The Up Devotional

There’s a marine training facility called Parris Island. A young man signed up who was a bit out of step with the others. He was nice enough—but he just didn’t fit in. As a result, he got picked on—a lot.

In his barracks, there were guys who were particularly mean. One of them came up with an idea to drop a disarmed hand grenade on the floor pretending like it was about to go off. They figured he would totally freak out and embarrass himself.

The next time they were all together someone out of view tossed in the disarmed grenade. “It’s a live grenade, it’s about to explode!”

But the young recruit, instead of running away, jumped on top of the grenade, hugged it to his stomach, and yelled, “Run for your lives! If you don’t you’ll be killed!”

They all stood there, frozen in their own shame, marveling at what he was prepared to do for them without any regard for himself. What they thought would be a moment of great embarrassment and humiliation turned out to be a moment of great self-sacrifice and glory.*

To me, that story sheds light on the meaning of Good Friday—except that for Jesus, the danger was real, and he knew it.

Christ went to the cross, in an act of great self-sacrifice. He did it for you and for me. Isaiah 53:5 says: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities…”

Today, give thanks for the Saviour who stepped into the line of fire and went to the cross for you. He took upon himself the punishment you deserve, so that you could be forgiven and reconciled with your heavenly Father forever. 

Good Friday is “good” not because of what happened to Jesus, but because of what happened for you.

Notes:

-A version of today’s devotional first appeared on March 30, 2018.
-*Tony Campolo, Let Me Tell You A Story (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000), 21.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Tomorrow is Good Friday. Today is a lesser-known day called Maundy Thursday—not “Monday” but “Maundy.”

The word “Maundy” comes from Jesus’ words in John 13:34. Although he spoke Aramaic, the oldest record of his words are in Greek. Those words have been translated into many languages, including Latin. “Mandatum novum” is the Latin wording for “new commandment.” Here’s the entire verse: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

When you read the story in John’s Gospel, you discover that Jesus didn’t just say things—he lived them out. He demonstrated what he meant. And just before he gave the commandment to love one another, he washed his disciples’ feet. Think of that for a second. The Son of God—the Saviour of the world—stooped down and washed the dirty feet of his friends. 

Here’s today’s focus. Among the disciples was Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed him. The man who Jesus KNEW would betray him. Despite that knowledge, Jesus knelt down and washed Judas’ feet.

There’s a lot that could be said about this, but today let me simply offer this one thought: If Jesus can love Judas and wash his feet, you can love and serve the people you don’t even like.

Today is Maundy Thursday. Don’t just go through the motions. Jesus is walking toward the cross. And he leaves behind him a wake of love. So can you.

Regardless of how we feel about the people we meet, let’s heed Jesus’ new commandment and love one another—not just when we want to, but when we don’t.

Notes:

-A version of this devotional first appeared on April 13, 2017.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

I once heard John Ortberg make an analogy. He said that when people envision their future, they picture themselves standing before a series of doors. 

Let’s say there are ten doors. Which one will we choose? If there’s only one correct door, that can make us stressed. After all, we have a 90% chance of choosing wrongly! 

However, what if there were seven good doors, not just one? What if the most important thing wasn’t simply which door we chose, but how we walked through it, and who we walked through it with?

To be clear, some doors are not good. Hopefully those become clear when we read the Bible, pray, and talk to other wise Christians. But what if the others were okay, provided we sought to be prayerful and faithful, and provided we followed Jesus and glorified God as we did so?

I think this is helpful when thinking about “God’s plan for your life.” Too often, we can get tripped up in the specifics and miss the most important thing in the process: God’s Plan A for your life is for you to cooperate with the Kingship of Jesus.

We are told over and over that Jesus is a King. “Christ” itself is a kind of royal title. He spoke about a “kingdom.” He presented himself to Jerusalem as a King (see Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:5). And in Revelation 19:16 he is victoriously declared to be the “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

As a Teacher, Jesus has students. As a Shepherd, he has sheep. As a Master, he has servants. And as a King, he has subjects.

