Depression is a real thing. Millions deal with it. And, to put it a certain way, depression is no respecter of persons. It afflicts the famous, the unknown, and the bad and the good. Money won’t insulate us from it, and ignoring its destructive nature is not helpful, either.

Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

If you’re dealing with depression today, you know the reasons why. You are living in it and more than likely you’re aware of your circumstances.

What you can’t quite figure out is what to do about it.

The Bible tells us in plain language that God cares about us deeply as individuals. He is aware you are depressed, and His Son lived as a human on this earth.

Tell God all this, right now. Pour out your heart to him and hold nothing back. Then feel His light warm you. Let it lift your darkness.

He has come for you.

Let’s pray. Lord, give all those living in emotional darkness peace and rest today, right now. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

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Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ means that we don’t just sit in our houses and shut away the world.

Scripture is an action item.

Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

If the Bible is true—if God’s story intersects with our story—then a hurting world is in need of a Savior. The pain many are enduring will have no end until they meet the God-Man, Jesus. He is our healer and His glory fills the earth.

We all have different personalities and various methods of engaging with others. But whatever personality God has given us, we are tasked with sharing the life-giving news of Jesus and His sacrifice.

Get in the game and do that very thing! God has called you to share His salvation with anyone and everyone. Darkness can be oppressive.

The Light has come!

Let’s pray. Lord, you showed up in our world at precisely the moment we needed you most. Help us tell others that eternal story. Amen.

Do you want to inspire others with messages of faith, hope, and freedom in Christ? Share Jesus on a T-shirt! We call that T-shirt evangelism, and you can learn more about our products at Kerusso.com. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

When Isaiah the prophet wrote, the birth of Jesus was still almost 800 years away. Yet there is good reason to believe key parts of the book of Isaiah are pointing to the coming Savior.

Near the end of the book, we see this clearly.

Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

It is reasonable to believe that this has dual meanings. One, the prophecy speaks of the wise men from the East seeing the star in the sky. They then traveled to see the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

A longer view looks ahead far into the future, when Jesus will return to Earth and set up His Kingdom of righteousness.

As believers, we know what it feels like when the spirit of God dwells in us. It is that glow God intends for us to share with others.

Jesus has come! Share that Good News with all those you meet.

Let’s pray. Lord, your Gospel is our mission. Give us endurance for our race! Amen.

How can we pray for you today? Members of Team Kerusso meet on
a regular basis to pray, and we would be honored to pray for you. Visit Kerusso.com/pray to submit a request. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

Don’t you just love the diversity God put into the world? He created harmony and balance everywhere, including our individual “best time of the day” to be creative and productive.

Some are “up with the chickens,” as they used to say. Others burn a candle late into the night. Whatever time is your time to connect in positive ways, God made you to shine for His purposes.

Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

And we are to embrace our uniqueness. Just because your eyes don’t focus until later in the morning—after cups, plural, of coffee—that doesn’t mean you won’t hit the mark today. You were built for this, to be a light to others and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

So rise up, whenever that is for you, and make a promise to God that you will get everything out of today that you’re supposed to.

Rise and shine!

Let’s pray.

Lord, you made us to be a light in a world that is dark too often. Thank you for the opportunities to make a difference for you. Amen.

 
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Humans have a problem asking for help. Chalk it up to our proud hearts.

Often, when we are really up against it, that’s when we resist seeking help.

Jesus 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 a huge blessing? If so, mull that over. Take as long as you need. Then take one step toward Jesus and tell Him you need to ask for something.

The door will swing open wide.

Once you have your miracle, keep it close and share it with everyone you meet. Tell anyone who will listen that the Lord of the Universe cared about you and delivered you from a problem no one else could solve.

Let’s pray. Lord, please give us a heart that seeks you with all our hearts. We want to be obedient, and blessings will follow. Thank you.

Do you want to inspire others – or maybe even inspire yourself? Explore our entire collection of faith-based apparel, accessories, and gifts designed to shine a light for Jesus at Kerusso.com. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

 

You’ve heard of heat-seeking missiles. They are weapons so sophisticated that they appear to have a mind of their own. The missile is launched and finds its target and destruction happens.

What if a heat-seeking missile could be used for good? What if one has been launched…in your direction?

