Kerusso Daily Devotional

We live in a broken world, and humanity is the most broken and imperfect of all God’s creation.   The world has a permanent OUT OF ORDER sign on it, and as a result, most of us are looking for answers to our questions, and solutions to our problems, in all the wrong places.   We place our trust in ourselves, in shallow standards of beauty, in money, and in our relationships with other people, hopi...

Family is a wonderful thing, and these relationships do so much to enrich our lives, but family makes a lousy god.   People sometimes think...if only my relationship was better with my dad, or if only I found a husband or wife, or if only we had kids — then life would be complete. A picture-perfect family is a blessing, indeed, but this is not where God wants us to seek meaning in our lives.   Fam...

What are you worth? This is an ugly question you’d never ask in polite company, although you may be curious about the answer.   “The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.” This anonymous quote serves us well in our discussion of what happens when we choose to follow dollar bills, instead of the Lord.   When we judge each other, and ourselves, by th...

Annual cosmetic industry sales in the United States are about $89.5 billion dollars. That’s nearly 90 billion, with a B, spent on makeup and personal care items including skincare, haircare, perfumes, toiletries and deodorants, and oral cosmetics.   For perspective, of 148 nations tracked in 2019 by TheGlobalEconomy.com, 126 of them had annual national expenditures of less than 90 billion dollars,...

Baal. Molech. Ashtoreth. Chemosh. Artemis.   These names may not ring a bell for you, but back in biblical times, these false gods and others were known as competitors for devotion alongside our one true God — the God of Israel.   If you aren’t a modern-day Bible scholar or a student of ancient history, these false gods may not be familiar, but make no mistake — just because we don’t use these sam...

Are you eager to share Christ? If so, good for you! Your boldness is seen by God our Father, and it pleases him.   Often though, we get a little frustrated, if we’re honest. It seems like not enough people are getting it. We want to see everyone find new life in Jesus!   When we think about sharing the Good News, it’s important to remember that God is responsible for the harvest. We just have to b...

We’ve all known kindness. It might have been a Sunday school teacher, or maybe it was Mom listening to our bad day.   But how often do you actually think about the importance of kindness? Is it an active part of your day? If not, you’re missing the point.   1 Corinthians 13:4–5 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others,...

Jesus is always our standard.   Moments after He picked the 12 disciples, Jesus was standing at the base of a mountain, teaching the people. He told them many things, but one thing really stands out: He told them how to treat each other.   Jesus had a way with stories. Narrative was the way He told people what He wanted them to remember. And it was then that Jesus used an image of the good gifts G...

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be an original settler 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. 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 ongoing.   Colossi...

Have you ever thought about the fact that you have an obligation to defend our nation’s freedoms? You live in the Land of the Free; your contributions are needed. We all have a role.   Joshua 1:9 commands us, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Sure, maybe you’re not a Navy SEAL. Ma...

Joseph was a hardworking tradesman who God hand-picked from all the men in the world to be the earthly father of His own Son, Jesus Christ. What an honor! And in some ways, what an incredibly challenging task.   Joseph wasn’t a king, a politician, or a recognized leader of any kind when he was betrothed to a young woman named Mary. A simple carpenter, he was also a man of compassion. When he learn...

The story of the Prodigal Son is one we can all relate to. The Bible tells the story of a brash young man who leaves his home after asking for his inheritance. His loving father complies and let’s just say the son learns some valuable lessons on his travels.   Eventually he humbles himself and comes home; he needs his father and his family.   It is really a story of Jesus and us.   Matthew 7:7, “A...

Even though most U.S. homes have at least one copy of the Bible, few know what’s in it.   There are all sorts of things: wisdom for living, history, spiritual food. It’s the Bible’s practical value that hooks most people who read it. The Bible says a lot about money, how to raise kids, and even how to strengthen your marriage.   It also says a lot about forgiveness. Forgiveness is mentioned dozens...

Many modern phrases have their origins in the Bible. A couple that come to mind are, “She’s worth her salt,” or, “He is the salt of the earth.” They remind us of what Scripture says when using salt as an analogy.   Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and tr...

A farmer, perhaps more than most, knows something about faith.   Harvest time captures much of our attention and all the good press, but the farmer’s careful planning, toil, and belief in the outcome are all necessary to reach that moment of glory.   First, the farmer must decide what to plant in his fields. What do history and the Farmer’s Almanac say about likely weather patterns in a given year...

Solomon was king after his famous father, David, in ancient Israel. He also became insanely wealthy. According to the world’s standard, he had everything.   Everything except peace later in life. In this way he was like a modern person, because truthfully, people’s natures never really change over time. It’s one of the things we have talked about this week.   Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made e...

History tells us that God exists. Really, it does. And even if you aren’t interested in history, you might be interested in a few quick examples.   At the battle of Gettysburg, when the United States was about to be ripped apart by civil war, General Lee’s attack plans were lost by an officer and found by Union soldiers. This helped turn the tide of the battle, and led to victory and reconciliatio...

Since the beginning of time, millions of people have denied the existence of God. They are called different names: unbelievers, atheists, maybe agnostic. Many of them have quite a bit to say about it, and have even become famous doing so.   God also has something to say about it. A fascinating verse in the Bible speaks directly to this question of the existence of God, and it also speaks to our di...

In an age of technology booms and information-sharing, it’s amazing how lonely we have become. Everything and everyone is connected, but does all that online connection ever leave you feeling disconnected in real life? Do you feel alone?   If you do, you are listening at the right time this week as we are reminded that God’s timing is always perfect.   Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everythi...

Where are you at today? I don’t mean the freeway 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.   Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the huma...

We often hear that it’s harder to raise kids today than ever before. That isn’t true, of course. All eras down through history have been challenging. We live in a world scarred by sin, after all, and children grow up among all sorts of temptations.   That’s why the role of a parent is something to take seriously, as a sacred duty.   We’ve been discussing the best practical guide for living: the Bi...

If you’ve been fortunate to hold a newborn, you know what it’s like to be thunderstruck by the delicate features. Everything in miniature.   And then the eyes open. You’re in love.   Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”   A baby is a blessing and gift from the Lord. All life is precious; it doesn’t matter if the parents are famous or completely obscure. In that warm bun...

Picture what it would be like to lose everything in one fell swoop. Your house burns to the ground. The stock market plummets and all your money is gone. Worst of all, your children fall ill and die. Suddenly, you’ve lost not only your material possessions, but your family, too.   When people refer to someone as having “the patience of Job,” they say that for a reason.   Job was a man of immense w...

One of the things that mark a healthy society is the consistency between generations. In other words, adults who care about the future of their children will invest the time to make sure tomorrow is bright.   God the Father is the ultimate parent, and we would do well to model His love for us.   Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and neve...

Moses was the father of two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, and he also served as a father figure to the entire Hebrew people as they escaped from slavery in Egypt.   He loved his people, and helped discipline and provide for them on their 40-year journey to the Promised Land. Imagine leading a frustrated, tired, hungry group of travelers through the desert — without air conditioning or handheld electr...