The future can be intimidating. We can get nervous about which door to take. But what if we took the pressure off? What if we prayed about it, lived by the Word of God, and simply sought to cooperate with Christ regardless of our particular circumstances? 

Let’s entrust our future to a God who is already there.

No matter what your future holds, God’s Plan A for your life is for you to cooperate with the Kingship of Jesus.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

This is Holy Week. It’s the week where Christians all over the world remember and celebrate Jesus’ final days before his torture, trial, crucifixion and resurrection. 

When Jesus arrived at Jerusalem he rode on a donkey. At first, this might seem like a random or unimportant detail. However, it was packed with meaning. 

One of the most noteworthy pieces of background has to do with a prophecy from Zechariah about five hundred years earlier: “Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey… and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea…” (Zechariah 9:9-10)

Jesus was fully aware that when he came to Jerusalem, he was presenting himself as the long-awaited Messiah and King. No wonder the authorities were so upset!

Yes, he would be tortured. Yes, he would be abandoned. Yes, he would be killed. Nevertheless, he was the true and eternal King. His resurrection would make that fact clear for everyone to see.

Here’s one of the many ways this relates to us. There is no version of God’s plan for your life where he isn’t King over every part of your life. 

If Jesus was the King then, he is also the King now. Some people bristle at this. That’s because they have never seen a King that was perfectly good. They think of Kings who have abused their power and subjects.

But Jesus was—and is—the perfect King. He protects and defends his people. He administers justice. He prays and is faithful and righteous. Plus, he is the bringer of peace! 

Is there a part of your life that you are holding back from the Kingship of Jesus? Are you content to pray once in a while, and even to go to church, but hold back certain corners of your life, or even certain decisions, relationships, or priorities, from his Kingship?

If so, Holy Week might be a good time to reconsider that approach. If Jesus is the true and perfect King, welcoming him more fully into your life can only make your life better, not worse.

“Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey… and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea…”

Notes:

-“There Is No Version Of God’s Plan For Your Life Without This.” Click here. Sermon.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

There is a direct relationship between the physical realm and the unseen realm. 

As I often say to the congregation where I pastor, details matter. Take, for example, Daniel 10. That’s where we learn how he was mourning and fasting for three weeks: “I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks” (verse 3).

Later in verse 13 we are told about a huge battle that was happening in the unseen realm. A powerful angel was confronted by a high-ranking demon. It took none other than Michael the archangel to eventually secure the victory. This battle lasted for 21 days. 

Let’s connect the dots. 3 weeks is exactly 21 days. Is it a coincidence that Daniel’s heightened level of spiritual activity (fasting) was exactly the same amount of time that this battle was taking place in the unseen realm? I don’t think so. Since the angelic battle had specifically to do with getting a message to Daniel, I think we are supposed to make the connection. 

What goes on “down here,” impacts what is going on “out there,” and what happens “out there,” impacts what is going on “down here.”

My sense is that you probably already know this. Doing physical things like praying, going to church, volunteering or fasting, make a real difference in our relationship with God and with the wider world. If they didn’t, why bother? But they also make a difference in the unseen battles around us.

Daniel 10 may be dramatic, but it’s a powerful encouragement to seek God on a daily basis. Your acts of faithfulness make an actual difference. 

What if your prayers were literally changing the direction of someone’s life? 
What if angels were literally intervening for you on a weekly basis?
What if your growing inner humility and strength literally helped to push back the darkness?

In 2 Corinthians 5:7 Paul says: “we walk by faith, not by sight.” In other words, we navigate life not just based on what we see with our eyes and touch with our hands, but by trusting in God, living by his promises, and pursuing his plan for our lives. Our eyes are helpful, but they don’t show the full picture.

There is a direct relationship between the physical realm and the unseen realm. Let’s walk by faith, not just by sight. And may God’s kingdom advance in our souls, households, churches, communities, and in the wider world.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

[Note: New podcast episode and blog — link in footnotes.]

