The Up Devo

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To simply listen⠀ ⠀ The “Up!” Devo for February 14⠀ ⠀ Today is Valentine’s Day. Although it’s a day often characterized by cards, chocolates and romance, did you know that Valentine was actually a Christian martyr from the 3rd century?⠀ ⠀ [If you want to know more about him, or some advice for a stronger love, head over to the blog at https://buff.ly/3aKjeTT]⠀ ⠀ But today I want to take the opportunity to share a thought about love—not necessarily romantic love, but love in general. The love and care we have for family members, friends and neighbours.⠀ ⠀ We live in a disposable society. We waste and dispose tonnes of food each day. We use and toss single-use plastics out the wazoo. We burn through gasoline, electronics, toys and fashions like they are going out of style. ⠀ ⠀ Because of that, it’s easy to think that people are disposable too.⠀ ⠀ But they’re not. ⠀ ⠀ People are astonishingly valuable. We are made in God’s “own image” (Genesis 1:27) and are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). God loves us so much that, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).⠀ ⠀ We live in a disposable world. But people are not.⠀ ⠀ One way we can love the people around us is simply to listen to them. After all, something shimmers within them of the shining light of God.⠀ ⠀ Too often we make it more complicated than it needs to be. Listen. Empathize. Offer a word of encouragement.⠀ ⠀ One way we can love the people around us is simply to listen to them.⠀ ⠀ By Matthew Ruttan⠀ ⠀ --"Up!" is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on Feb 17.⠀ ⠀ #love #valentine #valentinesday #loveoneanother #faith #dailydevo #listen #relationships #disposable #society
Your (media) diet⠀ ⠀ The “Up!” Devo for February 13⠀ ⠀ Watch your diet.⠀ ⠀ Have you ever tried to do that? Have you ever tried to tell someone else to do that?⠀ ⠀ It’s just so easy to get into the habit of eating things that taste good—but are really bad for your health.⠀ ⠀ Today I want to encourage you to watch your media diet.⠀ ⠀ All of us consume media at an incredible rate—unless you’re on Wi-Fi-free island in the middle of the Pacific. Today, more than ever, we see images, TV shows, news channels, websites, commercials, posts, and ads, at an unbelievable rate.⠀ ⠀ Most of them endorse a worldview that is either apathetic, dismissive, or hostile toward your faith.⠀ ⠀ Did you know that?⠀ ⠀ I realize that by saying this I risk looking like a zealous weirdo. But I prefer to think of myself as counter-cultural. It’s possible to have our eyes open but not truly have our eyes open. I’m simply saying that we shouldn’t be naïve.⠀ ⠀ In the New Testament, it is clear that God made the world, and that God loves the world. It’s also clear that there is now much evil in our world, that Satan exercises considerable influence, and that Jesus’ followers are to contribute to the light instead of the darkness.⠀ ⠀ Paul encourages his readers to be "'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life" (Philippians 2:15-16). ⠀ ⠀ Do the images, TV shows, news channels, websites, commercials, posts, and ads you consume help you “hold firmly to the word of life”? Or to the word of death?⠀ ⠀ I’m not saying we should totally unplug. I’m simply saying we should be wise. It’s possible to have your eyes open but not truly have your eyes open⠀ ⠀ The food you eat has an effect on your body. And the media you consume has an effect on your mind.⠀ ⠀ By Matthew Ruttan⠀ ⠀ --Bible quotes are from the NIV.⠀ ⠀ #media #internet #socialmedia #influence #mind #wellness #faith #discipleship #philippians
Fellowship revisited⠀ ⠀ The “Up!” Devo for February 12⠀ ⠀ What comes to mind when someone mentions the word “fellowship”?⠀ ⠀ Coffee at church? Small talk?⠀ ⠀ In the New Testament, “fellowship” was a robust, meaning-soaked word. In the original Greek it’s koinonia. In Acts 2:42 we read, “They [believers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship [koinonia], to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”⠀ ⠀ Whatever fellowship is, it’s definitely something to be taken seriously.⠀ ⠀ At the time of Jesus, it implied a sort of business partnership. Think of a few people banding together for a new fishing business, pooling their resources, and embarking on a shared venture that had a direct impact on their livelihood.⠀ ⠀ That’s a true fellowship, a true partnership.⠀ ⠀ With that in mind, Professor D.A. Carson says, “Christian fellowship… is self-sacrificing conformity to the gospel.”*⠀ ⠀ It involves banding together with others, sacrificing your own personal ambitions for your collectively shared vision: the world-changing and hope-saturated good news of Jesus.⠀ ⠀ Coffee and small talk is great. But don’t stop there.⠀ ⠀ True fellowship—banding together with other believers under the banner of Jesus—is a gift you both receive and give at the same time.⠀ ⠀ Friends, in this age of isolating individualism, take your fellowship—your koinonia—seriously. Give. Receive. Support. Repeat.⠀ ⠀ We’re in this together. Not because we’re the same, but because we have the same Saviour. ⠀ ⠀ By Matthew Ruttan⠀ ⠀ --*D.A. Carson, Basics for Believers: The Core of Christian Faith and Life (BakerBooks: Grand Rapids, 1996), 18.⠀ --Bible quotes are from the NIV.⠀ ⠀ #fellowship #faith #dailydevo #church #community #acts242 #dacarson #Jesus
A wall you build between you and God⠀ ⠀ The “Up!” Devo for February 11⠀ ⠀ Your ego is a wall you build between you and God.⠀ ⠀ Let me explain.⠀ ⠀ Ego is an inflated sense of self; a disproportionate love of self; and a me-first approach to life which reeks of superiority.⠀ ⠀ By focusing on how great you think YOU are, you neglect how great God is, and how other people are also his children.⠀ ⠀ The antidote is humility.⠀ ⠀ Philippians 2:3-4 says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”⠀ ⠀ In his book Blind Spots, Collin Hansen suggests a question for each of us to ask ourselves: “Can you love a fellow Christian who sins differently than you do?”*⠀ ⠀ He’s not condoning sin—in others or in ourselves. The question simply reminds us (a) that we are to love one another, (b) that each of us sin, even when our ego tries to blindfold us to that fact, and (c) that our own sinfulness should compel humility and love, and not pride and judgmentalism.⠀ ⠀ No one’s perfect. Including you. ⠀ ⠀ “Can you love a fellow Christian who sins differently than you do?”⠀ ⠀ By Matthew Ruttan⠀ ⠀ --*Collin Hansen, Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 29.⠀ --Bible quotes are from the NIV.⠀ ⠀ #love #CollinHansen @collinhansen #philippians #faith #dailydevo #loveoneanother #sin #ego #pride #humility

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