October 15, 2025

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

The True

Speaking to Kings

“When you speak to the King of the universe in the morning, it’s easy to speak to a U.S. Senator in the afternoon.” – Dr. Dick Foth

When was the last time you were anxious about what to say? For most of us, the answer is, “Today!” The challenges of knowing what to say, how to say it, when to say it, and who to say it to are among the most common challenges you and I face. They are also some of the most anxiety-producing mental exercises and have the potential to create internal stress that begins well before the moment we actually speak and lasts well after we fall silent. Surely you can relate to the following forms of anxiety:

Before: “What can I possibly say that will do any good?”

During: “Is what I’m saying worth anything?”

After: “Did I say something wrong?”

We have all experienced that thought pattern, and in fact most of us experience some form of it every single day. After all, it is not just the “big” moments of speaking to a crowd or an important figure in your life that produce anxiety. Every conversation, big or small, has the potential to do so. That anxiety, in turn, is an effective tool the enemy uses to rob you of peace.

I know this from personal experience, but I also know from both experience and God’s holy Word that Dr. Foth’s reminder above is more than a cute phrase. It is a promise upon which we can depend!

In fact, this is one of those recurring themes in scripture, and when God repeats Himself, you and I ought to lean forward and listen:

“I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame” (Ps. 119:46).

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Lk. 12:11-12).

“On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matt. 10:18-20).

“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” (Lk 21:12-14).

The pattern is clear, and it comes from both the Old and New Testaments, and from Jesus himself:

You will be called before kings and people of influence (and of course you will also have everyday encounters).

You will be inclined to operate from a posture of anxiety in those moments.

You should be confident and resist anxiety because the Holy Spirit will guide you and will keep you from shame!

What an astounding promise (and one repeatedly given)! You can live and speak confidently (gentle reminder: holy confidence is the opposite of arrogance)! You can totally reject anxiety, because the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit is promised to you, and you will not be put to shame!

My friend, much of this involves growing in the wisdom and maturity that recognizes eternal glory does not always fully circumvent temporary unease. Even so, talk to the King of the universe every morning (and I might add, do it unceasingly, per 1 Thess. 5:17)! Expect to be called before kings (and neighbors) in the afternoon! Lean confidently on the Holy Spirit, who will guide you in those moments. You will not be put to shame!

World

Those Who Dreamed

Hamas has released the final 20 living hostages previously held in Gaza. The release occurred Monday as one of the first phases of a newly brokered peace deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel simultaneously released approximately 2,000 prisoners of war and has withdrawn its troops to an agreed upon “yellow line,” returning nearly 50% of the Gaza strip to Hamas control. According to the terms of the deal, Hamas is now to return the bodies of 28 deceased hostages, only four of which were released on Monday. A later phase in the deal involves the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Analysis and eternal perspective: “We were like those who dreamed.” You have heard and considered this beautiful expression from Psalm 126:1 before, but as you and I have prayed fervently for this day for more than two years now, it is worth considering the lyrics of this “song of ascents” in full:

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.

Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.

- Psalm 126

The return of these 20 hostages is cause for great rejoicing. There is, however, need for continued prayer as each hostage rehabilitates physically, mentally, and spiritually from two years held captive. Pray also for the families awaiting the return of their loved ones’ remains.

Finally, pray for every soul in Israel, Gaza, and the surrounding region. Pray that peace would hold, but also that the rebuilding process would include not just the rebuilding of cities but also people and souls. Pray that those still living under Hamas control would find both earthy and eternal freedom (reports suggest that Hamas’s violent methods of control continue even in the wake of the hostage release).

In the end, pray that the current moment of jubilant rejoicing will result in the restored fortunes of many souls, and that the seeds sown during this very trying time will produce a great harvest!

World

Nobel Laureates

The Nobel Prizes for 2025 have been announced and the laureates are as follows:

- Physics: John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis

- Chemistry: Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi

- Medicine: Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi

- Literature: Laszlo Krasznahorkai

- Peace: Maria Corina Machado

- Economic Sciences: Joel Mokyr, Phillipe Aghion, and Peter Howitt

Analysis and eternal perspective: The Nobel Prizes have been awarded each year since 1901 and, while not without controversy, remain one of the most prestigious and widely recognized awards one can be granted. As with any subjective award, the announcement of the honorees (most commonly referred to as Nobel Prize laureates) generates a mix of acclaim and critique.

Perhaps most newsworthy among this year’s honorees is Ms. Maria Corina Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Ms. Machado has been in hiding since the Venezuelan government disqualified her from running against President Nicolas Maduro in last year’s presidential election.

As a Jesus follower, your interaction with this story will look different from those around you, as your life’s aim is not about any recognition from men. To be clear, it is entirely possible your life’s contributions will produce acclaim—perhaps even a Nobel Prize! There would of course be nothing wrong with that circumstance (it could even very well be cause for great rejoicing), but your aim in life has nothing to do earthly recognition.

Your life’s mission is aimed solely at bringing glory to God (Gal. 1:10, Col. 3:23-24). Very often, that will involve service that is rendered behind the scenes and away from the limelight. This type of service will most often not result in public acclaim like a Nobel prize, but it will invoke a much more valuable recognition: “[Y]our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matt. 6:4).

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23-24).

U.S.

Reductions in Force

As the partial shutdown of the U.S. government continues into its third week, several agencies have announced reductions in force (RIFs). The agencies announcing layoffs include the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Treasury Department. So far, more than 4,100 federal employees have been terminated.

Analysis and eternal perspective: The U.S. federal government is one of the largest employers in the world, with approximately 3 million full-time employees. For context, the largest private employer in the world is Walmart, with approximately 2.1 million employees.

Given the above, the RIFs announced to date constitute approximately 0.1% of the federal workforce. Obviously, a numerical observation alone is not sufficient to weigh the impact on the people and departments involved.

More to the point for The Equipped family, you and I should continue looking for ways to serve those most directly impacted. From a public policy perspective, you may support the RIFs or you may oppose them. Either way, the fact they are occurring gives you and me a prime opportunity to identify need in our respective communities and mobilize to meet the need.

As we did together last week, ask yourself who in your community is most impacted by the ongoing shutdown? Do you know someone missing paychecks? Who do you know who might be experiencing a specific need as a result of a suspended program? How can you meet or alleviate those needs this week?

It is unclear how long the shutdown will continue, but it provides our community with a clear opportunity to exercise the muscle of noticing and meeting needs around us. The government shutdown will end at some point, but your call and mine to regularly engage in this way will remain (Matt 25:35-40). May this story be a means by which we increase our capacity for noticing and meeting need!

The Beautiful

Synced with Eternity

We are inclined to notice beauty primarily in vibrance and strength. But God is very clear about His design, and there is rich, intentional beauty in every phase of His creation. Don’t miss the beauty God has bestowed on your today because it looks different than the beauty of your yesterday. His plan is greater than you can fathom and the beauty He affords you today is perfectly timed. It is synced with eternity.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, . . .

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

- (Ecc. 3:1-2a,11)

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