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Peter Wagner writes: “Without holiness we can expect very little power in spiritual warfare. The opposite of holiness is worldliness…”*

I’ll be honest. In an earlier chapter of my life, I would have grimaced at a statement like that. What in the world is he talking about? 

Over time, however, I have come to appreciate and better understand what the Bible teaches about spiritual warfare. It is the ongoing battle between good and evil in the world and in our lives. This conflict happens not only in the unseen realm, but in the physical realm as well.

Paul tells us to put on “the whole armour of God” in Ephesians 6:11. He also tells us to put on the “armour of light” in Romans 13:12. If we’re not in a battle, why would we put on armour?

Combine these statements with Jesus’ non-stop conflicts with the demonic, and we are wise to pay attention.

With this in mind, let’s return to Wagner’s statement: “Without holiness we can expect very little power in spiritual warfare. The opposite of holiness is worldliness…” Holiness is simply living in a way that is set apart. It is being distinct as the people of God as we respond to his calling on our lives. 

In contrast, “worldliness” is blending in to the culture around us, especially when it comes to modes of thought or action which go against God’s will.

Today’s devotional is simply an encouragement to keep moving forward in “holiness,” not only because it helps you to become more like Jesus, but because it gives you increasing strength in the very real spiritual battles that happen on a daily basis. 

So, what does “holiness” look like? It looks like:

-Trusting God
-Reading your Bible
-Praying
-Going to church
-Forgiveness
-Loving your neighbour
-Growing virtue
-Sharing the good news
-Being different for Jesus

These practices don’t only make you faithful, but they make you powerful. 

As Paul says in Ephesians 6:13: “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Notes:

-New podcast episode and blog: “Answering Skeptics #3 – Christianity is a crutch.” Click here, or find it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.)

-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on March 30, 2026. This Sunday is Psalm Sunday!

-*C. Peter Wagner, “Territorial Spirits” in: Wrestling with Dark Angels: Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Supernatural Forces in Spiritual Warfare, eds. C.P. Wagner & F. D. Pennoyer (Ventura: Regal Books, 1990), 22.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

In the past hundred or a hundred and fifty-years or so, many Christians have started believing and doing things which have impacted how many of us live—or don’t live—as followers of Jesus.

First, a significant tradition has emerged which treats the Bible exclusively as a historical document. And don’t get me wrong, it is most certainly a collection of historical documents. But it’s not only that. 

The Bible is also the word of God. In Mark 7:13 Jesus calls the law of Moses the “word of God.” 2 Timothy 3:16 says: “All Scripture is breathed out by God…”

Second, many people—especially in the modern west—have adopted a “naturalistic worldview.” In other words, they have adopted the thinking that reality primarily consists of what you can see, feel, and touch. These things are repeatable and measurable in nature. 

And again, yes, all of this is a part of reality—but it’s not the only part. There is also God, angels, demons, heaven, hell, and miracles.

When we treat the Bible only as a historical document and not also as the word of God, and when we think that reality only consists of what you can see and touch, and not what you can’t, we are walking through life with a blindfold. I believe that we also become lukewarm, faithless, and lost.

Over time, if we start to buy into in these ways of approaching the Bible and reality, we will devalue or discard miracles, the unseen realm (including angels, demons and spiritual warfare), the idea of objective truth, the resurrection, and even the divinity of Jesus!

I’m all in favour of lifelong learning, advances in science and medicine, and using our minds for a robust modern faith. But I’m also in favour of approaching life with the powerful and transformative perspective of Moses, the prophets, Paul, the apostles, and Christ himself.

Let’s be wise, not naïve. When we trust the Bible, and when we trust the picture of reality (i.e. worldview) as presented in the Bible, we will be more confident as disciples, we will be more loving as God’s children, we will be more effective as his agents in the world, and we will shine the light of Christ more brightly.

