Kerusso Daily Devotional

Only a person who is willfully blind could deny that miracles happen today. They didn’t end at the shore of the Red Sea. 

Malachi 3:6 says, “I the Lord do not change.” From this, we can logically see that the Bible’s powerful and majestic miracles didn’t stop in the first century. They’re still happening. God didn’t suspend the love He dispenses in the form of miracles. 

Taylor McCaffrey was an alcoholic as a teenager. He was also a preacher’s kid, and these combined to weigh him down with guilt. From the age of 16, he drank heavily, but God didn’t leave him there. He says, “On my 21st birthday, I’d been drinking about eight hours straight and simply heard the voice of the Holy Spirit inside me say, ‘Either do what I’ve called you to or I will not continue wrestling you.’”

It sounded so stern. However, so loving, “I was instantly sober.” And that was several years ago. Today, Taylor is still sober. There are also countless examples of what we might call ‘corporate’ miracles—those that bless whole communities. 

At Christmas time of 2004, a group of 400 believers wanted to hold a Christmas service. The local authorities, though, told them that they could not do that in the city of Meulaboh in North Sumatra. The 400 decided to hold their service in a remote mountain region, and they stayed overnight. Early next morning, an earthquake and resulting tsunami flattened their city, but they were safe in the higher elevations. Had they opted not to worship Jesus during their holiday, they would have perished.

The fact is, our world is miracle-heavy. They happen all the time. Miracles happen to ordinary people and to whole nations every day. This is one of the clearest evidences of the power and the majesty of the living God. We can choose to be witnesses for Him by pointing out to everyone we come in contact with that though our world has problems, God is still working in a mighty way.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, thank you. The example of miracles. They give us strength in our faith and a boost to our days. We’re forever grateful to you for routinely doing things that some say cannot happen. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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A political science major at a major university was having coffee with a campus pastor. The pastor knew that the student was wrestling with doubt about the existence of God and said to him, “John, you know all of us wonder at some point if it’s all real or not. For example, there are quite a few stories in the Bible that are just hard to believe. Jonah and the whale and all that.” John smiled and said, “No, that’s not my problem. What I wonder about is how God could care about me. I’ve done some really bad things and have had some really bad things done to me. I just can’t understand the concept of forgiveness.”

There you have it. Doubts about the faith come from all directions. While one person cannot bring herself to believe in miracles, another cannot forgive himself for the wrong things he’s done, and can’t fathom how God could. 

Thomas Jefferson actually cut out the miraculous sections of the Bible. He couldn’t believe in what some would call the God of the Bible. Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of DNA, thought that Christianity was just a collection of mythical stories. And what about those who want to see the proof, they like evidence and feel a need to make an intellectual case for our faith. 

The New Testament writer Luke was like that. He wrote in Acts and the Gospel of Luke about the importance of eyewitness sightings of Jesus and His miracles. Lots of people debate whether evolution and religion are compatible or not. And this is a big stumbling block to believe for many. We all believe something, but our minds can struggle at times to grasp the big stuff, the infinite universe. While for others who doubt, the struggle is more internal. They’re so grieved by their own sin, they can’t accept that God could love them.

Maybe the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” However, few quote the next verse which says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” It isn’t God’s wish to condemn you. Instead, He loves you and wants to give you assurance that life is more than struggle and molecules. 

Whether you’re looking for evidence to believe the Bible or you just need to know that God loves you, try not to focus too much on your objections. Own them, but just tell God as a child would, that you’re struggling to understand it all.

Will you pray with me? 

Father, your grace saves us from a life of struggle with sin, and we are accepted by you. Thank you for putting up with our up-and-down faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever gotten so tired of life that you wished you could disappear and start over somewhere else? Ever wish that fantasy would just pull you out of your circumstances? They make movies about things like that, but it’s not real.

John 14:2,3 says, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” 

How incredible that Jesus is actually going to do this for us someday. If you live long enough, the cares of life sort of wear you down and you need a good, long rest.

Good for us that our Lord cares enough for us that He has already gone ahead to prepare a place of peace, rest, and joy for each of us. It will be a real place, not just a scouting location for a film.

