Kerusso Daily Devotional

It’s been said that grace is simply favor from God, and we didn’t do anything to earn it. Often, grace comes when we need it the most.    The word grace is used about 170 times in the Bible. Most of those occur in the New Testament as the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ unfolds. His sacrifice for all of us, dying on the cross for our sins, was the backdrop for a lot of other moments in grace He g...

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 ke...

Theresa Rosenthal had a rough start in life. She watched her father abuse her mother, and then when she was six, a family friend sexually abused her. Like so many that suffered at the hands of a predator, Theresa pushed the pain down into a secret place, and for decades, she battled with depression and substance abuse. Finally, one day she was sitting in front of her house and just blurted out to...

“Mom—I broke something! I’m so sorry!”   Benjamin had slipped on the wet bathroom floor and managed to take down the shower curtain and curtain rod in one fell swoop.   His mom’s concern wasn’t the state of the shower curtain, but whether the broken something was an arm or leg. Thankfully, her son wasn’t hurt, and fixing the curtain was a lot easier than mending a broken bone. A reassuring hug fro...

Have you ever thought much about grace? We hear the word, but the concept itself might be a little elusive. That might be because it’s hard for humans to understand and embrace.   Grace means simply that someone gives you something with no strings attached. Just for your good.   Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gi...

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,...

One of the extraordinary stories in the Bible involves a young woman named Rahab. This story beautifully expresses God’s love for all people.   Rahab lived in the Canaanite town of Jericho, which was near the border of the Promised Land God had promised to His people, who had been wandering for years in search of a home after slavery in Egypt.   Because the Canaanites were so powerful, Joshua sent...

Have you ever gotten so tired of life that you wished you could disappear and start over somewhere else? Ever wish that fantasy would just pull you out of your circumstances? They make movies about things like that, but it’s not real.   John 14:2,3 says, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepar...

God does things on a big scale, but He’s also in the details. He knows our thoughts, hopes, dreams, and every detail of our lives.    John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   In Ecclesiastes, God spends considerable time speaking to our innermost needs. Through the stories of Paul and the...

Have you ever gotten tired of treading water?   Martha is a 20-something-old lifeguard in Los Angeles. Besides dealing with deck chairs purposely thrown into the water and parents asking her to babysit poolside, she’s noticed another aspect of the job that really tugs at your heart. “Kids pretend to drown in the pool so that I will pay attention to them.”    Wow. Think about that.   At a young age...

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...

Who likes to wait for what we need or want? Basically—nobody.    Of those nine elements that make up the Fruit of the Spirit, patience may be the hardest.    Romans 8:25 says, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” And patience is learned, which makes it one of the sweetest fruits the Spirit gives us. Waiting for a payoff of some kind makes the end result that much...

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 e...

Giving kindness is healing for the soul.   A viral video made the national news: a police officer cut the hair of a prisoner being released so that he could go on a job interview. It was one of those inspiring “random acts of kindness” we love to hear about.   Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”   The thing that made Jesus stand ou...

It's 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 his loving God? He said, “Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”   We instinctively know what goodness is. It’s a kind touch, a gentle word, a gift that was unexpecte...

Of all the themes of the Bible, God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, is the greatest example. It's the most critical element in a person’s life, and the choice to receive it is ours.    The Bible tells us that before the world was created, God already had a plan to redeem mankind from sin. And because He knows all, He already knew what would take place in the Garden of Eden. Acts 1...

Have you ever felt a surge of pride because you had it all together? As if your brains and talent and charm was just dazzling to the whole world?   It sounds funny, but let’s be honest. We’ve all at some point thought quite a lot of our own abilities. Pride—something God hates—trips us up. We are flying high…   And then the crash comes.   Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your ne...

The lack of gratitude in our world can be contagious. It’s kind of like a negative “pay it forward.”   How did we get to this place?    Are we too prideful to thank each other, or even to thank God? Too busy? Too self-absorbed, maybe?   As believers, we know life is a rich blessing from God. The clearest path to becoming a person of gratitude is to choose it. If we don’t choose gratitude, we choos...

As humans, we tend to have a problem asking for help. We can chalk that up to our proud hearts. Often, when we are really up against it, that’s when we resist seeking help.   The God of the universe does away with all that.   Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”   Ask yourself: is my pride keeping me from asking for help?...

What would you think is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for us as we try to live our lives with integrity?   If you said “pride,” you win! The Bible tells us that the sin of pride can lead to a whole range of bad outcomes.   Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”   Walk humbly? Wow, that can be the most difficult p...

Have you ever wondered what your place in this world is? Of course, you have. That’s the human experience.    Alone with our thoughts, we wonder who we even are, and what we are meant to do. It’s a mysterious journey, but the fog lifts and the way becomes clear when we get to know King Jesus.   Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prep...

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. I think we can all agree about that. A huge wave of despair can seemingly come out of nowhere, and push us toward disaster.   Anita’s life was like that, growing up in Hong Kong where revolutionary movements brought violence and loss of hope. She couldn’t see how the pieces of her life could be put together. She would ask herself, “How do you make peace with a p...

Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form as part of religion? We become so good at it, so obsessed with it, that we lose sight of the essence of what it means to be a Christian.   To know God.   That is the primary purpose of our journey, and it will be the end of our journey. It is so foundational to who we are as humans that even the great Moses basically begged God to let him see...

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is widely looked upon as the most famous painting in the world.   By some historical estimates, the Mona Lisa took as many as 16 years to finish! Capturing Mona Lisa’s famous smile on a poplar plank was no hack job; Leonardo accepted a commission for the work in the year 1503, and completed his masterpiece supposedly around the time of his death in 1519. Clearly,...

Do you struggle to wonder what God’s will is for your life?   Many of us do.   Although it isn’t a quick answer, the best way to find God’s will for your life is to read His Word. The Bible will tell you the answer to that question.   Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”   Actually, finding God’s will isn’t the hardest part. Deciding to follow His will is where we get t...