Kerusso Daily Devotional

We live in a broken world, and humanity is the most broken and imperfect of all God’s creation.

The world has a permanent OUT OF ORDER sign on it, and as a result, most of us are looking for answers to our questions and solutions to our problems in all the wrong places.

We place our trust in ourselves, in shallow standards of beauty, in money, and in our relationships with other people, hoping for meaning and completion we will never find in these sources.

We are lost people, following false gods, hoping for the elusive spiritual peace that only God can give us.

Our deliverance won’t come in the form of a blank check, a beauty treatment, self-empowerment, or even the most fulfilling relationship with a parent, spouse, or child; the fulfillment we seek will come to us only when we choose God and put Him first.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

For thousands of years, worldly things have called to humanity, offering false promises and failing to deliver. From the very beginning, and before this world was even created, the one true God was. He is. He always will be. And when we choose Him, He promises to give us lasting hope, peace, and love for all eternity.

Nothing in a jar, box, or bank account can come close, and no relationship means more.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we choose you. Only you are worthy above every false god, above every temptation, above our relationships with people, money, or things. We choose you, and ask you to guide us in putting you first, in all things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Family is a wonderful thing, and these relationships do so much to enrich our lives, but family makes a lousy god.

People sometimes think...if only my relationship was better with my dad, or if only I found a husband or wife, or if only we had kids — then life would be complete. A picture-perfect family is a blessing, indeed, but this is not where God wants us to seek meaning in our lives.

Family relationships are complicated, and since we’re talking about people, not God, we are sure to be disappointed when a parent, sibling, spouse, or child lets us down. Like us, each of these beloved people in our lives are marked by imperfection.

We love our families (or the dream of a future family) dearly, but this isn’t where we should ultimately place our hope.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The Bible tells us in order to be a disciple, we must be willing to give up everything for Jesus. Following Jesus requires commitment and faithfulness, even if our parents or spouse choose not to follow the Lord. If and when we are faced with the painful choice of loyalty to family versus loyalty to Jesus, we must choose Jesus.

Luke 14:26 says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Even if our family members disown us—or worse—for being Christians, we must follow Christ. Jesus’ command to “hate his own father and mother” isn’t a suggestion about how to treat our loved ones. The Lord requires us to prioritize our relationship with Him over our relationships with parents, siblings, a spouse, children, and even ourselves. We must choose to place our hope in God, above all other relationships.

Let’s pray.

God, you alone make life worth living. No earthly relationship, by birth or bond, takes priority over our relationship with you. Thank you for being the one true God we can follow, and rely on. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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What are you worth? This is an ugly question you’d never ask in polite company, although you may be curious about the answer.

“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” This anonymous quote serves us well in our discussion of what happens when we choose to follow dollar bills, instead of the Lord.

When we judge each other, and ourselves, by the value of our bank accounts, the size of our homes, or the luxury of the things we accumulate, we are choosing material wealth over our faith in God.

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The Bible is clear about the danger of worshipping money in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Money is one of our culture’s greatest gods, and people will do just about anything if it means they can make money off of it. We are willing to compromise our integrity for the sake of profit, and nowhere is corruption more rampant than when money is at stake.

Money is a necessary part of modern life; we no longer trade furs for a box of candles, or a basket of eggs for cloth to make a new shirt. While little green pieces of paper allow commerce to take place, the desire for money should never be the dominant influence in our decision-making.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your word tells us no one can serve two masters. You are our provider, and the pursuit of material wealth cannot bring us closer to you. Be present in every decision and inspire every desire of our hearts to honor you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Annual cosmetic industry sales in the United States are about $89.5 billion dollars. That’s nearly 90 billion, with a B, spent on makeup and personal care items including skincare, haircare, perfumes, toiletries, deodorants, and oral cosmetics.

For perspective, of 148 nations tracked in 2019 by TheGlobalEconomy.com, 126 of them had annual national expenditures of less than 90 billion dollars, including Israel, Switzerland, and South Africa.

