The Up Devotional

A soldier was in Nagasaki, a long way from home. On Sunday morning he saw what looked like a church. He went inside.  There were about twenty people there. The soldier wasn’t sure how it was going to go since he only knew one word: brother.  But that’s the word he heard: “Brother.” As you […]

When it comes to journeying through life—and to making decisions in general—discernment is important. It involves sifting through information, figuring out right from wrong, and going forward based on what you’ve discovered. If someone is “discerning,” it usually means that they are deliberate and proactive about their choices. When Solomon prayed to God to be […]

“Be devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:10). Let me start by asking you a question. Would you rather be known for what you’re FOR, or what you’re AGAINST? In other words, would you rather be known for beliefs, causes or issues that you are FOR, or would you rather be known for beliefs, […]

By now you have surely heard about (or seen footage of) the terrorist attacks by Hamas in Israel. It is so very horrifying to learn about innocent people—including women and children—being torn from homes, assaulted, and killed and/or taken prisoner. When I hear about the bodies of innocent victims being paraded through the streets while […]

Proverbs 15:1 says: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Wow, talk about practical. Let’s say someone says something harsh to you. Perhaps it happens in person, but maybe it happens online. Either way, your instinct is to react. You want to say some things that are probably not […]

None of us are getting any younger. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s true! Despite what our culture might tell you, aging in and of itself is not a bad thing. It’s a part of life. It may be difficult, but it’s not a disaster, and it can even be a […]

I read about a psychology experiment. Some of the participants were sad. Others were happy. The entire group was asked to descramble messages. There were a variety of phrases which could be made. Here’s what happened. The people who were already sad created more sad messages, even though happier ones were possible. And people who […]

Jesus said: “’Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:38-39). What are the “means of grace”? Historically, these are practices which God puts into our lives and which […]

The book One Hundred Years of Solitude describes a town that suffers from a plague of forgetfulness. People start forgetting everything, like it’s contagious. And it is certainly very scary. One man starts putting notes on everything so that he doesn’t forget. “This is a table… a lamp… a door.” He goes into the town […]

There are certain virtues which never grow old. That’s because God has ordained them. They are eternally good. We should strive for them regardless of whether the year is 1039, 2023 or 3245. One of them is humility. I’ve been spending time thinking about Communion since this past Sunday was World Communion Sunday. This Sacrament […]

In 1 Thessalonians 3:17-18 (ESV) Paul mentions something to his fellow-believers. He was writing from a different town but really wanted to see them in person so he could help and encourage them. He wrote: “we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come […]

We’ve been thinking about holiness. That word makes some people think about strongly scented candles, fancy cathedrals, or even a certain kind of religious snobbery. But that’s off the mark. Holiness is about being set apart for a special, godly purpose. We need to reclaim (and be humbly confident about) that understanding. After all, if […]

In the past few devotionals we’ve been speaking about holiness.  In more recent times, people tend to think that holiness is either (a) about hoity-toity self-righteousness, or (b) an inner state of being. The first is simply wrong, and the second is only half-true. Holiness is about being set-part for a special, godly purpose. If […]

When someone asks you to describe yourself, what do you say?  I’m guessing you don’t use the word “holy.” After all, you don’t want to appear “holier than thou.” I get it. And perhaps you don’t think you’re very holy. That’s certainly a humble way of seeing things. But if you are a follower of […]

You’ve probably seen the bumper sticker which says: “Jesus is coming, look busy!” It’s supposed to be funny, of course. And although Jesus won’t be fooled, and although busyness shouldn’t be our focus, it does certainly remind us that when he comes we should be doing something. But what is that something? It is that […]

In Proverbs 16:3 Solomon wrote: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” This is a great reminder to commit to God whatever you do—whether you’re in school, in the workforce, a retiree, or something else. When it comes to faith we can mistakenly relegate it to a few quiet […]

Paul was known for speaking confidently and boldly about God, even in the face of violent opposition.  He faced riots in Thessalonica (see Acts 17:1-10) and beatings and unjust imprisonment in Philippi (see Acts 16:16-24). Nevertheless, he said: “we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4, […]

In the previous few devotionals I said that honouring God in a big situation is 99% preparation. We know this to be true in other aspects of our lives. Let’s say that someone wants give their child some good advice for a problem they’re dealing with. Over the course of a week, that conversation probably […]

In the previous devotional I said that honouring God in a big situation is 99% preparation. We know this to be true in other aspects of life. Let’s say that a sprinter wants to be successful in his race. That race represents 1% of his time. The other 99% is preparation. The same can be […]

Jesus did big things. So did his early followers. They spoke boldly, even in the face of violent opposition. They loved enemies, turned the other cheek, gave freely, and laid down their lives for others. Too often, we find ourselves being people-pleasers instead of God-pleasers. Instead of saying or doing something which honours God but […]

When you read through 1st Thessalonians 1, don’t skip too quickly past verse 6. Here is what Paul says as he pays his readers a compliment: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” There’s […]

Someone was telling me about a survival show on T.V. A guy was dropped way out in the forest. He had to make his own shelter and catch his own food. But he had to remain healthy. Otherwise he would be medically evacuated and taken to safety. He made a shelter. He even caught a […]

Recently I’ve been spending a lot of time in 1st Thessalonians. It was written less than twenty years after the resurrection of Jesus. One of the things that characterized their thought was that they were eagerly awaiting the return of Jesus. You can sense their anticipation. They thought it would happen any day. In chapter […]

Hope. It changes things. C.R. Wiley says it like this: “We live by the light of tomorrow’s sun, and that sun is the Lord God.”* He cites the description of Eden restored in Revelation 22:5: “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the […]

Steadfastness of hope. What an inspiring phrase. Here it is in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (ESV): “We give thanks to God always for all of you… remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Hope. We like it. We want it. […]