Kerusso Daily Devotional

It's been said that in the Fruit of the Spirit list, all of them collectively practically define the nature of Christ. Even David the shepherd knew his Messiah was coming. Remember what he said about his loving God? He said, “Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”

We instinctively know what goodness is. It’s a kind touch, a gentle word, a gift that was unexpected. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” 

And in life, we understand the distinction between good and evil. These two, always warring with each other. The key thing to remember in this conflict is that God is good, and infinitely stronger than evil. And that’s important to remember as we see injustice. 

What did Micah tell us? That goodness is wrapped up in the choices we make. Oppose injustice, love what is kind and be humble. And the truth is, all of us have been given so much good by our good God, that it should be second nature to model that for those we meet in our journey.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for your sweet goodness. Sustain us with that goodness for the journey. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Of all the themes of the Bible, God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, is the greatest example. It's the most critical element in a person’s life, and the choice to receive it is ours. 

The Bible tells us that before the world was created, God already had a plan to redeem mankind from sin. And because He knows all, He already knew what would take place in the Garden of Eden. Acts 15:11 says, “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved just as they are.” 

The greatest act of grace then was given at the cross, when Jesus willingly died in our place. 

Because God is all-knowing and all-powerful, He decides what is best for human beings. And since He cannot tolerate sin, someone had to stand in as a substitute. Otherwise, each of us would be required to receive the punishment for sin, which is death. And Jesus took all of that away from us. 

In Isaiah 50 and in Psalm 22, we read very graphic descriptions of the ways Jesus suffered during the crucifixion. He himself tells us what it was like.

In the Greek and Hebrew, the concept of grace is a picture of someone stooping to help another, and more specifically, it is a picture of a superior person freely offering to help a person in great need, and incapable of doing it for himself. 2 Timothy 1 gives us a clear picture of how God’s grace came into the world, emphasizing that we can do nothing to earn it, and this requires us to get rid of our pride. The passage also tells us that this grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 

Although we think of the Old Testament as more about law, while the New Testament focuses on grace, there are examples in the Old Testament reminding us that God has never abandoned anyone in any era. Whether you have plenty and don’t feel you need any help from God or you’re in great need, won’t you consider accepting the free gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins that God is offering? 

Let’s pray.

Father, just like the old hymn says, Jesus paid it all, and that reality fills us with joy. Our salvation promises that one day when you make all things new, we will be able to fully enjoy that grace for all eternity. You are the great God, and we praise you for your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever felt a surge of pride because you had it all together? As if your brains and talent and charm was just dazzling to the whole world?

It sounds funny, but let’s be honest. We’ve all at some point thought quite a lot of our own abilities. Pride—something God hates—trips us up. We are flying high…

And then the crash comes.

Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Are you hurting today because you didn’t anticipate some obstacle? Were you a little smug in how you could handle challenges? Then tell God! Humble yourself, and ask Him to make you whole. You might not have it all together—it’s probably guaranteed that you don’t—but He does!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, you are a fortress of strength for each of us, especially when we mess up. God, you reveal our need for you through our own brokenness. Lord, we are grateful for your mercy, and your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The lack of gratitude in our world can be contagious. It’s kind of like a negative “pay it forward.”

How did we get to this place? 

Are we too prideful to thank each other, or even to thank God? Too busy? Too self-absorbed, maybe?

As believers, we know life is a rich blessing from God. The clearest path to becoming a person of gratitude is to choose it. If we don’t choose gratitude, we choose ingratitude.

Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Yes, we’re busy. Yes, life gets us down in legitimate ways. But research proves being intentional about gratitude on a consistent basis, can bring positive benefits to almost every area of our lives.

Realizing we’re too negative is a great first step, but keep going by actively counting and considering your blessings each day. Before long, you’ll be amazed how little you think about what you don’t have. You’ll be too busy enjoying what you do have!

Let’s pray.

Lord, you never leave us. And along the way, you bless us with big and small acts of kindness and mercy. Thank you for the grace in our lives! In Jesus’ name, amen.