We spend more in this country on lotions, potions, and creams to make ourselves look better, than the entire annual budget of most countries. That’s even more eye-opening than the latest greatest mascara!

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

For women and men both, the search for meaning can easily become entangled with the world’s obsession with outer beauty and perfection in our faces and bodies.

We seek to control and improve the impression others have of us with hairstyles and cosmetics, hours spent at the gym achieving the perfect body, and teeth whitening services that guarantee a gleaming smile. We may achieve worldly admiration by these vain pursuits, but temporary glamour won’t bring us closer to God.

1 Peter 3:3–4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

Let’s pray.

Lord, make us beautiful in your sight. Remind us to follow you, rather than traipsing down the rabbit trails of fleeting outer beauty the world offers. Let us serve you first, and always. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Baal. Molech. Ashtoreth. Chemosh. Artemis.

These names may not ring a bell for you, but back in biblical times, these false gods and others were known as competitors for devotion alongside our one true God — the God of Israel.

If you aren’t a modern-day Bible scholar or a student of ancient history, these false gods may not be familiar, but make no mistake — just because we don’t use these same names for false gods today, doesn’t mean our culture doesn’t have any. We definitely do!

Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

A “false god” is someone or something that is highly revered, followed devoutly, sacrificed for, and looked to for meaning in life and deliverance from problems.

Would it surprise you to know that one of the most powerful “false gods” we can be ensnared by is found in the mirror? People are inherently self-centered and self-focused. Although we are capable of being selfless at times, when push comes to shove, we often demonstrate who we really are.

We live in a fallen world, and in our efforts to rise above our circumstances and achieve the things we desire, we are all inclined to put ourselves first. If we can do something that benefits us, even at the expense of someone else, and if we know we can get away with it, we do it almost every time.

God asks us to choose Him, not ourselves. Whether we’re making the small everyday choices that define our character over time, or tackling the big decisions that stand out as milestones in our lives, let us turn to the Lord for guidance, and seek His glory rather than our own.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we choose you. Remind us daily that you are sovereign, and you are the one true God. Be present in our hearts and minds and lead us in your ways, not our own. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever paused and thought about how rarely people see you for who you are? Have you ever done something that you feel is almost unforgivable? You need to know that is not the way God wants you to feel. 

Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Some of the most famous people in history were very unrighteous at times. King David, described as a man after God’s own heart—he was loved that much—did dreadful things. Guess what, though? His life ended well. God had cleaned him up on the inside. 

Nothing you’ve done is fatal. It really isn’t. 

Call on God to heal you on the inside and put a spirit of love, hope, and peace in you. He will—and He’ll do it sooner rather than later, and you’ll be able to breathe again, guaranteed.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, your desire to make us clean has been told for centuries. We believe it and we claim it. Thank you, Father God, for the work of renewal you do all day, every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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John Kralik was in a bad place. The LA attorney was generally miserable…divorced again, broke, and living in a dingy apartment with no air conditioning. He was also struggling to pay his employees because clients wouldn’t pay him. Not exactly glamorous, but then John did an amazing thing. He decided he would concentrate on things to be grateful for, and follow that up with writing a thank you note every day for an entire year.

Over time, and not too slowly actually, John’s life began to improve. Life looked good again. One of the greatest outcomes has been the influence he’s had on others. His book, “A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning To Say Thank You Changed My Life” sold like crazy. He said that the year-long thank you notes helped him prioritize good things, and helped him focus on that.

John also has noticed a really interesting thing. A person’s natural tendency is to focus on nine things that go wrong. Yet what would happen if we focused instead on even a single good thing? He understands that we all can help each other. Rising tide lifts all boats, as they say. Just as we can help others form the discipline of gratitude, they can be our accountability in a very real way.

Every day we can text, email, call, or otherwise communicate to friends and family things that we’re grateful for. In turn, we can receive their good reports. 

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful.”

