Kerusso Daily Devotional

If you’re working your way toward belief and away from doubt, by now you must assume that God exists. 

2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering or extraordinarily patient toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” 

The cornerstone of the Christian faith is a belief that scripture is God’s Word. Psalm 138:2 tells us that God has elevated the Word above His own name.

So, we have the opportunity to tell God that we accept His promises. Luke 1:77 tells us that He has raised up Jesus “to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” 

At some point, faith is just believing God. Some critics say that this is making an idol out of the Bible, it’s called bibliolatry. But in fact, we learn who Jesus is and what He has done for us in Scripture. It is a conscious decision to embrace what God has told us. 

Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 

It really requires you to at least open your mind to the possibility that it’s true. God’s plan to reconcile people to Himself after sin entered the world, is a start. Decide to be bold. Lay aside your fears and doubts and find that rest you’ve been looking for.

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

One of the great metaphors of the Bible is the strong hand or the strong arm of God that rescues us from danger. John 10:28 says, “I give them eternal life. They’ll never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” 

No one is saying that you will never have a shred of doubt again, but what we can know is that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, as outlined in the Book of Romans. Jesus Christ is waiting for you, and you can be sure of that. 

Let’s pray. 

Father, there are so many lonely people in the world, and they want to believe. You’ve put that in our hearts, God. Help them and help us, by your Spirit, know that they are loved, and that they can have an encounter with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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When you think of ships, whether you’re thinking of the Titanic, pirate ships of yore, or trading vessels crossing the vast ocean to bring goods and services from one country to another, you probably picture them with an anchor—a heavy metal hook designed to catch on the ocean floor and keep a boat or ship in place.

Wikipedia says this about anchors: There are two main types of anchors: temporary and permanent. A permanent anchor is called a mooring block and is not easily moved. A temporary anchor can be moved and is carried on the boat. When people talk about anchors, they are usually thinking about temporary anchors.

Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

When you think about your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, what kind of anchor binds you to your Lord and Savior? Is it a permanent anchor—not easily moved? Or is it a temporary anchor, dependent more on where you want to steer the ship, carried aboard your boat until you feel like a temporary stop?

God wants the hope we’ve found in Jesus to be a permanent fixture in our lives; our faith is meant to hold us steady and secure as we follow Him, being a constant source of reassurance in every circumstance—not a temporary stopping place.

So, think about that anchor…is it permanent, or is it temporary?

Let’s pray.

Lord, whether we’re sailing calm seas or fighting to keep our heads above water in the midst of a storm, you are with us. You are truly the anchor for our souls. Help us to remember to moor ourselves to you, instead of following our pride and settling for a temporary anchor. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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As humans, we compartmentalize, don’t we? By that we mean, it is in our nature to rank priorities, then even lose sight of some of them. This can often lead us to confusion about which direction we’re supposed to go.

This confusion can even extend to faith itself. We wonder, “When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to act on faith?”

Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

When we get the Word deep in our hearts, we always have a ready answer for our personal questions. This sweet psalm tells us that we are to always remember the great gifts Father God bestows on us. His greatness is ever before us and in this way, we can worship Him all the time, no matter what we are doing.

Learn to bless the Lord and praise Him as you do your job, as you fellowship with others, even as you engage with people who don’t believe as you do. They need to see the love of Christ shining through you.

Let’s pray.

Lord, we bless you and praise you with our words. Thank you, Father, for never ever forgetting us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Many Christians wrestle with doubt, but who wants to admit that their foundational beliefs are not so firm? Not long ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, openly admitted that he’s questioned if God is real. When the head of the Church of England says something like that, it makes news.

But something interesting came from Welby’s honesty. He revealed his humanity. It turns out that the Archbishop lost a baby girl in a car accident many years ago, and when he was a teenager, he had to take care of his alcoholic father. He’s human with human difficulties. We are human, and we struggle sometimes.  

Can we be honest? While a lifetime of doubt is dangerous, periods of doubt simply mark one as being human, but faith can help us overcome doubt.

In the Bible, we read in Hebrews 11:1, “Now, faith is the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11 continues with many examples of faith in action, and at its core, the Christian faith means we believe God sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross, and that God raised Him from the dead. While mountaintop faith is exciting, and it makes us feel good, no one experiences that all the time. Sometimes it’s difficult to believe certain things in the Bible. Sometimes we don’t feel faith in our lives.

