Kerusso Daily Devotional

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’re 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. 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 all 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 hearts. Thank you so much for that! In Jesus’ name, amen.

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 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.

Psychologists and self-help gurus will all tell us that a grateful heart and a positive outlook will do wonders for health and relationships. A person with a heart of gratitude will be seen by others who will want to follow, and see what he has going for him.

Such a person is a magnet for sharing the Gospel, and the greatest source of wisdom has much to say on the subject. Dozens of times in the Bible, we read about the value of gratitude. Paul mentions it several times, including in the account of Elisha healing a woman’s sick son.

We read in 2 Kings 4:37, “She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.”

To be overwhelmed with gratitude is an emotional reaction to kindness.

Lamentations 3:22–24 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

This is especially interesting because to lament, means a person is sorrowful about something. In this case, it’s the prophet Jeremiah. But notice, even in his grief he focuses on God’s love and care for him. He is grateful in his circumstance. In modern language, Jeremiah was being intentional about his gratitude.

The Bible tells us there are many variations of gratitude. In Second Corinthians, Paul even expressed his deep gratefulness to God for allowing him to participate in sharing the Gospel. You see, a truly grateful heart transitions from selfishness, to concern for others. And we can do the same thing today. When we focus on others, gratitude follows.

In Philippians 4, Paul also passes along a profound life lesson. Here, he says that we can learn to be grateful in all circumstances. Think about that. Grateful—whether in distress, or good times. Abundance, or poverty.

A few years ago, a youth missions group was repairing homes damaged by storms in Louisiana. A girl entered a house that was missing part of its roof, and she found an elderly woman rocking in a chair in a bedroom. “Oh, I’m just so happy to have a dry place to sit,” the woman said. She literally had no other dry areas in her home to be until help could arrive. Yet she didn’t complain about her circumstances. Instead, she gave thanks to the Lord, and in so doing—inspired that 16-year-old girl.

Gratitude is a perpetual gift, to us, and to others.

Let’s pray.

Father God, you are good. You’re good to us every day, and we are thankful for that. We’re grateful that you didn’t leave us in our sins, but you sent Jesus. We’re grateful that you sustain us always, in body and in spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Humans tend to see the world from a me-me-me perspective: What can we get out of this situation? How can I benefit from this?

It’s the same with being thankful.

Not that we shouldn’t focus on all that God does for us. That’s important — even critical. But when you think about it, who should benefit most from our gratitude?

The answer is: others.

When we thank others and recognize the effort they took to do something for us, we should train ourselves to understand how it impacts them, not us. Thank them, and be specific: it takes a good heart and a values-driven person to help others.

The gratitude we express is a kind of glue that bonds us together, long after the ‘thank you’ has been delivered.

Ephesians 1:15–16 says, “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”

Let’s pray.

Lord, help us even in our gratitude to think of the other person first, and not so much about what we gain. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you ever feel like life is passing you by, or worse—running right over the top of you?

When we focus on unpleasant circumstances or people, life can really bring us down. And this perspective is a downward spiral—not a place you want to dwell.

Author John Kralik was there, once. A long hike one day led him to an emotional crossroads; and there, he decided to devote the rest of his life to being thankful.

His life changed dramatically.

John began to write thank you notes to everyone he could think of. Not emails or texts, either. Taking the time to send a handwritten note really connected with the other people. Pretty soon he was so aware of his blessings, that there was no room for depression anymore.

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

Consistently thanking others will enrich them, and it will enrich you. Try it!

Let’s pray.

Lord, your Word is a love letter to us, and our gratitude to you is our thank you note. Help us to spread your Good News to all we come in contact with. In Jesus’ name, amen.

If you’re just starting your day, on your way to work, think about something that will pay off for you down the road.

Are you thankful today?

All week, we’ll talk about what it means to be grateful and thankful for all God has given you and done for you.

Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

A lot of us are thankful from time to time. Then we get into a pattern of thinking mostly about what we don’t have.

That’s a trap. The enemy wants you to focus on what you don’t have, and ignore the amazing blessings God has already given you! God is good to us just because He wants to bless us. He is a good God. If you focus more on what He’s already done for you, you’ll draw closer to Him.

This, then, is the point: Start practicing gratitude. Every day. Multiple times a day. You’ll be shocked how much your attitude changes for the better.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, you are merciful to each of us every second of every day. Thank you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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. But we do know that we can trust you, and we thank you for that. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever been fooled by someone? Doesn’t feel good, does it?

But the absolute worst is when we fool ourselves. We try to manage some problem on our own, or analyze a situation gone awry.

The Bible has a better way of thinking about it.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

We have to do two things here: give total control to God, and de-emphasize our own judgment. Sometimes our gut is wrong. Following our heart often ends in heartache.

God doesn’t mess up. He doesn’t get it wrong. And He really longs to make it better for you.

Do you remember a time when you put your life in God’s hands? Maybe it was a really important career choice. Or a relationship that needed healing. Maybe your body needed healing. Whatever it was, recall that situation today as you wrestle with a new problem.

Let’s pray.

Lord, every time we learn to trust you, it builds our faith a little more. You are a good God who always has our back. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Bible is full of what many would call difficult stories. Some of them don’t make a lot of sense at first. Others seem contrary to what we think should happen.

One such story is breathtaking if we follow it through. It involves a father trusting God more than his own instincts.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we live by faith, and not by sight.”

In Genesis, we read about Abraham being instructed by the Lord to offer his young son Isaac as a sacrifice.

As a sacrifice?! Nothing could be more repulsive! Telling a man to kill his son? Why?

We gain a different perspective when we trust God to the end of this story.

Climbing a high mountain, Abraham intends to obey God all the way. As he raises a knife over his son, God stops him.

God’s compassion hadn’t taken a vacation. He taught Abraham an important lesson about obeying Him no matter what. In fact, Abraham and Isaac would go on to become two of the greatest men of all time.

Learn to trust God—even if you don’t understand.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, your ways can at times be mysterious to us, but you always want the best for us. God teach us to trust you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Of all the gifts God gives His children, joy is perhaps the one closest to heaven on earth.

Who isn’t aware just how wonderful it feels to experience true joy? It is as if the Lord has freed a prisoner.

When American POWs returned from captivity in Vietnam, the looks on their faces as they emerged from the planes carrying them to freedom…well, no one will ever forget that!

Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

Scripture tells us that we don’t escape trouble in this life, but that for the believer, eternal joy waits for us, and the Holy Spirit gives us joy in our daily walk in the here and now.

It’s also ours for the taking—to reach up and pick this fruit that feeds our souls. Sometimes simply making the choice to embrace a joyful spirit is the key to having a blessed day.

Let’s pray.

Lord, you did not create us to be defeated or to be sad. Father, your Spirit brings joy in big and small moments, sustaining us for our journey. Thank you for joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.