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N.T. Wright

How do you know you’re on the right track?

January 31, 2019January 30, 2019 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

How do you know you’re on the right track with your faith? After all, we SAY we believe in Jesus, but are we LIVING like it? When you read through the New Testament, one of the ways you can tell you’re on the right track is if you’re showing evidence of God’s presence in your … Continue reading How do you know you’re on the right track?

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How to handcuff the present The "Up!" Devo for August 9 I’m no stranger to nostalgia. I like looking back and remembering the good ole days. But is there a point when looking back too much is harmful? I believe that if you glorify the past you handcuff the present. In other words, if you put too much stock in what has happened in the past, you undermine the potential and power of what can happen next. It’s just too easy to strap on some rose-coloured glasses and make an idol out of those golden yester-years (even if they weren’t so golden). I think this was one of the things Paul was getting at when he wrote, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) With God, there is always good and meaningful work to do. There is always a good and God-honouring goal to work toward. Your horizon always has hope! It’s good to visit the past from time to time. But don’t stay there. If you think your best days are behind you, they will be. So press on toward the goal. If you glorify the past you handcuff the present. By Matthew Ruttan --I’m on VACATION until August 26. So today's devotional is previously published from the book: "Up! - 313 Devotionals To Help You Start Your Day in a Biblical, Relevant Way." Learn more at www.TheUpDevo.com/UpBook. 100% of the profits are going to Fight4Freedom, an organization dedicated to fighting against human trafficking in the sex trade. --After today "Up!" is going on PAUSE until August 26. I hope you're having a great and God-honouring August! --Bible quotes are from the NIV. #faith #nostalgia #thepast #memories #future #faith #goals #Jesus #inspiration

Your soldiers for the battle The "Up!" Devo for August 8 Why have many of us bought the lie that life is supposed to be easy? Maybe it's tempting to believe all the shiny, happy people in the TV commercials. But no. Life is a... Battle. In this country, 1 in 4 are "very stressed" at work. 1 in 8 families struggle to put food on the table. 15-25% of people under 19 experience mental health issues or illness. That's the tip of the iceberg. You know your battles best. So here's one of the ways you can fight back: Protect your soldiers. In 'Fight Back With Joy,' Margaret Feinberg talks about the massive, refreshing importance of other people during her own battle with cancer. Wanting us to benefit from her own learning, she writes: "The Great Joy Giver is parachuting people into your life to remind you that you are not alone." I'm guessing that God has placed people in your life who are there by design. A part of their purpose is to help you through the battle. They have been parachuted in to the battlefield of your life to lift you, to refresh you, to encourage you, and to give you joy. THEY are your soldiers. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Paul tells his readers to "build each other up..." So when you think of your own soldiers, protect them: Pray for them; reciprocate an act of kindness; encourage them back; build them up. Yes, life is a battle. It's worth it, it's mind-blowing, and through it we come to know the unequaled power of God's eternity. But it's still a battle. And one of the best ways to win a battle, is for the soldiers to know they're making a difference. Protect your soldiers. By Matthew Ruttan --I’m on vacation until August 26. So today's devotional is previously published from the book: "Up! - 313 Devotionals To Help You Start Your Day in a Biblical, Relevant Way." Go to www.TheUpDevo.com/UpBook to learn more. #life #dailydevotional #faith #inspiration #cancer #friends #relationships

When you feel defeated The "Up!" Devo for August 7 I think there can be a darkness within each one of us that loves to reach up, take hold of our confidence, and pull it down into an abyss of self-pity. You know the days. The bad thoughts or feelings start to steamroll. It’s the opposite of positive momentum. You feel deflated. Then you catch an unflattering glimpse in the mirror… Then a friend says something spiteful… Next thing you know you start to believe the darkness. And instead of it coming from an outside source, it comes from within. You start to pick on yourself, beat yourself up, and un-believe who you are and what you can do. Today I’m here to tell you this: Never trust your self-defeating thoughts on the days you feel most defeated. None of us are immune to bad days. They happen. That’s life. But those are definitely not the days when we’re thinking most clearly. So what you need to do is (a) acknowledge that your day is junky and that your thoughts are going south, and (b) take Paul’s advice for peace in Philippians 4:8 (ESV): “whatever is true… think about these things.” And what is true? That you are a child of God. That you are valuable. That your life has purpose. That in Christ you are a new creation—forgiven, saved, made holy, and a living, breathing ambassador of God’s love. Darkness loves to suck at your soul. As the saying goes, misery loves company. But don’t be hospitable to untruth. It needs a firm deportation notice to the other side of the galaxy. To do that, acknowledge what’s going on, and take Paul’s advice for peace: “whatever is true… think about these things.” Never trust your self-defeating thoughts on the days you feel most defeated. By Matthew Ruttan --I’m on vacation until August 26. So today's devotional is previously published from the book: "Up!" Learn more at www.TheUpDevo.com/UpBook #perspective #faith #dailydevotional #spirituality #wisdom #mindfulness #peaceful #JesusChrist #inspiration

Consider others better than yourselves The "Up!" Devo for August 6 Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how individualistic our society has become. Basically, “individualism” is a way of thinking. It’s living like your own immediate needs and wants are more important than the needs of the wider community. It’s a Me-Myself-and-I way of life. I’m not saying your own needs aren’t important. But they’re not MORE important than the needs of the wider community. Consider a contrast. The Amish call it uffgevva. Loosely translated it means that you are less important than others. In a book about the Amish, Serena Miller and Paul Stutzman describe how this concept is passed on to new generations: “Amish children are taught from an early age… that their needs and wants are important, but not more important than those of family, the church, and the community. It is the exact opposite of individualism… It involves a surrendering of the will rather than emphasizing the importance of the person over the group.” If you think that sounds harsh maybe that’s because you’ve been thoroughly soaked and saturated with the prevailing illness of our society known as Individualism. But what the Amish teach their children is biblical. Here’s what Paul says in Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Today, as you make decisions and set priorities, and as you go about your school, work and conversations, remember that your needs are important—but they’re not MORE important than the needs of the wider community. Let’s call it uffgevva. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” By Matthew Ruttan --I’m on vacation until August 26. So today's devotional is previously published from the book: "Up!" Learn more at www.TheUpDevo.com/UpBook #dailydevotional #amish #humility #spirituality #individualism #community #faith #inspiration

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