It’s important to remember that simply expressing doubt can lead to healing and a more faithful future. If you’re a struggling believer or a questioning skeptic, this subject is one of the most important you’ll ever wrestle with. Stay tuned.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, often we push down thoughts that are painful or uncomfortable. We don’t have to do that with you, Lord. Even doubts about our faith are conversations that we can start with you, and we’re grateful for that. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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In all the world, there are almost countless ways people try to find God. Some people are drawn to the mystical, while others chase after the practical. Does it work?

God knew we would all look to fill the void in our spirits, the one put there when man first sinned. He also already knew what our escape route would be, the path back to Him.

Romans 10:9–10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” 

The so-called “Roman Road” is in reality a face-to-face with the Living God. Jesus Christ Himself is our aim, and our benefactor. He loved us so much that He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin. It’s very simple really. God accepted the sacrifice and raised His precious Son from the dead. Now, it is there waiting for us to accept that great and priceless gift.

Let’s pray.

Lord, we complicate things sometimes, but your salvation is a simple choice, and it is free. Blessed be your name forever and ever! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever had the pleasure of waking up in a cozy cabin…after you’ve let the fire go out from the night before? If you don’t get out of bed and put more wood in, the squirrels or raccoons aren’t going to do it for you!

Much more serious is the tendency to get lazy about the fire inside us to share the love of Christ. After so many years of being a Christian—especially living in a free country—sharing the Gospel can be put on the back burner.

Romans 12:11–12 says, “Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful.”

Do you see what God is urging us to do in Scripture? He says to never let the fire go out! Never doesn’t mean sometimes, when we’re tired or annoyed about something. This is too important to mess up. Remember that Jesus saved you. More than likely, through someone keeping their own inner fire going, they saw you through the eyes of compassion. 

Let’s pray.

Lord, give us a passion for the souls of all people, at all times. And help us be ready to share Christ with them. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Kerusso exists to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but somehow in our information-jacked world, culture has moved further away from understanding who the most famous person in history really is. 

Millions of books and articles have been written about a carpenter who lived in the Middle East 2000 years ago, and Jesus has been identified as anything from a desert mystic to God Himself.

Historically, He was born into a Jewish family in Judea at the time the Roman Empire controlled the area. Born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, Jesus was 30 before He gained a reputation as a great teacher. But He was much more than that. The Bible tells us that He was sent into the world by God the Father, to stand in our place and take the penalty for our sin.

According to Genesis, man defied God’s template for living and because He is holy, God requires that someone is accountable for sin. Had Jesus not entered the world, we’d be left without a way to reconcile with God. Long story short, Jesus Christ is much more than just a wise teacher. He’s also the Son of God. 

The Bible also tells us Jesus is one with the Father. Remember, when Moses encountered God in the burning bush, he asked God how to identify Him to the people. And God replied, “I am who I am.”

And that was in the Old Testament. In John 8:58, in the New Testament, Jesus tells the people, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Jesus Christ is a divine being. And John 1:29 says, “The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.’” This description of Him is not embraced by most people around the world. The Bible tells us that man’s heart is wicked. It isn’t like billions are rushing to churches so that they can have their sins forgiven. The human mind and heart don’t want to focus on the messier side of the gospel. We’re imperfect. We sin. And our sin is an offense to God. Who wants to hear that? We don’t want to be told that we’re not good. We want to be told we’re good and worthy of God’s love.

And the Good News, the gospel in the person of Jesus Christ, is that we have the pathway to be like Him. Romans Chapter Eight tells us that it is God’s desire that we become like Jesus, and that’s a goal worth reaching for. 

Let’s pray.

Father, thank You for providing us with your word, that tells us exactly who Jesus is and what His life means to us. You could have abandoned us to sin, but You didn’t. The praise and the glory belong to You alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Some of the greatest stories of believers down through time have involved those who really studied God’s Word. These people have gone before us to show us the way. From Charles Spurgeon to a missionary mother in China, daily study of the Word, and prayer, prepared them to mentor entire generations.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

We also read in Romans 10 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We have to do it, so that others know how. And remember, there is no substitute for spending time in God’s Word.

In order to properly train an apprentice, you need to obviously be prepared and adept. Anything less leads to weak faith, or no faith at all. 

