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Do your habits grow you or corrode you?
“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable… think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Some habits are good. Others are bad. We want good ones. We don’t want bad ones. But what are habits, anyway? Habits are thoughts or behaviours… Listen ⇢
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The enemy’s playground
I’ve recently started watching a TV show called Heartland. That’s the name of a horse ranch in Alberta, Canada. Jack is the family patriarch. He has two granddaughters, Lou and Amy, who live on the ranch. Lou runs the business side of things and Amy is a horse trainer, sometimes… Listen ⇢
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Everything you do flows from it
Yesterday’s devotional stressed the importance of guarding our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” In that verse we are also told WHY we should be on guard: “for everything you do flows from [your heart].” Just as a river… Listen ⇢
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On guard
Yesterday I encouraged you to ground yourself in God. You’re less likely to get knocked off centre if you’re properly centred. That’s especially important in an uncertain time. One of the ways you do that is to guard your heart. Harken Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for… Listen ⇢
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Don’t get knocked off centre
It’s a new year. It looks like smooth sailing, doesn’t it? Um, probably not. It’s a year in which uncertainty seems like the only certainty. That’s why we need to remind ourselves that God is always certain and steadfast, even when the things around us aren’t. Psalm 102:27 heralds a… Listen ⇢
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A stampede of fear
After a week’s vacation, The Up Devotional is back. Here’s to a holy and healthy 2022! We are living in a time of upheaval, a stampede of fear. In general, people can fear illness, job loss, environmental collapse, family breakdown and death. More recently, the list seems to be getting… Listen ⇢
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Help from an outside source
There was an ad in the New York Times which said: “The meaning of Christmas is that love will triumph and that we will be able to put together a world of unity and peace.”* Did you notice? It said that “we” can put a together a world of unity… Listen ⇢
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Fear vs. joy and peace
When the shepherds saw the angel, and when God’s glory shone around them, “they were terrified” (Luke 2:9). Literally it says that “they feared a great fear.” No kidding! But then the angel tells them to not be afraid. After all, he’s about to give them good news, not bad:… Listen ⇢
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He cries just like us!
Stephen Seamands recalls a story about a missionary in a faraway land. He went to share and show the good news of Jesus. But he wasn’t making any headway with the locals. It was as if they were closed to who he was and what he had to say because… Listen ⇢
Meet the producer, Matthew Ruttan.
Matthew is a disciple, pastor, husband, and dad of three who lives in the psalms.
