Kerusso Daily Devotional

Where are you headed, friend?

Psalm 25:4 says, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.”

Whether you’ve lived in the same place your entire life, or you’ve been blessed to travel the world, each and every life is a journey. An opportunity to learn, grow, and impact others as we follow the path God has planned for us. 

Moses and the Israelites must have been expert travelers by the time they finally reached the Promised Land, and their journey was no pleasure trip. 

God sent 10 devastating plagues to the land of Egypt, causing Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. And God’s people were promised a land where milk and honey flowed—the Promised Land—also known as Canaan. So, Moses and the Israelites traveled to the borders of Canaan. For 40 days, a group of 12 chosen men secretly scouted out the land. Ten of the men reported that the people were well-armed, and just way too strong to overcome.  

Despite God’s promise of victory, the Israelites were afraid, and were certain they could not overcome the people of Canaan. They doubted God’s promises. And in turn, he caused them to wander the desert for 40 years: one year for each of the 40 days they had explored the land. 

Because of this, no one over the age of 20 would step foot into the Promised Land, including Moses, and an entire adult generation lost out on the blessings God had planned for them—all because they allowed their fear to be greater than their faith in God’s plan. 

Let’s pray. 

Heavenly Father, how many times have you delivered us? Not because we’re deserving, but because you love us. Help us to keep the faith and stay on your path for us, every step of the journey. Your goodness is beyond question, and we’re grateful for your presence in our lives, and your boundless saving grace. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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It seems that a positive in our culture today is that we can admit our shortcomings.  

In the past, it was sort of taboo to tell the world you were not exactly all put together. Back in the day, a ‘hot mess’ usually referred to an overturned pot on the stove. But today, we know the phrase ‘hot mess’ has a whole new meaning—and our lives are often exactly that.

Thank goodness the outcome is not dependent on us.

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.”

Recognizing that you don’t quite have it together is a positive first step to moving beyond your circumstances. But the real key is internalizing the fact that God—and not you—saves the day. 

All we can do is admit our shortcomings, and then rest in the knowledge that God has it from here. And that’s an attitude the Lord will bless. 

God’s got you covered and blessed all at the same time!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, you are so good to us. And you have been so much more for us than we can even imagine. Thank you for blessing us and not leaving us where we were. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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When someone asks how you’re doing, what is your typical response? Many of us give a quick, “I’m fine, thank you,” or, “Doing great!” Even if we’re actually struggling. It’s easier not to dive into a verbal rundown of our discontent if we aren’t really fine, and things aren’t so great, after all. 

As followers of Jesus, we are called to curate contentment in our lives. That doesn’t mean we have to pretend everything is awesome if life feels like it’s falling apart, but it does mean our trust in the Lord is so strong, no temporary circumstance can throw us off balance. 

Psalm 62:5 says, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” 

The world around us is chaotic, riddled with trouble, and often disappointing. And yet—we don’t have to fall into despair! Our hope comes from the Lord, and with His unfailing love, and the hope of a future alongside Him in Heaven, we can live in tranquility. God is so good — and when we are still and reach out to Him in prayer, He is faithful to meet us there.

No matter the hour, the day, or our life circumstances, we can say it is well with our souls, because of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The challenges we face ebb and flow, but God’s goodness never changes, and this is Good News! 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, the circumstances of our lives don’t always play out the way we want them to, but you are steadfast, and our hope comes from you. Let all things be well with us in your name. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Citizens of the United States of America have always acknowledged God. Sometimes though, our devotion to faith comes and goes. Sometimes we get too comfortable and forget who keeps us upright every day.

Psalm 115:1 tells us, “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Whenever a person questions God’s goodness, or the path He has set for us, it’s good to go to the Bible. There, we find the answer to why we should honor our Lord.

It’s because He has loved us. He has been faithful to us.

He deserves our notice. He is the One we should be all-in for, all the time.

Remember the timeless Walt Whitman poem, in which he referred to the beloved President Lincoln as “O Captain, my Captain!” Whitman was honoring the man who saved the Union. The President rightly was seen as an important figure; after all, he gave his life for his country.

But the Lord Jesus Christ is our real Captain, our General, for all time. He gave His life for each of us the world over.

Glory to God! Let’s honor Him every way we can.

 Let’s pray.

Lord, we have many examples from history of people who sacrificed and deserve our respect. To You, we give our full allegiance, now and forever! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Science. It’s pretty cool. 

Did you know what we think of as a day—how long it takes the Earth to rotate—isn’t actually 24 hours? According to NASA, it’s 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.2 seconds. A day on the planet Mercury—it’s a whopping 58 Earth days, 15 hours and 30 minutes. 

Can you imagine a Monday that lasts over 1400 hours? Our Creator God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us the perfect amount of daytime for work and play, and nighttime for rest. He gave us seven days for productivity, and most importantly, He gave us the Sabbath, a time to rest and to gather as believers to acknowledge His goodness. 