This is what the Great Commission, sharing the Gospel, has always been about: Duplicating disciples. Grounding your own faith in the Bible, and then imparting that to others. That is the essence of true iron sharpening iron.

Let’s pray.

Father God, keep us about your work by daily reminding us to spend time with You in Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Sweat was pouring off Peter as he moved to protect Jesus. As Roman soldiers held the one who had been labeled a heretic, Peter drew a sword and cut off a soldier’s ear. And he was stunned when Jesus told him to put the sword away. You see, Jesus knew infinitely more than Peter or anyone else. He knew the end from the beginning, and He knew He had an agenda to see through to the end. Peter couldn’t see that, and impulsively He moved to change the facts on the ground.

And that’s so typical of us as humans. The authentic Christian wants to do something to fix things or change the world. The theologian Francis Schaeffer wrote a whole book titled How Should We Then Live on the role of a Christian in the modern world. And there are arguments over whether America is still a Christian nation, or whether postmodernism has won the day.

But what does the Bible say about being a witness in the world? 

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

Notice it doesn’t say engage. We’re in fact told not to become like the world in all its anti-God stuff. Yet we also know one of the last things Jesus said to His disciples before He ascended into heaven was that we should go into all the world and make disciples. The Apostle Paul made an interesting observation in 1 Corinthians 9. He said that he was free from conformity to the world. It had nothing he coveted. But that he chose to be a servant to all, so that his example might win some to Christ. 

In Hebrews 13, we’re told to practice hospitality. And this echoes many Old Testament passages, too. The idea is a believer is to be an example of what life with God looks like in hopes it will draw unbelievers. And this must be done with sincerity, though. Especially in our jaded modern culture. First Corinthians 10 tells us whatever we do, do it for the glory of God alone.

To sum up, the Bible tells us to absolutely live in this world and be appealing to people. But to do all this while holding onto our convictions. Balancing being a Gospel witness, while also being seen as personable, is the approach for our modern world. 

Let’s pray.

Father God, you’ve given us direction for all that we do. Help us to continually have a burden for the lost and to always remember we’re to be salt and light for a hurting world. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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Sharing our faith should be exciting to us. It is exciting. When we consider the free grace God gave us through His Son, telling others about Jesus should be on our priority list every day. For whatever reason, many find it very awkward to talk to others about Jesus. We can talk about just about anything else, though. That’s why it’s crucial that we look at sharing the Gospel as an intentional thing we do.  

Intentionality is a great way to overcome our hesitancy, and let’s be honest, sometimes fear keeps us from sharing. 

Truth is, each personality requires a customized approach to sharing about Jesus. Some are outgoing and others are shy. A blogger for God TV has written that he admired a friend who told every seatmate on every plane he’d been in about Jesus.

The blogger went on to write that, “Even if my fellow passengers desperately wanted to know Christ, they likely couldn’t even get my attention with a jackhammer drill or a pie in the face.” Kind of funny…and also kind of sad. Also very common. 

Matthew 16:24 says, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” So, if we’re looking for ways to overcome our mediocre Gospel sharing, what can we do? 

Let’s look at a few tips. 

The first is prayer. Get honest with God and tell Him you’re not so great at evangelism. I mean, He already knows, anyway. Ask Him specifically to give you both opportunities and an intentional plan for communicating the best news anyone will ever hear.

Two—plan, think ahead. Are you a person who’s good at conversation? Go over a mental checklist that provides you with enough scripture and short sentences to make your pitch when the time comes. However, if you’re not outgoing, maybe you’re a writer. Consider communicating with a card to let the person know you’re thinking about him or her. Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses. 

Number three, listen before you talk. How many times do we jump into a conversation or meeting without taking a breath? Train yourself to be quiet for a bit until you hear where the other person is coming from. You’ll learn about your friend or acquaintance, and you can then think through the best way to approach them about the saving gift of Jesus. But also, don’t just wait for your turn to talk. Hear them. Meet them where they are, and listen to the Holy Spirit to see how you can speak Jesus into that person’s life.  

Very few of us are Billy Graham. That doesn’t mean we can’t share the gospel. Somebody’s depending on it. 

Let’s pray.

Father, whatever our personality and our experiences, give us a passion for loving unbelievers and caring about their well-being. The world is full of diversity. Help us embrace that. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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