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About Disciplines

The Upper Room Disciplines provides an opportunity to look more deeply at scripture by offering a week of devotions by a single author on a particular theme.

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Latest Disciplines Devotions

God with Us - January 18, 2025

January 18, 2025

One of my favorite parts of serving in the local church was joining young children in Godly Play circles. In our circles, we talked about Epiphany as the time in the...

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God with Us - January 17, 2025

January 17, 2025

I have a bad habit of storing up special gifts never to use them. I have had to throw out more expired special food items than I care to admit. When...

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God with Us - January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

We don’t have to get too creative to imagine the community Paul was writing to in his Corinthian letters. It was a community in distress, chaos, and conflict. These seem to...

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God with Us - January 15, 2025

January 15, 2025

In the Christian tradition, we lean heavily into the symbol of light throughout Epiphany. In this season we consider what is illuminated. Who do we understand the Christ child to be?...

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God with Us - January 14, 2025

January 14, 2025

We enter the Epiphany season riding on waves of Christmas joy. The image of an infant King bringing salvation into the world invites us to experience deep and abiding hope. Many...

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God with Us - January 13, 2025

January 13, 2025

These verses from Isaiah were written in the context of a postexilic Judean community that had returned to Jerusalem. Those who returned home arrived at a place marked by desolation and...

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Transformed By Faith and Fire - January 12, 2025

January 12, 2025

Today’s passage opens with John naming three elements associated with baptism: water, Holy Spirit, and fire. While John baptizes with water, Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. While...

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Transformed By Faith and Fire - January 11, 2025

January 11, 2025

I find the magi mysterious. They come to King Herod from the east—far from Israel—in search of the newborn king of the Jews. Do they assume that King Herod has recently...

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Transformed By Faith and Fire - January 10, 2025

January 10, 2025

There’s always more to say about the complexity and urgency to live out the gospel in ways that are truly inclusive of everyone. I could spend more words on race, gender,...

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Transformed By Faith and Fire - January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Paul has a purpose, and he makes it clear in this passage. He has been sent by God through Jesus Christ to let the world know that non-Jews—the Gentiles—are included in...

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