Kerusso Daily Devotional

It’s been said that grace is simply favor from God, and we didn’t do anything to earn it. Often, grace comes when we need it the most. 

The word grace is used about 170 times in the Bible. Most of those occur in the New Testament as the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ unfolds. His sacrifice for all of us, dying on the cross for our sins, was the backdrop for a lot of other moments in grace He gave to those He came in contact with.

Jesus perfectly understood that there’s a lot of suffering in the world. Those poignant moments when He stooped to heal a person in distress, or when He unlocked the emotional chains of people like Zacchaeus and Mary Magdalene—that is supernatural grace. 

Grace is a moment in time when the living God intervenes in someone’s life. We often hear stories of people being surprised by grace. It arrives when they least expect it, but is really needed. James 4:6 says, “But he gives us more grace.” That is why scripture says, “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.”

What we learn about grace from the Bible is that although God is the originator, we are also capable of giving grace. 

Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive? Maybe that person is badly in need of that forgiveness. Swallow your pride and give that grace. There are many more ways to give grace. That family in your church that is struggling financially. Can you find a way to discreetly help them out? That kind of grace can be just the boost people need to rise above their circumstances. 

Some people are prideful, but the truth is, all of us need God’s grace. We need it for the duration. So, think about that the next time a grudge or stubborn pride is blocking you from being a blessing to others. One day you might just find yourself on the other end of that situation. 

Let’s pray. 

Father God, you are so good to us, all the time. If we stop and think about the unmerited favor you give us each day, amazing. Help us to keep this in mind as we find ways to pay it forward in our daily walk. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Jane was the last child to receive a handmade blanket from her great grandmother. Pink and blue, festooned with angels and sprinkled with stars that sparkled in the light, the much-loved blanket was the little girl’s constant companion.

This childhood treasure became even more important when Gramma Ann passed away — a reminder of her love for her family, and her faith in God.

Jane’s blanket kept her warm in sickness and in health, but the washing machine proved its eventual undoing. One day, the last remaining fragment of Gramma Ann’s very last blanket was lost.

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.”

A few years after the remaining bit of Jane’s ‘Gramma Ann Blankie’ was lost to time (but not to memory), her mom stumbled across the best yard sale find of all time: the very same blanket, likely created from a quilting kit, in brand-new condition. Jane and her mother cried together right there in a stranger’s driveway, certain that Gramma was smiling down on them from Heaven in that moment of discovery. It was the best two dollars the pair ever spent.

Grace can show up when we least expect it—even in the form of a long-lost family heirloom returned to us in the unlikeliest of ways.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your grace is a constant delight. You are faithful to us when we seek Your face, and Your gift of grace shows up in incredible ways. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Theresa Rosenthal had a rough start in life. She watched her father abuse her mother, and then when she was six, a family friend sexually abused her. Like so many that suffered at the hands of a predator, Theresa pushed the pain down into a secret place, and for decades, she battled with depression and substance abuse. Finally, one day she was sitting in front of her house and just blurted out to God, “What am I supposed to do?”

Within 24 hours, she had a Bible from a new friend who reached out to her, and even though some of Theresa’s bad choices would land her in jail, her friend and that Bible, were constant sources of healing. Today, she’s a member of a loving church, and she tells anyone who will listen about God's grace in her life. 

Daniel 4:2 says, “I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.” 

Too often we are too tribal. We think God only works in our circles, but the fact is, God has always been the definition of inclusive. The Bible makes it very clear that God’s grace is available to anyone in all times and places. 

Matthew 5:45 is a very interesting verse that illustrates this. It says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” 

That’s fascinating. What might seem unusual or even unjust to us is routine for God. Because God takes the long view. He knows that our lives on Earth are brief. So, if he gives grace to a bad person, he’s thinking of that person’s eternal place. And let’s face it, there are plenty of times in our lives that we didn’t deserve grace. But he gave it anyway. 

In God’s economy, a Babylonian brickmaker from 3,000 years ago is as valuable as you are. Theresa Rosenthal was warmed by that grace at a time when she was doing drugs and spiraling into depression, and she had no ability to improve her life. And that’s the point of grace. God gives it to a variety of people and circumstances. And life would be unbearable without it. 

Let’s pray. 

