Kerusso Daily Devotional

Year-end stuff is upon us. That includes those infamous New Year’s resolutions. And as it happens, the Bible has things to say about how we lean into the near future. 

Matthew 5:37 says, “Let what you say simply be yes or no. Anything more than this comes from evil.” 

How many times have we pledged to do something and then followed through? Follow-through is important. Whether it’s weight loss, repairing relationships, or embarking on a new career, it’s time to actually do what we say we’re going to do.

If you make a resolution to something positive going forward, remind yourself every hour of every day that you made a promise to yourself, and then meditate on all the ways God has fulfilled His promises to you. 

Commitment, follow-through, perseverance. It doesn’t really matter what you call it. What matters is that personally in our own goals, let our yes be yes, and our no be no. 

There’s nothing wrong with not pledging something that’s extremely difficult to achieve. You can start by building on a small goal and then going on to the next, but if you say you’re going to do something, do it. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, we are going into a new year full of possibilities. Help us to do what we say we’re going to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Happy New Year! 

New Year’s stuff is beneficial in several things. We make resolutions and we might even stick to some of them. But it’s what God does that really matters. He’s in the renewal business—making broken things whole again, especially people. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creation. The old has passed away and behold the new has come.” 

It’s great for us when this involves repaired relationships or even a career boost. Yet this vital truth matters most in our relationships with Him. God fashions relationships that are sustainable over time, and the Gospel is the essence of this truth. 

If you feel empty, call on Jesus who’s ready to make you clean, and take away your guilt and shame. One day He will restore the whole creation to its original, perfect state. But in the meantime, He will look at you with love, put His hand on your heart, and offer you eternity. 

If you’re wondering what the new year has for you, set your sights higher. Think bigger. Step into your future this year with a real sense of who you are in Christ. He’s waiting for you to come to Him for the rest you’ve needed for a long time. 

The new has come. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for the fresh start that only you can bring. Thank you for wiping off the dirt of the past and helping us see clearly a future that is always new. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever experienced a power outage? You pull 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, and batteries die. Many of the things we use on a frequent basis are designed to be temporary—and sometimes they let us down when we need them most.

Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”

God’s Holy Word, the Bible, promises that His compassion never fails. Each day is a new opportunity to experience God’s love and benefit from His grace, and His faithfulness to us that will never end. Not because we’ve earned the Lord’s favor—simply because He loves us.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, your mercy is new every morning, and your steadfast love for us is amazing. Thank you for loving us so much, and thank you that we can depend on you, always. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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No one is immune from burnout. It comes in our jobs, friendships, and even our church life. Sometimes even our hobbies become dry and tedious! But in Scripture, God gives us hope for the future.

John 7:38 says, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Jesus is telling us that in Him alone is true life. He is always pointing us to the future, to a time when that dry creek bed will be filled forever.

In Revelation 22, He showed John a river flowing with the water of life, crystal-clear and coming from the very throne of God.

The whole picture is one of healing and new life. He promises us that this scene will be very real and very permanent! The key is what we read in John 7:38…we must choose to believe! If you long for a new start and a bright future, you’ll find everything you need and want in the person of Jesus Christ.

The living water that He offers is perfect, and the supply is limitless.

Jesus is the well that never runs dry.

Let’s pray.

Lord, You are calling each of us to follow You and let You lead us to a place of perfect paradise. We eagerly look forward to joining You in Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Beryl Markham could have given up on her aviation dreams after crash-landing in Nova Scotia. But she didn’t.

Instead, this determined woman became the first person to fly from England to North America. She later said that in order to move forward, we can’t stay in the past. In fact, she said, “Leave it the fastest way you can!”

This pioneer knew that staying stuck was not inevitable—that we must choose to keep our eyes on what it is we are yet to accomplish in life.

Ephesians 4:31–32 says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Maybe you’re letting some past hurts keep you from your destiny. Don’t waste another moment! Your future is waiting on you to turn your eyes to it, and stop staring at a past failure.

Leave those past hurts as fast as you can!

Let’s pray.

Father God, we are grateful that you make a way for us to forge ahead and not be limited by the things of the past. Walk with us, always, Father, and bless our efforts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Well, the gifts have been opened, the wrapping paper taken to the landfill. Leftovers are in the fridge, and maybe you’re feeling a little blue, a little depressed. Christmas is over, or is it?

