Kerusso Daily Devotional

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 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 out to...

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 to find.   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...

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...

Of all the gifts God gives His children, joy is perhaps the one closest to heaven on earth.   Who isn’t aware just how wonderful it feels to experience true joy? It is as if the Lord has freed a prisoner.   When American POWs returned from captivity in Vietnam, the looks on their faces as they emerged from the planes carrying them to freedom…well, no one will ever forget that!   Psalm 16:9 says, “...

The Bible is famous for speaking in parables and metaphor. One of the most famous is found in one of Paul’s letters, in which he tells us the benefits of a life in Christ.   The “Fruit of the Spirit” is a list of nine attributes that a person filled with the Holy Spirit will model for the world. It’s probably no coincidence that Paul starts with…Love.   Galatians 5:22–23 says, “By contrast, the fr...

From earliest times, God has commanded His people to see their national home through His holy eyes. In other words, countries around the world are to follow the Lord. Of course, many don’t.   Jeremiah 30:22 says, “So you will be my people, and I will be your God.”   Many great civilizations have risen, but few last beyond a couple hundred years. Although history is debated, the foundations of Amer...

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of the original settlers in America? As a person leaving the safety of England to come to the New World and start over?   Those people came here for religious freedom and risked it all. And when they landed in New England, they literally put down roots as they built and planted the beginnings of an amazing experiment that is still ongoi...

Do you sometimes feel your job is just too much for one person to handle?   Then let me introduce you to Franklin Roosevelt.   “FDR” was the 32nd president of the United States. By a quirk of history, he found himself leading the free world during a crippling economic meltdown…and a world war! His story is important, as we explore faith in God and country this week.   No one understood more than R...

We as Americans relish our history…famous eras and the glory of battle and all that. Americans love the beautiful land that we’ve been blessed with, as well.   But the Bible tells us the true source of our blessings. It points us to the One who made all things possible.   Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”   We...

Do you ever stop and think about the routine things you do every day?   Buying detergent so that you can wash your family’s clothes. Fixing a couple of boards on your deck. We even grind through staff meetings at work. All this of course mixed with life, laughter, and love.   But do you think about why you can do these things in our country?   Primarily it’s because of the sacrifices of our fallen...

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.   Then he fell in love.   Falling in love isn’t a bad thing, even f...

If Genesis describes the beginnings of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the book of Revelation finishes the story.   Revelation 19 tells us that 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...

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.   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 rule...

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.”...

Have you ever had a power outage and pulled out your favorite flashlight, only to discover the batteries are dead? Bummer, am I right?   How about light bulbs? For some reason, they all seem to go at the same time, leaving you in the shadows and looking for that flashlight — you know, the one with the dead batteries!   Light bulbs burn out, tires go flat, umbrellas turn inside out on a windy day,...

Noah was far from perfect, but he was a humble man, and protective of his family. He stands out among fathers in the Bible as a man who remained loyal to God, in spite of the wickedness of the world around him.   Doesn’t that sound a lot like life today? Fathers who choose to follow a life of faith are surrounded by temptation and downright evil in this world, but God is pleased by our devotion, a...

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...

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...

Do you tend to be a fair-weather friend? Do you stay strong when times are good, but run away if things are difficult? Nothing will ruin a relationship more than that.   Let’s be honest here: There is someone in your life who needs your help and strength. Maybe you need to step it up in that area.   Jesus is a perfect example of loyalty to others; by following His lead, we can learn what genuine l...

Modern society lives in a constant state of discontentment, and the messaging we hear on a daily basis constantly entices us to buy into that state of being.    Our home or mobile phone or television is too small, too basic, too old.  Our hair is the wrong color, cut, or texture, our faces are too plain, and the shape of our bodies...imperfect, obviously.  We don’t drive the right car, wear the ri...

Abby was in a funk. She was on the outs with her two best friends, her part-time job at a local restaurant needed her for way more hours than she wanted to give, and her beloved childhood dog was on his last summer, according to the vet.    When she headed back home after her freshman year of college, Abby was looking forward to reconnecting with friends from high school and taking it easy, but it...

Have you ever been downright stuck in a difficult situation? Maybe you’ve held a job with a colleague or supervisor you didn’t see eye to eye with, and other career opportunities were scarce. Maybe you’ve been halfway through the semester and realized you’re headed for a poor grade, but it’s too late to drop the class. Maybe you’ve struggled in a relationship with a spouse or close family member,...

David, the giant-slaying boy who would eventually become king of Israel, is mentioned over 1,000 times in the Bible. The youngest of eight children, David grew to become a powerful king, and some say he was also the original pop star, penning most of the 150 psalms included in the Bible. These songs were the hymnbook for Old Testament Jews, and continue to inspire well-known musical works today, i...

When someone asks how you’re doing, what is your typical response? Many of us give a quick, “I’m fine, thank you,” or, “Doing great!” Even if we’re actually struggling. It’s easier not to dive into a verbal rundown of our discontent if we aren’t really fine, and things aren’t so great, after all.    As followers of Jesus, we are called to curate contentment in our lives. That doesn’t mean we have...