The Up Devotional

Welcome to The Up Devotional!

This is a devotional that comes out five mornings a week (Monday to Friday) at 5am. It is written by Pastor Ruttan.

Think of it as your 1-minute shot of daily soul espresso—biblical and down-to-earth.

You read back issues here and also find it on InstagramFacebook and Twitter.

It is also available as a podcast through Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Enjoy!

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  • Because that’s what friends do March 8, 2024
    For the past few devotionals we have been reflecting on God’s providence. That’s his invisible hand, working in the lives of his people even when they can’t see it. Let’s continue with that encouraging theme. In World War One a troupe was engaged in trench warfare. A lieutenant told his men to sneak across a […]
    MatthewRuttan
  • God works in the trenches March 7, 2024
    God works in the trenches. Consider the story of Esther and how messy it was. Young virgins were summoned for a sort of dark, horrid beauty contest in the Persian court. Because Mordechai refused to bow to the king’s second-in-command, Haman, a plot was hatched to kill not only Mordechai, but all of the Jewish […]
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  • God is not put off by the messes March 6, 2024
    William Perkins was a well-known theologian in the 16th century. He was known for his faithfulness. But it wasn’t always that way.  When he was younger he had a reputation for recklessness, profanity and public drunkenness. He was also dabbling in black magic and the occult.  One evening he overheard a mother correcting her child […]
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  • God’s timeline and your deadline March 5, 2024
    You’re doing your best to trust God. You want him to act.  You want him to help. You’ve been waiting. And waiting some more. So you start to think to yourself: “I’ll give God to the end of the year to do something about this situation. If he doesn’t do anything it must be because […]
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  • God is more committed to my ultimate joy than I am March 4, 2024
    In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul doubles down to make a point. God is waaaaay smarter than any of us: “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?… For the foolishness of God is wiser […]
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  • Bread… but more than bread March 1, 2024
    Things are not always as they seem. A simple word of encouragement can bring someone back from the brink. A hug can be the reassurance someone needs that they are not alone. This Sunday many Christians will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, also called “Communion.” Some churches do this weekly, some monthly, and some four or […]
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  • Arrogance beside the cross? February 29, 2024
    Two wise and faithful men were being interviewed after years of exemplary teaching and service. They were both humble, despite their many accolades and awards. The interviewer asked how they were able to resist pride and stay humble? One of the men replied: “How on earth can anyone be arrogant when standing beside the cross?”* […]
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  • Grow greater by growing smaller February 28, 2024
    Theologian J.I. Packer said that “Christians… grow greater by growing smaller.”* That’s a helpful reminder. People talk about “greatness.” Sometimes they simply think about it. And yes, they might use different words, but the idea is the same. In the book of Esther, Haman seemed to be concerned with a certain understanding of greatness. With […]
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  • Pride and destruction February 27, 2024
    Do you want to experience destruction?  Do you want to experience destruction in your family, among your friends, at work, at school, or with your reputation or soul? If the answer is no, we need to heed Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Let’s be clear. If we want […]
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  • Doing the right thing even when you feel alone February 26, 2024
    I’ve been spending time studying the book of Esther. As I go through the story line by line I notice things I didn’t notice before.  One of the famous parts of the story is when she decides to approach the King to help her people, even at great risk to her own life: “I will […]
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  • Going to worship is good for you, study says February 23, 2024
    Let’s put what I’m about to say in the category of ‘news you won’t hear on the news.’ A Harvard study says that participating in religious services once a week or more is correlated with greater longevity, lower levels of depression, more optimism, and lower suicide rates.* Um, pardon? Yes, that’s right. Participating in religious […]
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  • You can’t threaten a man with heaven February 22, 2024
    It’s hard to read the book of Esther and not be impressed by her courage. Her people were in danger of annihilation. Her adoptive father Mordechai encouraged her to approach the King to intervene. Sounds simple enough. But if she approached without an invitation she could be killed. (I’m glad I don’t live in a […]
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  • For such a time as this February 21, 2024
    Have you ever wondered if you should have been born in another time? Perhaps 19th century France or even in the pioneer days? I realize that it’s fun to dream. But God isn’t that haphazard. God’s people were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He fashioned us in our mother’s wombs and […]
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  • Don’t use providence as an excuse February 20, 2024
    Providence is the invisible hand of God. It is God directing, guiding and providing for his people, even when you can’t see him. Some people say they trust in God’s providence, and then they use that as an excuse for not responding to God’s call on their lives. They think to themselves, ‘Well, God is […]
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  • Laughing in the Devil’s face February 19, 2024
    I recently came across a correspondence between the Reformer Martin Luther and a friend. in The Voice, Keith S. Lindley sets the scene like this:  “In July of 1530, Martin Luther penned a letter to his dear friend, Jerome Weller. During a season of depression, Weller began to doubt the reality of his salvation, and […]
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  • Good out of bad February 16, 2024
    Corrie ten Boom tells the story about an old Russian woman she met during the Cold War.  She was a woman of faith, but Bibles were not allowed. It was a time of persecution for Christians. The woman was so sick she couldn’t get off her couch. But she had one finger she could still […]
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  • Fasting in a world of self-indulgence February 15, 2024
    A lot of people “give up” things for Lent. The biblical—and therefore, accurate—word for this is fasting. If you’re going to fast it’s important to know the reason. Going through the motions is of limited value if you don’t know why you’re doing it. One example of fasting is found in Ezra 8:21: “I proclaimed […]
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  • Prepare to meet thy God February 14, 2024
    Today is Ash Wednesday. It’s the official start of Lent, the forty day period (excluding Sundays) leading up to Good Friday and Easter. [It’s also Valentine’s Day. If you’re curious about who Valentine was, see the link at the bottom of this devotional for a short explanation.] Back to Ash Wednesday. Some Christians put ashes […]
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  • God is working, behind the scenes February 13, 2024
    [For a short post which explains the meaning of Shrove Tuesday, see the link at the end of this post.] “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown […]
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  • Doctrine and action aren’t opposities February 12, 2024
    The word “doctrine” has received a bad name. I once saw a social media comment which captured something of the spirit of the age: “People should spend less time thinking about doctrine and more time actually loving like Jesus did.”  I get where that person is coming from. If people spend all their time debating […]
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