Kerusso Daily Devotional

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 together. Back in the day, a “hot mess” usually referred to an overturned pot on the stove.

But today, the phrase “hot mess” has a whole new meaning. Our lives are often just a mess.

Thank goodness the outcome is not dependent on us.

Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Recognizing that you don’t quite have it together is a positive first step to moving beyond your circumstances. But the real key is internalizing the fact that God—not you—saves the day. 

All we can do is admit our shortcomings and then rest in the knowledge that God has it from here. That’s an attitude the Lord will bless. 

God’s got you covered and blessed all at the same time!

Let’s pray.

Lord, you are so good to us. And you have so much more for us than we can even imagine. Thank you for blessing us and not leaving us where we were. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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By some estimates, the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” is performed over 10 million times a year around the world. Imagine not being able to hear this sweet song!

Losing the ability to hear, or being born deaf, is unimaginable for many of us who have never experienced hearing loss, but there are some surprising upsides to being differently-abled in this way.

Deaf people develop keener senses of observation, touch, taste, and smell to compensate for their loss of hearing. What the hearing world may view as a loss can lead to Sensory Superpowers for members of the deaf community.

ASL, or American Sign Language, is an incredibly rich language, and it’s the 6th most common language in the United States

Statistics show deaf people are safer drivers due to their ability to focus on the visual aspects of driving, and actually live longer than hearing people.

Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Sometimes when we lose out on something, God’s grace sweeps in to fill up that space with other beautiful blessings in amazing ways.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, sometimes we see differences as stumbling blocks, but your grace tells us otherwise. Help us to be noticers of where your grace shines a light in the lives of those around us, and to embrace the differences we encounter. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever been really angry at someone, and had a tough time letting it go?

Maybe a work colleague let you down, or got you in trouble with the boss.

Maybe family drama is dragging you down, and there are unresolved hurt feelings.

Maybe your spouse betrayed you, and you aren’t sure how to move past it.

Unforgiveness in our lives is painful, and as believers, it can affect our prayer life, and even our relationship with the Lord.

Mark 11:25 says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

God’s amazing grace is one of the most beautiful aspects of Christian belief. He sent His Own Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in exchange for our sins. We are forgiven because of the sacrifice Jesus made, and have eternity in heaven to look forward to because of that forgiveness.

The truth about unforgiveness is it does the most damage not to the party we hold a grudge against — but to ourselves. You can’t see it on the outside, but an unhealed wound on our hearts is like a cancer, spreading and growing, and preventing us from experiencing joy to the full.

God wants better for us. If you are struggling to forgive someone, give it to God today, and ask Him to help you let it go.

Let’s pray.

Lord, I have a person or situation to forgive that is weighing heavily on my heart, and I need your help. Please give me the strength to forgive and renew my sense of peace. I give you every aspect of this situation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Do you ever worry you might not measure up?

Sam was a fourth grader with a big problem: he left his homework at school, and he was so worried he’d be in trouble with the teacher, he could hardly stand to go to school the next day.

In the car on the way to school, Sam’s mom explained the concept of grace, asking, “Sam, do you know about the idea of grace? Grace means even if we aren’t perfect, the people who care about us can choose to forgive us. I think your teacher will understand about your homework.”

Ephesians 2 verses 8–9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

The concerns on your mind today are probably bigger than a missed homework assignment. Maybe you’re struggling in your marriage or experiencing financial distress. Maybe things aren’t going well at work, or you are battling addiction, or wrestling with sin.

When you begin to worry you are falling short, give it to the Lord. God sent Jesus as a living sacrifice for me and for you, so we could all experience His grace. Grace isn’t something we can earn, it’s a gift God gives to us, simply because He loves us. And that’s truly amazing!

Let’s pray.

Lord, we thank you for your grace and thank you for loving us. We thank you for who you are and all you’ve done. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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“Mom — I broke something! I’m so sorry!”

Benjamin had slipped on the wet bathroom floor and managed to take down the shower curtain and the curtain rod in one fell swoop.

His mom’s concern wasn’t the state of the shower curtain, but whether the broken something was an arm or leg. Thankfully, her son wasn’t hurt, and fixing the curtain was a lot easier than mending a broken bone. A reassuring hug from Mom was all the boy needed to mend his hurt pride.

None of us are perfect, whether we’re 8 years old or 80. Slips and trips happen in life, and beyond accidental mishaps, we also slip up and sin, making choices that disappoint the Lord, and send us on a detour from the path He has planned for us. 

1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God loves us dearly, and while our sin makes Him sad, He is ready and willing to forgive us; we only need to ask Him to. God’s love for us is so deep He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins because He knew we’d need forgiveness. That’s amazing grace!

Let’s pray.

