Do you know that Jesus prayed for you while he was still on earth? In John 17, he prayed these words for his disciples, and also for those who would come to believe in him through their message. If you are a believer, that means you! Here is a small sample of what he prayed: … Continue reading What Jesus prayed for you
sanctification
Who you’re becoming
Hebrews 10:14 says: “For by one sacrifice [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” What I’d like to focus on from that verse is the fact that Jesus’ people are “being made holy.” This refers to the work God himself is doing in and through us. This manifests in our daily … Continue reading Who you’re becoming
Unlocking doors for the Spirit
Do you sometimes feel like you’re not a real Christian because you continue to struggle with sin? The Bible teaches that when you believe in the risen Jesus, the Holy Spirit starts to live inside you. In Galatians 4:6 (NLT) Paul writes: “because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son … Continue reading Unlocking doors for the Spirit
Looking like the one we believe in
Children often look like their parents. Sometimes you see a child and the resemblance is so strong that the parent doesn’t even need to be there and you say, ‘I know who your dad is,’ or ‘I know who your mom is’! When God looks upon us he sees what we look like on the … Continue reading Looking like the one we believe in
Marinating, not microwaving
We live in a world of instant gratification. We have microwaves, drive-thru windows and Amazon Prime. So when it comes to spiritual growth, we assume that maturity should happen instantly. But it’s not that easy. Sure, when you start to be a disciple of Jesus some things will change right away. But other things take … Continue reading Marinating, not microwaving
True commitment to the King—AND his Kingdom
Followers of Jesus can rightly be accused of hypocrisy if nothing changes in their lives after they start to believe in and follow him. Your eternal standing with God isn’t based on how morally good you are, of course, or on your ability to meet Jesus’ high ethical standards; it’s based on your faith in … Continue reading True commitment to the King—AND his Kingdom
Despite the darkness
When you think of being “like Jesus,” what do you think of? Being more loving, humble or forgiving? What about this: Being faithful despite the darkness. Consider Luke 22:44: “And being in anguish, [Jesus] prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” And then he was crucified! He gave … Continue reading Despite the darkness
Time to juggle up the playlist?
If you’ve been following along with the Up! devotional this week you’ve probably caught on to the fact that I’m talking about how wildly impressionable we humans are. People say that children are sponges. But so are adults! (We’re just better at hiding it.) I read a study that said we’re more likely to trust … Continue reading Time to juggle up the playlist?
The Up Devotional 