As Jesus himself said in John 17:17, the word of God is truth.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

In Daniel 10:12 he was given this angelic message: “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

In this verse we are specifically told that God heard Daniel’s prayer. But there’s more. God knew what was happening inside of him. In this verse we are told that God heard his prayer “from the first day that you set year heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God…”

The condition of Daniel’s heart made a difference. His heart wasn’t arrogant or selfish. It was humble. As soon as that happened, God responded.

God values what is happening on the inside of us. Another story that highlights this same truth was when God was speaking to the prophet Samuel about the future king: “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

God is not tricked when we use fancy words but don’t have a faithful inner posture. Nor is he fooled when we engage in outward rituals and are only going through the motions. 

To me, this is encouraging. I hope it’s encouraging to you as well. And I hope it shows you something about what God wants from his people. When we come before God—whether in prayer, in worship, or in other times of devotion—we can be sincere and honest. We can humbly admit our failures and needs, and ask him for clarity about things we don’t understand. 

We live in a world of pretenses, showboating, self-promotion and masquerades. But those are not qualities that are helpful when standing (or kneeling) before our Creator and Redeemer.

Let’s be sincere and humble in prayer.

“For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing most Christians today is not that they won’t spend eternity with God but that they don’t spend today with God. 

Here’s what I mean.

If you trust in the risen Jesus—in who he is and what he has done for you on the cross—your sin is forgiven. You are given eternal peace and reconciliation with God, both in this life and the next. This is a free gift of God’s grace, received through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Praise be to God!

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you are living each day with wisdom, love, freedom, clarity and strength. 

Let’s say you make the football team. The other players on your team eat well, stretch, do strength training at the gym, listen to the coach, study the plays, and give it their all in practice. 

You, however, don’t do any of those things. When you get the occasional shift on the field you get pummeled. Plus, you put your team at a disadvantage. In fact, the other team loves it when you come onto the field because you’re an easy target. 

Do you get where I’m going with this?

Just because you’re “on the team” (i.e. adopted into the household of God and therefore going to spend eternity with him), that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being effective in your daily battles.

Life is hard. And yet, many Christians think that saying Yes to Jesus is the end of the story, when it’s only the beginning.

In James 4:8 he says: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” In a sense, God is always “with” his people. But when you intentionally draw near to him, he draws closer to you. Since he is none other than Lord God the Almighty, that makes all the difference in your life.

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing most Christians today is not that they won’t spend eternity with God but that they don’t spend today with God. 

Let’s make choices today to walk with God—and may we therefore live with the wisdom, love, freedom, clarity and strength that he intends for his people.

Notes:

-“Welcome to the War (Daniel 10)” Click here. Sermon.

-“3 Prayers Married Christian Men Should Say” Click here, or find it on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.

-Bible quotes are from the ESV.

John Ortberg has a clever way of describing the ABCs of faith.

He says we must Abandon our old life, Believe God’s promises are trustworthy, and Commit to a new journey. 

The reason I like this is because it’s biblical. 

First, in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul writes: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Second, the idea of believing in God and the truth about what he says permeates the Bible. Jesus himself says that God’s word is truth (John 17:17). This new outlook changes our life and trajectory. 

Third, we need to commit to a new journey. The pre-Jesus version of your life will be different than the with-Jesus version of your life. Paul says we will put on a “new self” (Ephesians 4:24). In the book of Acts, Christians are described as followers of “the Way” (Acts 9:2). As the God-glorifying hands and feet of our Master, everything is now different.

I like acronyms because they help us remember things.

A: Abandon our old life
B: Believe God’s promises are trustworthy
C: Commit to a new journey

Change can be scary. But it can also be exciting. In fact, now that I think about it, none of this is about change for the sake of change. It’s about transformation for the kingdom. It’s about growth in Jesus’ footsteps for his truth, love, redemption and hope—not only for you, but for the people around you who God wants to bless.

The pre-Jesus version of your life will be different than the with-Jesus version of your life. Let’s trust God with today, tomorrow, and everything after that. And may we be always open to the good work that he wants to do for—and through—his people.

Notes:

-*John Ortberg, All the Places You Go (Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), 6.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.