"The fact that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ makes you wealthy no matter your financial situation!”  

God, may you grant wisdom in these deliberations that determine life-or-death for so many, and may you soften hearts in a way that creates and enables a path to lasting peace. We will give you glory for the miracle of that outcome.

Your pursuit to be thoroughly equipped for every good work is a noble one. But it is not your chief end. In fact, it is but a natural outcropping of your primary purpose, which is to abide in Christ, to grow in your likeness of Him, to bring Him glorify, and to spend eternity enjoying Him.

Who (or what) is getting the first fruits of your attention? Who or what do you turn to when your mind finally has a chance to rest (translation: restore)? Are you rooted in all that is true and beautiful (Philip. 4:8) or does the scroll capture your every in-between moment? It is a hard thing to consider, but one each of us must seriously contemplate it.

The work of Jesus on the cross is a finished work. You cannot add to or detract from it. Your action is not what accomplishes your salvation—Jesus already accomplished it.

But there is a required standard. The finished work of Jesus invites you to that standard. God offers to set right all that is currently wrong with you. It is a finished work that achieves it, but He is a gentle Father, and He waits for you to yield to the correcting (Rev. 3:20).

You serve a God who has promised a peace that passes all understanding (Philip. 4:7). Don’t let it be lost on you that this promise immediately proceeds our foundational reminder in Philippians 4:8 to set our minds on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy!

You can have peace even amid times of war! Your possession of peace is in fact what motivated Jesus to give you a glimpse of what was to come! He knew this world would bring you heartache and pain, and He conquered it all in order that you might have peace!

Is the Department of War securing sensitive information or are they seeking favorable media coverage? Are the journalists covering the Pentagon reporting the news or advancing a narrative?

Regardless of your feelings about the Secretary or Senators from either party, you are now tasked with praying they would govern wisely and with humility (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Rom. 13:1-7; Pr. 8:15-16).

Your human family name carries great significance. It lends association and belonging. It carries legacy and lineage. But it doesn’t convey salvation. Your relationship with Jesus is not one of generational bequeathing or one imputed by force.

Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He seeks entry. But the door to your heart can only be opened if you incline your ear to His voice (Rev. 3:20).

It is a beautiful thing, really. Your human name does not determine your eternal destiny. But the Name Above All Names has invited you into identity with him (Philip. 2:9), and taking on that Name marks you as royalty for all of eternity!

This story reminds us that life is but a vapor, here in one moment and gone in the next (Jam. 4:14). The impact of this reality depends on the posture of your spirit.

I do not like to be rebuked. I never have (you can ask my mother) and I probably never will (you can ask my wife). But I desperately need to be rebuked! Why? Because sometimes I am running headlong toward the cliff!

You can be thoroughly equipped for every good work!

That is the ultimate promise of 2 Tim. 3:16-17, the passage around which we gather each week here in the pages of The Equipped. Your world is a perilous place, and you need equipping to interact with it in a way that is redemptive and points toward flourishing. You want to be—and you need to be—thoroughly equipped!

There are no easy answers in war, and the pursuit of peace on Earth has always been extremely perilous and elusive for mankind. Even so, you as a Jesus follower are to grieve with those who grieve (Rom. 12:15), pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2), and be persistent in your pursuit of peace (Ps. 34:14).

You can’t walk through our house during March without seeing a bracket. But you know what? You can’t ever walk through it without seeing scripture!

Write His promises on your doorposts! Literally, do it! Post His Word and His promises as physical reminders for your day-to-day and moment-to-moment. It is one of the very best ways to stand on peace in a world of madness!

You can be equipped for every good work coming your way. The secret is in the teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training available in singular authority of God’s Word.

This is yet another reason to intentionally decline to place any security in political outcomes. As we often remind ourselves, American citizens are blessed with the freedom to self-govern (Galatians 5 speaks of a Creator-endowed longing for freedom), and we should faithfully exercise that liberty. In doing so, however, we should be mindful to avoid the trap of believing that any government of men or any political power is a gatekeeper for that freedom. True freedom is found only in and through relationship with Jesus Christ, and as you revel in the blessings of engaging in a self-governing republic, you remain most secure when you anticipate the inevitability of an ebb and flow in partisan fortunes.

