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humility

Desperation at the feet of Jesus

May 4, 2022May 3, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

John 4:47 describes a desperate scene: “When this [royal official] heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.” This was a world of honour and of strict social convention. The royal official humbled himself before Jesus—something … Continue reading Desperation at the feet of Jesus

The recipe for greatness

March 21, 2022March 17, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

John the Baptist tells (and shows) us what humility is like. Speaking about Jesus, he said: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). A lot of people think about what it means to be “great.” Is it fame or fortune? Is it awards or achievement? Is it a great social media profile … Continue reading The recipe for greatness

More him, less me

March 15, 2022March 14, 2022 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

Speaking about Jesus, John the Baptist said: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).  This is a succinct statement of what it means to be more like Christ and to grow in holiness. The voice, influence, and power of Jesus must become greater and greater in our lives. This is helped as … Continue reading More him, less me

Whose word is a lamp to whose feet?

December 14, 2021December 13, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). I remember buying a used Study Bible at a thrift store. Because it was used, it had some underlining. But what caught my attention most were the comments in the margins. The previous owner seemed to get upset at points. … Continue reading Whose word is a lamp to whose feet?

With humility comes wisdom

August 6, 2021August 5, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

[Last devotional until September 6th, 2021. See note below.] Proverbs 11:2 says: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Have you ever wondered why that is? It’s because pride wants to take the wheel and be in control. Humility, on the other hand, is about kicking out arrogance so that God’s … Continue reading With humility comes wisdom

Hide Self View

August 5, 2021August 4, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

The novelty of Zoom meetings has worn off. No offense Zoom, you’ve been a big help! Technology can do a lot of things, but not everything. For example, you can’t hug someone through a screen.  Recently on Zoom I discovered a feature called “Hide Self View.” If you select that option, you see the other … Continue reading Hide Self View

Stand firm on your knees

June 29, 2021June 28, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

There are times when you need to stand firm in your faith. No doubt about it. You can get pushed (or body checked) off-centre by a variety of forces or false teachings—unless you are standing firm. One of my favourite verses from 1 Corinthians 15 is verse 58. Paul had just taught them about the … Continue reading Stand firm on your knees

The usefulness of weakness

April 30, 2021April 29, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

It’s eye-opening and useful to thank God in our weaknesses. I’m not saying that we should thank God FOR our weaknesses. After all, there are many weaknesses which lead to very bad things. Thanking God IN your weakness is something else. It is a humble reminder that we are not able to make it on … Continue reading The usefulness of weakness

Jr A hockey and Luke 14:11

February 25, 2021March 17, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

In Luke 14:10-11 Jesus says: “But when you are invited [to a wedding feast], take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves … Continue reading Jr A hockey and Luke 14:11

Humility: Your first thought of the day

February 23, 2021February 23, 2021 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

You'll find it difficult to grow and develop as a disciple of Jesus if you aren’t intentionally cultivating humility. Augustine says: “If you try to build a tall house of virtues you must first of all lay a deep foundation of humility.”* He’s talking about the castle of your character. Without a “deep foundation of … Continue reading Humility: Your first thought of the day

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