Some of you will notice that your calendars say “All Saints Day” on November 1st. But what is it? It’s also called All Hallows Day, which is why Halloween is called Halloween; it is the eve of All Hallows Day. But yes, we’re all still confused! Something or someone who is “hallowed” is something or … Continue reading Perseverance is possible
Author: Matthew Ruttan
The Five Solas
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2). When most people look at October 31st on their calendar, they think of Halloween. However, it is also Reformation … Continue reading The Five Solas
We pick stuff up, almost by osmosis
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). Have you ever been talking to a young child when they use a word that you know they didn’t come up with … Continue reading We pick stuff up, almost by osmosis
Roots stabilize you
Our yard has a beautiful hydrangea tree. Actually, our yard used to have a beautiful hydrangea tree. It got knocked down by the wind. I took a close look. The blooms were gorgeous, especially in autumn. But the root structure was basically non-existent. I’m not sure why. For some reason, the roots weren’t spread out, … Continue reading Roots stabilize you
Sovereign, holy, wise, loving, good—always
To some people, the Ten Commandments seem like a list of rules. In fact, when you read through the Bible, you start to notice that there are a whole bunch of rules and instructions about how to live. If you just think they are arbitrary rules then you are going to start resenting them. That’s … Continue reading Sovereign, holy, wise, loving, good—always
Seize kingdom moments
A man was in a nursing home. He wasn’t having a good day. He was feeling low and disheveled. One of the nurses noticed. So she brought him a comb so that he would feel better. It did. Yes, he was able to brush his hair. But even more than that, he knew that someone … Continue reading Seize kingdom moments
Making someone look dumb or bad
Every day we are exposed to countless arguments. We witness them on the news, online, and sometimes in our own homes. I’ve noticed a pattern. A lot of people try to belittle someone else’s viewpoint to make their own sound superior. There are two simple steps in this process. Step one: Oversimplify someone’s viewpoint to … Continue reading Making someone look dumb or bad
Whoever is kind to the needy
In the ancient world, being poor was an incredibly desperate situation. If you didn’t have family to take you in, you were basically thrown into a world of hunger, begging, stereotypes, ridicule, slave labour, prostitution or violence. Christians or Jews often came into the picture and provided much-needed help. But beyond that, you were basically … Continue reading Whoever is kind to the needy
Supersizing the wrong things
In the previous devotional we talked about simplicity of lifestyle and how it can keep you focussed on what matters most. Today, let’s continue with that same theme. To be clear, what matters most is God. If we fail to appreciate that, the mixed-up culture around us will also mix-up our priority list. Kevin Myers … Continue reading Supersizing the wrong things
Simplicity of lifestyle
Proverbs 15:16 says: “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.” Here is what it means. It is better to live simply faithfully, than to have a lot of money and constant trouble. There were some couples in Georgia who were talking about when they were the most happy … Continue reading Simplicity of lifestyle
