Kerusso Daily Devotional

Watching little kids perform on stage at school or at church is quite entertaining, isn’t it? There are always a couple of shy violets, but many of them sing their hearts out, fidgeting with excitement and performing actions to accompany the songs with gusto.

If Grammy awards were doled out based on sheer enthusiasm, kids in elementary and Sunday School programs would probably win every year. They simply can’t contain the feelings in their hearts when it’s time to make a joyful noise.

Psalm 111:1 says, “Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart…”

The word “extol,” not one we say often, means to praise enthusiastically; to go into raptures about, to rave about, to delight over, or to sing the praises of. Imagine if every time we thought about our great God, we fell into raptures of delight—the same way those boisterous kids do when they break into song. Now that would be something to see!

Let’s pray.

God, you are worthy of our gratitude, our admiration, and our praise. Thank you for every good thing in our lives, and remind us to bring every ounce of joy to our praise for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you’re like most people, the more chaotic life gets, the more you need a solution broken down in easy-to-understand concepts.

We’ve been discussing what happens when people move away from God, and the consequences that impact us.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Besides the soothing beauty of the language, notice that God gives us several elements to meditate on in Scripture, as we walk the road to peace.

We are clearly told here to hope in the Lord. He will then strengthen us. After this comes the fun part! Close your eyes and see yourself floating on the winds of peace, high above the chaos and troubles below. Finally, we are told that our strengths in the Lord will not wear out.

When God redeems, He does it completely—with no strings attached! 

He loves us that much.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, you actually make it easy for us to leave the chains that confine us. God, we praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Does your life feel out of control? Are you experiencing that common feeling of weaving down a busy highway, about to crash?

It’s a metaphor for life that a lot of folks internalize at some point. All of a sudden, what you were sure of isn’t there anymore. You might as well be behind the wheel of a fast car that’s heading into oncoming traffic.

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

This isn’t some nice little bit of wisdom someone put on a greeting card. This is the very Word of God. It has sustained civilization for thousands of years. And it’s a proven method for getting your life under control.

It doesn’t work though, unless you can see Jesus taking the wheel. Let him get you to safety and peace. He’s ready and waiting to take all your worries and set you on a smooth and straight path.

Will you pray with me?

Lord, feeling out of control is not something we want anymore. Please take over and guide us, Lord, in your perfect ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.

There’s a movement in our society for a return to simple living. We might not want to give up all our technology—much of it is wonderful and helpful. But it is true we want to quiet our minds and find some peace. This week we’re talking about the simplest, sweetest truth around: Jesus saves.

With that knowledge in hand, we can all find peace that the Bible says is from another world.

Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

It seems at times we are moving at near the speed of light through this amazing Information Age. Constant access to that much information can bring with it tired minds and weary hearts.

With that said, wouldn’t you like to be able to grab hold of the secret of life?

We just read it. God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as a man, to take on our sin and pay the penalty for those sins. When he was crucified, God raised Him from the dead three days later. This is what believers call the Good News. You can believe it or not. Those of us who follow Jesus believe God has proven Himself many times over.

We love our Jesus.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you have given all of us the hope of a joyful eternity. Your Son’s sacrifice has saved us, and we are all eternally grateful for that. It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, amen.

Few of us enjoy chaos. It’s just too...chaotic, right?

The human mind needs order and peace, yet we live in this messy world. Stuff is flying by all the time, and we duck.

Our relationships are a mess, and we have to schedule that root canal...while simultaneously making dinner and cleaning the house.

Is there a way out?

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

It’s all perspective.

Yes, you might have a hundred things to do before 4 p.m. today, but remind yourself of this: sometimes we miss the best days of our lives because we don’t focus on the good. God brought order out of a vast chaos long ago…formless, empty—to create a world of beauty. And He did it because He loved us.

If He can handle that, can we handle our busy day of meetings and yes, even that root canal? I think we can.

Pray with me.

