December 11, 2024

Viewing all things through the lens of the True and the beautiful!

The True

Convinced

Are you convinced?

If I asked you whether God is real, you would likely say yes.

If I asked you whether He is powerful enough to save you, again, you would likely say yes.

If I asked you whether He is good, holy, and trustworthy, you would respond yes, yes, and yes.

I would respond the same way. You and I are prepared to profess that God is who He says He is. That is a really good thing! In fact, it is one of the things required of us in order to have real relationship with our God—we must declare with our mouth that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9a)!

But how often do you say something without being convinced it is wholly true? A dictionary definition of ‘convinced’ is, “To bring (as by argument) to belief, consent, or a course of action.” If you are convinced of something, you don’t merely say it; You believe it! You act on it!

How did you respond the last time you were asked how you were doing? If you are like most people (including me), you probably responded with some version of, “Good, how are you?” It is perhaps the most common example of declaring something we may or may not believe. It is a profession of something of which we are not convinced.

So what does it matter? Why should you consider this delineation between declaring and being convinced?

You should consider it because it will mean the difference between spiritual life and death when your testing comes.

In 2 Timothy 1:12, Paul says, “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.”

Paul is suffering. Things are hard. There is every temptation to yield to shame and despondency. Contextually, it is even fair to say that simply uttering what is true about God would be appropriate. Even so, it is not enough on its own to transcend the circumstances of Paul’s situation.

It would be true—God IS able! He CAN be trusted to guard all that which He has promised to us! There would be nothing lacking on God’s side of the equation if Paul were to simply declare his belief in God. Likewise, there would be nothing lacking on God’s side of the equation were you to profess that He is able.

But are you convinced of what you profess? Have you been persuaded by argument to the point of consenting to the truth of what you declare? Do you believe your God is able to guard what you have entrusted to Him?

There is a way to know for sure whether you are truly convinced. Are you acting on your declaration? Has the argument presented produced not just your declaration, but also your consent and your action?

If you are convinced, you will act and not just declare.

Here is the truth: You must be convinced. While God requires your declaration of who He is, your salvation must also stand on a belief that God is who He says He is, and that He raised His son, Jesus Christ, from the dead (Rom 10:9b).

Are you convinced? You can be. He is able.

World

The Fall of a Dictator

After more than 50 years of control, the dictatorial reign of the Assad family in Syria is over. Bashar al-Assad, who has been president since his father’s death in 2000, has fled to Moscow after opposition forces from the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham successfully and rapidly advanced on Damascus.

While the overthrow of Assad marks the end of a dictatorial and violent regime (Assad infamously used chemical weapons against his own people as a way to put down opposition to his government), it does not end the violence of the ongoing 13-year civil war. While Assad’s prime minister has agreed to relinquish power to the militant group’s interim government, there remains significant uncertainty about both the newly forming government and other warring factions in Syria.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Assad’s reign was marked with violence and terror. Those who opposed him were murdered, imprisoned, and tortured. Under Assad, the Syrian people were, in a word, oppressed. We know from scripture that God’s heart is inclined toward the oppressed, and that we should be giving of ourselves to aid the oppressed (Ps. 82:3, Ps. 9:9-10, Is. 1:17, and many more). We also know from Isaiah 61 that God desires to free those held captive (v.1) and obtain justice for evildoers (v.8). In these very significant ways, Assad’s fall from power is a welcome one.

Tragically, however, it is decidedly premature to assume life will be better for Syrians in the days ahead. War continues to wage in the country, and it is far from certain that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham—or any other faction that manages to wrest control of power—will embrace principles of freedom for which the Syrian people—and you—were designed (Gal. 5:1). In fact, the opposite is far more likely.

We as The Equipped should be fervent in prayer for the Syrian people. Further, while we should pray and work toward an earthy reality of freedom and liberty for the Syrian people, we should even more fervently pray and work toward the goal of making this a time for countless Syrians to encounter the all-surpassing love and grace of Jesus. In this time of chaos and change, may many come to know the Creator and lover of their souls!

Finance

$100K

Bitcoin, the world’s most prominent cryptocurrency, briefly topped the $100,000 mark for the first time earlier this week, before falling back just below that threshold. The surge in price appears to have been fueled by President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Paul Atkins as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Atkins is a prominent advocate of cryptocurrencies.

Analysis and eternal perspective: God wants your heart (Pr. 23:26). He doesn’t need the cash under your mattress, the gold or silver in your safe, your stocks and bonds, or your cryptocurrency. However, because He desires your heart, He asks that you not withhold your treasure from Him (Matt. 6:19-21).

Perhaps you are all-in on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Or maybe you don’t even know what cryptocurrency actually is. Either way, each of us in The Equipped should use this story as a reminder that all we are and all we have comes from God and belongs to Him (Ps. 24:1, Job 41:11, Ex. 19:5).

It is not a call to ignorance—there is a certain value in understanding this temporary world in which you live. But your worth and your value has nothing to do with dollars or gold or cryptocurrency. Your very identity is found and wrapped up in the One who calls you His own.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Is. 43:1).

U.S.

A Single Vote

The final result in the recent U.S. House of Representatives election is now in, with Democrat Adam Gray narrowly defeating Republican John Duarte in California’s 13^th congressional district. Had all seats remained filled as elected, Republicans would hold a 220-215 majority heading into the 119^th Congress. However, with three House Republicans (Matt Gaetz, Mike Waltz, and Elise Stefanik) either already resigned (Gaetz), in the process of resigning (Waltz, in order to become National Security Advisor), or expected to resign (Stefanik, in order to become Ambassador to the United Nations), the functioning majority will almost immediately become 217-215.

In practical terms, it means the GOP majority is a single vote if all Members are present and voting.

Analysis and eternal perspective: First, prepare for plenty of drama in the U.S. House. While much of the post-election news is understandably focused on the incoming unified Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, it is anything but true to assert that Republicans will have an easy time implementing a legislative agenda. The absence of any margin for error in a body as large as the U.S. House is certain to present roadblocks, and the current political environment (even within the respective parties) is anything but unified.

Why should we as Jesus followers—across all political persuasions—prepare in advance for this drama in the U.S. House? Candidly, we should do so simply because it will enable us to better remain focused on the True and the beautiful.

Perhaps you are most interested in the upcoming debate about taxation. Or maybe it is immigration and border security that grabs your attention. Maybe it is another issue. No matter your issue of focus, that debate will run into tough sledding in the U.S. House soon, and you will be deluged with divisive messaging from both proponents and opponents. Let’s use our advance notice to prepare for how we will navigate that coming reality in a way that is both shrewd and innocent.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16).

The Beautiful

Refreshing

The first flurries of the year are always invigorating! We haven’t had any real snow yet this year, but even a few flakes in the air bring with them the smell and even taste of refreshing! If you have snow this week—and even if you don’t—behold the beauty of being refreshed by the God of heaven!

“He refreshes my soul” (Ps. 23:3a)

Don’t forget to check out the broadcast version of The Equipped on Faith Radio or wherever you get your podcasts!