• Let the peace of Christ rule

    We use a lot of metaphorical language in our faith. As a result, some things can be confusing.  “Inviting Jesus into your heart.”“Washed in the blood of the Lamb.” These are all good, biblical ideas, but they can also be confusing if you don’t know the theological backstory. Here’s another… Listen ⇢

  • Photo-shopped Jesus?

    When a picture has been “photo shopped” that means it has been manipulated. Some sort of program has been used to change the image. Are there times when we are tempted to photo shop Jesus?  I’m not referring to physical pictures. I’m referring to the parts of Jesus we like,… Listen ⇢

  • Unless you go forward

    There are times when we struggle with our faith. Perhaps we have an unanswered question. Perhaps we’ve experienced something that makes us doubt. Whatever it is, it can make us feel…  Stuck. When that happens you should definitely pray, learn and talk to others.  But there’s something else, and it’s… Listen ⇢

  • Whoever loses their life for me

    This is what Jesus says in Mark 8:34-35: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” Following… Listen ⇢

  • Mesus and McJesus

    Kyle Idleman came up with the term “Mesus.”*  It’s when we project the things we like about ourselves onto Jesus—and only those things. If we like acts of mercy and adventure, we focus on those things in Jesus (while neglecting everything else). We think we’re honouring Jesus, but we’re really… Listen ⇢

  • Triumphant (over evil)

    “Don’t be afraid.”  That’s easier to say than it is to live.  Generally speaking, people need a reason to be unafraid. For example, if I’m an 8-year old and I see a bully on the playground, I might be afraid. But if I then see my big brother come onto… Listen ⇢

  • Partialness or fullness?

    In Colossians 1:25 Paul says that God has given him a specific mission: “to present to you the word of God in its fullness…”  This important theme comes up elsewhere too. When speaking to the elders of Ephesus he said: “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the… Listen ⇢

  • Cooperating with God’s forward motion

    In yesterday’s devotional I shared an anonymous saying: “God meets you where you’re at, not where you should be at.” It’s a reminder that God doesn’t require you to be in tip-top moral shape or a top-notch theologian to come to you and intervene in your life. But when that… Listen ⇢

  • Where you’re at, not where you should be at

    Johnny Cash is known as the “man in black.” Early in his music career he got into some pretty bad things. His life was not going well. At all. “I never wanted to see another dawn. I had wasted my life. I had drifted so far from God and every… 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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