The Up Devotional

If you go to Central American University in El Salvador you can see the room where six Jesuits and two women were killed. But the killers didn’t only shoot people. They shot their books. That’s right: their books were riddled with bullet holes. One of those books was a theological dictionary. It was open to […]

In yesterday’s devotional we talked about the importance of being honest with your words.  Makes sense, right? After all, God is a God of truth. Jesus comes to us “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). God’s “word is truth” (John 17:17). If we want to be his disciples, reflecting his truth needs to be […]

Honesty is important. But when push comes to shove it’s easy to let a lie slip when it will make things easier for us or when it covers up a mistake we’ve made. It was Mark Twain who said: “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots […]

Have you ever questioned whether or not you are making a difference? Have you made sacrifices, tried to help others, stretched yourself to grow in faith… only to doubt whether or not there would ever be any fruit from your labours? If so, you’re not alone. But guess what? God can use your sacrifices, hard […]

Gregory was a church father from the sixth century. He said: “You can tell how much you love something by the degree of sorrow you experience when you lose it.”* I think that’s a helpful piece of perspective. If I buy a new expensive watch, and if I am so utterly devastated when I lose […]

I remember reading a book which provided a summary of the biblical descriptions of the church. It was (and is) the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the people of the Spirit, the household of God, a community of disciples, etc. Another one was “a servant people.” Jesus’ people are a people who serve. […]

[Apologies! – Some of you may have received this on July 2 and July 3. The error has been corrected. This is the devotional for July 3, 2025] In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus says: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but […]

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the Ten Commandments. Commandment number ten says “You shall not covet…” (Exodus 20:17). Coveting is desiring or taking deep pleasure in something that belongs to someone else. It’s a heart issue. It is internal. Coveting is closely related to envy.  Let’s focus on a few key […]

Roy Oswald says: “The truly happy person is the one who wants, more than anything else, what he already has.” His statement is meant to bring attention to the idea that accumulating more stuff or experiences doesn’t necessarily make a person happier. True happiness, he argues, is about wanting what you already have. It’s a […]

There are a lot of big things happening in the world. They can be scary or unsettling. We hear about missiles and rumours of war. We hear about destruction and pain. And that’s on top of the general malaise or anxiety that a lot of people are feeling. Last winter I was speaking with another […]

In yesterday’s devotional I shared a few words about the woman caught in adultery in John 8. It’s a powerful and beautiful example of how Jesus “came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Today let’s focus on a much-neglected detail. In verse 7 he said: “Let any one of you who […]

There is a spiritual tug-of-war happening—and it’s happening over Jesus. Different factions are trying to lay claim to him. One group proclaims: “We have the right understanding of Jesus and you are wrong!” The other group bellows the same thing. Even as you read or listen to this certain people come to mind who are […]

There’s an expression. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The idea is that people are doing things they shouldn’t be doing and don’t want other people to find out about it! “Let’s keep secret what happened in Vegas!” Sometimes we can have that same mentality about our homes—even if we don’t use that expression. […]

Thoughts are coordinates. Huh? Coordinates get you somewhere. They’re about helping you end up at the right destination. Perhaps you type them into your phone or G.P.S. If you don’t input the right data, you end up at the wrong place. Or picture Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon. Before they make the […]

Certain things are inspiring.  It is inspiring when someone breaks a world record. It is inspiring when someone makes a big sacrifice to help someone in need. I also find it very inspiring when someone is able to experience joy even in the midst of hardship. Have you ever met someone like that? They have […]

Today is Friday. In two days from now Christians all over the world will gather together to worship God. They will do so in simple church buildings or fancy ones. They will gather in storefronts or movie theatres. They will gather in someone’s home or out in a field. No matter what their surroundings look […]

Bryce Crawford is a young missionary in Los Angeles. He says that many people move to L.A., make mistakes, regret those mistakes, and then wonder what to do next with their life.  Because of this, he says, people are hungry for Jesus. My sense is that this experience is not limited to Los Angeles! I […]

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). As the children of our God and King, we strive to live up to our royal pedigree. Are we sinful and broken? Absolutely. But with God’s help we try to grow in Christlikeness and reflect the one in whose image we are made. One of the ways we do […]

Most of you have probably not committed murder.  But you have probably been very angry at someone. Here’s the connection. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I […]

In 1 Corinthians 15:33 Paul quotes the poet Menander: “Bad company corrupts good character.”  The ESV translation says: “Bad company ruins good morals.” The NKJV puts it like this: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” You get the point. How are Christians to understand this? In Paul’s letter he is, in part, issuing a warning. If […]

Today is Friday the thirteenth. There are a variety of theories about why this day is seen as “bad luck.” As Christians, we don’t believe in luck of course. We believe in the providence of God. The Westminster Confession summarizes some powerful biblical truth when it points out in chapter five that the God of […]

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). Just because we know something is good for us that doesn’t mean we do it. For example, we know that regular exercise and a full night’s sleep have powerful effects, both physically and mentally. And […]

When I say the word “sanctuary” what do you think of? Perhaps you think about a church sanctuary—a place where people gather for worship services. Perhaps a butterfly sanctuary—an environment created specifically so butterflies can thrive. Or maybe political sanctuary—what someone can receive in a new country if fleeing persecution. All of these examples include […]

Simplicity. Biblically speaking, simplicity is a good thing. In 2 Corinthians 1:12 Paul writes: “we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God…” Acting with simplicity involves pure motives. It involves honesty, being down-to-earth, and not buying into the extravagance, show and competition of […]

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Bernard of Clairveax was a monk who lived in the early twelfth century. In his book On Loving God he talks about someone who […]