• Failure is never final

    “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). Have you ever felt like a failure? We can feel like we’ve failed when our lives are not what we had wanted them to be, or when we haven’t… Listen ⇢

  • Worth chasing or worth missing?

    “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways” (Psalm 119:15). What would you do if you were walking down the road, and all of a sudden everyone around you snapped to attention and started running after something down an adjacent street? I’m guessing that you’d… Listen ⇢

  • Opportunities to connect

    One of the things COVID-19 has made me appreciate—even more than before—is the importance that other people play in our faith. I miss having our church family all together at the same time. When we would go to a worship service, we would primarily worship God, of course. But we… Listen ⇢

  • Not everything, but something

    “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Tony Campolo was doing work for an organization that does amazing things over the world, including Haiti. One night he was going into his hotel in Port-au-Prince when he was approached by three girls in their early… Listen ⇢

  • Looking for answers in all the (wrong) places

    Looking for answers in all the (wrong) places The “Up!” Devo for September 8 If we look for answers in incorrect places, we’ll get answers that are incomplete. For example, sitting on my desk are three textbooks. One is for the Greek language, one is for philosophy, and one is… Listen ⇢

  • In the face of God

    In our society the spotlight is shining brightly on the problem of racial injustice. There is certainly racial discrimination in our world, and that should change. In Matthew 6:10 Jesus teaches us to pray for God’s will and kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.” So doesn’t… Listen ⇢

  • Your giants tumble

    How many of you face invisible giants on a daily basis? I’m guessing a lot of you. Here are a few examples of what I mean by “invisible giants”: stress at home, a persecutor, a financial worry, loneliness, an addiction… Here’s a helpful word from Max Lucado: “Focus on giants… Listen ⇢

  • The hedge of protection

    As a pastor, I’ve had many people pray for a “hedge of protection” around me. I’ve also prayed it for other people. Maybe you have too. But what is it? And where does the idea come from? As far as I can tell it comes from the biblical book of… Listen ⇢

  • Jesus in the back of the canoe

    In my neck of the woods there is a coming-of-age experience that many young people go through: Learning how to paddle a canoe. I remember my dad telling me to get into the back. He got into the front and off we went. It didn’t go very well! He paddled… 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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