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Psalm 119

Struggle to understand the Bible?

January 4, 2019January 3, 2019 / MatthewRuttan / Leave a comment

A new year is upon us. And more than one of you have set some kind of Bible-reading goal. And even if you haven’t, hopefully you know the importance of being continually rooted in the Scriptures. An inspiring verse about the importance of God’s word is found in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp … Continue reading Struggle to understand the Bible?

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Letting go of revenge The “Up!” Devo for June 14 A lot of people wonder about Judgment Day. They’re curious about how and when it will happen. And trust me: there is no end of books that jump on the profitable bandwagon of speculation. But there’s a much-neglected facet to Judgement Day that can positively impact our attitudes in the here and now, regardless of when it will all happen. 2 Timothy 4:1 says that Jesus “will judge the living and the dead…” Maybe it’s obvious, but one of the things this means for you and me is that HE is the judge… not us. Because of this, we don’t have to resort to revenge. Why? Because one day HE will be the one to settle all the scores (not us). It liberates us from an unhealthy desire for retribution which can pollute our souls. This outlook can radically change our outlook and make us more loving. For example, just look at Jesus’ time on earth: In Matthew 5:39 he says, “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” And in Matthew 5:44, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Wow! People who do evil will not get away with it—even if they sometimes seem to. God is not mocked. He sees all. Judgment will come down upon all evil. And because of that liberating fact, you and I can focus on being the hands and feet of Christ, sharing his love and truth with a hurting world. By Matthew Ruttan --"Up!" is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on June 17. #dailydevotional #faith #inspiration #revenge #retribution #peace #harmony #sermononthemount #JesusChrist #love #secondcoming #parousia #judgmentday

The benefit of quality down time The "Up!" Devo for June 13 In Matthew 8:23-25 we read: “Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. BUT JESUS WAS SLEEPING. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Yup. A storm threatened to drown everyone and Jesus was… Sleeping! Even Jesus needed to sleep. Other times he got away from the crowd to rest and pray. If we are supposed to “be like Jesus” shouldn’t we rest like him too? Today I’m here to tell you this: Quality down time makes for quality up time. If your down time is non-existent or distracted, you’re not going to be at your best when your family, friends or other people need you most. In the story from Matthew 8, not only did Jesus calm the storm and save the disciples lives, but in the next two stories he then went on to exorcise demons and heal a man who was paralyzed! Even Jesus—the Lord!—took rest seriously. Therefore, so can you. Think about your “down time.” Is it truly DOWN time? Minimize distraction, maximize relaxation. When we want to be at our best, we often assume we need more strength, time or energy. But more often than not, we just need more rest. Quality down time makes for quality up time. By Matthew Ruttan #dailydevotional #faith #inspiration #downtime #rest #peace #relaxed #JesusChrist #productive #spirituality #reborn

They went to the gunman's parents' house The "Up!" Devo for June 12 In October 2006, a gunman took hostages in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. He shot ten children. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Then he shot himself. Five of the children died, and people around the world were horrified. But get this: Just hours after it happened, people in the Amish community visited the house of the gunman’s parents… To express support and concern! They knew how hard it would be for them in the wake of the shootings. At the gunman’s funeral, about half of those in attendance were from the Amish community! And remember, they were the victims! Again, they were in attendance to show concern, support, and to pray. Some people in the media said it was a testament to the best within the human spirit. But to me, that kind of a comment—without taking into account the strong Christian faith of the Amish—is totally condescending. The Amish value, with an exceptional intensity, their relationship with God and with each other. “Be devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:10). “Honour one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10). “Carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). “Build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). That hurting community knew what it meant to be consistent, strong and loving in their walk with God, and they knew what it meant to be consistent, strong and loving in their walk with each other. It didn’t make all their pain go away, but it helped them rise to their best in the midst of hardship. Are you facing difficulty? If so, walk with God and walk with God’s people. Journey together. It won’t make all your challenges go away, but it will help you rise to your best in the midst of hardship. By Matthew Ruttan #dailydevotional #faith #spirituality #community #church #walkwithGod #relationships #friends #inspiration #hardship

Withness The “Up!” Devo for June 11 Life can be difficult. The only person who hasn’t experienced some kind of hardship is the person who hasn’t been born yet! Think of Jesus on the cross. He was the only perfect person who ever lived… and even HE suffered greatly! None of us are given a free pass in life, but God offers to be with us and help us along the way. One of the things that makes Psalm 80 special is that it is written in the first person plural. It’s a detail that many people miss. Here’s what I mean. Verse 19 says, “Restore US, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on US, that WE may be saved.” We call out to God TOGETHER. We pray TOGETHER. We worship TOGETHER. In fact, it was originally a song put to music, so it would have been something that was also sung TOGETHER. To me it’s a subtle reminder that through the hurts of life, we’re not alone. Not only is God with us, but we are with other people. That’s why you shouldn’t shy away from leaning on others who share your faith. They’re the ones you call out to God with, who you pray with, who you worship with, and who you sing with. Can I get a WITHness! (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.) The only person who hasn’t experienced some kind of hardship is the person who hasn’t been born yet. But for the rest of us, let’s not shy away from leaning on others who share our faith. There are times when you might feel alone, but with God and others, you aren’t. By Matthew Ruttan #dailydevotional #church #faith #inspiration #fellowship #friends #community #fellowship #hardship #God #thepsalms

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