The Up Devotional

Modern people tend to be very tactile. “Actions speak louder than words.” We like physical results. We like concrete, measurable objectives. I get that. Our actions need to back up our words. Physical results and measurable objectives are important. But when it comes to being like Jesus, we can mistakenly conclude that it’s only about […]

Several years ago I was invited to give a talk to some high school students at a church in Toronto. During a question and answer time at the end one of them asked me this question: How do we know what is or isn’t true online? Wow, what a question! In short, it’s becoming increasingly […]

In yesterday’s devotional we looked at the story behind the popular war-time slogan: “Keep calm and carry on.” We modified it to say: “Keep calm and follow Jesus.” It’s amazing how many times Jesus urges faithful vigilance even in the face of uncertainty and danger. In Mark 13:32-37 he was teaching about his return: “Be […]

During World War Two the British government commissioned posters to keep the public focused on key ideas. They were written with white letters on a red background. There was a crown at the top. One said: “Freedom is in peril. Defend it with all your might.” A second one said: “Your courage, your cheerfulness, your […]

“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 1:4-5) Imagine you’re a parent. Your child has been learning the piano. She’s got a school concert coming up. She chose the music carefully and has practiced a lot. You bought her a new dress. She is excited but nervous. So are […]

One of the things that has really stuck with me recently is the foreknowledge of Jesus. He knew he would be tortured, abandoned and killed. And yet, he did it anyway. Why? Let’s pretend that I’ve had a direct message from God for you. Here it is: “Tomorrow is going to be the most painful […]

Tony Campolo tells a story about the movie, The Seventh Seal. In short, a medieval knight plays a dramatic game of chess with death himself, the prince of darkness. Throughout the whole movie they go back and forth making moves. Right at the end, as things are reaching a climax, the prince of darkness makes […]

There are times when everything seems chaotic. Problems everywhere—not only in the world generally, but in your life specifically. Pain, confusion, hardship. It’s pandemonium.  The word “pandemonium” literally means “demons everywhere.” That’s very fitting, isn’t it? That must have been what the disciples felt like during Jesus’ trial, torture and crucifixion. Demons everywhere! That’s why [&#8230...

Jesus actually rose from the grave. Actually. Physically. Incredibly! Because of that, everything was different. Everything is different. He paid for and conquered sin. He defeated death. He saved his people. His love triumphed! His reconciling work extended—and extends—to the entirely of the world, bringing unity to all things in heaven and on earth (Ephesians […]

Today is Good Friday. It’s a solemn time to remember and give thanks for what Christ did for us on the cross. Billy had a younger sister who was confined to a wheelchair. He took her to school and brought her from class to class. He was happy to do so. He was caring for […]

Today is Maundy Thursday. It’s not as well-known as Palm Sunday, Good Friday or Easter Sunday. But many churches have special services. The name comes from Jesus’ words in John 13:34. He gave us a “new command” (Latin: mandatum novum) to love one another as he has loved us.  In Mark 12 we have a […]

In yesterday’s devotional we looked at David. Actually, we looked at how God looked at David: “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). This was true not only for David, but for you. The Lord […]

Other people are more successful than you, more popular than you are, more good looking than you are, make more money than you do, are more accomplished than you are, are smarter than you are, and stronger than you are. (Before you throw something at me, hold on for a moment.) David was a young […]

John F Kennedy served as the President of American in the early 1960’s. I recently heard that he had a copy of an old Breton prayer on his desk: “O God, thy sea is so great, and my boat is so small.” How true. It’s a commentary about those times when life seems overwhelming. It’s […]

The Apollo 13 spacecraft launched into orbit in 1970. Many of us know the general parameters of the story because we’ve seen the moving starring Tom Hanks. In short, things go sideways. Stuff starts breaking and the lives of the astronauts are in danger. At home, everyone watches their TV screens in suspense and send […]

In yesterday’s devotional we focused on a passage from Mark 12 where some hypocritical leaders were trying to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. Today let’s zero in on another element of Jesus’ response. As usual, there is more going on in the text than what first meets the eye. They […]

In Mark 12, some hypocritical leaders were trying to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. It was a clever trap. Caesar (the Roman emperor) was a man named Tiberias. He was not very popular, could be very cruel, and levied heavy taxes on the people. The Jews felt like they weren’t […]

In yesterday’s devotional I highlighted something from Augustine: “The essence of sin is disordered love.” In short, we all love certain things and certain people. But if we get the order wrong, that’s a problem. For example, if I love my job to the neglect my family, that’s sin. In that scenario I’m living in […]

Church Father Augustine said: “The essence of sin is disordered love.”* What did he mean? We all love things. We love people, we love friends, we love music, we love certain ideas, we love our favourite snacks, we love our hobbies, and we love God (hopefully!)  But if we love things in the wrong order […]

A boy had a little dog named Remmy while he was growing up. Remmy was a Jack Russel. He was mostly white with one brown ear. And he was very loved. One day it snowed outside. Remmy went out into the garden. That’s when the boy noticed something about his beloved dog. He wasn’t white […]

In Mark 12:30 Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” We could take a lifetime to fully grasp the implications. With each new year we gain new insights, and seek fresh strength, to put those words […]

We know that God answers prayer. We know that he is near to those who call on him in truth (Psalm 145:18). We know that he hears us when we ask things according to his will (1 John 5:14). We know that when we draw near to him he draws near to us as well […]

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (Matthew 6:7). A man was nearing death. A priest went to visit him in the hospital a few days before he died. The priest noticed that the man had pulled an empty […]

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children…” (Ephesians 5:1) If you think someone is inspiring and want to be more like them, you probably pay attention to what they do and how they do it. How do they live their life? What makes them different? What can I learn from them and incorporate into […]

The apostle Peter warned his readers with these words: “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (2 Peter 3:17, ESV). Earlier in the chapter he had been telling them about Jesus’ return. They should live expectantly and […]