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.
Kickoff
For sports fans, the beginning and ending of the various sports’ schedules marks the seasons as much as any calendar. In my world, it will still be baseball season until early November, but for many, football now takes centerstage from a sports perspective. As we look towards the new season, it is wise to plan (Pr. 6:6-11). But remember to trust the God of the universe to make firm the ground beneath your feet (Ps. 37:23)!
The Crazy Out There
You need a plan for fixing your eyes on Jesus rather than the crazy out there. This is not a call to ignorance, as Jesus himself rebuked the religious leaders for failing to discern the signs of their day. But the crazy out there is not the object of your affection or attention. The object of your affection and attention must be Jesus, the lover of your soul.
Warring Lions
There are two lions, and each is powerful. But the through line of this epic storyline is two-fold: 1) The first lion is of no consequence in the presence of the second triumphant Lion, and 2) The second Lion lives in you!
It is no wonder Proverbs 28:1 calls the righteous, “bold as a lion!” You, as one of the righteous, should be bold as a lion even as you are pursued by a dangerous enemy, and the reason for your boldness is because the Lion of Judah walks with you!
National Guard in the Nation’s Capital
The National Guard has been authorized to deploy to the streets of the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Let’s together pray that all of DC’s leaders, both federal and local, act with the wellbeing of DC residents in mind.
Shooting Sprees
Let’s together make a daily decision to be agents of love and healing in our world.
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).
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!
Don’t Say It
It is a word never to be uttered. It should especially never be mentioned in an e-newsletter or any other subscription-based form of communication. It is in every way taboo, and one every marketing plan will scream for you to steer clear of at all costs. Despite all these realities, it is a word you and I should take seriously and deploy regularly:
Unsubscribe.
Rare Cuts
The federal government has approved $9 billion of spending cuts. How should Christians view this development?
Sit or Serve?
It is a difficult concept for me to fully understand and yield to, and it presents itself in the form of a question. Perhaps you can relate. The question is this: Should I sit or should I serve?
At the risk of eliminating any suspense, the answer is yes. Yes to both. Yes and yes.
Fried Eggs on the Sidewalk
You serve a God who loves you too much to leave you as you are, and He is using the heat in your life to refine you, and to produce a treasure worthy of His name.
One Day
Jesus may just walk up to you today in the course of your everyday life. It could be in the form of a friend, a foe, or simply someone in need. Will you notice Him?
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.”