Episodes

  • What greatness does not mean

    What greatness does not mean
    Jun 12 2026
    “Greatness.” When we think of people who fall into this category we tend to think about people who have done great things for God. We also tend to think about people who have done great things for others, often in a way that is self-sacrificial. I think it’s safe to say that King David was […]
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    2 mins
  • Under the bold banner of a Risen Saviour

    Under the bold banner of a Risen Saviour
    Jun 11 2026
    Let me share a quote from Richard Sibbes. At first, it might seem abrasive. But after we think about it for a moment, I think it helps us to re-frame our thinking towards the battle we face with greater clarity. “There are two grand sides in the world, to which all belong: there is God’s […]
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    2 mins
  • When you’re spiritually dry, revisit the psalms

    When you’re spiritually dry, revisit the psalms
    Jun 10 2026
    When you’re spiritually dry, revisit the psalms The Up Devotional for June 10, 2026 “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil” (Psalm 119:162). I sometimes get asked for ideas about what to do when your devotional life feels flat. It happens. There are times when you just feel spiritually dry. During […]
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    2 mins
  • The eye of God watching

    The eye of God watching
    Jun 9 2026
    Quoting Psalm 34, the apostle Peter says that “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). That’s clearly a category we do not want to be in! If your teacher is “against” you, it may reflect poorly on your grades. If your soccer coach is “against” you, it may […]
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    1 min
  • Beskar armour and the refining we face

    Beskar armour and the refining we face
    Jun 8 2026
    “…we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). One of the spin-offs from the Star Wars […]
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    2 mins
  • Hope—living like it’s Sunday on Friday

    Hope—living like it’s Sunday on Friday
    Jun 5 2026
    “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3) When it comes to our faith, it can be very helpful think deliberately about what we mean by certain words or ideas. If we don’t think […]
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    2 mins
  • Forward-facing hope

    Forward-facing hope
    Jun 4 2026
    “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). William Gurnall lived in the seventeenth century. He said something very helpful about one of the differences between faith and hope. He said: “Faith tells the soul what Christ has done and hope revives the soul with the news of what He will […]
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    2 mins
  • Not just what you say, but how you say it

    Not just what you say, but how you say it
    Jun 3 2026
    In the previous devotional I highlighted 1 Peter 3:15: “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” In it, we talked about taking some time […]
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    1 min