You Are the Company You Keep ,1 Bold Bible Truth
You are the company you keep and whether you realize it or not, the people around you are quietly shaping who you are becoming. From your habits and mindset to your ambitions and values, your social circle leaves a deeper imprint than most people acknowledge. Science, Scripture, and everyday experience all agree: peer influence is one of the most powerful forces in human development.
Surround yourself with negative, toxic individuals, and your growth stalls. Choose positive relationships built on mutual respect and shared purpose, and your life begins to expand. This truth isn’t a warning to fear it’s wisdom to embrace. Understanding how your inner circle shapes your character is the first step toward intentionally building a life you’re proud of.
What Is The Up Devotional and Why It Matters
The Up Devotional is a daily faith resource created and written by Matthew Ruttan a disciple of King Jesus, pastor at Westminster Church, and author of the books Up! and Turbulence. Published five mornings a week (Monday through Friday), it is designed to be consumed in about one to two minutes, making it the ideal morning devotional for busy people who still want to put God first.
Think of it as your daily shot of soul espresso, brief, bold, and biblically grounded. It’s available via:
- Email (the most consistent delivery method)
- Podcast (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible)
- Social Media (Instagram and Facebook)
- Life Radio Network across Central Ontario
In a world flooded with noise, The Up Devotional cuts through the clutter and anchors your heart in what truly matters knowing God and living in Christ.
The Daily Nugget: Start Every Morning with Purpose and Scripture
One of the most powerful habits a believer can build is beginning each day in God’s Word. The Up Devotional provides exactly that: a focused daily Scripture reading paired with a short, practical reflection that’s relevant to real life.
Ruttan’s writing style is simple, sincere, and free of religious jargon. He draws on passages from across the Bible from the Psalms to the Epistles and connects them to everyday moments that feel surprisingly relatable.
Why a Daily Devotional Habit Transforms Your Faith
Starting your morning with intentional Bible reflection does more than just check a spiritual box. Research from pastoral and psychological perspectives consistently shows that daily habits of faith:
| Benefit | Outcome |
| Scripture reading | Strengthens biblical literacy and trust in God |
| Prayer | Deepens intimacy with Christ |
| Reflection | Builds emotional and spiritual resilience |
| Community | Fosters accountability and spiritual growth |
Even one to two minutes each morning done consistently builds a powerful foundation for a faith-filled life.
The Company You Keep: Why Your Faith Community Shapes Your Spiritual Growth
The Bible has always understood what modern psychology is only beginning to prove: you are the company you keep. Proverbs 13:20 declares, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” This ancient wisdom reminds believers that godly relationships are not optional extras; they are essential nutrients for a thriving spiritual life. The apostle Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 15:33, warning that bad company corrupts good character. In contrast, surrounding yourself with a faith community of encouragers, prayer partners, and fellow disciples accelerates your transformation in Christ. Your closest circle either lifts you toward God or quietly pulls you away.
The Up Devotional consistently emphasizes this theme: the people around you profoundly shape your spiritual direction. This isn’t merely a motivational idea, it’s a biblical principle woven throughout both the Old and New Testaments.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The implication is clear: godly fellowship produces spiritual sharpness. When you surround yourself with people who pursue Christ, encourage Scripture reading, and pray together, you grow faster and fall less often.
3 Biblical Principles for Building a Godly Community
- Choose wisely Proverbs 13:20 connects your companions directly to your wisdom or your downfall.
- Encourage actively 1 Thessalonians 5:11 calls believers to build one another up daily.
- Stay connected Hebrews 10:25 warns against abandoning the gathering of believers together.
The Up Devotional regularly invites readers and listeners to evaluate the quality of their spiritual relationships not with judgment, but with honest, grace-filled self-examination.
Worship as Christianity’s Crown Jewel: How to Praise God Every Day
Matthew Ruttan often describes worship as the crown jewel of the Christian life and rightly so. Worship is not limited to Sunday mornings or church buildings. It is a daily posture of the heart that acknowledges God’s greatness, goodness, and sovereignty over every corner of life.
The Up Devotional frequently encourages readers to weave praise and adoration into ordinary moments: the commute to work, the quiet before the house wakes up, or the walk around the neighborhood. Worship shapes perspective. When you actively orient your heart toward God’s glory, the trials of daily life lose their power to overwhelm you.
As Psalm 34:1 declares: “I will praise the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.“
Choose to Praise: Practical Ways to Cultivate a Grateful Heart
Gratitude is not a feeling that shows up automatically, it is a spiritual discipline that must be chosen and practiced. The Up Devotional reminds believers that choosing to praise God, even in difficulty, is itself an act of faith.
Here are practical ways to build a culture of daily thanksgiving:
- Start with gratitude journaling. Write down three things you’re thankful for each morning before checking your phone.
- Pray with specificity Thank God for specific blessings, not just blessings in general.
- Listen to worship music intentionally. Let lyrics about God’s faithfulness reorient your heart before a difficult day.
- Speak praise aloud There is unique power in vocalizing thanksgiving, both to God and to others.
- Revisiting past answered prayers Remembering what God has already done fuels trust for the future.
Philippians 4:6–7 captures this beautifully: in everything, by prayer and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God and His peace will guard your heart and mind.
