Compelled to Constraint
Yes, God designed you to be free. But Christ’s love “compels you” to live not constraint-free, but rather “for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor. 5:14).
Be bold and throw off the hindrance of sin that ensnares you! (Heb. 12:1) But in doing so, be careful to yield to the God-given constraints that graciously cover your brokenness. In this, you will “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24).
$17.1 Billion Settlement
Matthew 7:15-20 reminds us to distinguish good from bad according to the “fruit” produced. In other words, is the result nourishing or poisonous? In this instance, even amid great advances, there is a mountain of bad fruit. That reality should be instructive to Jesus followers as we regularly recalibrate our relationship with technology and especially the companies who design and market it to us.
Barriers to Listening Well
Communication is the vital foundation to pretty much every positive relationship you have. It is especially important in your marital relationship and the crux of communication is learning to listen well to each other. But, like all aspects of life there are barriers that we allow to fester in our in behaviors that will impact our ability to listen well.
Venezuela Oil Deal
What will exist or be more fruitful in 100 years because of what you do today? If this is a difficult concept for you to grasp, start by thinking about the blessings you enjoy that exist because of those who lived a century ago. What does their forethought inspire in you? How can you emulate that today in a way that will be similarly reflected on long after your time on Earth has passed?
Himalayan Flood
So much of our daily stress and effort is aimed at things that will not last. A story like this, sobering and tragic as it is, can be a stark reminder to vest your energy in that which will not be stolen by a thief in the night.
Whitewash
My friends, the fractures in our world and our culture are real. The gaps and the vulnerabilities are significant, and the proposed remedies and solutions are many! But so much of what is espoused is simply whitewash that will not stand when the testing comes. This week, as we consider a world of upheaval and tumult, let us take honest stock of our own lives.
Raided and Seized
Former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell had his electronic devices seized and his home searched by federal agents over the weekend as part of an ongoing investigation of alleged sexual assault. The former Congressman resigned from Congress in April of this year after allegations intensified, and he ended a once-promising bid to be the next Governor of California. Federal authorities must now decide whether to bring charges against Swalwell.
In a Marriage Slump?
Getting out of the slump takes some effort and work. It starts with acknowledging, maybe only to yourself at first, that you are in one. Bring it into the light. From there, here are steps you can take to get out of the slump.
A Trillion or Forty
How are you stewarding that which God has entrusted to you? What is your family’s debt-to-GDP, per se? Since we know our hearts follow our treasure, what does your spending allocation say about your heart’s condition?
Unfriendly Neighborhood
Canada is the second largest trading partner for the U.S., making up approximately 13% of U.S. trade, and the U.S. is by far the largest trading partner for Canada, accounting for approximately 76% of all Canadian trade. The sheer size of this economic activity is likely to mean consumers feel the price pressure of these tariffs sooner and more significantly than has been the case for recent trade negotiations.
This Day
For the students in The Equipped family, the start of the school year is a fresh opportunity for choosing. Who will you be? Who will your teachers see? Will you set the tone for your peers even when it is undesirable, or will you set the example by demonstrating what it looks like to go first? Will you wait to see what they choose, or will you step forward and demonstrate your choice in order that they might follow?
Will Texas’ Ten Commandments Law Survive Supreme Court Scrutiny?
Texas Senate Bill 10 (S. B. 10) requires public schools to display a state-prescribed version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. This month, Rabbi Nathan, on behalf of herself, her minor child, and several others, filed a petition for a Writ of Certiorari seeking Supreme Court review.
Intimacy Killers in Your Marriage
When sin entered the world, perfect intimacy was lost. Adam and Eve were naked, but now they felt shame, fear, regret. They hid themselves because their intimacy had been destroyed. This battle is still faced each day in your marriage. There are a number of intimacy killers in your marriage today. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Lakers Sold
Sports is big business. As someone who is both a sports fan and interested in business, the exploding valuations of U.S. sports franchises are intriguing to me. At the same time, it is quite difficult to get my mind around the magnitude of the finances involved, and it is tempting for me to dismiss the story as irrelevant to me. There is, however, a great deal of truth to be gleaned from the story.
From Lincoln to Washington
As we pray for the troops and their families, let us live in the light of John 15:12-13: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” A decision to serve and be subject to a deployment like this one is a decision to put another’s life ahead of your own. It is an act of great love, and it is one way to emulate the love of Jesus. As we lift up in prayer those who are serving, let us also look for ways that we too can model the sacrificial love of Jesus!
Entrusted
What what have you been entrusted? Are you concerned about having your name remembered in the pages of history? Or are you properly focused on simply stewarding well that which has been entrusted to you?
Entrusted is better than remembered.
Spurgeon on Doctrine - Election
For Spurgeon, there is such a thing as election. It is not a false belief, or a fool’s errand. Let’s take a look at what Spurgeon preached about this doctrine.
Are Vaccines Simply a Modern Religion?
Attorney Aaron Siri poses a thought-provoking question: “Ever hear ‘I believe in cars’ or ‘I believe in tools’?” Most adults would likely answer no. Yet many people readily say they “believe in vaccines.”
Two Continuing Resolutions
The U.S. Senate approved a continuing resolution (CR) in the early morning hours of Saturday to fund the government through December 11, 2026. The measure, which includes several extraneous items, differs from the CR passed by the U.S. House, which includes funding through December 4, 2026. To avert a government shutdown at the end of September, the two chambers will need to align on a uniform version of the CR to send to the president for his signature.
Two Executive Orders
U.S. President Donald Trump issued two significant executive orders this week: 1) an order narrowing the applicability of birthright citizenship, and 2) an order altering the childhood vaccine recommendations.