Kerusso Daily Devotional

The action of sharing the Good News—the Great Commission—means that we don’t just sit in our houses and shut away the world.   Scripture is an action item.   Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”   If the Bible is true—if God’s story intersects with our story—then a hurting world is in need of a Savior. The pain many are enduring will...

If you’ve ever wondered what the best way might be to share your faith and defend it in the modern world, it might help to look at past examples.   In the Bible, the husband-and-wife team of Priscilla and Aquila shared Christ with Apollos, who would become a famous early evangelist. In colonial England, the abolitionist William Wilberforce shamed his own government into freeing slaves.   Jude 1:3...

Defending your faith can sometimes be a subjective thing. As examples of extremes, we’ve seen the Crusades, and at the other end of the spectrum, it’s perhaps an aggressive “pitch” to someone who isn’t a believer.   The thing is, it’s great to be zealous for our faith, but let’s also be disciplined. We don’t want to alienate a person who might otherwise listen. To put it simply: an angry Christian...

In every generation, it falls to believers to spend time in defending our worldview as Christians. And honestly, it’s not the nicest part of the gig—but it is part of the gig. Usually, it involves simply explaining what your faith is all about.    Followers of other religions do the same thing, but for us, we’re sharing the person of Christ with someone who may not know Him. That makes it a big de...

Most of us feel a deep respect in our hearts for those who have sacrificed so that we can remain free. Loving those who have paid the ultimate price is just something we do as people. We pause to remember each year.   Isaiah 56:5 says, “To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure fore...

Who do you put your faith in?   In the 1930s, as war approached in Europe, the British loved their monarchs. The royal family has been beloved for generations, and King Edward the 8th was ready to take his place on the throne after the death of his father.   The people loved the dashing young king, and he seemed to enjoy his role. And then he fell in love.   Falling in love isn’t a bad thing of co...

If Genesis describes the beginnings of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the book of Revelation finishes the story.   Revelation 19 tells us a descendent of Judah, Jacob’s son, will one day come and rule the whole world. And He will be unlike any other king in history.   1 Timothy 1:17, “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is G...

In the Bible, we read of family records that were the original genealogy sources. People knew where they came from, knew their kin. The 12 tribes of Israel were first outlined in Genesis, and from these 12 came an entire nation.   Even Jesus came from somewhere!   One of the Bible’s patriarchs, Jacob, had a son named Judah. The father calls the son a lion’s cub, and blesses him. Judah is told he w...

Have you ever heard of the legendary English king, Arthur? An iconic figure in history, he led a defense of his country against Saxon invaders around 1,500 years ago. He has also been immortalized in literature.   There’s only one problem: We don’t know if he actually existed. We certainly don’t know where he’s buried. And it’s a sure thing that King Arthur, if he lived, wasn’t history’s greatest...

Do you know Who Jesus is? Do you really understand His identity?   We know from the Bible that He is many things: a child, a carpenter, a leader of men. We know that He is our Savior, the One who went to the cross to take on our sin.   He is also our King.   1 Timothy 1:17, “All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.”...

Today we wrap up our series on finding contentment by discussing the source of true peace and happiness.    John MacArthur once wrote a book called Our Sufficiency in Christ. In it, he revealed the path to finding true peace and contentment, and he says there’s a single word that encompasses all the riches we find in Christ: Grace. What a magnificent word it is. It’s used more than 150 times in th...

Today’s message is really about taking the long view.    The human attention span is short, like really, really short. Between the world wars, Winston Churchill warned Europe that Hitler was a threat to the continent at least, but people ignored him. And then when the Nazis turned violent, the people turned to Churchill as their prime minister.    Having led the country through another costly war...

The big question for today is, can we find contentment in things?    Have you ever listened to a very successful person complain about the fact that his wealth doesn’t make him happy? How the success of life has left him or her empty? Of course, you have. We’ve all heard stories like that, but pay attention to that—because it’s really important.    Watch people roll their eyes when they hear those...

Today, our big question is, can we find contentment in relationships?    How many times has this scene been repeated? A guy sees a girl he can’t live without. He thinks she will bring him happiness—and for a while, that's how it plays out. But then one day he’s melancholy just like he used to be. Or how about the woman who believes marriage will fulfill her heart’s desires, but then over time...

The diversity of life on this planet is astonishing, good, bad, beautiful, painful. Our world is a place of blessing and it’s also a struggle for a lot of people. Each of us has a whole batch of issues to deal with every day, ranging from physical challenges to emotional needs. And a fascinating element in all this is how we see contentment.    What is it?  Where is it found?  Is it lasting?   Mat...

Jane was the last child to receive a handmade blanket from her great grandmother. Pink and blue, festooned with angels and sprinkled with stars that sparkled in the light, the much-loved blanket was the little girl’s constant companion.   This childhood treasure became even more important when Gramma Ann passed away—a reminder of her love for her family, and her faith in God.   Jane’s blanket kept...

Sandra was a single mom with little family support. Her ex was not exactly helping repair a tough situation. Her days slowed down only late at night when everyone else was asleep. That’s when fear got into bed with her…and wouldn’t budge.   Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they com...

Are you a woman blessed with the gift of a wonderful mother-in-law? We can hardly think of a more important relationship. Through the ages, this mentoring friendship has sealed families and nurtured them. Likewise, we easily see the pain inflicted when this relationship isn’t good.   In the Old Testament, we read of a really remarkable mother-in-law. She showed great kindness to a young woman at j...

She’s not very well known, even though she’s in the Bible. But Jochebed…who’s heard of her? Go ahead—raise your hands. This great woman deserves a bigger story in our culture because she modeled what it means to act with bravery, and to value all life.   Exodus 2:3 says, “But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the c...

Everyone loves the beauty of nature’s gems. The greens, blues, and reds of natural gemstones have set apart jewelry since the beginning of time. These precious jewels are relatively rare, and desired by people from all walks of life.   None more than the ruby.   The second hardest gemstone, rubies have always been striking for their deep reds that flash in the light. They have been used in the cro...

Welcome to the Kerusso Daily Devotional. Good morning…good afternoon…whatever time it is where you are. Where are you today? I don’t mean on the way to work or your kitchen or a doctor’s office. I mean, is your life stable? Are you on the right road?    Our topic this week is the perfect timing of God. You might be in an okay place, or you might be free-falling. As usual, God’s Word speaks to this...

You probably know whether you’re a morning or night person. Science has some good news for you early risers: Apparently, the early bird really does get the worm.   In a study of early risers versus night owls, researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered strong connections in the regions of the brain that can predict better performance and lower sleepiness; these areas were significantly...

Have you ever heard someone recall a tough time and be happy about it? Not very often, right?   We all go through stuff we’d rather forget. When tough times hit us without warning, it’s natural to just wish it could all be over— immediately! Humans are built to run from trouble. How do you grind through when it’s so bad you want to die?   Romans 5:3–4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our s...

In 1943, Winston Churchill wanted an invasion of Europe to defeat the Nazis, but the Americans weren’t ready. They were ready one year later. And when the Germans on the French beaches saw thousands of ships coming through the mist one morning, they knew Franklin Roosevelt, the American president, had been right to wait.    Now the allies were at full strength and aiming for victory. Timing saved...

Science. It’s pretty cool.    Did you know what we think of as a day—how long it takes the Earth to rotate—isn’t actually 24 hours. According to NASA, it’s 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.2 seconds. A day on the planet Mercury—it's a whopping 58 Earth days, 15 hours and 30 minutes.    Can you imagine a Monday that lasts over 1400 hours? Our Creator God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us the perfect...