James was the half-brother of Jesus and a prominent leader in the early church. In James 4:7-8 he says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Resisting Satan and drawing nearer to God are closely related. If, as a disciple of Jesus, … Continue reading Satan’s kryptonite
Author: Matthew Ruttan
A soul rooted in humility
Hello! After a week away, the ‘Up!’ devotional is back to your email inbox and social media feeds. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” God OPPOSES the proud, but shows FAVOUR to the humble. Would you rather God oppose you, or show you favour? Yeah, me too! Here's … Continue reading A soul rooted in humility
Breathe the Name
Do you ever find it hard to pray? If so, you’re not alone. There are times when we’re so tired or frazzled that we just can’t muster the energy for a talk with the Almighty. Maybe those are the times when we need to talk to him most. But depending on the day and on … Continue reading Breathe the Name
Prepare to worship
Prepare to worship The “Up!” Devo for October 29 Worship is a big part of what we do as God’s people. First and foremost, God deserves it. He’s THAT good. No wonder Psalm 96:9 encourages us to worship God “in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.” Worship also nourishes us … Continue reading Prepare to worship
Or it will be killing you
Sin. It’s a problem. In the world. In you. And in me. (Sorry to begin this devotional with such a heavy topic, but you know it’s true!) How do we fight against it? Well, that’s a big topic too. But let me suggest something you maybe haven’t thought of before. The most famous part of … Continue reading Or it will be killing you
How you respond
Chuck Swindoll has been known to say, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond.”* I don’t think he was quoting a scientific study. My sense is that he was making a general observation: Your life isn’t all about what happens to you, but how you respond to what … Continue reading How you respond
Hearing yourself think
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (Psalm 62:5 ESV). My family has a cabin in the woods. Waaaayyy back in the woods. There are no roads. You have to walk or take an A.T.V. to get there. I recently spent a night there with my son. … Continue reading Hearing yourself think
Marinating, not microwaving
We live in a world of instant gratification. We have microwaves, drive-thru windows and Amazon Prime. So when it comes to spiritual growth, we assume that maturity should happen instantly. But it’s not that easy. Sure, when you start to be a disciple of Jesus some things will change right away. But other things take … Continue reading Marinating, not microwaving
Integrity and mini-putt
Craig Groeschel played on his high school’s tennis team. One evening at an out-of-town tournament, the team went mini-putting. At the end of the round, each of the players stole their golf balls as a memento, including Craig. Back at the hotel, the coach saw Craig with his ball and realized he had stolen it. … Continue reading Integrity and mini-putt
Sticks and stones
I’ve heard it. You’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But of course, it’s a lie. A more accurate rendition might go something like this: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may forever hurt me.” We’ve been talking about the … Continue reading Sticks and stones
