Kerusso Daily Devotional

If you’re working your way toward belief and away from doubt, by now you must assume that God exists.  2 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.”  The corners...

When you think of ships, whether you’re thinking of the Titanic, pirate ships of yore, or trading vessels crossing the vast ocean to bring goods and services from one country to another, you probably picture them with an anchor—a heavy metal hook designed to catch on the ocean floor and keep a boat or ship in place. Wikipedia says this about anchors: There are two main types of anchors: temporary...

As humans, we compartmentalize, don’t we? By that we mean, it is in our nature to rank priorities, then even lose sight of some of them. This can often lead us to confusion about which direction we’re supposed to go. This confusion can even extend to faith itself. We wonder, “When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to act on faith?” Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times:...

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’s questioned if God is real. When the head of the Church of England says something like that, it makes news. But something interesting came from Welby’s honesty. He revealed his humanity. It turns out that the...

In all the world, there are almost countless ways people try to find God. Some people 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, ‘Je...

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, 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 free country—...

Kerusso exists to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but somehow in our information-jacked world, culture has moved further away from understanding who the most famous person in history really is.  Millions of books and articles have been written about a carpenter who lived in the Middle East 2000 years ago, and Jesus has been identified as anything from a desert mystic to God Himsel...

Some of the greatest stories of believers down through time have involved those who really studied God’s Word. These people have gone before us to show us the way. From Charles Spurgeon to a missionary mother in China, daily study of the Word, and prayer, prepared them to mentor entire generations. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” We also read in Romans 10 t...

Sweat was pouring off Peter as he moved to protect Jesus. As Roman soldiers held the one who had been labeled a heretic, Peter drew a sword and cut off a soldier’s ear. And he was stunned when Jesus told him to put the sword away. You see, Jesus knew infinitely more than Peter or anyone else. He knew the end from the beginning, and He knew He had an agenda to see through to the end. Peter couldn’t...

Sharing our faith should be exciting to us. It is exciting. When we consider the free grace God gave us through His Son, telling others about Jesus should be on our priority list every day. For whatever reason, many find it very awkward to talk to others about Jesus. We can talk about just about anything else, though. That’s why it’s crucial that we look at sharing the Gospel as an intentional thi...

Spring is the season of new life. As we finish up our series on the Psalms, we come to the most famous one of all. Psalm 23:1–2 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”   This psalm contains some of the most famous words ever written. It has everything: beautiful language, a man’s raw honest hear...

Does your love for God make your heart sing? The psalms, many of them, were written as songs of worship. King David in particular loved to sing praises to His Lord. Whether he was tending his flock under a night sky, or sitting in his palace in Jerusalem, David had a heart for the Lord. Psalm 104:1 says, “Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and...

Watching little kids perform on stage at school or at church is the best, isn’t it? It can be quite entertaining. There are always a couple of shy violets, but many of them sing their hearts out, fidgeting with excitement and performing actions to accompany the songs with gusto. If Grammy awards were doled out based on sheer enthusiasm, kids in elementary and Sunday School programs would probably...

Nothing is more basic to life than creation itself. The Bible tells us that God alone has the power to truly create, and the beauty of language in Psalm 139 explains this fully. Some believe the psalmist was writing in part about the creation of Adam. Psalm 139:1–3 says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You disce...

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the collection of songs known as “Psalms,” originally written as music for worship, especially in the Temple in Jerusalem.   Today, we celebrate them as prayers for the most part, and they give us a beautiful picture of who God is. Psalm 1:6 says, “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” Trad...

One reason people use for rejecting the claims of Christ is that there somehow isn’t enough evidence to prove that the events in the New Testament actually happened. In other words, some say the Bible isn’t true. We’re talking about the life of Jesus this week. So, what is the true story? Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”  There are more than 25,000 an...

Who is the most loyal person you’ve ever known? A parent? Spouse? Friend? Truthfully, we all crave loyalty. It gives us a sense of safety. We feel that if there is some loyalty in our world, it’s like a warm blanket on a cold night. Life seems less scary. As we discuss the role of Jesus in our personal stories, it is good to remind ourselves often of ultimate loyalty. In turn, it encourages us to...

In the book of Romans, Paul tells us the evidence for the existence of God is so numerous in nature that anyone can believe in God. Surely one of the most compelling examples is in our night sky. When we look up at the heavens, it takes our breath away. The twinkling lights are like our own personal message from God. All those stars… Philippians 2:15 says, “Shine...like the stars in the sky.” Astr...

One of the biggest criticisms of those who follow Jesus Christ is that such a model is very exclusive. In other words, it seems on the surface that Jesus leaves some people out of the salvation plan, because He says that He is the only way to God. But what is He really telling us? John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through m...

When we as Christians talk about the saving power of Jesus, what exactly do we mean? In our discussion this week of this all-important topic, are we clear about who Jesus is?  Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” The facts are that Adam and Eve broke their faith in God by disobeying Him. Some dispute that this even happened in history, or some are just up...

It’s interesting watching the outcomes of people who refuse to give in to fear.  Many years ago, while America was going through a severe economic depression and a world war, President Roosevelt told Americans that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Those listening over the radio said later that they felt a great sense of relief just from his words! Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I...

When Hurricane Katrina rolled through, the spinning white satellite image on TV screens actually looked evil. For residents of New Orleans waiting for that hurricane, that’s exactly what it felt like. Thousands of people were affected by the brutal storm that poured in from the Gulf. In many ways, the city still hasn’t recovered. But in the chaos, God was there.   For more than 20 years, water pum...

The worst of times brings out the best in some people. As we think about sacrificing for others this week, we find some extraordinary stories. One such story from 70 years ago spotlights a very brave woman. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” During World War 2, Romanian Princess, Catherine Caradja, defied her government’s alliance with t...

Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, and mom. She knows something of how fear can derail a person’s entire life. You see, Debbie wrestled with fear and anxiety for years. And her recovery didn’t happen overnight, but she did come to think about it all in a different way.  She turned to the Lord, and He showed her practical things she could do to alleviate her fear.  Now, for one thing, she...

Would it surprise you to know that God has always been interested in you? Did you know He knew you before you were born? He has a vested interest in how your life turns out. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He isn’t some remote deity. God doesn’t pay attention only most of the time. He doesn’t form His plans here and there. He is there for us all the time. The quest...