Kerusso Daily Devotional

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 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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When Hurricane Katrina rolled through, the spinning white satellite image on TV screens actually looked evil. For residents of New Orleans, waiting for that hurricane that’s exactly what it felt like. Thousands of people were affected by the brutal storm that poured in from the Gulf. In many ways, the city still hasn’t recovered. But in the chaos, God was there.

For more than 20 years, water pump operator Rufus Burkhalter and Bobby Brown had worked at pumping station number 6 along the 17th Street Canal. When they realized how bad it was going to be, the pair did an amazing thing. They stayed at their posts. They kept working even after the levees broke. One of the world’s largest pumping stations was still being operated by two good men who risked their lives for others. When it was all said and done, both lost their homes due to storm damage. The seawater and raging winds devastated their lives, and yet they chose to help others. That kind of love for one’s fellow man is rooted in the love of Christ.

Psalm 93:4 says, “Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea. The Lord on high is mighty.”

God is infinitely stronger than the storms in your life. He’s there guiding you, and he is there caring for you through it all, all the time. In the horrifying days of Katrina and through the aftermath, many people displayed a reliance on the Lord who stood up to the evil that invaded their community. When we lean on God in every situation, especially during the storms in our lives, it builds our faith and places us on solid ground.

Let’s pray.

Father, Almighty One, nothing is scarier than the dark, deep waters that overwhelm us sometimes. We know though, that your word is our anchor established and true. We can rely on it every single time. Thank you for guiding, protecting, and loving us always, in all of your ways, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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In the Tom Hanks film “Castaway,” the main character, Chuck, finds himself in the ultimate terrifying situation. Chuck’s plane goes down in the ocean, and he finds himself stranded on a very deserted island.

Years pass.

Chuck’s family and friends long ago gave up on him, and why not? No one could have known he was sitting on a remote pile of sand in the Pacific Ocean.

He learns to survive, but then reflects on the future. What happens if he gets sick? What happens if he’s injured?

Staying put isn’t an option.

**SPOILER ALERT** Next thing you know, he’s pushing away from the island on a homemade raft. This risky adventure eventually puts him right in the path of a ship.

When He went to be with His Father in heaven, Jesus left His disciples with a simple but big adventure idea: Go tell people about me. It won’t be safe, and you might even be in danger, but life depends on it.

Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Jesus called us to ride the ultimate wave.

Let’s pray.

Lord, sometimes life intimidates us. But we have you as our lifeboat, and we thank you for not letting us drift away. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Hurricane Dorian 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 for 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. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever gotten tired of treading water?

Martha is a 20-something-old lifeguard in Los Angeles. Besides dealing with deck chairs purposely thrown into the water and parents asking her to babysit poolside, she’s noticed another aspect of the job that really tugs at your heart. “Kids pretend to drown in the pool so that I will pay attention to them.” Wow. Think about that.

At a young age, humans need to be nurtured and cared for. They want to be loved. So, a young lifeguard becomes their emotional lifeline. These kids were actually pretending to nearly die so that someone would pay attention. It’s pretty sad, but not that different from the rest of us. Everyone wants to belong, and sometimes life is like a raging storm, and problems can flood the soul.

In Matthew 14, we read the story of Jesus providing comfort to His disciples in a difficult situation. He had gone to pray on a mountain while they stayed behind in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Normally, this is a very picturesque, calm lake, but this night, a storm came up. As the waves were about to capsize the boat, the men looked and saw a figure walking on the water. Peter cried out, and Jesus told him to get out of the boat and walk toward Him. Peter, known for his passionate faith, got out. But as he took his eyes off Jesus and began looking at the storm around him, he sank. Jesus, though, grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “Why did you doubt?” He asked Peter. It’s a valid question for anyone.

Jesus has proven himself to us many times over. When you feel overwhelmed, remember to call out to Him, and He will lift your burden. 

Let’s pray.

Father God, sometimes it feels like life is just pulling us under. We thank you so much that we have examples from Scripture where you rescued drowning people. You’re indeed our lifeguard. Help us keep this in our hearts and our minds daily so that we can be reminded of your blessed assurance and to call out your name, the one who provides for all of our needs. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever wondered what your place in this world is? Of course, you have. That’s the human experience. 