One day, in His perfect time, He will call you out of this groaning world, and take you to a spot that has literally been prepared with just you in mind! 

Let’s pray.

Lord, you are good to us in countless ways. We thank you so much for the home you have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Part of God’s unchanging nature is that He is sovereign and does things His way. In Isaiah 55, we read that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. In other words, He’s infinitely more powerful than we are, especially when it comes to perspective.  

We read in the Old Testament that sometimes other nations mocked the Israelites when they were exiled from their homeland. Really, they were mocking God because it was said that maybe He couldn’t keep His promises. After all this, after the Assyrians and Babylonians conquered Israel, neighboring pagan nations remembered that God had promised to give the land to the Israelites. But did that mean God had lied, and was in reality no more powerful than man? No, not at all.                                                 

Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” 

In fact, God tells us clearly that He does exactly what He wants, when He wants. We see this in Isaiah 46. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, but they were then confronted at the Red Sea by Pharaoh’s army—did that mean God had lied when He promised to lead them out of slavery? Of course not. In fact, it was then He performed one of history’s greatest miracles. 

In Psalm 16:10, we read that God would not allow your holy one to rot in the grave, and this is a reference to Jesus. Yet, when Jesus died on the cross, many assumed that God had either lied or was powerless to stop Jesus from being entombed. We know how that story ended, and the triumph of life over death. God did raise Jesus from the dead. His body did not decay in the grave. So, it’s a matter of perspective, then. 

Humans, with their limited understanding, think from time to time that God cannot keep His promises, but He keeps them all the time. All promises fulfilled—100% of the time. He cannot lie. 

Let’s pray. 

Father God, you alone are powerful and you are our strength. You are perfect in all of your ways and have demonstrated that time after time. Help us let others see that—those who might doubt you. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Do you need a miracle? 

If we’re honest and open to the truth, miracles have always been a part of our world. In the beginning, God made a dazzling world full of diversity, beautiful animals, gorgeous sunsets, streams of water. He also made us to enjoy it all, and to keep it for Him. 

But just like the entrance of sin into our world which marred the original beauty, we sometimes get weighed down with worry and cares of life. We look up one day and the drudgery of our days overwhelms us. The supernatural seems far away, and that’s the very moment God will act. He has always been with us, and one of His greatest promises is that He will be with us to the end, to the moment He ushers in an eternity too wonderful to fully know now.

Revelation 22:1–3 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.” 

In the meantime, maybe you’re really going through a challenge in your life. You need a miracle. Do you know that you can simply ask Jesus for this? He’s answered too many people, too many times not to be real. And if we’re honest, the presence and regularity of miracles today are staggering. They’re everywhere. 

So, why not you?

1 Corinthians 1:1–2 says, “To those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours, grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

There’s such peace in this. Put aside your doubts and your fears. Just ask Him to help you, and He can. He will. In fact, He will bless you so much, you won’t be able to stay quiet about it. You will have to tell people. You are a miracle.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, you rescue us all the time in ways big and small. Your faithfulness in helping us is worthy of our worship. Thank you for making miracles part of everyday life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Congregations of faith all around the world use the word amen. Although many people use it in the right context, not everyone knows what this word means.

“Amen” is an ancient Hebrew word, and Scripture uses this word in three primary ways:

·      At the beginning of a sermon or important statement, the word “amen” often means “verily,” or “truly.”

·      The Old Testament uses the word “amen” to describe God’s character as true and faithful.

·      The most common placement of “amen” is at the end of a prayer, sermon, or statement, and is used to show agreement. It could then be translated as ‘so be it,’ ‘so it is,’ or ‘may it be fulfilled.’

In fact, the very last word in the Bible is amen!

That last verse in the New Testament, Revelation 22:20–21 says, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

Consider then, the powerful history of this simple word as an ending to our prayers. We speak directly with our Heavenly Father, praising His name, sharing our gratitude and our concerns, and we often end with amen...so be it. So, it is. May it be fulfilled.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to “Pray continually.” Can we get an amen for this encouraging reminder to keep the lines of communication with the Lord open on a daily basis? 

Let’s pray.