Lord, our lives get so busy we forget that you made order out of chaos. Help us to slow down our brains and hearts and learn to savor the moment. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you especially need the gift of peace right now? Is your life so busy, you can’t find time to take a breath? There is Good News for you: Jesus already knows.

Luke 2:14 says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”

When Jesus ascended to heaven, He told the apostles, “My peace I leave with you.” Because He lives, we know for sure that this peace is available to us anytime, anywhere. Even in the busy part of your life, when you think you’re going crazy, you can call on Him and He will answer.

This is our theme for this week: that peace is attainable. It comes from God, first and last. You might need to get away for even five minutes and close your eyes and pray. Let Him know you are beaten down and tired. Remember the verse we just read: peace is not just something for the glorious future Jesus is preparing for us. It’s to us here and now.

Claim that for your busy life today!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, when chaos seems to rule over us, you tell us otherwise. Thank you that we can simply ask and you will settle peace over us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

It’s kind of fun in those moments when the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, to think about the Big Questions. You know—The List.

Why am I here?

What is the meaning of life?

A question that people from ancient times to now have asked is, why in the world, literally, did God create people? We are a handful, as past generations used to say. We mess up. Sometimes we’re on our way to being smart, but then find ourselves flying down the Stupid Highway.

God must get tired of us, right?

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

In those terrible moments when you feel dirty and worthless, remember this verse. God says you are special to Him! You!

Begin praising Him for this incredible gift, and begin to understand that He made you to fellowship with Him, forever.

That’s pretty awesome.

Let’s pray.

Lord, all through your Word, You speak of us as the object of your love. Your incredible gesture of sending Jesus for us is proof of that. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever been in such a dark place that you wondered if God cares about you, or if He even exists? Maybe it’s all some cosmic joke, right?

We’ve all been there. Humans doubt. We doubt ourselves, we doubt product labels, we doubt our kids. We question everything.

But the worst one is trying to figure out where God is in the middle of life’s great difficulties. Sometimes the world is just flat-out mean, and it seems like it’s an entity that’s trying to break you in half.

That’s the very moment God’s ancient and eternal words come to us.

Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Honestly, it doesn’t get better than that! Jesus lives so that you will live forever. And in the interim, He will walk with you and carry you when necessary. He never fails and what’s more, His willingness to never leave us has been proven over and over again, in a billion different ways.

If you need Him right now, don’t doubt Him. Call out to Him. Your circumstances might seem impossible and impossibly unique…but don’t believe it. Believe Him instead.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you promised that you would never leave us. We know that’s true, but help us with our faith in our weak moments. God, make us believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As humans, we have a tendency to compartmentalize things. It’s in our nature to make lists, and rank priorities, and really box certain things in. We’ve got our work life over here, and our family life over there, and our faith somewhere else. 

This can often lead us to confusion about what we’re supposed to do, and when, and where we’re supposed to go. And this confusion extends to our faith. We wonder: When am I supposed to pray, and when am I supposed to take action on my 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 can have an answer for our personal questions. This psalm tells us that we are to always remember the great gifts the 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’re doing.

Learn to bless the Lord and praise Him as you do your job, as you fellowship with others, and even as you engage with people who don’t believe what you believe. 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.

Scores of people today, even many in our churches, walk around aimless. They work their jobs and take care of their families, but struggle to understand what it is that God wants them to do.

He’s told us in His word!

As with every other situation, His Word speaks directly to our circumstances.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

The Lord requires of us that we have the mind of Christ. That we aim for showing justice and mercy to those we encounter. And notice: we are to love doing these things, not just going through the motions! Finally, we are to remember to be humble. There’s only One Who is perfect and that is the Father. In our present state, we are to emulate the qualities that caused His Son Jesus to turn the world upside down for good.

If you ever wonder what your purpose is, start with these awesome words from the prophet Micah!

Let’s pray.

Lord, help us to keep in front of us at all times the simplicity that is in Christ. He shows us the way. In Jesus’ name, amen.