The Up Devotional

We’ve been talking about prayer. Did you know that when it comes to effective prayer, what is happening in your heart matters? Recently I was struck by Psalm 66:18. The psalmist says: “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” When someone “cherishes” something they are adoring it; they […]

Prayer is a significant part of our lives. However, when God doesn’t seem to respond in a way we want or expect, we can start to question him. When that happens—and even when it doesn’t—we need to trust in God’s wisdom and timing. He truly knows better than we do. A helpful verse that reminds […]

In 1 John 5:14 the apostle writes: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” This verse is about prayer. I invite you to notice four words: “according to his will.” John is providing a direct instruction about prayer. He is […]

Let’s say you take some illegal drugs (I hope you don’t be the way, but just hear me out). Let’s say you take some illegal drugs and then ask God to bless your experience. Would you then think that God was bad or negligent if he didn’t bless it? Of course not. After all, you’re […]

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5) In these verses, John introduces the idea of “overcoming the world.” […]

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Did the apostle John just say that keeping God’s commandments are “not burdensome”? Some of them, sure. But all of them? Friends, hear this: The closer you get to God, the less burdensome his […]

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3). What if I told you that you had to climb a steep mountain. It would be difficult and take several hours. You probably wouldn’t want to do it. But what if I then told you that when you got to […]

John Ortberg writes: “Obedience has become the virtue that nobody wants.”* What does he mean? The apostle Peter says that to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (2 Peter 1:5). Patience is a virtue, as we often hear. So is kindness. So is loyalty. But many people find obedience a tougher pill […]

We’ve been spending some time thinking about love. Makes sense. After all, it comes up in the Bible—a lot. Truth is critical. So is doctrine. Related to these is love. It is an outward expression of the faith that God has given to us. Today I want to share a word of encouragement to those […]

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). Autumn is a time of gratitude. The leaves on the trees are beautiful. We sing “Great is thy faithfulness” and remind ourselves about the good […]

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). This is a famous verse. It’s inspiring. It’s also a verse that is frequently abused.  Some people use it to justify any behaviour they want, including ideas or actions which directly contradict God’s own teachings. To them, “God is […]

In the previous devotional we talked about “distracted living.” Just how someone can become a “distracted driver” when behind the wheel, we can lose our focus about what and who matters most in life. As the people of God, it can be helpful to think deliberately about this with the following question: Am I prioritizing […]

One of the biggest threats to road safety today is distracted driving. The national collision database says it contributed to 25.5% of serious injury collisions in 2021. Each year it seems to be increasing. A national survey found that 79% of drivers admitted to being distracted while driving.  But this devotional isn’t about distracted driving. […]

In 1 John 3:14 the apostle John writes: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” Did you see it? Love flowing from faith. It’s an idea that permeates the letters of the apostle John. It permeates the Gospel he […]

“By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). Neil Anderson and Timothy Warner say that “Satan loves to be ignored.”*  What do they mean? Think about it. If the Devil jumped out from behind every bush with horns and a pitch fork, we’d easily be able to […]

You sometimes see artwork where a person has an angel over one shoulder and a demon over the other. Sometimes they are shown to be whispering into the person’s ear. Regardless of whether the artist thinks these good and evil spirits are literally on someone’s shoulder, the idea is clear—that there are good and bad […]

There are times when we humans make simple things difficult and difficult things too simplistic.  Mark Bauerlein was speaking to his friends about a group of monks in Vermont who spend most of their time in contemplation and prayer.  His friends respected the monks, but were puzzled by them. “It doesn’t occur to them,” Bauerlein […]

When we call ourselves “Christians” what do we think that means? The earliest followers of Jesus were called “disciples.” That word is used about 269 times. In those early days, the followers of Jesus were also called the people of “the Way.” That phrase occurs five times.  So, when did the title “Christian” come into […]

There’s no denying it. The Bible tells us like it is! No holding back.  In 1 John 3:13 we read: “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.” In my Bible, I have those first four words underline separately. Do. Not. Be. Surprised. In this context, “the world” is a reference to “human […]

The word “believe” comes up a lot in the Bible. Clearly, it’s very important to our faith.  In 1 John 3:23, the apostle writes: “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” But what does it truly […]

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). In February 2015 twenty Coptic Orthodox Christians were killed for their faith in Lybia by Muslim terrorists. They had been labourers. […]

Through thick and thin, and regardless of whether things are easy or difficult, the apostle John has some sage counsel: “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 4:11). We tend to pay attention to what some people say more than others. For […]

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart” (Psalm 119:111). Today is the anniversary of William Tyndale’s martyrdom. He died 489 years ago on October 6, 1536. Tyndale was born in the late 1400’s. As he grew, he became passionate about God and the Bible. But it wasn’t available […]

According to the apostle John, followers of Christ engage in a process of purification. Speaking about the return of Jesus in 1 John 3:3, he writes: “And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” But what does purification entail? Think of something which is purified with fire. A biblical example […]

In 1 John 3, the apostle discusses the importance of being “righteous.”  Our society hates the idea of righteousness. In fact, it has equated it with being “self-righteous.” Being self-righteous is thinking you are better than others and looking down your nose at them with a dripping sense of moral superiority. But that’s not what […]