Kerusso Daily Devotional

God created humans with a spirit, soul, and body. And in order for each aspect of our being to function in harmony, our relationships should also be in harmony.

From the beginning, God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, talking with them and nurturing a personal relationship with them. In fact, throughout the scriptures, God built foundational relationships, whether it was with the reluctant leader Moses or Hannah, the woman who wanted to be a mother more than anything. 

Ephesians 4:2–3 says, “Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the spirit of unity through the bond of peace.” 

Right relationships are foundational to life. The Bible is clear that if one of ours is suffering, letting it drift is not an option. Make living in harmony with other people a top priority every day.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, You gave everything for us, created us to have fellowship, to experience Your love, and to love You in return. Help us to always be mindful that life is short, but relationships can last for eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bill was a very successful businessman for a lot of years. About 10 years ahead of retirement, he decided to entrust a lot of money to the investment wizardry of Bernie Madoff. And when Madoff’s Ponzi scheme imploded, Bill joined many others who now had to wonder where their money went. And he thought of suicide. 

For fully two years, he struggled to get out of bed. He felt sapped of energy every waking moment. Then, on a park bench one afternoon, he met Mildred, who shared the Good News of Jesus with him. And Bill said later that during his walk home, he could feel blood flow back into his legs. And by the time he got home, he dusted off a Bible and began his journey to Christ. He says, “He saved me in every way. I no longer felt weak and helpless. Today, I look forward to my future.”

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” And Christ longs to give you the strength to live a full life. 

Let’s pray.

Lord, our hope is in You and You alone. Thank You for loving us enough to want the very best for us. Thank You for strength for the journey. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sandy was facing some really tough choices. Her daughter needed a life-saving treatment. The girl’s father was out of the picture, and she faced this moment without support. Even the doctors didn’t seem overly optimistic. So this embattled mom did what moms do. She prayed. She told God she didn’t have the strength to see this thing through. 

No bright light appeared, and things didn’t get better instantly or even the next day, but God healed her little girl. 

Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Sandy remembered what her own parents had taught her about faith. She remembered that the Apostle Paul, who suffered beatings and imprisonment for preaching the gospel, once said, “I know whom I have believed.” 

Belief, that’s the key. When your strength is gone, you go to your prayer closet and you pour out your grief to God. And you remember that God’s Word tells us that all things are possible through Christ. 

Let’s pray. 

Father God, life just hurts sometimes. We feel weak and lethargic, and on our own, we’ll never be enough. We praise you for being our strength, all the time. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Quitting is something our culture really frowns upon. We’re all taught not to be a quitter, but honestly, it’s one of the easiest things in the short term any of us can do. Quitting is seductive, and taking the easy way out just feels right sometimes. 

Well—fight that impulse. Too many outcomes are riding on your willingness to hang tough. 

Luke 18:1 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Few people remember Coretta Scott King and her refusal to give up after her husband was murdered for a cause. We all remember MLK. His widow, however, lived out the premise of Luke 18:1.

As a woman of faith, she stood strong and raised their children, adding to her family’s legacy and giving us an example of steadfast faith in the face of heartbreak. If she didn’t give up, neither should we. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, giving up sometimes feels like taking a nap during a blizzard. We just want to go to sleep and hope it all goes away, but there can be danger in that. Father, help us to push on and to fulfill your calling on our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Are you having a bad day? Feeling exhausted? Ready to throw in the towel? Have you considered telling God that? 

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Sometimes all things means conquering a mountain, but sometimes it means putting one foot in front of the other when you just aren’t feeling it. 

When Paul wrote those words 2,000 years ago, he was writing on the other side of a life filled with trials. This preacher had spent several years being hunted, persecuted, and hated for his faith in Christ. Through it all, Paul was filled with strength precisely because he understood where it came from. He’d been through too many tough situations to think he bailed himself out. No, he knew—he knew the risen Christ, and he leaned on Christ. 

Even though Paul lived a long time ago in a much different world, not all that much has changed. What never changes is Christ’s love for us and his willingness to give us his strength. 

Remember that today.

Let’s pray.

Lord, give us the perspective that Paul had. Give us a vision for what it means to be strong in today’s tough world. We are willing to obey you, Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.

The prophet Isaiah lived during a difficult period for the ancient Israelites. Turning away from faith in God and under the control of corrupt kings, the nation entered a period of darkness. They needed hope more than anything.

In our discussion this week, we’re talking about this human condition. Today, we are really no different from people in ancient times: We all need a relationship with our Creator.

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.”

Don’t those words give a feeling of peace and calm? You can say them to yourself, with no one around, and begin to feel God’s strong arms wrapping you in love. He wants you to be free from all the strongholds that keep you from your destiny.