Father God, your grace sustains us, in bad times and in good times, and we might take our focus off you. Sometimes that grace is almost unseen. We might not be aware of it until years later when looking back gives us insight. Thank you for giving us what we don’t deserve. 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 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 to 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 even through our imperfections. God, thank you for the incredible gift of your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever thought much about grace? We hear the word, but the concept itself might be a little elusive. That might be because it’s hard for humans to understand and embrace.

Grace means simply that someone gives you something with no strings attached. Just for your good.

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.”

The Bible tells a simple story, really. Mankind sinned and brought evil into the world. God made everything, so He has the right to set the rules. And in His system, sin cannot be tolerated. He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him, through His son, Jesus Christ.

Often, we try to do things to help life along. We plan, plot, and come up with programs and agendas... Our own ideas seem like the right thing to do.

But God’s way is always the right thing to do. 

Setting aside our own ego is key to finding peace in Christ. We literally don’t have to do anything for it. We accept it in faith. That’s the gift of God.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, in your love for us, you make our path simple. Not always easy, but simple. We thank you for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens

The will is read by an attorney and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting.

The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you die and can’t take it with you. That’s why the Bible’s revelations about eternal riches are so much more important.

Genesis 31:14 says, “Rachel and Leah said to him, ‘Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father’s house?’”

Let’s think of this as a parable. A man took the place of another and was executed.

He was no ordinary man, though. Only a few days after His death, the will was read.

He left it all to you!

Jesus Christ died for our sins and took the penalty for them so that we don’t have to. That is what the Gospel is, the Good News that we have riches in Christ, and they last forever.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your precious gift for each of us is something we did nothing to earn. You simply decided to put us in your will. We thank you forever for your grace and mercy. 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 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 will find everything you need and want in the person of Jesus Christ.

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

Jesus is the well that never runs dry.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you are calling to 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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Jesus has great compassion for everyone. Especially for those society considers unlovable or worth nothing.

One day, He stopped by a well and had a conversation with a woman who had been married five times. When He spoke to her, He knew she was now living with another man. Yet Jesus spoke to her in a way that let her know He valued her as a person.

He told her that people could drink the water from that well, but again, they would eventually be thirsty. He said to her that the water He gives is a spring welling up inside them, pointing to eternal life.

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

 Do you believe in Him? Have you had your encounter with Jesus? If you are thirsty for a new life, reach out to Him and listen to what Jesus has to say.

Your life will no longer be dry and lifeless.

New life will flow out of you so that others will notice and want what you have!

Let’s pray.

Lord, much of what the world offers doesn’t satisfy us. We need the living water only you can provide. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Researchers have long known that even when exploring new worlds, water is the key to life. Without it, nothing can live.

Water is an image used often in Scripture.

When Jesus emerged from the River Jordan having been baptized by his cousin, John, He used the imagery to help people understand that by trusting in Him, they would live forever.

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

Did you catch that? You must believe that Jesus is who the Bible says that He is, the very Son of God. In Him is life, rivers of living water. It is a refreshing experience that has no end, because when we drink water now, we know that eventually we’ll get thirsty again.

But Jesus has told us in John 4 that whoever drinks from the water He gives them—spiritually—will never thirst.

He is talking about eternal life, always new and forever clean and clear.

He is inviting you. He stands at the water’s edge and waits.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your Word uses powerful imagery to help us see the wonderful things you have for us. Thank you for satisfying the thirst we have for fellowship with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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It’s no accident that Jesus chose as some of His apostles a group of fishermen from Galilee. These were men who could understand Him when Jesus told them He would make them “fishers of men.” He meant, of course, that they would share the Good News about Him with everyone they came in contact with.

That’s exactly what each of them did for the rest of their lives!

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

Fishing requires patience, and a feel for your surroundings. The men Jesus picked were steady, and used to adapting to shifting opportunities. They were perfect for the work He gave them to do.

Just as Jesus knew what his disciples were suited for in order to build His Kingdom, He also knows exactly the purposes He has for you. You are invited to flow into the River of Life He has created, in order to see the Kingdom grow.

Others will see the life flowing from within you, if you’re willing to follow God.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you invite us to participate in the beautiful future you’ve planned for people everywhere. Help us be willing to look for those fishing opportunities. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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