The Up Devotional

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). When I was young and we went to church I would usually go to Sunday School. Before too long, however, I wanted to be up in the service with the adults so that I could hear the sermon. I […]

In 1 John 3:3 the apostle writes: “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” He was speaking about the return of Jesus. If we hope in him (which we do) we will be engaged in a process of purification. His idea is that we are striving—with God’s help—to be […]

Dr. Sean Tobin is a clinical psychologist who brings into his practice insights from both psychotherapy and Christian spirituality. He says that right out of the gate many Christians have a barrier in their relationship with God. At a base level they think of God as one of three things: angry, distant or weak. To […]

Two students were knocking on doors evangelizing. One of those doors was answered by a mother. It was not a good day. The house was crazy, kids were going nuts, and she was clearly tired and frazzled. They asked her: “Are you interested in eternal life?” Looking around at her chaotic life she replied: “Frankly, […]

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” (2 Peter 1:3) The more thoroughly you know Jesus, the more thoroughly you experience Jesus. Let me explain. Jesus does a series of different things in […]

“If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father” (1 John 2:24). John Ortberg invites us to imagine the following scenario. Imagine a man and a woman on their wedding day. The decorations are amazing. The guests are joyful. The music is […]

What do Nero, Napoleon, Stalin and Hitler all have in common? They were all accused of being the Antichrist.  The apostle John uses the word “Antichrist” five times in his letters. But what does it mean? The Louw-Nida Greek lexicon defines the term like this: “one who is opposed to Christ, in the sense of […]

Jesus said: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). John Chrysostom was a church father who was known for his eloquence, his commitment to a simple lifestyle, and his success at repelling demons. But he was […]

C.S. Lewis was a famous literary critic and author. He converted to Christianity from atheism.  Here is one of his more famous quotes: “There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise… If I find in myself a desire which no […]

The apostle John walked and talked with Jesus, the one who said he was the very light of the world (John 8:12).  In 1 John 1:5 he shared this insight of clarity and power: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” As his people we are to “walk in the light, […]

“By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:5-6). What does it mean to “abide” in Jesus?  After all, this is an important word. It comes up 40 times in the Gospel of John […]

“But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1) This verse was written by the apostle John. In it, he offers a powerful word of encouragement. But to see the full scope of his reassurance, we need to keep something in mind. Picture a legal […]

In his book, Your Story Has a Villain, John Pokluda asks: “What would you change if all your prayers were answered?” When I first read that question, I paused and tried to think about all the prayers I had said the previous day. Pokluda’s question made me wonder if my prayers were too timid or […]

The first letter of John the apostle starts with a lot of enthusiasm—and this energy is for a reason: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life…” (1 John 1:1) Let […]

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). In A Tale of Two Cities two men look a lot alike. Their names are Charles and Sydney. They both fall in love with the same woman. She falls back in love […]

In 1 John 1:5-6 John the apostle says “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” In this verse, what does “light” mean? In the Bible, light often refers to wisdom. It “illuminates” our understanding. It can also refer to purity or holiness. It also provides clarity. Let’s say you’re stumbling around […]

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). Nectarios Trevino is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He was as a squadron commander and also worked in intelligence. He served on General Schwarzkopf’s staff during the Gulf War.  […]

There’s usually more happening in the Bible than we realize. Here’s an example. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus famously said: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44).  That’s huge. The love that Jesus taught and exemplified changed (and changes) the world. But let’s also take note of something […]

A writer named William Somerset Maugham said: “If fifty million people say something foolish, it is still foolish.”* His words are a helpful (and accurate) reminder that we need to evaluate ideas based on their merit, not popular opinion.  As followers of Christ, we also need to evaluate ideas based on whether or not they […]

The words of Psalm 143:10 are a good prayer for all of us: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” As followers of Jesus, we want to do God’s will. Sometimes his will is clear. Sometimes it is not. What do we […]

“Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). As you begin September, do you need a reminder that with God all things are actually possible? As modern people, we can get sucked into the prevailing skepticism of […]

“All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly” (Proverbs 13:16). If you ever get caught under a colossal pile of snow as a result of an avalanche, don’t dig blindly. Spit first. Let me explain. Science Magazine told the story of an individual who, after being trapped under the snow, died. […]

Hello and welcome back to The Up Daily Devotional. I’ve been taking some vacation time but am now back five mornings a week to your email inbox, social media and podcasts feeds, and radio airwaves. I also return to teach and preach at Westminster this coming Sunday. Okay, here we go. I often say that […]

Hello!  Today I’m here to remind you that The Up Daily Devotional continues to be on pause because I’m on vacation. It will resume five days a week one week from today, September 1, 2025. In the meantime, I’d like to share two things.  First, some long-form content. This time of year can be a […]

{See below for a vacation notice.} Why are we supposed to love our enemies? It’s a big question. I recently dedicated an entire sermon to the subject (which can you access in the footnotes below if you’re interested). Among the many answers to this question, here’s one that is worth pondering. People who are radically […]