As humans, we tend to have a problem asking for help. We can chalk that up to our proud hearts. Often, when we are really up against it, that’s when we resist seeking help.

The God of the universe does away with all that.

Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Ask yourself: is my pride keeping me from asking for help? If so, mull that over. And then, take a step toward the Lord and ask for what you need. 

God opens doors when we ask Him to. Sometimes what we find on the other side isn’t what we expected. And when that happens, we choose patience, and we remain open to His good plans for us. 

When you’ve asked God to help and your prayers are answered, share the Good News with the people you meet. Tell anyone who will listen that the Lord of the Universe cared about you, and delivered you from a problem no one else could solve.

And if the answer He gave was totally unexpected and sent you in a different direction—share that, too! Accepting God’s plan when it doesn’t match up with our own best laid plans is what faith is all about. 

Let’s pray. 

Lord, please give us a heart that seeks you. God, we want to be obedient. And we know that your blessings, whatever they look like, will follow. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What would you think is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for us as we try to live our lives with integrity?

If you said “pride,” you win! The Bible tells us that the sin of pride can lead to a whole range of bad outcomes.

Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Walk humbly? Wow, that can be the most difficult part of living out this verse. We must constantly check our spirits to make sure our motives are pure and centered on God’s plan for us and those we encounter.

Micah is communicating to us that God actually requires certain things of us. Justice and love are critical, to be sure, but staying humble is no less important. It puts legs to the journey God has mapped out for us.

Lay down your pride and see what God will do!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, we are at war with ourselves at times. Our desire is to be the object of attention. Help us to lay this aside and live only for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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 are 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. And 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 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 our hearts. Thank you so much for that! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. I think we can all agree about that. A huge wave of despair can seemingly come out of nowhere, and push us toward disaster.

Anita’s life was like that, growing up in Hong Kong where revolutionary movements brought violence and loss of hope. She couldn’t see how the pieces of her life could be put together. She would ask herself, “How do you make peace with a potential that is frustrated?”

Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Over time, Anita saw that God had always been shaping her to find her calling in Christ. She did that, and today operates a ministry that helps women see that they are daughters of the Living God! Truly, Anita didn’t always have it together, but her life is living proof that God puts us back together for His purposes.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, someone listening needs a dramatic move from you in their life. God, please bring your peace and comfort to them today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever noticed how much we love ritual and form as part of religion? We become so good at it, so obsessed with it, that we lose sight of the essence of what it means to be a Christian.

To know God.

That is the primary purpose of our journey, and it will be the end of our journey. It is so foundational to who we are as humans that even the great Moses basically begged God to let him see Him. So close were they that according to Jewish tradition, when Moses died, God drew his spirit from him with a kiss.

Isaiah 5:19 says, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near

And come to pass, that we may know it!”

The Bible is clear that we can know God. As individuals, we can have a personal relationship with Him, the very One who created all there is.

The splendor of that reality should drive us to read His Word and pray to Him every day. It should be the longing of our hearts. He knows, and He welcomes us into His presence.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your mercy in making yourself available to us is something we can’t even fully understand in this life. But we thank you for it, and love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is widely looked upon as the most famous painting in the world.

By some historical estimates, the Mona Lisa took as many as 16 years to finish! Capturing Mona Lisa’s famous smile on a poplar plank was no hack job; Leonardo accepted a commission for the work in the year 1503, and completed his masterpiece supposedly around the time of his death in 1519. Clearly, this level of artistic achievement takes time.

When you hear the word “masterpiece,” what do you think of?

A famous painting? A beautiful building maybe? Your child’s latest artwork?

What about a giant sequoia tree? A symphony? A pink flamingo? The intricate, miraculous design of the human heart?

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Before you were even born, God knew you, and He had a plan for your life. He created you for a purpose, and He considers you one of his personal works of art. You are a living, breathing miracle capable of wonderful things—God’s own masterpiece.

Let’s pray.

God, we thank you and praise you that in all of creation, you have chosen to make us in your image, and to fashion us as a masterpiece—a work of art designed with care. Help us to be worthy of your effort. In Jesus’ name, amen.