Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

06/04/2026

LIFE IS HARD

“Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). Isn’t that the truth? People live about seventy or eighty years. Even the best of those years is filled with trouble and sorrow. Then we’re gone. We die. That shouldn’t surprise us. Life is hard.

Those words were written by Moses about 3,500 years ago. So much has changed over the past 3,500 years: Technological advances. Global exploration. New inventions. Yet, life hasn’t really changed. People still live about seventy or eighty years. Even the best of those years is filled with trouble and sorrow. Then we’re gone. We die. Life is hard. That hasn’t changed in 3,500 years.

Why? Because the real problem in life hasn’t changed. Do you know what it is? Sin. We sin against God in our thoughts and our words and our actions. Sin and its consequences make life hard. No technology can erase sin. Life is hard because you and I daily sin against God and against each other.

This is why we need Jesus. Jesus came to save you from your sins. Jesus suffered and died in your place to win for you forgiveness and eternal life. The best this world can offer is maybe seventy or eighty years of trouble and sorrow. Life is hard! So turn to Jesus. He offers forgiveness, hope, and eternal life.

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/06/04/life-is-hard/

06/03/2026

UNFAILING LOVE

What do you turn to each morning for the strength to face another day? We all have our morning routines. Is it a cup of coffee? A morning jog? A few minutes of scrolling? Each of us searches for something to help us face another long day.

There’s something better than coffee or a morning jog or internet memes. Know what it is? God’s unfailing love! Here’s a morning prayer that Moses prayed thousands of years ago: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14).

Nothing can satisfy you like the unfailing love of God. Sure, coffee tastes good, but soon the cup is empty. No matter how long you live, you will never see the end of God’s love for you. Sure, exercise can get your blood flowing. But nothing satisfies your heart like the blood of Jesus which he shed for you on the cross. You’re forgiven. You’re loved. You’re saved! Sure, our minds love to be distracted by whatever can take our thoughts away from the worries of this world. But nothing takes those worries away like believing in God’s presence in your life and trusting in God’s promise of eternal life in heaven.

Do you want strength for each new day? Try a time-tested morning routine. Pray with Moses, “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/06/03/unfailing-love-4/

05/29/2026

WAIT QUIETLY

“Patience is a virtue.” At least, that’s how the old saying goes. Maybe because patience is so rare. No one likes to wait. Whether it’s waiting for your birthday or waiting to hear back from that job interview or waiting for a friend to reach out or waiting for the pain to go away… No one likes to wait.

That makes faith in God difficult, because faith involves waiting. Waiting for God’s timing. Waiting for God’s plan to unfold. Waiting for the unseen to be seen. Faith involves a lot of waiting.

But no one likes to wait. So what do we say? “God, where are you? God, what is taking so long? God, why don’t you care about me? God, when will this end?”

The Bible quietly reminds our impatient hearts, “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

God promised the world a Savior. Thousands of years passed. Did God keep his promise? Yes! Jesus came. Jesus promised that he would rise from the dead. For three days, his followers cried and cried. Did Jesus keep his promise? Yes! Jesus rose from the dead.

Whether it’s three days or thousands of years, we have a God who always keeps his promises. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Faith always involves waiting. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/05/29/wait-quietly/

05/28/2026

Does it matter whether I do good works? All religions talk about doing good. In fact, most religions teach that it’s by doing good that you and I are saved. Does it matter whether we do good works?

The Bible has an amazing, unexpected answer: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

I hope you can watch this short video devotion about how we are saved by God’s grace and created to do good works for his glory.

God bless you as you live for him!

https://youtube.com/shorts/ec58UpR52qE

05/27/2026

THE NARROW ROAD

“But everybody’s doing it!” That’s one of the easiest ways to justify our actions. The logic seems solid: “If everybody is doing it, it must be right, right?” It’s so natural to go along with the crowd. To find your “group” and accept whatever they accept.

Except everybody could be wrong. In fact, Jesus warns us that often most people will be wrong. Often the majority will be heading in the wrong direction. Jesus taught, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Jesus pictures life as having two roads. Not lots of different paths. Just two roads. One road is broad and wide. Lots of people are walking on it. Sounds good, doesn’t it? “Everybody’s doing it!” But here’s where that road leads: “To destruction.” It doesn’t matter if everybody is doing it. Everybody could be wrong!

The other road is narrow. Only a few people find it. It can look pretty deserted. Why would we want to walk on it? Because of where it leads: “To life.” Life under God’s grace on earth and eternal life in heaven. True life and salvation are found only in Jesus and his death and resurrection for us.