Humans are busy creatures, and sometimes we wish we had more time to accomplish a task or extra hours in the day. When a situation is difficult, we wish it was over already and gnash our teeth and clench our fists and frustration. 

It’s tempting to spend our lives watching the clock, trying to force our circumstances into our own ideal timelines, but there’s a better way. God’s plan is not our own plan, and it doesn’t run on the world’s timeline. 

When you’re waiting for that big promotion. Remember, God will promote you when it’s time, when you’re patient and persistent in following Him. When you’re worrying over forthcoming test results. Remember, God is holding you in the palm of His hand. He will give you answers in His time. 

Faith means letting life happen all in good time and all on God’s timeline. 

Let’s pray. 

Heavenly Father, help us to trust you and to follow in your path for us, even when we’re not sure what will happen next or when our next steps will be revealed. We know you love us, and your plans for us are good. Thank you for your love, your faithfulness, and your saving grace. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

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One of the things that mark a healthy society is the consistency between generations. In other words, adults who care about the future for their children will invest the time to make sure tomorrow is bright.

God the Father is the ultimate parent, and we would do well to model His love for us.

Luke 18:1 says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”

Passing the torch, or training up the next generation, involves taking the time to do it properly. If you love your kids, you’ll make time for them. You won’t take the easy way out and settle for schools or the culture at large to raise them.

Teach them—yourself—that we all experience tough times in this life, but sticking to God’s plan for their lives is the key to winning. Living the abundant life Jesus taught about, and sharing His Good News is the ultimate win. But we don’t get there by quitting when the going gets tough.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you never leave us, and you never abandon the human community to evil. You are a great God, and we thank you for your commitment to us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Have you ever watched a war movie and realized that the actors didn’t know how the conflict would turn out? World War 2 movies are like that. When they filmed “Casablanca,” Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman weren’t sure whether the Germans would win or lose.

Life can be like that.

Matthew 28:20 says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In your own life, you might be facing some really serious stuff. And it’s not unusual to be staring at several problems at once. 

That’s when God’s Word is so valuable to us. Jesus has promised us that He will stick right with us all the way through. Human friends often go a long way with us—but only Jesus is sure to never, ever leave us.

That’s the best way to beat the uncertainties of life. Tell Jesus you can’t make it without Him.

It’s then that the future no longer scares us at all.

Let’s pray.

Lord, we don’t know a fraction of what you do, including what our future looks like. We do know that we can trust you, and we thank you for that. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Living life as though your cup is brimming over isn’t a matter of circumstance. It’s a matter of choice. 

Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.”

God promises bountiful blessings when we follow Him, but what about when times are tough? Nowhere does the Bible suggest we should wallow in misery when things don’t go our way. Instead, we should slow down enough to count and savor every blessing, even when goodness is harder to find.

Kristi Nelson, executive director of gratefulness.org, says this about gratitude, “I think gratefulness is about understanding that in each and every moment that we notice we are alive, we are succeeding in creating a life that hovers vividly at the brim. Because, in the end, it is all about the glass, not what is in it.” 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for the blessings that you pour out on us. Not because we’ve earned your favor, but because you love us sacrificially. Give us an attitude of gratitude beyond our circumstances. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Today, we’re talking about grit and determination, which go a long way in helping find success in life. And they’re contagious.

Winston Churchill was almost 70 when his country needed him most, when he stared down Hitler’s war machine. The British Prime Minister’s signature line was, “We shall fight on the beaches,” but the essence of his message came with these words, “We shall go on to the end.” 

Luke 18:1 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” And it is a partnership because God keeps His word. Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

There’s a great practical application in scripture. These old words that are always new were not meant to be just some nice thing to say. God does what He says he will do. 

If you feel like you have no way out of your troubles today, tell God that. Remember the scriptural promises and remind yourself that countless people have done the same and come out okay on the other side. Don’t give up, and see what the Lord will do.

 Let’s pray. 

Lord, we give you our fear and our uncertainty. We can’t cope with the situation we’re in alone, but we trust you to give us strength not to quit. We believe for the victory over these circumstances, and God, we find rest in your mercies. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Games and sports aren’t real life, but they often give a pretty accurate picture of how we can choose to face life.

 Imagine that your profession is on a national stage. You have the ball with less than two minutes to go, and your team is behind. Standing behind center and looking out at the defense, how many of us could even think? Then, imagine throwing the ball with any kind of accuracy, knowing you have to win the game.

Most of us would be scared to death!

Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

When we believe in something greater than ourselves—whether a close-knit team or better yet, the God of the universe—fear tends to leave. Just leave. Get away from me!

 If you are feeling terrible pressure right now and don’t know what to do, stop what you’re doing and get by yourself. Pray to the Lord that He will help you and show you the way.

That’s the true path to victory, and the best way to assure the win.

 Let’s pray.

Lord, we can’t do it by ourselves. We need your Spirit in us and your strength every second of every day. Thank you for never leaving us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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