• When you don’t FEEL close to God

    “Pastor, I believe in Jesus and I’m trying to serve God. But I don’t always feel close to him. Is there something wrong with me?” I’ve been asked some version of this question a few different times. Even though the individual is a believer, they wonder if there’s something wrong… Listen ⇢

  • People of patience sleep on it

    1 Corinthians 13 is well-known for its profound description of love. There is so much wisdom jam-packed into that one short chapter that many of the words get leap-frogged and passed over. So let’s pause for a moment on these three: “Love is patient…” (verse 4) Here’s a very practical application… Listen ⇢

  • What’s valuable when the Titanic is sinking

    There’s a story from when the Titanic was going down. A wealthy woman from first class was fortunate enough to be put into one of the lifeboats. Just before she got in she ran back to her room to grab something. She ran PAST her expensive jewelry and grabbed three… Listen ⇢

  • The more you stare at the problem

    When troublesome thoughts wedge their way into your brain, it’s hard to dislodge them. They sit there unwelcome—kind of like a smelly squatter who refuses to leave your house and even claims that it somehow belongs to him! Lysa TerKeurst is the President of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She says, “The… Listen ⇢

  • The size of the fight in the dog

    Welcome to today. It’s going to be a bit different than yesterday. And probably different than tomorrow. Hopefully you’ll experience some good things today. A laugh, a favourite meal, or something meaningful to do in God’s service. But you’ll probably also experience something difficult, won’t you? A tear, a tough… Listen ⇢

  • The baggage of bitterness

    “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). There’s a medieval story about two monks. They came to a choppy river that… Listen ⇢

  • You: The cultural observer

    “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Yesterday we talked about the idea that friending the world means un-friending God. (If you missed it, or if that statement leaves you scratching your head, you can review it… Listen ⇢

  • Friending the world and un-friending God

    In James 4:4, people who have been unfaithful to God get a firm talking-to: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Wow. Whatever being a “friend… Listen ⇢

  • The work of remembering

    Today is Remembrance Day in Canada. It’s a day to remember and honour those who fought and died in the horrors of war, paying the ultimate sacrifice. I think we need to acknowledge that remembering takes work. We live in a time when we’re very “in the moment.” Many people… Listen ⇢

Meet the producer, Matthew Ruttan.

Matthew is a disciple, pastor, husband, and dad of three who lives in the psalms.

The Up Devotional

Your 1-minute shot of soul espresso

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