Kerusso Daily Devotional

Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday—it’s an attitude we can choose to fill our hearts with every day. The Bible shares many examples of gratitude in the midst of challenging circumstances. Imagine Mary, a young Galilean girl, given the news that she was to be the mother of the Messiah. She didn’t panic or protest. Instead, she embraced the news and nurtured the One who would bring healing to the who...

New York Times writer Arthur Brooks once cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for his in-laws in Spain. Over dinner, a couple of questions were asked. The first, “What does this beast eat to be so filled with bread?,” and then, “Should you celebrate this holiday even if you don't feel grateful?” The first question is just funny. The second should give us all pause. Being grateful is a state of mind....

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist working for education and women. In 2005, while riding on a bus, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban, and the attack was revenge for her activism. Incredibly, Malala recovered from her gruesome injury and today considers herself an ambassador of gratefulness.  Here’s a quote: “I can speak. I can see you, I can see everyone, and today I can s...

You’ve heard that every good thing comes from God, right? It’s true. He is our example, both of how to live and how to react to others. This week we’re talking about practicing gratitude, and as usual, God shows us the way. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Often we can become disappointed if we don’t get everything we think we should have. But...

Isn’t it fascinating that a secular definition of the word blessed is “made holy; or consecrated.” It seems the whole world really knows, even deep down, that blessings are from God. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” As we focus on thankfulness and blessings this week, in this season of Thanksgiving, we are instructed to actually thank God for t...

Since before the world was created, God has had a master plan to deliver people from evil. He cared for us so much that he was willing to endure pain to redeem us. In Acts 14:20, we read about Jesus and the disciples preaching in a city called Derbe. It says that Jesus then was busy, strengthening the souls of His disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many t...

That song, Are You Lonesome Tonight by Elvis was a mega hit. And it’s been around a long time. Why? Because it’s a universal story. Everyone gets lonely sometimes.  God knew we’d battle loneliness. He knew our world would present a crazy number of challenges, and that’s why He spends so much time in His Word reassuring us of His love and commitment to us.  The Psalms are largely about David’s lone...

Janet remembered how alive she had felt when she was disciplined in her prayer life and Bible study. She surprised herself one day when she blurted out, “I could think clearer, before I got mentally lazy!” Just saying it out loud kicked her out of the fog that she’d been in since forever. Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and se...

Kelly had felt alone for years. Since childhood, in fact. At 26, she didn’t like it anymore and she decided to do something about it. Not a naturally outgoing person, Kelly began volunteering in a local women’s shelter. She learned quickly to listen to other people’s problems she had herself never experienced, and she found that helping someone else made her feel better—physically and emotionally....

It’s amazing how important the right perspective is in helping us maintain a healthy balance in every area of life. Alphonse Karr has said, “Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I’m grateful that thorns have roses.” Isn’t that amazing? It’s so common to gripe and complain about negatives, yet we don’t see the great things right in front of our faces. Derek Carpenter has written, “The benefi...

Charles McGee is one of those improbable heroes. Part of the reason is because he started life with obstacles to overcome—just because of the color of his skin. He is now the last surviving member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. This was an incredible group of pilots made up of African Americans during World War 2. He pushed to achieve great things, and God was with him every step.  1 John 5:4 says...

Donna and Betty were sisters, but in midlife they were both tired of the fighting and the mistrust and the hurt. Each had their grievances. Both were stubborn. Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!” At one particular time of the year, Betty heard this verse spoken in a service. And here’s an ironic thing: of the two sisters, most people would agree...

In May 1962, an intimidating figure delivered a final public speech at West Point Military Academy. Douglas MacArthur, who led America to victory in the Pacific during World War 2, addressed cadets. He told them simple truths, ones that define honor and glory. The hall was completely still as the old general spoke in hushed tones. Everyone heard him speak of the honorable soldier who must rely on...

Joshua was called by God to lead the 12 tribes of Israel after the death of Moses. Those were some pretty big shoes to fill, and the Lord chose Joshua because he was faithful. Joshua knew that when he called on God in times of trouble, He would answer. In one powerful example, Joshua asked God to cause the moon and the sun to stand still so that he and his army could continue fighting a difficult...

Seventy five years after he landed in France to help the Allies liberate Europe from Nazi control, Russell Pickett stood at attention as the President spoke. A private in 1944, Pickett was now receiving the adulation of a grateful nation. He knew firsthand the reality that there is very little glory in war death. And yet here his country was honoring his service in that memorable conflict. The Pre...

Have you ever been really angry at someone, and had a tough time letting it go? Maybe a work colleague let you down, or got you in trouble with the boss. Maybe family drama is dragging you down, and there are unresolved hurt feelings. Maybe your spouse betrayed you, and you aren’t sure how to move past it. Unforgiveness in our lives is painful, and as believers, it can affect our prayer life, and...

In thinking about different kinds of love, it’s a beautiful thing to realize that God has placed certain people in our lives for specific reasons. Friendship is one of His greatest gifts to us, of all time. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Do you have someone in your life that’s not blood-related, but it sure feels like it? In fact, beautiful...

You’ve heard that joke about family gatherings, haven’t you? If you weren’t related to these people, you’d never see them. What a horrible punchline, really. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” God’s world has purpose in everything. Everything. He gave you a specific family for specific reasons. It’s super easy to be nice to...

As citizens of the United States of America, our nation’s leaders have always acknowledged God, even if some of them haven’t always been model Christians. For one thing, no one can occupy the Oval Office and not lay aside some pride. And if our nation’s spiritual health has sometimes been less-than-desired, there is a unity that we all enjoy. This community spirit has made America a very interesti...

You may have heard someone say before that they’ve put down deep roots. Usually, they’re not talking about gardening, but about the roots of their lives. Family. Friends. A career. A church home. We all want to belong. We want to be planted deep in the soil of community. Colossians 2:6–7 says, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built...

Jesus, the greatest teacher who ever lived, spent a lot of time giving out wisdom in the form of stories. Once, he told His disciples a story that illustrated the importance of understanding that God never quits us, and we should not quit Him. Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” That story was about a woman who didn’t g...

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-...

At an address in Columbus Ohio in 1900, former slave Booker T. Washington kept the room spellbound. This man, who had built Tuskegee Institute to lift blacks out of economic bondage, was revered around the world. But he said something that surprised more than a few in the audience. He said that one of his main priorities for the Institute was hiring more Bible teachers! Washington, who had been fo...

Bill was a very successful businessman for a lot of years. About 10 years ahead of retirement, he decided to entrust a lot of money to the investment wizardry of Bernie Madoff. And when Madoff’s Ponzi scheme imploded, Bill joined many others who now had to wonder where their money went. And he thought of suicide.  For fully two years, he struggled to get out of bed. He felt sapped of energy every...

Are you the kind of person everyone looks at and assumes you are strong and you have it all together? You too, huh? Many of us look fine on the outside, but the human condition is often much different on the inside. Proverbs 31:25 says this of a godly woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” As believers, we can laugh in the midst of struggle because Go...