September 25, 2025

Hey there, Friend,

It’s the Smart Edit!
The Kingdom is not someday—it’s breaking in now.

This issue — water-walkin’ faith today?, your brain on eggs, real waiting on the Lord.

P.S. — Award-winning photos of birds.

Each week, we highlight a Kingdom Dynamic, a key insight into how God’s Kingdom works in real life …

Some define risk as “the likelihood of an irreversible negative outcome.”

But with Jesus on the water, that’s really not true for the growing Christ-follower.

Take Peter. He got out of the boat and walked toward Jesus. Then he looked to the wind, panicked, and began to sink.

Jesus immediately grabbed him and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Let’s not focus on Peter’s sinking though. Let’s highlight his walking on water.

Maybe the real risk isn’t failing—what if it’s never stepping out of the boat?

Consider Matthew 14.22-33 …

Peter showed INITIATIVE. He brought the opportunity up. He wanted to walk with Jesus in the impossible. And the Lord met him at his point of belief and action.

Faith feels risky because it pulls us out of what we know and into what Jesus knows + what we can do with him.

Notice: Peter wasn’t walking on water—he was WALKING ON A WORD. When Jesus said, “Come,” that imperative carried the power to do the impossible.

Faith still comes this way. By hearing Christ speak into our moment.

Hear the Voice in Romans 10.17 — “In the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”

See that? You’ve left the boat (and the boat people). You’re in the presence of Jesus on the water. He calls things into being. And you believe him. Not the wind and the waves.

So if your faith feels small (or even non-existent), no problem. Faith comes. Sit with the Scriptures until you hear his Living Voice to you. When he speaks, step out.

He speaks. We step. All bets are off.

Everything worked for Peter as long as his EYES WERE FIXED ON CHRIST. That’s the key for us too: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith …” (Hebrews 12.2).

Know this. Most people (even Church People) stay in the boat. Take your cues from Jesus.

The greatest risk? Staying where it feels safe with complacent company … when JESUS IS CALLING YOU ON THE WATER.

“If three steps are taken without any other motive than the desire to obey God, those three steps are miraculous; they are equally so whether they take place on dry land or on water.” — Soren Kierkegaard

Prayer
Jesus, I see the edges of both opportunity and challenge in my life. Speak to me personally. I know my faith will be ignited. Holy Spirit, help me fix my eyes on Jesus and walk on his thoughts and words to me. I can’t stay in the boat any longer, Jesus. Amen.

Go further with this topic at JesusSmart.com.

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We’re using the NASB for Scripture quotes, unless we note otherwise.

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Quick hits from around the world and under the radar—where faith, culture, and global currents intersect. Curated to help you see, pray, and act with Kingdom clarity.

❌ More than 70% of Americans flunked a basic civics quiz on key aspects of U.S. government. Far-reaching challenge in a constitutional republic.

🌍✝️ In 4 of the 5 most populous countries, Christians face systematic, severe persecution, watchdogs report. “Remember … those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (Hebrews 13.3 NASB).

📅 Yet another predicted rapture date. These are always wrong. Jesus: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24.36 NKJV)

⏱️ Last minutes. Charlie Kirk's mentor — Dr. Frank Turek — describes last moments on earth in the SUV as they raced to the hospital.

🍂🌍 What is the autumn equinox? Planetary look at when the first day of fall arrives.

“I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made ….” (Psalm 139.14 Christian Standard Bible).

Here’s some food for thought. Literally.

A 2024 Journal of Nutrition study tracked 1,000+ adults (average age 81) for seven years. The result? Those eating more than one egg per week had nearly half the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. (Go 🤓 — the study)

Brain autopsies confirmed it. Higher egg eaters showed 49% fewer Alzheimer’s-related changes.

Why? Eggs deliver choline — critical for memory, mood, and muscle control. Plus omega-3s that sharpen cognitive performance.

It turns out the humble egg may be one of the simplest ways to protect your brain.

Bonus on choline from the National Institutes of Health ➡ Choline is a nutrient your brain and nervous system need for memory, mood, muscle control, and other functions. It also helps form cell membranes. While your liver makes a small amount, most choline comes from your diet. Source

Adapted from The Epoch Times.

“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength …” (Isaiah 40.31 NKJV).

What it means to “wait” on the Lord is more than what most Christians think.

Qavah (kah-vah) in the Hebrew is not a passive waiting. Like waiting to see your doctor while looking at your phone.

This word is the Hebrew root of the noun tiqvah, meaning hope or expectancy. Qavah carries the meaning of waiting hopefully and expectantly.

It’s like you’re leaning forward with your neck outstretched — stretching out in faith — expecting what God has promised to be realized. So it’s intentful, not passive.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3.25 NKJV).

Lord, I seek you. And I wait in expectation and faith for your words to be fulfilled. I’m leaning into your future for me. I thank you that my strength is renewed like the eagle. Amen.

By Faith We Understand: Accessing Jesus’ Intelligence in Daily Life (Ep 351). Faith unlocks understanding. In this episode, we explore how to access Jesus’ intelligence in daily life — from navigating challenges to making smart decisions.

Follow the link to listen. The JesusSmartX podcast is also available on your favorite listening app including Spotify.

Ultimately, the supreme power of those who give everything.

Word of the week: Obfuscation — The act of making something obscure or unclear. “Instead of answering directly, the politician resorted to obfuscation, leaving everyone more confused than before.”