Lord, you love us through our imperfections. Thank you for the incredible gift of your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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We look for things and stuff to make us happy, don’t we? Especially in the United States, where we are blessed with abundance, people from all walks of life look for more and more.

That can bring us to an empty place. Spiritually and emotionally…we begin to look in the wrong places. But as we’ve discussed this week, that spark of joy we look for can be found only in Jesus. Everything else is, yes, clutter.

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.”

This plays out over and over every day. We see this in dramatic ways when a famous person turns from materialism and empty fame and finds Jesus. Someone like that who has experienced uncommon wealth, comes to a place where Jesus must be dealt with.

How about you? Are you tired of your empty pursuits? Has the excitement over a new career or a new car worn off? If you’re listening and nodding, or maybe you’re not even sure, do this today: tell Jesus what’s in your heart and what’s in your mind. He said to ask.

Ask.

Receive His joy. Then you’ll be complete. You will be uncluttered.

He’s literally waiting for you to sit down and tell Him all about it.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, refresh us and renew us. Clean our hearts and minds. We know you can and will. We receive that! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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As humans, we tend to have a problem asking for help. I think we can chalk that 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 asking for help? If so, mull that over. And then, take a step toward the Lord and ask for what you need.

God opens doors when we ask Him to. And sometimes what we find on the other side isn’t what we expected. When that happens, we choose patience. And we remain open to His good plans for us.

When you’ve asked God to help, and prayers are answered, share the Good News with people 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.

And if the answer He gave was totally unexpected and sent you in a different direction—share that, too! Accepting God’s plan when it doesn’t match up with our own best-laid plans is what faith is all about. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, please give us a heart that seeks you. God, we want to be obedient, and we know that your blessings, whatever they look like, will follow. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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It’s interesting to watch the outcomes of people who refuse to give in to fear.

Many years ago, while America was going through a severe economic depression and a world war, President Roosevelt told Americans that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Those listening over the radio said later that they felt a great sense of relief just from his words!

Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Our country emerged from a very scary time to become a people determined to embrace the future. Those who survived those dark days were known as the Greatest Generation. And they were, because they decided giving in to fear was not an option. It was a simple choice, honestly. They gritted their teeth and went to work. And prayed like never before.

As individuals, we face our own depression and our own wars. And any of us can be overwhelmed by the life-altering decisions we must make. Doing all of that while living in fear is very unsustainable.

The Psalmist clearly understood that God would rescue him, and the words that he wrote about it were words of life.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you are great, and your love for us is the only thing that should overwhelm us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Today, just stop and consider that we’re talking one-on-one. We’re just talking over coffee. Go with me here. 

You seem like something is really getting to you. Are you about to give up on something important? If so, please listen—just for a couple of minutes.

Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”

Let’s think boldly for a second. Whatever your problem is, God can fix it. He can. The Bible is full of these fixes, and so is our present day, when story after story of miraculous rescues shows us clearly that God exists, and that He cares for you as a person.

Jesus knows your story, and more importantly, He knows the end of your story.

Victory is waiting for you, but you must not give up. Don’t give in to that voice urging you to stop. Listen to the voice of Love. Tell Jesus what you need. Right now.

Will you pray with me?

Lord, this thing hurts so much right now, but we aren’t going to give up, because you never give up on us. Thank you for that! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Humans were built for language and communication. 

It’s one of the bits of creative genius God used when He formed His highest creation. And apart from regular communication, whether it’s the written word or verbal, we have a great gift from a loving God: prayer.

Prayer is an intensely personal way to communicate with our Creator, the One who knows everything about us.

Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you.”

All through scripture, we see that God is available to us all the time. No regular hours or standing meetings. We can talk to Him anytime we want. There are 650 recorded prayers in the Bible, and we read about people praying while sitting, standing, kneeling, with faces to the ground or hands lifted up.

By the way, amen means “let it be,” or “so be it.”

The word appears for the first time in Numbers 5:22.

Since prayer is human communication with God, we see that the first prayers were way back in Genesis 3 and 4 when Adam and Eve, and later Cain, talked with God. In the second exchange, even though Cain was angry and had just killed his brother, he was having a conversation with God.

Jesus famously modeled prayer in Luke 11, and notice that He was talking to God the Father.

It can be a fine line when thinking about how prayer is initiated. Often, thoughts come to our minds, or we’re reminded to pray for someone. However, there’s an indication that God prompts us to talk with Him.

Galatians 4:6, that from our hearts we cry out, “Abba Father,” and that the indwelling spirit of the Lord prompts this in us. Of all the great gifts God has given us, prayer is one of the most special. It’s how our spirits commune with the One who loves us with perfect love. And He’s always ready and waiting to hear from us.

Let’s pray.

Father God, we worship you for who you are. We love you, and thank you for loving us. Thank you for making a way for us to talk with you about the things that lie hidden in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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