Episodes

  • The gigantic secret of the Christian

    The gigantic secret of the Christian
    Aug 21 2026
    [PAUSE ALERT – After today, The Up Daily Devotional will go on pause for 2 weeks, resuming on September 7, 2026.] ~ Let’s begin with three verses from John 15. As we go through them, let’s look for what Jesus says about joy. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide […]
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    2 mins
  • Preying without ceasing

    Preying without ceasing
    Aug 20 2026
    In the previous devotional we talked about prayer. There is more than one way to pray, of course. I included some suggestions of short, biblical statements that you can put on a mental “loop” as you go about your day. Here’s some additional motivation to pray, no matter how you do it. It comes to […]
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    2 mins
  • One-liners for a prayerful day

    One-liners for a prayerful day
    Aug 19 2026
    Have you ever heard of “The Jesus Prayer”? It’s an ancient prayer that goes like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It’s common for people to repeat it—as if on a loop—as they go about their day. It comes from a variety of different statements in the Bible […]
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    2 mins
  • When your mind (always) wanders

    When your mind (always) wanders
    Aug 18 2026
    Today I’m going to say something that might sound a bit jarring. But I think it’s for your own good. Please hear me out. Do you find it difficult to find time to pray, even though you don’t find it difficult to do other less important things? Do you find it hard to focus your […]
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    3 mins
  • You can’t outsource intimacy

    You can’t outsource intimacy
    Aug 17 2026
    In the world of business, companies can outsource all sorts of things. They can outsource administrative tasks, or even their payroll or legal services. As people, however, we can’t outsource intimacy. John Ortberg tells the unfortunate story of a man who became attracted to a certain woman and wanted to ask her out on a […]
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    2 mins
  • The fresh air of the future

    The fresh air of the future
    Aug 14 2026
    This week we have been spending some time thinking about the forgiveness that God gives to his children. Today, let’s flip that coin and talk about the forgiveness that we can extend to others. First, it’s important to remember that our approach to forgiveness is grounded in what we have first received in Christ. Paul […]
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    2 mins
  • A mountain range, not an ant hill

    A mountain range, not an ant hill
    Aug 13 2026
    We have been spending some time with Psalm 32. It is one of seven “penitential” psalms. That word is connected to repentance. If it sounds like “penitentiary,” you’re right. Prisons are intended to be houses of repentance, where inmates gather in cells (notice that a ‘cell’ is also where a monk lives as a place […]
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    3 mins
  • Your life as it is, not as it was

    Your life as it is, not as it was
    Aug 12 2026
    Several years ago, I was watching an episode of Little House on the Prairie. There was a girl in a wheelchair. She was upset about how much her life had changed. Her mom, wanting the best for her, knew she needed to change her perspective. She said: “Live your life as it is, not as […]
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    2 mins