Kerusso Daily Devotional

Most of us feel a deep respect in our hearts for those who have sacrificed so that we can remain free. Loving those who have paid the ultimate price is just something we do as people. We pause to remember each year.

Isaiah 56:5 says, “To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.”

God instituted the concept of maintaining memorials. He remembers, and so do we.

Maybe you’ve had a brother or mother or cousin or uncle that never came home from war.

Even before the American Civil War, our citizens were placing flowers at the graves of veterans. It’s one way we can keep their sacrifices front-and-center, so that we don’t forget and become complacent.

This year on Memorial Day, stop to take time and pause. Do something tangible, like visit a cemetery. Ask an older relative to give you some insight into a family member who never came home. Then thank the Lord for that sacrifice.

Let’s pray.

Oh Lord, We remember those who had paid with their lives. It’s the least we can do, but we want to do more by keeping their memories alive in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today we're in part five of five, the final chapter of our series on doubt. 

If you're working your way toward belief and away from doubt, by now you must assume that God exists. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering or extraordinarily patient toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” The cornerstone of the Christian faith is a belief that scripture is God's Word. Psalm 138:2 tells us that God has elevated the Word above His own name.

So we have the opportunity to tell God that we accept His promises. Luke 1:77 tells us that He's raised up Jesus “to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” At some point, faith is just believing God. Some critics say that this is making an idol out of the Bible, it's called bibliolatry. But in fact, we learn who Jesus is and what He has done for us in scripture. It is a conscious decision to embrace what God has told us. 

Acts 4:12 says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” It really requires you to at least open your mind to the possibility that it's true. God's plan to reconcile people to Himself after sin entered the world, is a start. Decide to be bold. Lay aside your fears and doubts and find that rest you've been looking for.

Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” One of the great metaphors of the Bible is the strong hand or the strong arm of God that rescues us from danger. John 10:28 says, “I give them eternal life. They'll never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” No one is saying that you will never have a shred of doubt again, but what we can know is that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, as outlined in the Book of Romans. Jesus Christ is waiting for you, and you can be sure of that. 

Let's pray. 

Father, there are so many lonely people in the world, and they want to believe. You've put that in our hearts, God. Help them and help us, by your spirit, know that they are loved and that they can have an encounter with you. In Jesus' name, amen.

Today we're continuing our series on doubt. We're in part four of five. 

A political science major at a major university was having coffee with a campus pastor. The pastor knew that the student was wrestling with doubt about the existence of God and said to him, “John, you know all of us wonder at some point if it's all real or not. For example, there are quite a few stories in the Bible that are just hard to believe. Jonah and the whale and all that.” John smiled and said, “No, that's not my problem. What I wonder about is how God could care about me. I've done some really bad things and have had some really bad things done to me. I just can't understand the concept of forgiveness.”

There you have it. Doubts about the faith come from all directions. While one person cannot bring herself to believe in miracles, another cannot forgive himself for the wrong things he's done, and can't fathom how God could. 

Thomas Jefferson actually cut out the miraculous sections of the Bible. He couldn't believe in what some would call the God of the Bible. Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of DNA, thought that Christianity was just a collection of mythical stories. And what about those who want to see the proof, they like evidence and feel a need to make an intellectual case for our faith. 

The New Testament writer, Luke, was like that. He wrote in Acts and the Gospel of Luke about the importance of eyewitness sightings of Jesus and His miracles. Lots of people debate whether evolution and religion are compatible or not. And this is a big stumbling block to believe for many. We all believe something, but our minds can struggle at times to grasp the big stuff, the infinite universe. While for others who doubt, the struggle is more internal, they're so grieved by their own sin, they can't accept that God could love them.

Maybe the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” However, few quote the next verse which says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” It isn't God's wish to condemn you. Instead, he loves you and wants to give you assurance that life is more than struggle and molecules. 

Whether you're looking for evidence to believe the Bible or you just need to know that God loves you, try not to focus too much on your objections. Own them, but just tell God as a child would, that you're struggling to understand it all.

Will you pray with me? 

Father, your grace saves us from a life of struggle with sin and we are accepted by you. Thank you for putting up with our up-and-down faith. In Jesus' name, amen.

Today we're continuing our series on doubt. We're in part three of five. 