Whether it’s a community of believers or simply the wider culture, we can help each other every single day by passing along what we’re grateful for. There’s power in telling another what they mean to you, or passing along thanks for something as simple as a shared meal. Such a choice doesn’t cost anything, but it piles up spiritual treasure for us. Pretty soon you’ll be grateful just for being grateful.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, your blessings to us are endless. From the perfect distance from the sun for proper warmth and light to the love that you placed in our hearts for family and friends, you’re a good God, and you’re deserving of our praise. We look forward to a glorious future with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

With the tech boom has come concerns that we are constantly under surveillance, or being watched. And maybe that’s not all a conspiracy theory. But no one in the world knows everything about us. There is still some privacy, some places we can go away from prying eyes.

Except…

Psalm 69:5 says, “O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.”

We know that we serve the One True God, the One that made everything we see. Part of His infinite knowledge is every single thing about each person. That’s a mind-bender and can actually seem a little scary, but ultimately it’s for our own good. If we mess up, He is there to restore us and heal our shame.

While others gather data on us that could be embarrassing, God wants only what’s best for us. He holds us up to the light of His righteousness, and that reality should be all the motivation we need to live holy lives.

Let’s pray.

Lord, we can feel very, very foolish in your eyes. But we thank you for the accountability you give us, for our own good. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

It’s almost universally believed that tech guru Steve Jobs floated into mega success with Apple, the company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak.

Job’s first go-around at Apple didn’t end well in 1985, when he was forced out. His next effort wasn’t a home run either, yet Jobs put his head down like a fullback and plowed ahead. Next up for him was founding Pixar and finally, more than a decade after his humiliating exit from Apple, Jobs returned there as CEO and revolutionized the way people interacted with computers.

Writing about him after his death, Jason Demur said that, “Steve Jobs is lasting evidence that you should never count somebody out—even yourself.” In other words, even if someone pushes you back, you have to keep moving forward. Believe it or not a fellow tech icon, Bill Gates, also had to learn the hard way. His first venture with business partner Paul Allen was a complete failure, but Gates said many times in the years since that learning from failures leads to success, and Microsoft is proof of that.

Christian Ministry leader Jo Walls has some interesting things to say to Christians who have perhaps grown too comfortable in their faith, and she addresses herself first. She says, “God’s been talking to me lately about being too comfortable. He’s challenging me in some ways that I’m not real thrilled about. He’s pushing me to grow,” and in fact, He’s telling her to ‘cheer up buttercup—life can be a grind,’ and that’s when we need to push through.

Even though it can sometimes sting when someone tells us to chin up, it’s ultimately for our good. And let's face it—most of us know it feels good to overcome something really difficult.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” 

When your life is spent following Jesus, fear disappears in the light of God’s reassuring love. He has a plan for you, and you don’t have to walk in the shadows when God’s got your back. Every moment of every day is brighter knowing our Heavenly Father watches over us.

The unknown doesn’t have to be cause for worry. It’s an opportunity for God to work on your behalf. Hand the details over to Him and wait patiently and faithfully for His good plan to come to fruition. The joy of knowing we can always depend on God is a message worth sharing.

Let’s pray.

Lord, we need your strength every single day. We know that some things just don’t come easy. Thank you for bringing us along the way you do. We pray and believe. It feels good to emerge from difficulty and realize that the strength you gave us pulled us out of despair. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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Honestly…sometimes, as Christians, we think things are going to be easy. After all, when Jesus saves you, it doesn’t get any better than that! The joy we feel is genuine, and lasting.

But—that doesn’t mean we escape this world. Bad things can and do happen. This week, we’re talking about having enough grit to get to the glory.

Romans 5:3–4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Part of our Christian walk is developing a personal faith that lasts. As Paul tells us in Romans, leaning in and learning to last is the key to it all. Listen, if you’re walking through a really dark valley right now, you are not alone! Many, many people have and are going through exactly what you’re going through now.

If you bought into the idea that being a Christian means your life becomes easy, you need to go ahead and let that go. True faith requires us to look to the Lord when things go wrong.

Stand up on your feet, Christian, and let Jesus steady you. Hold fast!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, your strength sustains us. We love you Lord—for that, and for so many more things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.