Wouldn’t you like to spend the rest of this week at rest emotionally and mentally? You can. This is the Lord’s will for you, as we heard in this famous passage from the book of Isaiah.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for your Word. God, thank you that your perfect love always comes through for us. Just as you didn’t abandon your people long ago, we know you will remember us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Early in the 2008 college football season, Florida was stunned at home by Ole Miss, losing 31 to 30. Tim Tebow, the Florida quarterback who had already had great success, was now faced with rising from the ashes. In a moment of weakness and humiliation, he told the world that his team would not lose again in that situation. 

People sat up and took notice, mostly because Tim Tebow was an outspoken Christian. More than a few people rolled their eyes. Not many thought the promise would hold since Florida would have to roll through undefeated the rest of the way in the country’s toughest conference. They did roll though. 

At the end of the year, facing Oklahoma’s history-making offense, the Florida Gators locked the Sooners down and won a national championship. As the confetti fell, Tim Tebow looked up and thanked the one who had really kept the promise.

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Knowing the source of true strength is a comforting thought, and it gives us quiet confidence. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, in adversity we find out who we really are. Our identity is in Christ, whose strength takes the burden off of us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Kelly had felt alone for years. Since childhood, in fact. At 26, she didn’t like it anymore and she decided to do something about it. Not a naturally outgoing person, Kelly began volunteering in a local women’s shelter. She learned quickly to listen to other people’s problems she had herself never experienced, and she found that helping someone else made her feel better—physically and emotionally.

Within a year, she decided to make a change, finish her degree, and become a counselor. She realized that sometimes even when we cry out to God in our loneliness, we’re also obligated to do something to move forward. With God’s help and daily prayer, Kelly left lonely behind, and you can, too.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, we come to you now in a moment when being alone isn’t desirable anymore. We ask you to help us get out of our confinement and meet people. God, thank you that when we call on you, you are there. Together, we no longer feel alone, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Of all the human emotions, fear is perhaps the most paralyzing. And there are what we call internal and external fears. While many people stress about relationships, depression, and self-doubt, there are also big issues affecting the world: natural disasters, political upheaval, wars, are just a few of the things that create fear. 

Sometimes it can feel like everything is unraveling, but our field guide for finding our way through life, the Bible, has much to say about fear. In fact, dozens of verses speak to it. One really helpful verse is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 

In scripture, God either speaks to us directly, or through the stories of men like Moses, who comforted the frightened Israelites at the Red Sea.

For us as individuals, there are wonderful reminders of God calming us when we’re afraid. In Philippians 4, God reminds us not to be anxious about anything. These are soothing words that reach us where we actually live. And as with every other area of our lives, God provides practical help in times of need. 

Ashley Smith found that out in 2005 when an escaped killer held her hostage in her apartment. She remained calm, and asked him if she could read. He said yes. So she grabbed her Bible and a copy of The Purpose Driven Life. And over a period of hours, the man talked to Ashley and told her he felt dead inside. Later, she was able to escape and she said she felt that God brought that man to her so that he wouldn’t hurt anyone else. 

God’s Word provides real, workable solutions for the many problems we face. Fear is just one of them, but it can be a big one. And it shrinks in the light of God’s protection.

Let’s pray. 

Father God, we love you. We thank you for showing us the way when we’re too afraid to go on. Thank you for giving us a spirit of sound mind, and not a spirit of fear. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever talked to someone who doubted the existence of God? Someone who says God couldn’t have created everything in our world? 

Watch that same someone stare in wonder at a mountain range like the Rockies, the delicate bloom of a flower, or a sunset on a beach in Greece. It’s pretty hard to deny God in such a moment. In fact, all throughout scripture, we’re told that God’s majesty is seen in our natural surroundings. He made everything. Literally, all matter. He created the conditions for a waterfall, the light of the moon and the stars, and the horses that gallop across a prairie. 

There’s infinite beauty in our world, and He made it.

Amos 4:13 says, “He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness and treads on the heights of the earth, the Lord God Almighty is his name.”

The Prophet Amos had seen the beauty of the land, from golden deserts to lush pastures. He’d also seen the power of God even in earthquakes and storms. He knew it was possible to worship God without limitations, and the splendor of nature He’d created. 

We have the same opportunity. Just stand in a favorite spot and meditate on the power and majesty of the living God. Take a walk in the fresh air to revive your spirit. There’s something healing about connecting with your creator in a spot that highlights just how much beauty is in our world.

The next time you hear someone question the existence of God, or if you encounter someone who’s feeling a bit down, get them out in nature. Take time to soak it all in. Reflect on His wondrous works. It’ll have a positive effect.

Let’s pray. 

Father, thank you so much for creating a world that we can enjoy. We’re aware of you and know you made the lakes, and the valleys, and the mountains—all of it. You filled it with amazing animals and fresh air. We praise your name for all of this, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.