Because there's so much easy access to information and ideas today, we can take in a huge amount of stuff. The downside is that much of it is just noise, and a lot of it simply isn't true. What we hear, even if it sounds good, is not always good for us, especially when we're talking about spiritual doubt. 

There are many opinions floating around out there on the subject. For instance, some will say that doubt is really something to wrestle with continually, never finding a satisfying answer. While at the other end of the spectrum, some will say that if you doubt, you are permanently cut off from God. Both of those extremes are not helpful at all.

The Bible is clear that God gives us a choice whether to believe in Him or not. John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Within each person is a longing to understand our place in the world and to know if there is something or someone beyond this life. The Bible says that, “He has set eternity in our hearts,” that, “curiosity is in all of us.” And if you're wondering about God, then your curiosity is a good starting point. 

A bedrock truth for Christians is that God sent Jesus in human form to atone for the sins of mankind. This is not an easy concept to grasp honestly, but it's what is known as the Gospel, the foundation of our faith.

Christianity's exclusive claims are too much for some seekers. In Mark chapter 10, the Bible describes a wealthy young man who asked Jesus what he had to do to be saved, and Jesus replied that besides following the 10 Commandments, he should give his money to the poor, and the story ends with that man sadly walking away. It's likely that Jesus was helping him to see that his heart was not yet ready to receive anything that would require any sacrifice on his part. 

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Believing in the true God is not a bed of roses, but if you can make the search for God your starting point, you'll likely find what you're looking for. 

Let's pray. 

Father, you've given us the knowledge of saving faith in your word. Thank you for giving us a free choice to decide our path in life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever wondered about how convinced well-known Christians are of their faith? We all know they never doubt, right? Wrong. Today, we're continuing our series on doubt, we are in part two of five. We're talking about doubt all week.

A well-known preacher, Charles Spurgeon once said of doubt, “I think when a man says, ‘I never doubt,’ it is quite time for us to doubt him.” Doubt is a fact of life for many of us, although most don't like to admit it. In fact, doubt's mentioned often in the Bible. The Bible's full of great faith stories, but it's interesting to notice that there are plenty of doubters, too. Sarah simply didn't believe God's promise that she and Abraham would have a child. Peter's bravado evaporated when he realized it was dangerous to be known as one of Christ's followers. Job's wife told him he should curse God and die because of his misfortune, and Job wished he'd never been born.

Humans can be quirky. Imagine seeing Jesus with your own eyes and watching Him perform miracles. In the Book of Matthew, we read about the apostles with Jesus on a mountain in the Galilee after His resurrection. You can't get more miraculous than that, but it says some doubted. Mark 9:24 says, “Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, “I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.’” This is the story of a father who sought Jesus to heal his son, and he seemed to believe and to struggle with belief at the same time. Amazing, but not so unusual. 

As we are learning, doubting is not the worst thing. Keeping silent about it is worse. Seeking God and trusting a friend or friends to talk it through is healthy. God doesn't punish you for doubting.

Andrea Lucado, who has been around churches and preachers all her life understands the struggle. She says, “Most of us at some time or another ask the question, ‘Why do I believe what I believe?’” Those of us who identify as lifelong Christians sometimes have the most doubt. We've grown up in church, memorized scripture, and volunteered at VBS, but that thought, “Why do I believe what I believe,” sometimes hits us in a moment we least expect. There are plenty of resources and plenty of believing friends who have gone through the same thing to see you through this. So when you're in a season of doubt, remember one thing: you are not alone. 

Let's pray.

Father, doubt comes to us all at some point and it's then that we need each other the most. We need your spirit to bring us comfort and calm. We thank you that you don't leave us in our time of doubt, but you long to help us through the valley. In Jesus' name, amen.

Some of the most important conversations we have can be the most uncomfortable, and when it comes to faith, doubt is near the top of that list. Today, we're launching a five-part series on the topic of doubt. Many Christians wrestle with doubt, but who wants to admit that their foundational beliefs are not so firm? Not long ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, openly admitted that he's questioned if God is real. When the head of the Church of England says something like that, it makes news.

But something interesting came from Welby's honesty. He revealed his humanity. It turns out that the Archbishop lost a baby girl in a car accident many years ago, and when he was a teenager, he had to take care of his alcoholic father. He's human with human difficulties. We are human, and we struggle sometimes. 

