This week I am taking a break from excerpts from my new book ...

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!!

Godspeed!

Ray

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18-19

People are always on the lookout for the Shiny New Coin. The latest cool insight or revelation from some author or podcaster. The new thing they think will help them fix what is “broken” in their life.

Unfortunately, many of the things we consider to be “broken” in our lives are, for the most part, simply life. The normal life we live in a fallen world.

Jesus tried to get his beloved to understand this when he said,

“In this world you will have trouble.” – John 16:33

In the same breath, he also tried to refocus their vison, our vision, on what really is important. To reorient our focused attention from the world to himself.

“But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

I hope that you will take what I am about to say with the spirit in which it is intended. A spirit not of diminishment or complaint but of reorientation.

There are over 50 million books available on Amazon and over 4 million podcasts in the world. Even when limiting these to the “Christian” genre the numbers are staggering and obviously too much for any one person to digest during their lifetime.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what Jason Wilson, Jon Tyson, John Mark Comer, John Eldredge or anyone else, including me, says in a blog, podcast, or book. If your eyes are on Wilson, Tyson, Comer, Eldredge, or Schmidt you will not become the person God created you to be.

The value we lend to any conversation; to any problem; to anything broken is what little ability God has granted us to help you to fix your eyes on Jesus … “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2).

The problems, issues, and brokenness in your life will not be “fixed” by Jason, Jon, John Mark, John, or myself apart from pointing you to Jesus.

I know it’s easy to get caught up in the messenger. But messengers come and go. It is the message and who the message points to which is eternal and brings life. Yes, some messengers are enduring. But they are enduring not because of who they are. They are enduring because of the gifting God has granted to them to point to Jesus.

Jesus is the answer to your questions. Jesus is the answer to your pain. Jesus is the answer to your diminishment, fear, anxiety, and shame. The Shiny New Coin may provide some insight, direction, wisdom, or guidance. But the Shiny New Coin will eventually tarnish, rust, and sit on the bookshelf collecting dust. Only the living Jesus of Nazareth, who came in the flesh, was crucified, and raised to life on the third day, can heal, restore, renew, and redeem. Only Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.”

Dear friends, may your Easter be truly blessed!

Copyright © 2025 Ray Schmidt