Through it all, the one true God is on the throne!

Your weariness is real, as are the challenges you will confront today. But the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go, so be of good courage!

Iran has a new Supreme Leader, and it is the son of the late Supreme Leader. Fifty-six-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, has never held a government position, but takes over the regime after his father was killed in airstrikes by Israel and the U.S. The younger Khamenei will be the country’s primary decision-maker as the conflict continues and will also decide whether to continue the hostile and antagonistic approach of his father or seek a more conciliatory posture with the world.

How is the following for a direct and candid reminder?

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Tim. 2:23-24).

The U.S. Department of War (DOW) has labeled the Artificial Intelligence company Anthropic as a “supply chain risk.” The announcement comes after the DOW tried to negotiate use of Anthropic’s technology but would not agree to Anthropic’s insistence the technology not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. The DOW was pushing for an “all lawful purposes” standard, and its designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk threatens the company’s ability to work with others who do business with the U.S. government.

Forty-six years after the Lake Placid “Miracle on Ice” in the 1980 Winter Olympics, the U.S. men’s hockey team has again won gold, this time defeating Canada when Jack Hughes scored a sudden death “golden goal” in overtime on Sunday. The U.S. win completed a clean sweep for U.S. hockey, with the women’s team also defeating Canada to win the gold medal a few days prior. While neither of the two gold medals was a sports “miracle” in the mold of 1980 (both of the modern teams were clear gold medal contenders while the 1980 team was a significant underdog), the back-to-back wins provided a jubilant end to 2026 Winter Olympics for American fans.

Tariff policy likely does impact you in at least some way—perhaps prices at the grocery store or even the geopolitical posture of your favorite international destination. But far more important than tariffs or the major questions doctrine (both of which are certainly of some import) is the reality that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus (Matt. 28:18). It is a comforting reality as you grapple with complex questions of earthly authority.

If it wasn’t clear before the recent release of additional evidence, it certainly is now: The nefarious and despicable actions carried out by Epstein and his associates implicated a very large number of powerful people all around the world. Some (i.e., the former Prince Andrew, who has been arrested on charges related to Epstein) are facing legal charges, while others (like former President Clinton) are for now facing reputational harm because of associating with Epstein.

Chaos and destruction in both life and death. That is the somber legacy of El Mencho. As deadly and chaotic as the scene of El Mencho’s death and the nationwide aftermath is, the destruction caused by the cartel’s trafficking operation is unquestionably more devastating. Untold thousands are almost certainly dead or addicted as a result of the illicit drugs trafficked by El Mencho. Both his life and death speak tragically of death, and his legacy remains one of destruction that will not unravel simply because he has passed from earthly life.

The United States and Israel conducted a joint bombing campaign in Iran on Saturday which resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and numerous other regime leadership. After the initial wave attack, the U.S. and Israel have continued widescale attacks across Iran. According to the White House, the attacks are aimed at regime infrastructure and facilities used to develop a nuclear weapons program. U.S. President Donald Trump said the bombing campaign is likely to last 4-5 weeks.

Do you have Plus-Six vision? God does, and while He is the only one who can take you there, He expects and requires you to first turn the five He has given you into ten. It is time to be courageous and do the work (1 Chron. 28:20).

As we pray for the Jackson family during their time of loss, we should also reflect on our own upcoming entrance into eternity. Are you prepared for that certain eventuality? You can be! Left to your own accord, your life will be deemed to have fallen short of the required standard (Rom. 3:23). But all that is required to change that fact is that you believe in Jesus and state that belief to those around you (Rom. 10:9, Matt. 10:32-33).

We should continue to pray for both law enforcement as they put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, and for the people of the Minneapolis area. We should pray for a sustained peace and calm (Ps. 34:14), and that love for neighbors would “cover a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8).

Brokenness is a reality of life on Earth. But we do not have to acquiesce to it. Our God sent His son to the cross to make a way of healing and restoration. It is the only way for a brokenness like that on display in our world to be made whole again. 

God’s affection burns for you, my friend! How do I know? The evidence is in the ashes!