularly in the stories we consider. What seems certain in one moment is gone forever in the next. It is a reality of our temporary home.

We return to reminders of this truth not because we aim to be flippant about the gift of life of Earth, but in fact for the exact opposite reason: time is short for reaching those who are without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!