November 4, 2026

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

The True

Cherish and Build

Our news stories this week contain a common reflection point of lifting our eyes from the temporal and setting them on the eternal. But for that to mean anything, you and I need a clear understanding of the Kingdom of God. What is it? What is it not? How do we find it, and how do we live as part of it? Hold that thought and we’ll return to it.

My wife, Brooke, and I are in the stage of parenting where we are often told by those a bit older than us, “Cherish these days . . . they don’t last long and you will miss them!” I know it’s common to complain about this line of advice, but to be very honest, I find it immensely helpful! I find it helpful not because it is news to me (it is not), but because the demands of this parenting season are so intense it is easy to let all my focus go into providing, guiding, and nurturing. Those things are necessary and good, but it is so worthwhile to specifically acknowledge the unique blessing of the current moment! These are the good ol’ days! These are the days in and of which memories are made. These are the days to stop and cherish!

Here’s a little secret: No matter what season of life you are currently in, the same is true for you! Yes, there are very real challenges (there always will be). But a decade from now, you will look back on today and the things you will hold close are the ones you take time to cherish now.

What does all of this “sounds-like-self-help” talk have to do with the Kingdom of God? Everything!

You see, my friend, our natural tendency is to think of the eternal Kingdom of God as some far away place that is to be realized at some point in the distant future. It feels like a fantasy city in the clouds that will be great, but which is hard to really wrap our minds around. That flawed understanding of the Kingdom makes it very difficult to cherish the moments of your current temporary station.

But here is the truth: God’s Kingdom is neither far away nor far off! It is here and it is now! Don’t take my word for it. These are the words of Jesus when asked when the Kingdom of God would come: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Lk. 17:20-21).

God’s Kingdom is far more than some defined place or time. It is so much more than that because it is not simply a time or place, but rather it is embodied by a Person who is also God! The Kingdom of God is in your midst because it is carried by the God who created you, pursues you, and infills you! Some versions translate this phrase, “The kingdom of God is within you.”

Here is the main point: Cherish these days, because they are Kingdom days! Today. Right here. Right now. It is not far off but rather already in your midst and within you. Best of all, and unlike parenting the childhood years, they are not fleeting! The Kingdom will never pass away, and we have forever to build it. But both the cherishing and the building have no need for delay. They can begin now, because the Kingdom of God is in our midst!

U.S.

Midterms

U.S. voters went to the polls in record numbers this week to cast their midterm ballots. The majority of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House was at stake, and Democrats took control of both chambers. Results are still coming in and there are still races too close to call, but it is clear Democrats will have a sizable majority in the U.S. House and have secured at least 54 of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, with two races still too close to call.

Both chambers now return to Washington, DC with several items on the to-do list before the newly elected Senators and Representatives are sworn in. This means that Republicans have one last stretch of unified government (Republican U.S. President Donald Trump was not on the ballot and has two years remaining in his term) in which to approve legislation without bipartisan cooperation. One of the major unanswered questions is whether all Members who lost reelection will show up for the “lame duck” session.

Analysis and eternal perspective: The pre-election fervor is often matched only by the breathless post-election analysis. In this case, you can expect some to call it a “blue wave” or a “referendum” election, and it is that in many political ways. But historically speaking, this week’s outcome is also in line with what has occurred in most recent midterm elections, as the party holding the White House typically loses ground. This is particularly true when the same party also holds both chambers of Congress, as voters are often inclined to spread that power out to some extent. In this vein, this week’s results are in line with what many political observers were expecting, though the extent of Democrat victories is larger than most predicted.

As Jesus followers, we begin by reflecting on our reminder from last week: God is on the throne (Ps. 47:8, Ps. 103:19, Is. 66:1, Rev. 4:2).

Manmade governments, and the political parties that participate in them, come and go—as does the political power that accompanies them—but God is sovereign and reigns through it all. So regardless of whether the authority of your preferred party increased or decreased this week, your God still rules above it all and your mission is as it was before the elections: “Go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20).

This week, let’s live in a fashion that reminds the world Who it is we serve, and let’s endeavor to do it in a way that is unhindered by the tumultuous political winds around us.

Finance

A Record Heist

Approximately $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency was stolen last week by hackers in what is being described as the largest crypto heist in history. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says the North Korean regime is responsible for the theft, which was conducted under the moniker of TraderTraitor. The assets were stolen off the Binance exchange, which was forced to temporarily halt withdrawals. The company claims to have now reimbursed 95% of the losses and has restored the ability for customers to withdraw funds.

Analysis and eternal perspective: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:19-21).

First, the command above is simply sound financial advice. No matter where you choose to invest your earthly assets, there is risk because everything of this world will one day pass away to make way for the eternal. So even in a wealth sense, only that which you invest in the eternal Kingdom will be safe from theft (or decay, or loss, or any other form of destruction).

But more important than any of the above, let’s consider for a moment the “why” we should invest in the eternal. It is not primarily because doing so protects the investment from deterioration (though that is a great benefit). The primary reason we are instructed to store up treasure in heaven is found in the very next verse: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

My friend, God doesn’t need your wealth or your possessions, but He is desperate for your heart. He longs to be the object of your affection and your praise (Is. 43:21). So look in the mirror and honestly ask yourself today, “Where is my treasure?” The answer will reveal where your heart is set, whether intentionally or by force of human nature. Let’s each take a small but resolute step today to shift our hearts and our treasure toward the eternal, and let’s do it primarily not to protect our treasure but rather as a statement of Who holds our heart!

U.S.

Lear Jet Crash

A private jet carrying nine people plummeted to the ground at a very high speed in Palm Beach County, Florida on Sunday. The jet exploded into a massive fireball on impact, killing all nine onboard and producing a giant crater at the impact site. According to officials investigating the crash, the pilot reported light ice and some turbulence shortly before issuing a mayday call. Despite the intensity of the crash and the devastation for the families of the nine passengers, it appears there were limited injuries to those on the ground.

Analysis and eternal perspective: James 4:14 calls your life, “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” This story certainly underscores that sobering truth, and there is a temptation to wallow in the reality that our lives are fragile and short at best.

The truth, however, is that your purpose is everlasting! You and I have a brief moment here on Earth during which we are to live in the temporal with the eternal in mind. That sounds extremely theoretical, but Psalm 39:4-5 helps us find some context: “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.”

Our days are short by God’s design. We were not created to be long on the Earth, but rather to spend forever with Him. The psalmist’s plea here is not to extend his days, but rather to understand the purpose for his days. There is tremendous freedom in being released in the here and now to live with abandonment for the purposes of heaven.

“God, grant our community here at The Equipped with the ability to set our hearts on heaven. May that rooting cause us not to detach from the needs of those around us, but rather to engage with a loving fervor that overcomes earthly bounds. Help us to know and understand our earthly end in order that we might effectively draw others into an eternal relationship with you!”

The Beautiful

Spectrum of Brown

Fall is edging toward winter, and the evidence is in the growing proportion of leaves that have moved through their full cycle of color change and have landed somewhere on the vast spectrum of beautiful brown. What an awesome and creative God we serve, when even the annual cycle of plants going dormant for the winter produces such diverse beauty!

What in your life is blooming? What is going dormant? Take stock this week of the beautiful things God has completed in you, and look forward with anticipation to all that He will do in the days ahead!

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him” (Ps. 37:23).