Hello! After some vacation time, The Up Devotional is back. Before I begin, let me first say welcome to our new subscribers on email, social media and on the podcast! Let’s start. My family is quite particular about the movies we watch. As you probably already know, there’s a lot of junk out there. But … Continue reading We do what he does, but slower
progress
When you’re frustrated at your lack of progress
Do you ever get frustrated at your lack of spiritual progress? If so, you’re not alone. I recently came across a cartoon from an account on Instagram called BestChristianMemes. It quoted 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV): “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” In effect, Paul was saying to the Corinthians that since they … Continue reading When you’re frustrated at your lack of progress
The secret recipe to progress
When it comes to following Jesus we want to make progress. We want to pray more wholeheartedly, serve more freely, love more quickly, and believe more robustly. We want to see spiritual growth. So let me share a thought that has been helpful for me: Consistency is the secret recipe to progress. When we are … Continue reading The secret recipe to progress
How do you know you’re on the right track?
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?
I’d rather be on the right side of eternity than history
“You can’t stop progress.” Has anyone ever said that to you? It’s the idea that society changes and moves “forward” in certain ways—in ways many people agree with. Therefore, they attach a positive value to that “forward” movement (called “progress”). Saying ‘you can’t stop it’ is a way of saying ‘don’t even bother trying.’ As … Continue reading I’d rather be on the right side of eternity than history
The #1 factor for spiritual growth?
I think the number one factor that contributes to your spiritual growth and to your maturity as a person is... Difficult circumstances. Granted, I don’t have any data to back that up. But that’s what I think after talking to hundreds of people, reading hundreds of books, and from my own personal experience. First, difficult … Continue reading The #1 factor for spiritual growth?
God finishes what he starts
We were talking in a restaurant on a Thursday afternoon while eating high-calorie French fries. My friend was telling me how down he was feeling about his spiritual progress. He felt he should be further ahead… and that he often struggled with the sin of pride… and that his devotional life always felt like work. … Continue reading God finishes what he starts
A step backward to move forward
Recently I was playing catch with my 6-year-old son. He’s been getting better and better. So we’ve gotten into the habit of backing up further and further away from each other so that it’s more of a challenge. But we hadn’t played catch in a while. So when we resumed our usual far-away positions, he … Continue reading A step backward to move forward
Drunk on novelty?
One of the invisible values of our society is novelty. That means we often prioritize and cherish ideas that are NEW. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of new ideas. The problem is when new ideas aren’t necessarily good ideas. When we’re star-struck with the “latest and greatest,” we get drunk on … Continue reading Drunk on novelty?
Exhausted, burdened, half-dead bodies
Don't let yesterday's motivation drown in today's excuses. Here's how to think about the plague we call excuses.