Can we be honest? While a lifetime of doubt is dangerous, periods of doubt simply mark one as being human, but faith can help us overcome doubt.

In the Bible, we read in Hebrews 11:1, “Now, faith is the subject of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11 continues with many examples of faith in action, and at its core, the Christian faith means we believe God sent Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross, and that God raised Him from the dead. While mountaintop faith is exciting, and it makes us feel good, no one experiences that all the time. Sometimes it's difficult to believe certain things in the Bible. Sometimes we don't feel faith in our lives.

In this first part of our week-long look at doubt, it's important to remember that simply expressing doubt can lead to healing and a more faithful future. If you're a struggling believer or a questioning skeptic, this subject is one of the most important you'll ever wrestle with. Stay tuned.

Let's pray. 

Father God, often we push down thoughts that are painful or uncomfortable. We don't have to do that with you, Lord. Even doubts about our faith are conversations that we can start with you, and we're grateful for that. In Jesus' name, amen.

Roaming, travel, wandering…all have been part of the human psyche since the beginning. Because we all have that God-shaped hole in us, needing to be filled with Him, we search.

Some find God, and some don’t.

The sense of aimlessness and lack of purpose haunts some. We think of the classic novel by Jack Kerouac, On the Road, which is the story of two characters traveling the country. At first, the lure of freedom is fun to think about, but the truth is, if people don’t fill that God-shaped hole with God, despair can set in.

We’re left rootless in the worst possible way.

Colossians 2:6–7 says, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Wherever you put down your physical roots, your spiritual roots are at least as important. In Christ, we are no longer wandering and discouraged. In Him, we live and move and have our being.

If you feel that you’re not anchored to anything, pour out your heart to Jesus. He will keep you close.

Let’s pray.

Lord, your mercies are always in fresh supply. We thank You that You plant us in good soil and hold fast to us even when we wander. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Part of the joy of being a believer is that we can share the Good News with literally anyone and everyone. And how we share that faith is often critical for the other person’s future.

Romans 5:3–4 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

As we share this week about holding fast to faith, it should be obvious that we are greatly blessed to be able to show others the way. And in that, we can be an example that just because things don’t always go our way, Jesus is better than anything.

On a difficult day, or in the midst of life’s challenges, we can let doubt fester and complain to those around us…or we can turn to Jesus, and point to Him no matter our circumstances.

People are watching. Don’t doubt that. If you put yourself out there as a Christian, others will look to see how you handle yourself when the going gets tough. Some look for you to mess up, but many more genuinely are curious about what you have.

Show them that your faith isn’t dependent on every day being smooth. Your task is to walk in faith—up and down the hills.

No Grit, No Glory!

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for giving us the gift of sharing the Good News! Let us be an example to those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Our world needs many things. We have political concerns, environmental concerns, broken relationships, and disease that still stalks too many countries.

It’s also true that God doesn’t leave us in despair. He doesn’t allow our problems to overcome us, if we trust Him.

Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

This is our anchor, the blessing of hope. This week we’re talking about hope and joy, and these are given to us freely by our Loving Father.

Do you have hope? Are you anchored in anything? If not, tell God you need Him. You’ll find that He not only comes to you in need, but He will use you afterward to spread hope and joy.

It’s been said that people can’t live without hope, and that is so true.

Let’s pray. 

Lord, thank you for giving us hope. Help us spread that message wherever we go. In Jesus’ name, amen.

We all screw up. We all fail in some way. We fall short of goals, or get embarrassed in some kind of career implosion or other event. It’s easy then to feel like we’ll never win again.

That is not how God sees you.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”   

Hope and a future. That’s what’s ahead, not depression and failure. The Bible is full of stories of people God would not allow to slip away. Peter denied Christ, and the Savior forgave him! Sarah mocked the idea that she would ever have a child, but God let her be a mother late in life!

This is the world God created. Not one of misery and losing. Does it make sense that He would create you in very specific ways, uniquely gifted as you are, and then just give up on you?

Don’t let that be your story. 

Your part in it is refusing to believe the enemy when you hear that voice that tells you it’s all over.

God knows the plans He has for you! Remember that.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank you that you don’t let us sink out of sight. Thank you for setting us on our feet, and helping us move forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.