Learning from the Apostle Paul: Knowing God and Living in Christ
The Apostle Paul is one of the most cited voices in The Up Devotional, and for good reason. His letters Philippians, Colossians, Romans, and more contain some of the richest theology and most practical life-in-Christ instruction found anywhere in Scripture.
Paul’s core passion, expressed in Philippians 3:10, was simply this: “I want to know Christ.” Not just know about Him. Know Him personally, intimately, experientially.
Key Lessons from Paul for Daily Devotional Life
- Contentment is learned, not given Philippians 4:11 shows Paul’s secret: choosing Christ-centered contentment in every circumstance.
- Running the race with endurance Paul consistently uses athletic metaphors to describe the Christian life as active, purposeful, and disciplined.
- Boast only in the cross Galatians 6:14 reminds believers that all spiritual confidence rests in Christ’s work, not our own accomplishments.
- Press forward Forgetting what lies behind, Paul presses on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
Devotionals rooted in Paul’s writings are never short on practical wisdom and The Up Devotional draws from this well regularly.
Lessons from the Church at Laodicea: Avoiding a Lukewarm Faith
Few passages of Scripture are more sobering or more relevant to today’s church than Revelation 3:14–22, Christ’s letter to the church at Laodicea. The Laodiceans were wealthy, comfortable, and self-sufficient and spiritually empty.
Jesus confronted them with striking words: “Because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
Lukewarm faith is not passionate atheism or bold belief; it is the dangerous middle: attending church without true devotion, praying out of habit rather than hunger, going through the motions of Christian living without any fire.
Signs of Lukewarm Faith to Watch For
| Warning Sign | Biblical Corrective |
| Spiritual complacency | Revelation 3:19 “Be earnest and repent” |
| Self-sufficiency without God | Proverbs 3:5–6 Trust in the Lord, not your own understanding |
| Christianity by performance only | Matthew 15:8 Hearts far from God despite outward religion |
| Neglecting daily Scripture | Joshua 1:8 Meditate on the Word day and night |
The good news? Jesus still knocks at the door of the Laodicean heart. He has not given up. His call to repentance is itself an act of love.
The Obedient Church at Philadelphia: What It Means to Walk in Faithfulness
In stark contrast to Laodicea stands Philadelphia, the church that received Christ’s letter with no rebuke, only praise and promise. Philadelphia had little worldly power or influence, yet Christ commended them for one essential quality: they kept His word and did not deny His name (Revelation 3:8).
Faithfulness in small things is the mark of a Philadelphia-type believer. They weren’t impressive by the world’s standards. But they were obedient. They kept the door open that Christ had placed before them a door of gospel opportunity that no one could shut.
What does Philadelphian faith look like in daily life?
- Showing up consistently in prayer, even when feelings are flat.
- Reading and obeying Scripture, not just understanding it intellectually.
- Persevering in discipleship through difficulty rather than drifting toward comfort.
- Holding firm to the name of Jesus in a culture that increasingly sidelines Him.
The Up Devotional regularly calls its readers back to this kind of quiet, steady, obedient faith, the kind that lasts.
Listen and Subscribe: How to Access The Up Devotional Podcast Daily
Listening to The Up Devotional has never been easier. The podcast version delivers the same bite-sized biblical encouragement in audio format perfect for your morning walk, daily commute, or quiet time at home.
Where to Subscribe
- Apple Podcasts Search “The Up Devotional” by Matthew Ruttan
- Spotify Available at open.spotify.com
- Amazon Music / Audible Full episodes available
- Google Podcasts Search and subscribe for free
- Email Visit TheUpDevo.com to receive it directly in your inbox
The podcast is released five mornings per week and runs approximately one to two minutes per episode short enough to never feel like a burden, meaningful enough to genuinely shift your morning.
Who We Are and Our Mission to Keep Good Company
The Up Devotional is built on a simple but powerful mission: to help believers keep good company with God through His Word, and with a community of fellow disciples who are all in for the Kingdom.
Matthew Ruttan is not just a content creator. He is a servant of the Word, a pastor, author, husband, and father who genuinely lives what he writes. His work at Westminster Church, combined with his books and the daily devotional, reflects a consistent, long-term commitment to calling people upward in their walk with Christ.
The mission is not to entertain. It is to edify. Not to go viral. But to go deep.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does the Bible say about the company you keep in Book of Proverbs 13:20?
It teaches that wise friends help you grow wiser, while bad company can lead you into trouble.
What does Book of Proverbs 17:22 really mean?
It means a joyful heart brings healing and strength, while sadness can drain a person’s spirit.
What is the Book of Proverbs 14:23 saying?
It teaches that hard work brings profit, but only talking without action leads to poverty.
What does Epistle to the Romans 12:19 say?
It says not to seek revenge because God is the one who will bring true justice.
Conclusion
In a world full of distractions pulling you downward, The Up Devotional is a daily invitation to go up into Scripture, into prayer, into purposeful living, and into the kind of authentic Christian community that shapes who you become.
Whether you’re wrestling with lukewarm faith, learning to praise, or simply looking for a short, meaningful way to begin each morning in God’s Word, Matthew Ruttan’s devotional meets you there honestly, biblically, and consistently.
Start today. Subscribe. Listen. And choose to keep good company.