Are you following everybody, or are you following Jesus? Take the narrow road!

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/05/27/the-narrow-road/

05/26/2026

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Do you know what it means to be a Spirit-filled Christian? As we watch God pour out his Holy Spirit on his people on Pentecost, we learn three amazing things that God the Holy Spirit does for God’s people. I hope you can watch this Pentecost sermon: “Spirit-Filled.” Jesus loves you!

You are a Spirit-filled Christian. Do you think about that? God wan...

05/26/2026

You are a Spirit-filled Christian. Do you think about that? God wants you to! As we watch God pour out his Holy Spirit on his people on Pentecost, we learn three amazing things that God the Holy Spirit does for God’s people. First, the Holy Spirit takes cowards and makes them courageous. He turned Peter from a denier of Jesus into a bold proclaimer of the Gospel. Second, the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to every Christian, like speaking in tongues or giving generously or serving selflessly. Finally, the Holy Spirit focuses our hearts on Jesus, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). I hope you can watch this Pentecost sermon about the work of the Holy Spirit: “Spirit-Filled.” God bless you!

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 The…

05/22/2026

NOT MY OWN

Life seems so out of control. Do you feel that way? Sure, you’ve worked hard to make plans for your life. Yet, is life following your plans? You’re constantly trying to guide your life the way you want it to go. Yet, is your life going the way that you want it to go? Life can seem so out of control.

Because your life doesn’t belong to you. Unless you realize that, life will be a constant disappointment. Because the future isn’t under your control. Until you understand that, life won’t make any sense.

Long ago, as life seemed to spiral out of control, God’s prophet Jeremiah learned to pray, “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Whom does your life belong to? God. You are God’s! God formed and created you in your mother’s womb. God has had a plan for every day of your life since before you were born (see Psalm 139:13-16). But God’s done even more. He sent his Son Jesus to die for all your sins. Through Baptism and faith in Jesus, God has made you into his own dear child. You are not your own. You are God’s!

If you look at life today and see a mess, God sees a painting that isn’t finished yet. If it seems like life is unraveling, God sees a beautiful quilt that’s being pieced perfectly together. Trust him. You are his!

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/05/22/not-my-own/

05/21/2026

THE BATTLE IS GOD'S

Does it feel like you’re facing an army? A powerful enemy whom you are powerless to overcome?

God’s people found themselves in that predicament in the Bible. Their bitter enemies—the Moabites and Ammonites—waged war against them. The enemy army was so great that God’s people didn’t feel like there was any way they could defeat them. Can you relate?

But what they felt didn’t tell the whole story, just like our feelings today often aren’t reliable. God sent a messenger to comfort his frightened people with these words: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).

The vast army was real. The battle was real. But it wasn’t God’s people who had to win the victory. There was Someone invisible fighting behind the scenes for them. Who? God! The battle was God’s.

That wasn’t just true for God’s people long ago. That’s true for you today too. The battle is God’s! Every battle in life isn’t won by our strength. It’s won by the grace and power of God. Jesus fought the battle against sin and death for us when he died on the cross and rose from the dead. In the same way, our God fights every enemy who rises up against us. You can’t see him, but he’s fighting for you!

When it feels like you’re facing a vast army, remember, “The battle is not yours, but God’s!”

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/05/21/the-battle-is-gods/

05/20/2026

BOAST IN THE LORD

What do you boast about? Come on, we all do it! Every one of us, even on our very worst days, finds reasons to boast, at least in our minds. “I’m so much smarter than he is!” “My clothes are way more fashionable than hers are!” “I can do this so much better than she can!” As you compare yourself with others, what have you been boasting about?

God knows we do this. God knows we’re constantly looking for reasons to feel good about ourselves. To boast about ourselves. So God gave his people this warning: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches” (Jeremiah 9:23). Huh. Aren’t those exactly the things that we tend to boast about? “Look at my wisdom and my strength and my wealth!”

Instead, God said, “But let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jeremiah 9:24). “If you’re going to boast,” God says, “boast about me and what I do for you.”

That will change your life. Constantly comparing yourself to others will always lead to discouragement and despair. But if you spend your days boasting of God’s grace and love and forgiveness to you in Jesus, you will always have reasons for hope and joy. Boast in the Lord!

https://upsidedownsavior.home.blog/2026/05/20/boast-in-the-lord-2/