The Up Devotional

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 … Continue reading You need to sift

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 … Continue reading People grow better together

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 … Continue reading Loyalty, love and a lifestyle

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 … Continue reading They hate anything that reminds them of hope

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 … Continue reading You are like a house

[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 … Continue reading If you want to actually be like Jesus

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 … Continue reading Rejoice—always?

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 … Continue reading Gobble gobble gobble

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 … Continue reading Fear and panic, or the peace of God?

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 … Continue reading If you want it out there, you need it in here