Father God, your Word, the Bible, shares powerful truths for living from beginning to end. Thank you for teaching us when and how to pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua was called by God to lead the 12 tribes of Israel after the death of Moses. Those were pretty big shoes to fill, and the Lord chose Joshua because he was faithful.

Joshua knew when he called on God in times of trouble, He would answer.

In one powerful example, Joshua asked God to cause the moon and the sun to stand still so that he and his army could continue fighting a difficult battle by daylight.

Joshua 10:12–13 says, “On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: ‘O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.”

Joshua went on to lead the fight in many other battles, eventually conquering Canaan and dividing its lands among the 12 tribes.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.”

As darkness began to fall, Joshua didn’t give up the fight, and he didn’t turn inward for a solution — he turned to God!

Let’s pray.

God, you led the Israelites to victory against their enemies on behalf of your faithful servant Joshua, and you hear our prayers today. Thank you for the miracles we read about in the Bible, and for those we experience in our own lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah, was unable to have children. A woman in Old Testament times who could not bear children was viewed as cursed by God. Not only was infertility heartbreaking for her as a woman and wife, but Hannah would have been looked down upon by her community for her inability to bear a child.

Many of us can sympathize with Hannah. She longed to be a mother, and she was a daily witness to the children of her husband’s other wife.

But Hannah didn’t give in to despair. She prayed — without ceasing! She shared her heart’s desire with the Lord, and asked Him to bless her with a child.

Hannah prayed for a son, promising to dedicate him to God. Her prayers were answered, and she brought her child, Samuel, to Shiloh for religious training. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to “Pray continually.”

When we pray without ceasing and God answers hopes that once seemed impossible — we don’t hold anything back!

Hannah was a true prayer warrior, and she kept at it until God answered; because of her faithfulness to the Lord, He blessed her with even more children than the one she gave back.

Let’s pray.

Dear Lord, thank you for Hannah’s example of faithful, fervent prayer. Help us to turn to you first, and often, with our praises and concerns. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Who are you, exactly, that God should know your name, or care to know your story? Have you ever wondered about the answer to that big question?

In the great scheme of things, we sometimes feel like ants in an anthill: nameless drones, fetching and carrying, an unremarkable face among the masses.

We are so much more than that to the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says simply, “Pray continually.” Written as a letter to early Christians by the Apostle Paul, this encouraging note doesn’t specify that the holiest, worthiest, or only the best among believers should pray without ceasing. God’s Word encourages everyone to pray, pray again, then keep on praying.

We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, but even in our unworthiness, God does not hold us at arm’s length; He loves us, and wants us to know Him, and to be known by Him.

Prayer is a powerful means of communication that deepens our relationship with the Lord.

Who are you, then? Of the 7.9 billion or so people who call this planet home, you are someone God wants to hear from. Imagine that. The head honcho Himself, the Creator of all heaven and earth, the King above all Kings, has invited you to call Him any time, anywhere.

The Lord is only a prayer away, and He is waiting to hear from you.  

Let’s pray.

Lord, how incredible to imagine you know my name. Thank you for your presence, your faithfulness, and for the gift of prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever felt like you’ve just plain run out of juice? The book you’ve been reading seems pointless halfway through. That new sofa or lawnmower or set of wheels was pretty exciting last month, but now you’re not sure what the big deal was. Even your relationships feel lackluster.

Human beings aren’t like cell phones or toy robots. We can’t rev up with a fresh set of batteries...we need other, more meaningful fuel to refill our tanks, and the energy we seek can’t be found at any store.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray continually.”

One of the shortest verses in God’s Word, the Bible, this pithy reminder was written by the Apostle Paul to believers in Thessalonica, an ancient city in what is now Northern Greece. These new converts to Christianity faced persecution, but Paul’s colleague Timothy reported that they were persevering in the face of challenges.

Paul’s letter, recorded as the biblical book of First Thessalonians, is written to inspire renewed energy in these early followers of Jesus. They were looked down upon, their motives and actions were questioned, they sometimes struggled with doubt about the outcome of their faith — and Paul wisely encouraged them to keep on praying, just as the Lord wants us to do today.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, sometimes we feel exhausted by our struggles, and sometimes we feel alone. Remind us that the greatest power in the universe — You, our Creator God, are just a prayer away. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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