The Up Devotional

In Luke 8:44 we learn about a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. “She came up behind [Jesus] and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” Jesus healed her. It was—and is—an incredible testament to his goodness and power. I was curious about Jesus’ cloak. The word for “edge” […]

The 10 Commandments continue to apply to Christians today.  Of all the commandments, do you want to know which one gets the most space?  Is it murder, idolatry or adultery? Nope. It’s one day a week for Sabbath rest.  Trust me: This isn’t a guilt trip. Many of us struggle to find time to rest. […]

Some people think that being a Christian inoculates you from hardship. Not always. Yes, there are innumerable benefits; God is most certainly a provider, protector, rock and redeemer. At the same time, Jesus warns us against the delusion of smooth sailing. In John 16:33 he says: “In this world you will have trouble.” He also […]

When we think of Jesus as “Saviour” we tend to think about his role after our time on earth. That makes sense. After all, he saves us from the consequence of sin and from being on the wrong side of eternal judgment.  As (very!) important as those things are, we can sometimes forget that he […]

Forever is a big deal. Heaven is a big deal. Eternity is a big deal. You and I have probably thought about those things a lot. That makes sense. We should. Not only is eternity with God something to look forward to, but it gives us hope in the here and now. That’s the part […]

People don’t write letters as much as they used to. They tend to text, call, email or video chat. But letters are still written and received. At the close of a letter, it is common to give an important summary statement—perhaps something like, ‘May God bless you,’ or ‘I’m always thinking about you,’ or ‘Be […]

Acts 2:42 provides a snapshot of the early Christians who were living in Jerusalem after the resurrection. Here it is: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Let’s focus on the word “fellowship.” What does it really mean? The Louw-Nida lexicon defines it like […]

Mark 5:1-20 contains one of the most startling—and perhaps even confusing—stories in the Bible.  It’s where Jesus casts out a legion of demons from someone. They go into a herd of pigs who subsequently drown. As a result, some people were filled with fear. Others were filled with amazement. I know, pretty dramatic, right? If […]

There are times when someone who is sad doesn’t like to see someone who is happy. This isn’t with everyone and not all of the time, but certainly with some people and for some of the time. The reasons can differ. Perhaps the sad person is jealous. Or perhaps the sad person is reminded about […]

You are like a house. Let me explain.  Think of a normal house. If you leave your front door open at night a robber might break in. Will it definitely happen? Not necessary. But if you do that, you’re certainly increasing the chances of getting robbed. Here’s how you are like a house. When we […]

[New podcast episode about demons out now; see link in the notes below.] ~ Who you think Jesus is influences who you are becoming. Let me explain. Mark 4:38-41 (ESV) records one of Jesus’ most dramatic miracles. He was with his disciples in a boat when a huge storm came upon them. “Teacher,” they cried […]

It’s one of the most frequently-quoted verses in the letter. Philippians 4:4 says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” It’s a frequent theme throughout the letter. In fact, a form of this word is used 9 times in 4 short chapters. Seems fairly positive, doesn’t it? But can we really […]

We’ve been spending some time with Philippians 4:8-9. That’s where Paul says this:  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen […]

The God of peace can be with you. That’s pretty great, isn’t it? And this isn’t just some vague sentiment. Paul tells us this directly in Philippians 4:8-9. What he says is built on the assumption that we trust in the almighty and gracious God as revealed in Christ. With that in mind, he tells […]

World peace. We all want it. But how do we get it? Let’s be honest. There is a lot going on in the world around us that is simply beyond our control. We can, however, influence what is happening inside of us. When you think about it, what happens inside of us is our foundational […]

Today is Remembrance Day, also called Veterans Day or Armistice Day in other countries. We remember and give thanks for those who lost their lives in the miseries of war. In so doing we wear poppies. We read In Flanders Fields. We thank veterans. We pray for peace. We consider the value of our freedoms. […]

In Chase the Lion, Mark Batterson talks about a special sermon by Dr. Halverson called the “old man speech.” Here’s the gist of what he says: You’re going to meet an old man one day down the road. He will be you. He is the composite of everything you are thinking, saying and doing right […]

I recently learned about a bird in the Australian rainforest called the Cassowary. If you google a picture you’ll see that it is not to be messed with. It can fight off large predators, and even humans! A little known fact is that it plays a part in germinating the seeds of the rare Ryparosa […]

What are you “called” to do? The word “calling” can be intimidating. It makes us think of being a missionary, starting a homeless shelter, or coordinating an after-school program for inner city kids. But all of us have a calling, even if we don’t do those sorts of things.  First, we’re called to be disciples […]

David Brooks is a New York Times columnist. He talks about the difference between “resume virtues” and “eulogy virtues.” He writes: “The resume virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace. The eulogy virtues are the ones that are talked about at your funeral—whether you were kind, brave, honest or faithful. Were you capable […]

Jesus says comforting things. He also says challenging things. The following statement from Matthew 6:34 is both comforting and challenging at the same time! “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I agree with that statement. I also struggle to live that […]

Do you ever wonder why God is taking so long in making his kingdom come and his will being done “on earth as it is in heaven”? ‘God, why are there still so many problems?’‘God, why hasn’t A, B or C happened in my life or in the world?’ In Mark 4:26-27 Jesus explains a […]

October 31st has become synonymous with Halloween—the day where kids get dressed up, forego the don’t-talk-to-strangers rule, and get a candy buzz that could fly them to the moon. But the date has a greater historical significance. It’s the day when Martin Luther formally began a protest over certain problems in the church of his […]

Mark 4:25 causes some people to scratch their heads. They think it’s unfair. That’s where Jesus says: “For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” To understand what is happening, we need to look at the context. Jesus […]

Professor Michael Reeves says: “When all seems broken, uncertain, or wrong, remember God the unchanging who, through it all, cannot be broken, uncertain, or wrong.”* Let’s just sit with that for a minute. Are there times when things seem broken? Are there times when things seem uncertain? Are there times when things seem wrong? Yes, yes, and yes. […]