2 Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 

In the West, we tend to have a letdown when the excitement and rush of Christmas is over, as if at midnight on December 25th, we’re ready to go into emotional hibernation.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether it’s something as simple as leaving your decorations up a few extra days, or having a long talk with yourself, you have permission to enjoy Christmas into the foreseeable future. Why not? Whose schedule are we trying to meet when it comes to Christmas?

As believers, we have every expectation that the great gift of Jesus Christ is something to celebrate and be grateful for always. If you have this change of attitude, it’ll be noticed by everyone. Go ahead, keep Christmas going as long as you want.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, we celebrate this season, the birth of Your Son. We worship Him as our great Savior who brought the greatest gift of all. He’s changed us, and we thank you in Jesus’ name, amen.

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This is the day of days. While the exact day is unknown, what we do know is that 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth as a child to rescue us from sin. 

Christmas is a date on the calendar that literally quickens our hearts. Everyone understands the significance of it. It’s why hateful people behave differently for at least 24 hours. 

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us, a child is born. To us, a son is given. And the government will be on His shoulders, and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

This wonderful passage from Isaiah, recorded 700 years before Jesus was born, speaks, of course, of our Messiah—born there in a damp setting surrounded by farm animals, and a few people who began to understand that they were seeing something extraordinary. 

Keep Christmas in your heart this year. Today, stop and think about the one who came bearing the gift of gifts just for you. Have a Merry Christmas. 

Let’s pray.

Lord, today, we wake up with anticipation. A day unlike other days through the year, we love you for the greatest gift anyone could ever give. The gift of Jesus, the gift of eternal life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Well, hey—Merry Christmas Eve to you as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

We’d like to share the Christmas story from Luke Chapter 2, verses 4–20. And just a note, we’ve made some minor edits for length purposes in this excerpt from the King James version of the story. 

“Joseph went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed, along with his wife Mary, who was great with child. 

While they were there, the days were accomplished that she could be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: You’ll find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God and the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.’ 

As the angels returned into heaven, the shepherd said to one another, ‘Let us go into Bethlehem and see this thing, which the Lord has made known to us.’ 

They came with haste and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they shared the news with everyone they met, and all who heard it wondered at the things that the shepherd told them. 

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.” 

God bless you and yours this Christmas.

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Every December 25th, around the world, happenings are quite different and diverse, place to place. Celebrating Christmas is unique to each culture, but the meaning of it all we share. 

In Norway, Christmas Eve is the main event with bells ringing at five in the evening, followed by family dinners.

In Mexico, Christmas begins on December 16th, and on the ninth evening, Christmas Eve, children walk to the local church to place a figure of the Christ child in a manger.

Like nature, God put wonderful color in our world family, and Christmas has its own traditions in diverse places. Yet in each heart, the Christ child is center. 

Luke 2:4–5 says, “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth and Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” 

Wherever we celebrate, the baby in the lowly manger in Bethlehem calls to us through time. This season, reflect on that special night so long ago, and remember to give extra love to your family and friends. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, you love all people everywhere. Help us to do the same as we remember our brothers and sisters around the world at Christmas time. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Celebrating Christmas with family and friends is a great time of the year, but do we know how all this started? This observance of the holiday? 

We’re pretty sure Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th. There are clues in scripture that put the date more in the springtime. 

In ancient times, the winter solstice occurred on December 25th. Sometime early in the 4th century, the church fathers set the date as the one we now celebrate. 

Even factoring in the diverse cultures around the world, Christmas is celebrated on every continent close to the same time for everyone. It’s pretty much agreed that our present day celebrations have their origins in pre-Christian, Christian and secular festivals, and there’s some debate about what is and isn’t appropriate.

However, for the believing Christian, the season is truly all about the birth of our Savior. No matter where you live or how you choose to celebrate, the scarlet thread of Christ’s birth and sacrifice that runs through scripture is the tie that binds. 

Let’s pray.

Lord, it has been said that we can keep Christmas in our hearts. We thank you for sending your Son as the ultimate gift to mankind. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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