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.”

If you open your heart to God—even if you aren’t a believer—then it’s as if Jesus is now the missile launched and He is coming toward your still-beating heart. The heart that has been wounded. He finds you and connects in such a powerful way, but the connection is for life, and not for destruction.

The Word tells us to simply ask Him and He will find us.

Let’s pray. Lord, your unwavering promises to stay with us during trials is unique in history. Thank you for loving us that much. Amen.

Do you want to inspire others with messages of faith, hope, and
freedom in Christ? Share Jesus on a T-shirt! We call that T-shirt
evangelism, and you can learn more about our products at
Kerusso.com. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

 

The story of the Prodigal’s 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, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

We screw up sometimes. Maybe it’s so bad we can’t see a way back.

That’s when Jesus stretches out His arms and welcomes us home. He isn’t as concerned with where we’ve been as He is where we end up. His perfect love and forgiveness are the only real ointment for our self-inflicted wounds. If you think you’ve screwed up too much, put that out of your mind and simply tell Jesus you need Him.

Let’s pray. Lord, your willingness to welcome us back to fellowship is something to behold. We are grateful for your grace. Amen.

How can we pray for you today? Members of Team Kerusso meet on
a regular basis to pray, and we would be honored to pray for you. Visit Kerusso.com/pray to submit a request. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

 

Have you seen the film, “Saving Private Ryan?” If not, it’s about a group of American soldiers sent into enemy territory during World War 2 to find one lost soldier. The order comes from the top leadership.

This small group has single focus the whole mission. Eventually—at great cost—they locate him and return him to his loved ones. Much of it is difficult to watch, as we see the incredible sacrifice the many make to find the one.

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.”

Long ago, Jesus did the same thing for all of us. God sent His Only Son to find those that are lost.

If you feel totally lost, call on the Lord. Just tell Jesus you really need Him.

Then you’ll have your own memorable story to share! Jesus loves you and will find you if you call on Him.

Let’s pray. Lord, thank you forever for the sacrifice Your Son made for us, to take our sin. We love you for it. Amen.

Are you thirsty for more biblical encouragement in your day? Subscribe to the Kerusso Daily Devotional to read or hear content like this Monday through Friday at Kerusso.com/listen. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

Have you ever hunted and hunted for something, maybe your car keys, and you finally find them? The old saying goes that you found them in the last place you looked.

There’s a lot of truth to that.

It also is very relevant to our walk with Jesus. Often we work really hard to solve our own problems, then we give in and ask Jesus for help.

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.”

As with every other promise in the Bible, the really cool thing about this is, it is literally true. The promises that Jesus has made to you are literally true. So, for example, if you are looking for a solution to an impossible situation, ask Him.

It works!

Let’s pray. Lord, forgive us for not placing our trust in you all the time. You are our sustainer. Amen.

Do you want to inspire others – or maybe even inspire yourself? Explore our entire collection of faith-based apparel, accessories, and gifts designed to shine a light for Jesus at Kerusso.com. That’s K-E-R-U-S-S-O dot com.

 

 

Hurricane Dorian recently caused a lot of anxiety and destruction. Many of us worried about the east coast of our own country, but the Bahamas were hit really hard, with the storm basically stationary for many hours. Residents there hunkered down and sought higher ground, wondering when the onslaught would end, and the storm would pass. The physical damage left by the lengthy storm was devastating.

When the winds of life blow fiercely, rain pours down, and the water rises, it is tempting to give in to panic. In the midst of the storm, sometimes we let the noise and chaos of our present circumstances become louder than the voice of our Lord and Savior. The still small voice in our hearts may only be a whisper, but the power behind that presence outranks any circumstance of this life.

Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Jesus was not only with the people of the Bahamas, He is with you in every storm you face. He isn’t simply the fleeting ‘eye of the hurricane,’ either. His presence and power and love for us is greater than any storm life can hit us with.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you being our steadfast shelter, our provider and peace-giver in every situation. It’s who you are. No storm can shake us when we build on a foundation of faith. Amen.

Are you thirsty for more biblical encouragement in your day? Subscribe to the Kerusso Daily Devotional to read or hear content like this Monday through Friday at Kerusso.com/listen.