Alone with our thoughts, we wonder who we even are, and what we are meant to do. It’s a mysterious journey, but the fog lifts and the way becomes clear when we get to know King Jesus.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

You were made for something! You were made to do things for your Lord. And the truly beautiful thing is, God created a custom plan just for you. If you aren’t a famous athlete like Tim Tebow, you can still share your faith in wonderful ways. Ways that are life-changing for those you encounter.

Think of that verse again. God made you for a purpose! Created to have the mind of Christ in making this world a better place and making disciples for Him. And God prepared it long, long ago. 

You are His child. That’s who you are.

Let’s pray.

Lord, when we begin to understand even a little bit of your love for us, it transforms us and it renews our minds and our hearts. Thank you so much for that! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Sometimes life can be overwhelming. I think we can all agree about that. A huge wave of despair can seemingly come out of nowhere, and push us toward disaster.

Anita’s life was like that, growing up in Hong Kong where revolutionary movements brought violence and loss of hope. She couldn’t see how the pieces of her life could be put together. She would ask herself, “How do you make peace with a potential that is frustrated?”

Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Over time, Anita saw that God had always been shaping her to find her calling in Christ. She did that, and today operates a ministry that helps women see that they are daughters of the Living God! Truly, Anita didn’t always have it together, but her life is living proof that God puts us back together for His purposes.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, someone listening needs a dramatic move from you in their life. God, please bring your peace and comfort to them today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form as part of religion? We become so good at it, so obsessed with it, that we lose sight of the essence of what it means to be a Christian.

To know God.

That is the primary purpose of our journey, and it will be the end of our journey. It is so foundational to who we are as humans that even the great Moses basically begged God to let him see Him. So close were they that according to Jewish tradition, when Moses died, God drew his spirit from him with a kiss.

Isaiah 5:19 says, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come to pass, that we may know it!”

The Bible is clear that we can know God. As individuals, we can have a personal relationship with Him, the very One who created all there is.

The splendor of that reality should drive us to read His Word and pray to Him every day. It should be the longing of our hearts. He knows, and He welcomes us into His presence.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your mercy in making yourself available to us is something we can’t even fully understand in this life. But we thank you for it, and love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is widely looked upon as the most famous painting in the world.

By some historical estimates, the Mona Lisa took as many as 16 years to finish! Capturing Mona Lisa’s famous smile on a poplar plank was no hack job; Leonardo accepted a commission for the work in the year 1503, and completed his masterpiece supposedly around the time of his death in 1519. Clearly, this level of artistic achievement takes time.

When you hear the word “masterpiece,” what do you think of? A famous painting? A beautiful building, maybe? Your child’s latest artwork?

What about a giant sequoia tree? A symphony? A pink flamingo? The intricate, miraculous design of the human heart?

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Before you were even born, God knew you, and He had a plan for your life. He created you for a purpose, and He considers you one of his personal works of art. You are a living, breathing miracle capable of wonderful things—God’s own masterpiece.

Let’s pray.

God, we thank you and praise you that in all of creation, you have chosen to make us in your image, and to fashion us as a masterpiece—a work of art designed with care. Help us to be worthy of your effort. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Do you struggle to wonder what God’s will is for your life?

Many of us do.

Although it isn’t a quick answer, the best way to find God’s will for your life is to read His Word. The Bible will tell you the answer to that question.

Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Actually, finding God’s will isn’t the hardest part. Deciding to follow His will is where we get tripped up.

People need the skill and the discipline of being persistent. Too often, the impulse is to give up and then, if we’re honest, pretend that God hasn’t revealed His will to us.

Good old Abe Lincoln had it right when he said that the only important response is to make sure we are on God’s side, not whether He’s on ours.

God has already told us that He’s on our side. He sent His Son, Jesus, to take the penalty for our sin. It doesn’t get any more “on our side” than that. 

Change your thinking a bit. Don’t focus on what you think God is supposed to do. Resolve instead to follow God, and to do it every day.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your will is the thing that drives us on, to find our purpose in this life. Thank you for sticking with us. Help us to stick with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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