Kerusso Daily Devotional

Have you ever known someone who inherited something of great value from an obscure relative? It happens…maybe in a movie or something.

The will is read by an attorney and all of a sudden, the beneficiary goes from struggling to pay the rent to needing a financial planner. It can be an exciting time, even disorienting.

The only downside to receiving a large inheritance is the knowledge that someday it will run out, or you die and can’...

Table salt today is so common, it becomes another thing we take for granted. You go to the store, pick a cylinder or jar of salt off the shelf, and then go home. You don’t even think about it.

Now, consider that 1,000 and more years ago, if a person wanted to use salt on his dinner, this required some prior work. A lot of work! The Romans boiled seawater in huge, lead-lined pans. So valuable was salt in the Roman Empire, it was used...

Kerusso exists to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but somehow in our information-jacked world, culture has moved further away from understanding who the most famous person in history really is. 

Millions of books and articles have been written about a carpenter who lived in the Middle East 2000 years ago, and Jesus has been identified as anything from a desert mystic to God Himself.

Historically, He was born into a J...

Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday—it’s an attitude we can choose to fill our hearts with every day.

The Bible shares many examples of gratitude in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Imagine Mary, a young Galilean girl, given the news that she was to be the mother of the Messiah. She didn’t panic or protest. Instead, she embraced the news and nurtured the One who would bring healing to the whole world.

The story in Luke 17 tells u...

New York Times writer Arthur Brooks once cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for his in-laws in Spain. Over dinner, a couple of questions were asked. The first, “What does this beast eat to be so filled with bread?,” and then, “Should you celebrate this holiday even if you don't feel grateful?”

The first question is just funny. The second should give us all pause. Being grateful is a state of mind. It’s intentional. Too many times, we...

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist working for education and women. In 2005, while riding on a bus, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban, and the attack was revenge for her activism. Incredibly, Malala recovered from her gruesome injury and today considers herself an ambassador of gratefulness. 

Here’s a quote: “I can speak. I can see you, I can see everyone, and today I can speak and I’m getting better day by d...

You’ve heard that every good thing comes from God, right? It’s true. He is our example, both of how to live and how to react to others. This week we’re talking about practicing gratitude, and as usual, God shows us the way.

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

Often we can become disappointed if we don’t get everything we think we should have. But that’s a dead end when it comes to tr...

Isn’t it fascinating that a secular definition of the word blessed is “made holy; or consecrated.” It seems the whole world really knows, even deep down, that blessings are from God.

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

As we focus on thankfulness and blessings this week, in this season of Thanksgiving, we are instructed to actually thank God for the ways in which He has blessed us. T...

Since before the world was created, God has had a master plan to deliver people from evil. He cared for us so much that he was willing to endure pain to redeem us. In Acts 14:20, we read about Jesus and the disciples preaching in a city called Derbe. It says that Jesus then was busy, strengthening the souls of His disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations, we must enter the king...

That song, Are You Lonesome Tonight by Elvis was a mega hit. And it’s been around a long time. Why? Because it’s a universal story. Everyone gets lonely sometimes. 

God knew we’d battle loneliness. He knew our world would present a crazy number of challenges, and that’s why He spends so much time in His Word reassuring us of His love and commitment to us. 

The Psalms are largely about David’s loneliness and God’s provision for him in...

Janet remembered how alive she had felt when she was disciplined in her prayer life and Bible study. She surprised herself one day when she blurted out, “I could think clearer, before I got mentally lazy!”

Just saying it out loud kicked her out of the fog that she’d been in since forever.

Joshua 22:5 says, “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all y...

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 ...

It’s amazing how important the right perspective is in helping us maintain a healthy balance in every area of life. Alphonse Karr has said, “Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I’m grateful that thorns have roses.” Isn’t that amazing? It’s so common to gripe and complain about negatives, yet we don’t see the great things right in front of our faces.

Derek Carpenter has written, “The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearl...

Charles McGee is one of those improbable heroes. Part of the reason is because he started life with obstacles to overcome—just because of the color of his skin. He is now the last surviving member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. This was an incredible group of pilots made up of African Americans during World War 2.

He pushed to achieve great things, and God was with him every step. 

1 John 5:4 says, “For everyone born of God overcomes...

Donna and Betty were sisters, but in midlife they were both tired of the fighting and the mistrust and the hurt. Each had their grievances. Both were stubborn.

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

At one particular time of the year, Betty heard this verse spoken in a service. And here’s an ironic thing: of the two sisters, most people would agree she was definitely the most stubborn...

In May 1962, an intimidating figure delivered a final public speech at West Point Military Academy.

Douglas MacArthur, who led America to victory in the Pacific during World War 2, addressed cadets. He told them simple truths, ones that define honor and glory.

The hall was completely still as the old general spoke in hushed tones. Everyone heard him speak of the honorable soldier who must rely on “those divine attributes which his Ma...

Joshua was called by God to lead the 12 tribes of Israel after the death of Moses. Those were some pretty big shoes to fill, and the Lord chose Joshua because he was faithful.

Joshua knew that when he called on God in times of trouble, He would answer.

In one powerful example, Joshua asked God to cause the moon and the sun to stand still so that he and his army could continue fighting a difficult battle by daylight.

Joshua 10:12–13 sa...

Seventy five years after he landed in France to help the Allies liberate Europe from Nazi control, Russell Pickett stood at attention as the President spoke.

A private in 1944, Pickett was now receiving the adulation of a grateful nation. He knew firsthand the reality that there is very little glory in war death. And yet here his country was honoring his service in that memorable conflict. The President even hugged him!

He stood with...

Have you ever been really angry at someone, and had a tough time letting it go?

Maybe a work colleague let you down, or got you in trouble with the boss. Maybe family drama is dragging you down, and there are unresolved hurt feelings. Maybe your spouse betrayed you, and you aren’t sure how to move past it.

Unforgiveness in our lives is painful, and as believers, it can affect our prayer life, and even our relationship with the Lord.

M...