Kerusso Daily Devotional

You’ve probably heard of the Ingalls family, or even met some of the clan through the Little House on the Prairie television series, or the beloved children’s books about pioneer life in the 1860s by author Laura Ingalls Wilder. The story of the Ingalls family is inspiring, whether you watch it or read it. The fun and camaraderie shared by Charles, Caroline, Mary, Laura, and little Carrie is heart...

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three young men from Judah who found themselves in a heated situation. They were brought into the court of King Nebuchadnezzar II and ordered to bow before the king’s golden image. The alternative was a one-way ticket to the fiery furnace. The king’s command would have been easy for these guys to follow, but their own King of Kings had already commanded them to...

Are you a person that has walked away from your faith? Maybe you believed once, very much, but it faded over time. Maybe you accepted the promises of God for a little while, but then something else caught your eye. That’s not uncommon. Starting out on fire for God and then becoming weary is something many of us have dealt with. To use a flying analogy for our talk today, sometimes your flight of f...

Did you know God’s Word is indestructible? Many ancient books have been lost to history. Others sit still buried under the sands of the Middle East. But after thousands of years, the Bible is more widely read than ever. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the t...

Have you ever had the pleasure of waking up in a cozy cabin…after you’ve let the fire go out from the night before? If you don’t get out of bed and put more wood in that furnace, the squirrels or raccoons aren’t going to do it for you! Much more serious is the tendency to get lazy about the fire inside us to share the love of Christ. After so many years of being a Christian—especially living in a...

If you’re working your way toward belief and away from doubt, by now you must assume that God exists. Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what he promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but he is long suffering or extraordinarily patient toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.”  A corne...

A political science major at a major university was having coffee with a campus pastor. The pastor knew that the student was wrestling with doubt about the existence of God, and said to him, “John, you know, all of us wonder at some point if it’s all real or not. For example, there are quite a few stories in the Bible that are just hard to believe. Jonah and the whale and all that.” John smiled an...

Because there’s so much easy access to information and ideas today, we can take in a huge amount of stuff. The downside is that much of it is just noise, and a lot of it simply isn’t true. What we hear, even if it sounds good, is not always good for us, especially when we’re talking about spiritual doubt.  There are many opinions floating around out there on the subject. For instance, some will sa...

Have you ever wondered about how convinced well-known Christians are of their faith? We all know they never doubt, right? Wrong. A well-known preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said of doubt, “I think when a man says, ‘I never doubt,’ it is quite time for us to doubt him.” That is a fact of life for many of us, although most don’t like to admit it. In fact, doubt is mentioned often in the Bible. The...

Some of the most important conversations we have can be the most uncomfortable. And when it comes to faith, doubt is near the top of that list.  Today, we’re launching a five-part series on the topic of doubt. Many Christians wrestle with doubt, but who wants to admit that their foundational beliefs are not so firm? Not long ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, openly admitted that he’...

One of the richest gifts God has given us is healthy relationships. A marriage in balance, friends who mutually respect each other, and most of all, a strong “God connection” can be the ticket to a healthy, whole life. The full life Jesus spoke about! Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves togeth...

Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly around the world in 1964. Landing for a short stop in Saudi Arabia, she watched as a man approached her plane. When he saw her, he shouted to his friends that this was no man. They applauded! Jerrie Mock’s steadiness at the wheel and in her encounters on the ground were the very picture of self-control. Her journey was wildly successful. Titus 2:11–12 s...

Fighting one day in the tough Iraqi city of Fallujah, a Marine sergeant decided to put himself at risk in order to get a frightened family to safety. He stepped into a courtyard and spoke quietly for a few minutes with the father. He took time to make sure the kids had water, and the toys his men gave them. Then it was back to the war. Gentleness can be misunderstood. Too often we think, for examp...

Emma used her hand to brush her husband’s white hair from his forehead…Edgar was near death. Their marriage had been happy, and now she was saying goodbye. The nursing staff talked about the love between the two. Only three days after Edgar went into eternity, Emma joined him. The Bible often uses marriage as a backdrop for what God has done for us. We know that in earthly marriages, it’s importan...

It has been said that in the Fruit of the Spirit list, all of them collectively practically define the nature of Christ. Even David the shepherd knew his Messiah was coming. Remember what he said about following his loving God? “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life!” We instinctively know what goodness is. It is a kind touch, a gentle word, a gift that was unexpected. M...

The Apostle Paul wrote that believers are in a spiritual battle all the time against forces that are wickedly strong. He also maintains that we have the power of God with us in these battles, and this New Testament promise is an echo from the days of Joshua, the fearless Israelite commander in ages past. This mindset is a model for all of us.  Dick Winters was a 27-year-old first lieutenant when h...

Have you ever been in such a dark place that you wondered if God cares about you, or if He even exists? Maybe it’s all some cosmic joke, right? We’ve all been there. Humans doubt. We doubt ourselves, we doubt product labels, we doubt our kids. We question everything. But the worst one is trying to figure out where God is in the middle of life’s great difficulties. Sometimes the world is just flat-...

When Hurricane Katrina destroyed the church and home where E.J. Scott had pastored for 20 years, he and his wife found themselves living a bit like refugees in Dallas, Texas. After years of being strong for his flock, Pastor Scott needed something to strengthen his own faith. He was devastated. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him,...

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of the original settlers in America? As a person leaving the safety of England to come to the New World and start over? Those people came here for religious freedom and risked it all. And when they landed in New England, they literally put down roots as they built and planted the beginnings of an amazing experiment that is still ongoing...

In all the world, there are almost countless ways people try to find God. Some are drawn to the mystical, while others chase after the practical.  Does it work? God knew we would all look to fill the void in our spirits—the one put there when man first sinned. He also already knew what our escape route would be, the path back to Him. Romans 10:9–10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is...

From earliest times, God has commanded His people to see their national home through His holy eyes. In other words, countries around the world are to follow the Lord. Of course, many don’t. Jeremiah 30:22 says, “So you will be my people, and I will be your God.” Many great civilizations have risen, but few last beyond a couple hundred years. Although history is debated, the foundations of America...

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of the original settlers in America? As a person leaving the safety of England to come to the New World and start over? Those people came here for religious freedom and risked it all. And when they landed in New England, they literally put down roots as they built and planted the beginnings of an amazing experiment that is still ongoing...

Do you sometimes feel your job is just too much for one person to handle? Then let me introduce you to Franklin Roosevelt. “FDR” was the 32nd president of the United States. By a quirk of history, he found himself leading the free world during a crippling economic meltdown…and a world war! His story is important, as we explore faith in God and country this week. No one understood more than Rooseve...

We as Americans relish our history…famous eras and the glory of battle and all that. Americans love the beautiful land that we’ve been blessed with, as well. But the Bible tells us the true source of our blessings. It points us to the One who made all things possible. Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” We are in...

Do you ever stop and think about the routine things you do every day? Buying detergent so that you can wash your family’s clothes. Fixing a couple of boards on your deck. We even grind through staff meetings at work. All this of course, mixed with life, laughter, and love. But do you think about why you can do these things in our country? Primarily it’s because of the sacrifices of our fallen sold...