• A licence plate or a message from God?

    Frederick Buechner was upset about his daughter’s illness. If you’ve ever worried about a sick child maybe you can relate to that gut-wrenching reality. He was sitting at the side of the road parked in his car depressed and afraid. All of a sudden, another car came up from behind him… Listen ⇢

  • The Triangle of Discernment

    Have you ever asked God for sign? After all, life overflows with difficult decisions, ambiguous pathways, and sundry uncertainties. That’s why asking God for some kind of clarity or confirmation can be so enticing! There’s good news: God has already given us direction about how to clarify his will for… Listen ⇢

  • The furniture of our lives

    This is what Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Recently I was reading a word by John Chrysostom that is over 1600 years old.… Listen ⇢

  • An accurate view of yourself

    Some people have too HIGH a view of themselves. They think they’re always right and others are always wrong. They think it’s a privilege for you just to be in their presence. They think they’re the best thing since sliced bread. Others have a too LOW a view of themselves.… Listen ⇢

  • A willing spirit

    In Psalm 51:10 David asks God to renew him. Then in verse 12 (CSB) he says, “sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.” The idea of a “willing spirit” resonates with me because it’s something I also want… especially on those days when my spirit is stubbornly UN-willing! An… Listen ⇢

  • Your elders

    Let me suggest something that is a part of your faith—but you’ve maybe never thought of it that way: Respecting your elders. An ancient law in Leviticus 19:32 says, “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.” It easy to lose… Listen ⇢

  • The pleasure button

    Hi everyone! As many of you know, I’ve been on vacation. And after a two-week break the Up! devotional is back! On this last Monday in August let me share a thought: Dr. Robert Galbraith Heath did some research on human behaviour. Electrodes were placed on areas of patients’ brains.… Listen ⇢

  • How to handcuff the present

    I’m no stranger to nostalgia. I like looking back and remembering the good ole days. But is there a point when looking back too much is harmful? I believe that if you glorify the past you handcuff the present. In other words, if you put too much stock in what… Listen ⇢

  • Your soldiers for the battle

    Why have many of us bought the lie that life is supposed to be easy? Maybe it’s tempting to believe all the shiny, happy people in the TV commercials. But no. Life is a… Battle. In this country, 1 in 4 are “very stressed” at work. 1 in 8 families… Listen ⇢

Meet the producer, Matthew Ruttan.

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

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