Happy New Year! After a week of vacation, The Up Daily Devotional is back. The start of a new year tends to make us reflect on our goals for the coming 12 months. I’d like to put a bit of a different spin on this trend. If you are in Christ, you are already new, … Continue reading In Christ you are already new
daily devotional
What will life be like in 100 years from now?
Merry Christmas! “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11). Think of everything that has happened in the past 100 years. 100 years ago … Continue reading What will life be like in 100 years from now?
And there were shepherds…
[Pause warning below.] “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8). On that now-famous night the angels appeared to shepherds to announce the Messiah’s birth. Why shepherds? You sometimes hear it said that shepherding was looked down upon. Generally speaking, the reason is because … Continue reading And there were shepherds…
Words that build up
Anthony Ross was a famous Scottish priest, also known as a preacher. He had a stroke which left him wordless. For a man whose work was so closely tied to his use of words, it was a big blow. The doctor actually told Anthony that he wouldn’t be able to speak again. In response, he … Continue reading Words that build up
Not just for your soul, but your brain
The American Bible Society conducted a survey. They found that there was a correlation between engaging with the Bible and having lower anxiety levels. This correlation exists, they said, among all Americans “but is especially evident among Gen Z.” “Young people who identified as “Bible Engaged” had an anxiety score of 3.4, while people in … Continue reading Not just for your soul, but your brain
A prayer for all Christians
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24). There are different types of prayers. Free-form prayers are prayers you say as the words come into your mind. There are also set prayers. These are where the words are always the … Continue reading A prayer for all Christians
The slavery of sin
An angel told Joseph something significant about Jesus’ role: “[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). What does it mean for Jesus to save someone from their sins? Firstly, he saves us from the “consequence” … Continue reading The slavery of sin
The Messiah’s (questionable) family tree
Matthew’s Gospel begins with a genealogy. By today’s standards, that’s not a particularly exciting way to begin. Wouldn’t you rather start with something attention-grabbing? But in Jesus’ time, it would have accomplished just that. In the ancient world, a genealogy functioned somewhat like a resume. If you wanted to know what someone was really liked … Continue reading The Messiah’s (questionable) family tree
Who’s changing who?
You sometimes hear it said that as Christians we have three enemies—the world, the flesh and the Devil. The Devil is the Devil. That’s pretty clear. No ambiguity there. The “flesh” is a reference to the internal battle we experience with our own sin and temptation. The “world” is perhaps less understood than the previous … Continue reading Who’s changing who?
Friday the 13th
“Yet not one of [these sparrows] will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” (Matthew 10:29). Today is Friday the 13th. Oh no, lookout! Some people think that Friday the thirteenth is unlucky. Why? I never knew the reason. After a quick google search it seems that there isn’t a clear answer. Today provides … Continue reading Friday the 13th
