Kerusso Daily Devotional

Do you get tired of being alone or afraid? Have you had enough of feeling like you can’t take any more stress? If you’re honest with yourself, there are times when you think you’re just going to lose it.   The cares of this world can be like that. You stress about not having enough money each month just to pay your bills. You can’t sleep at night because your mind is racing, striving to create a w...

In a world so filled with war and suffering and human conflict, it’s pretty hard to focus on just what can be done. And sadly, we can fall into a bad habit of just looking for revenge. This revenge can almost seem good, since we want bad characters brought to justice.   But God has a better way.   Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbl...

Are you struggling right now? Are you listening to this while gripping the steering wheel, wondering how you’re going to go on? You have so many burdens!   First Thessalonians 5:23 says, “May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.”   He has a purpose for...

Humans often get things backwards, to the point of being comical.   Case in point, the little story in the book of Jonah, about the plant God provided for the prophet’s shade.   You’ve heard about Jonah and the great fish, of course. As a prophet and evangelist, God had sent him there to preach and when the people repented…Jonah was mad!   He sat looking over the city after God had spared it and b...

You’ve heard the joke about family gatherings, haven’t you? If you weren’t related to these people, you’d never see them. What a horrible punchline, really. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” God’s world has purpose in everything. Everything. He gave you a specific family for specific reasons. It’s super easy to be nice to p...

One of the things that sets God apart from all others is His ability to tell us what is going to happen. We read about this in Isaiah 46, where He says only He knows the end from the beginning.   An amazing example of this is found in Psalm 22, and it’s almost surprising how many people are not aware of it.   Psalm 22:11 says, “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help...

As humans, we compartmentalize, don’t we? By that we mean, it is in our nature to rank priorities, then even lose sight of some of them. This can often lead us to confusion about which direction we’re supposed to go.   This confusion even can extend to faith itself. We wonder, When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to act on faith?   Psalm 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at all...

Life is a process. We know that if we’ve lived very long at all. And this week, we’re talking about the process of trusting God.   John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”   Could Jesus meet our needs by just giving us something instantly? Of course. He made everything! And sometimes He does that; the miracles...

Even during times of calm and security, the honest truth is, there are very few examples of really strong and steady leaders.   It’s a given then that when times are scary, brave leaders that reassure us are really rare!   The Bible speaks of one such person.   Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God wi...

When Richard Winters stood in the doorway of a huge glider in the pre-dawn over Normandy, France, he thought about a lot of things. The young Army captain was preparing for the invasion of Europe, to free the continent from the Nazis.   He knew one thing first: he couldn’t survive on his own skill.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understandin...

We think of her as a genteel Southern lady, and she was that, for sure.   But Ruth Bell Graham was so much more. While her husband was away so much, preaching to the masses, she was preaching to her own little flock. The result was children who became adults, and in turn shared the Good News of Jesus with others.   Anne Graham Lotz and Franklin Graham didn’t just fall out of the sky!   Proverbs 27...

Some of the greatest stories of believers down through time have involved those who really studied God’s Word. These people have gone before us to show us the way. From Charles Spurgeon to a missionary mother in China, daily study of the Word, and prayer, prepared them to mentor entire generations.   Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”   We also read in Romans...

Have you had an experience in your life that has prepared you for helping others? Has life dealt you circumstances that speak to a situation in a younger person’s life? If so, you might be ready to help in such a way that will bring honor and glory to God. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” The apostle Paul suffered much for his faith in Christ. Beyond a drama...

Do you struggle with being humble, and yielding to God’s will? Most of us do. This extends to accepting an iron-sharpening-iron relationship He has set in our path. Yet the benefits are so good for us. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Make no mistake, God sets people in our path for a reason. That Bible teacher in your church might have words of wisdom for y...

The Bible is full of wonderful analogies. One of the best is found in Proverbs, which paints a picture of godly mentoring and accountability.   Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”   The idea is that as pieces of iron are drawn against the other, each piece becomes sharper. A further application is made in Hebrews 4:12, which talks about Scripture as being a dou...

The area surrounding Ein Gedi, near the Dead Sea, is bleak. Desert scenes and HOT temps! It isn’t a place you’d go just for fun.   It really wasn’t fun when David was hiding from King Saul. The guy who whipped a rock at Goliath’s head was already a legend among the people. Saul couldn’t stand that, and so he did what power-hungry leaders do: he decided to eliminate the competition. David hid from...

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...

Watching little kids perform on stage at school or at church is the best, isn’t it? There are always a couple of shy violets, but many of them sing their hearts out, fidgeting with excitement and performing actions to accompany the songs with gusto.   If Grammy awards were doled out based on sheer enthusiasm, kids in elementary and Sunday School programs would win every year. They simply can’t con...

Most of us assume that if Jesus had a driver’s license, his listed name would be “Jesus Christ.”   That’s kind of funny, but as usual, our puny human perceptions can’t define Him and box Him in. The Bible tells us in fact that Jesus has many names, each a shining facet of Who He is.   He is called the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end. Elsewhere He is referred to as the Prince of Peace.  ...

Few of us enjoy chaos. It’s just too... chaotic , right?   The human mind needs order and peace, yet we live in this messy world. Stuff is flying by all the time, and we duck.   Our relationships are a mess, and we have to schedule that root canal...while simultaneously making dinner and cleaning the house.   Is there a way out?   Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the...

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...

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 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 Him. S...

When the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened in 2011 in Arkansas, the vast sum of money spent on art caught some off-guard. One painting in particular, “Kindred Spirits,” was sold to Alice Walton for the museum for $35 million dollars!   It’s a beautiful painting, for sure. Two men are standing on a bluff, overlooking a scene of mountains and a river.   Some might have an issue with the...

It’s kind of fun in those moments when the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, to think about the Big Questions. You know the list.   Why am I here?   What is the meaning of life?   A question that people from ancient times to now have asked is, why in the world, literally, did God create people? We are a handful, as past generations used to say. We mess up. Sometimes we’re on our way to bein...

Of the many gods throughout world history, almost none of them seem to care about individuals. They might alter the weather so that crops can’t grow. Or cause some global upheaval.   But only one claims to care about you.   Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”   Isn’t that amazing? The story is that Jesus left His place of royalty in heaven to come to Ear...