“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).Just because we know something is good for us that doesn’t mean we do it.For example, we know that regular exercise and a full night’s sleep have powerful effects, both physically and mentally. And yet, these … Continue reading The one constant element in revival
tim keller
With God all things are possible
Merry Christmas! After today, The Up Devotional is going on pause until January 3rd, but I just wanted to send you one last message on Christmas morning. Christ is born! Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah—God’s chosen king and representative on the earth. But something his followers came to learn was that Jesus was more than … Continue reading With God all things are possible
Giving the Spirit the scope to do his work
Jesus said: “’Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:38-39). What are the “means of grace”? Historically, these are practices which God puts into our lives and which … Continue reading Giving the Spirit the scope to do his work
With all your mind
On May 19, 2023 Tim Keller died. He was a best-selling author, pastor and apologist. He spoke to millions, met with Presidents, but was ever down-to-earth. My first introduction to his writing was through his best-seller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. His writing gave evidence of a genuine, biblical faith … Continue reading With all your mind
Against you only have I sinned
King David sinned. Big time. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. She became pregnant. Her husband Uriah was in David’s army and away at battle. David invited him back with the hopes that he would sleep with his wife making people think the baby was from him instead. But in an act of solidarity with his … Continue reading Against you only have I sinned
Chaos around you (not within you)
When someone says they want peace, what do they mean? It somewhat depends on the context. If two diplomats are talking about peace, they are most likely thinking about peace between countries. If a parent says they want some peace and quiet, he or she is most likely wanting their kids to stop being so … Continue reading Chaos around you (not within you)
Modern idols?
When we hear the word "idolatry," many of us think of ancient peoples bowing down to man-made statues. In Exodus 20:3 God says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” No other gods? Check. No problem there! But our understanding of idolatry might be too narrow. Here’s how I define modern idolatry. It’s giving first … Continue reading Modern idols?
Being spiritually “fed” in 2018
Do you want to be spiritually “fed”? If so, here’s a newsflash. People today have more access to spiritually-enriching resources than at any other time in human history. A hundred years ago, if you wanted to learn more about your faith, in addition to calling on God and engaging in the traditional spiritual disciplines, you … Continue reading Being spiritually “fed” in 2018
Don’t get worked up about $20
When I’m meeting with someone and we’re about to pray, I often ask them what we should pray about. One of the most common answers is to not sweat the small stuff. I get that. Sometimes it’s easy to let something small get blown out of proportion and take over our brain. To help out … Continue reading Don’t get worked up about $20
Getting out of a rut
Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (NIV) Today's Thought A lot of people think that pastors never fall into the same ruts they do. Since we’re always talking about prayer and community and love, many people think that we never have dry spells in our faith. That’s just untrue. I will, however, … Continue reading Getting out of a rut
