Kerusso Daily Devotional

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son as told in Matthew Chapter 1, Verses 18–25   “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.   Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to...

Over 200 years ago, “Silent Night” was first heard by villagers attending Christmas Eve mass in St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria. Joseph Mohr, the young priest who wrote the lyrics, played the guitar and sang along with Franz Gruber, the choir director who had written the melody.   How did this simple tune, with its quiet words of comfort, become a beloved hymn of peace throughout the wor...

God gives us good gifts all the time. All through the year, not just at Christmas.   One of the truly joyful gifts is the ability to be kind to others. It sounds simple and maybe to some even quaint, but there is power in choosing to be kind.   Choosing to be kind. That’s one of our themes this week.   1 Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to, “Always be joyful.” Paul uses this chapter to describe the hea...

Jerry wasn’t very good at a lot of things. He was shy and his grades weren’t stellar. He was bullied at school.   Then he was given a part in the Christmas play at church. No one ever gave Jerry a part, but his Sunday school teacher took God’s Word to heart and knew that if she could help this shy boy, it could change his life. She knew that Jerry was good with mechanical things, so she put him in...

Phillips Brooks was the minister of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia and visited Bethlehem in December of 1865.   When Pastor Brooks traveled to the Holy Land, the journey included a horseback ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Back then, it truly was a small village, far removed from the bustling city it would later become. By nightfall, he was in the field where, according to...

Identifying where our problems originate is one thing, but locating the Divine Healer is key in getting clear of obstacles in our lives.    At each mile marker in our life journeys, God is standing alongside the road, smiling at us, and holding out his strong hand to guide us. And from the indispensable wisdom of scripture to stories of human triumphs over tragedies, He is always there reminding u...

In our humanness, we struggle at times to achieve peace.   World War 1 ended 100 years ago, and all sides joined together as a League of Nations to make that conflict the “War to end all wars.”   Then World War 2 happened.   Our history is littered with noble attempts to make things right, but only God can bring peace to nations, and to individuals. He has promised both! One day, He will make ever...

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's it found? Is it lasting?  ...

No one is truly alone. Some people have many relatives and friends, others just a few. Occasionally, someone will have no real friends or family, but all of us interact with humans, and that over time has proven to be dicey. The health of our relationships is one of the biggest factors in how we function each day.    Turmoil and chaos at home or work or both puts us in emotional quicksand. On the...

It’s all in how you see it.   The world we live in has plenty of problems, and they are huge. Don’t need to list them here, but it’s fair to say we even suffer from some existential threats.   And yet, God’s Word tells us that this present life can have, and does have, peace. That’s our connection this week.   Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”...

Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens.   The will is read by an attorney and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting.   The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you d...

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 great gifts to us, 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 is not blood-related, but it sure feels like it? In fact, often it...

It seems that a positive in our culture today is that we can admit our shortcomings.    In the past, it was sort of taboo to tell the world you were not exactly all put together. Back in the day, a hot mess usually referred to an overturned pot on the stove. But today we know the phrase ‘hot mess’ as a whole new meaning, and our lives are often exactly that.    Thank goodness that the outcome is n...

Beryl Markham could have given up her aviation dreams after crash-landing in Nova Scotia.   But she didn’t.   Instead, this determined woman became the first person to fly from England to North America. She later said that in order to move forward, we can’t stay in the past. In fact, she said, “Leave it the fastest way you can!”   This pioneer knew that staying stuck was not inevitable, that we mu...

Have you ever paused and thought about how rarely people see you for who you are? Have you ever done something that you feel is almost unforgivable? You need to know that that is not the way God wants you to feel.    Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me."   Some of the most famous people in history were very unrighteous at times. King D...

Keeping things simple is usually the best path forward. For Christians, that means following Christ’s lead in everything.   This includes sharing and standing for our faith.   The Bible is full of examples of how Jesus did this. Occasionally he got mad, as when he threw out the moneychangers. Other times he just quietly sat and taught what His Father had shown Him.   This is our model. When you sh...

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...

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 throu...

In the last century, a 4'10" woman from England answered the call of God to become a missionary in China. Her accomplishments there, especially in saving orphaned children during war and conflict, have made her sort of a legend.   Near the end of her life, Gladys Aylward gave an interview in which she said the most amazing thing — something that could only have come from the heart of a t...

Have you ever tried to follow God in a half-hearted way? You know what that means. You like the idea of God, but His perfect will for our lives also can feel restrictive.   That’s the moment you are walking along the highway of life completely alone.   Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall...

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 Carpent...

John Kralik was in a bad place. The LA attorney was generally miserable…divorced again, broke, and living in a dingy apartment with no air conditioning. He was also struggling to pay his employees because clients wouldn't pay him. Not exactly glamorous, but then John did an amazing thing. He decided he would concentrate on things to be grateful for, and follow that up with writing a thank you...

From the Bible, we know that a consistent heart of gratitude keeps us in harmony in our relationship with God, but in a practical sense, how do we maintain it and how can we be intentional?    A first clue is the example of Paul. Philippians 4:12–13 says, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger...

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...

Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us that a grateful heart and a positive outlook will do wonders for health and relationships. A person with a heart of gratitude will be seen by others who will want to follow, and see what he has going for him.   Such a person is a magnet for sharing the Gospel, and the greatest source of wisdom has much to say on the subject. Dozens of times in the...