The Up Devotional

William Perkins was a well-known theologian in the 16th century. He was known for his faithfulness. But it wasn’t always that way.  When he was younger he had a reputation for recklessness, profanity and public drunkenness. He was also dabbling in black magic and the occult.  One evening he overheard a mother correcting her child […]

You’re doing your best to trust God. You want him to act.  You want him to help. You’ve been waiting. And waiting some more. So you start to think to yourself: “I’ll give God to the end of the year to do something about this situation. If he doesn’t do anything it must be because […]

In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul doubles down to make a point. God is waaaaay smarter than any of us: “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?… For the foolishness of God is wiser […]

Things are not always as they seem. A simple word of encouragement can bring someone back from the brink. A hug can be the reassurance someone needs that they are not alone. This Sunday many Christians will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, also called “Communion.” Some churches do this weekly, some monthly, and some four or […]

Two wise and faithful men were being interviewed after years of exemplary teaching and service. They were both humble, despite their many accolades and awards. The interviewer asked how they were able to resist pride and stay humble? One of the men replied: “How on earth can anyone be arrogant when standing beside the cross?”* […]

Theologian J.I. Packer said that “Christians… grow greater by growing smaller.”* That’s a helpful reminder. People talk about “greatness.” Sometimes they simply think about it. And yes, they might use different words, but the idea is the same. In the book of Esther, Haman seemed to be concerned with a certain understanding of greatness. With […]

Do you want to experience destruction?  Do you want to experience destruction in your family, among your friends, at work, at school, or with your reputation or soul? If the answer is no, we need to heed Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Let’s be clear. If we want […]

I’ve been spending time studying the book of Esther. As I go through the story line by line I notice things I didn’t notice before.  One of the famous parts of the story is when she decides to approach the King to help her people, even at great risk to her own life: “I will […]

Let’s put what I’m about to say in the category of ‘news you won’t hear on the news.’ A Harvard study says that participating in religious services once a week or more is correlated with greater longevity, lower levels of depression, more optimism, and lower suicide rates.* Um, pardon? Yes, that’s right. Participating in religious […]

It’s hard to read the book of Esther and not be impressed by her courage. Her people were in danger of annihilation. Her adoptive father Mordechai encouraged her to approach the King to intervene. Sounds simple enough. But if she approached without an invitation she could be killed. (I’m glad I don’t live in a […]

Have you ever wondered if you should have been born in another time? Perhaps 19th century France or even in the pioneer days? I realize that it’s fun to dream. But God isn’t that haphazard. God’s people were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He fashioned us in our mother’s wombs and […]

Providence is the invisible hand of God. It is God directing, guiding and providing for his people, even when you can’t see him. Some people say they trust in God’s providence, and then they use that as an excuse for not responding to God’s call on their lives. They think to themselves, ‘Well, God is […]

I recently came across a correspondence between the Reformer Martin Luther and a friend. in The Voice, Keith S. Lindley sets the scene like this:  “In July of 1530, Martin Luther penned a letter to his dear friend, Jerome Weller. During a season of depression, Weller began to doubt the reality of his salvation, and […]

Corrie ten Boom tells the story about an old Russian woman she met during the Cold War.  She was a woman of faith, but Bibles were not allowed. It was a time of persecution for Christians. The woman was so sick she couldn’t get off her couch. But she had one finger she could still […]

A lot of people “give up” things for Lent. The biblical—and therefore, accurate—word for this is fasting. If you’re going to fast it’s important to know the reason. Going through the motions is of limited value if you don’t know why you’re doing it. One example of fasting is found in Ezra 8:21: “I proclaimed […]

Today is Ash Wednesday. It’s the official start of Lent, the forty day period (excluding Sundays) leading up to Good Friday and Easter. [It’s also Valentine’s Day. If you’re curious about who Valentine was, see the link at the bottom of this devotional for a short explanation.] Back to Ash Wednesday. Some Christians put ashes […]

[For a short post which explains the meaning of Shrove Tuesday, see the link at the end of this post.] “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown […]

The word “doctrine” has received a bad name. I once saw a social media comment which captured something of the spirit of the age: “People should spend less time thinking about doctrine and more time actually loving like Jesus did.”  I get where that person is coming from. If people spend all their time debating […]

Right from the start, Wayne Gretzky was a hockey genius. He had a rink in his backyard. He also had an overflow of natural talent. But he also had supportive, smart parents. There’s a story about something Wayne’s father Walter did which gave his son an added advantage.  While watching some games, Walter took a […]

I recently saw a video of a boy named Carter.* It was Christmas morning and he was at the home of the Kipharts. Carter needed a family. The video shows them giving him a gift which included a letter. In it they told him that they were going to adopt him.  The video is quite […]

Do you ever get frustrated at your lack of spiritual progress? If so, you’re not alone. I recently came across a cartoon from an account on Instagram called BestChristianMemes. It quoted 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV): “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” In effect, Paul was saying to the Corinthians that since they […]

According to Jesus, Satan is a liar. In fact, he calls him the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Here is a doozie he loves to tell God’s people. “You are not enough!” “Do you see yourself in the mirror? How in the world can you think that a backsliding sinner like you could ever be […]

Harold Kushner tells a cautionary story about the man who invented the transistor radio.  He was headed to a convention and stopped at a restaurant to have something to eat. There was another family there. He noticed that each one of them had one of his inventions. As a result, no one was talking to […]

There’s an expression: All hands on deck. It comes from the world of ships. When there is trouble, all hands (i.e. people) are needed to pitch in and help. A storm isn’t a time to stargaze or to nap in a hammock somewhere. You’re needed! With that in mind, one of the historic metaphors for […]

Ephesians 4:11-13 is held dear by many pastors and church leaders. In fact, it’s often read at ordinations. But it is of significance to all Christians, not just leaders. Let me share it with you, and then I’ll explain why. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to […]