Kerusso Daily Devotional

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Salt of the Earth 5

Many modern phrases have their origins in the Bible. A couple that come to mind are, “She’s worth her salt,” or, “He is the salt of the earth.” They remind us of what Scripture says when using salt as an analogy. Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Tasting our favorite salty foods is a great sensory experience. Think of French fri...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Salt of the Earth 4

If a product or idea is worth promoting, it must be seen by the “end-user,” to borrow a marketing term. There is so much competition in business today…it is pointless to have a store unless people know you’re open for business. Thousands of businesses open and close every year. It’s a shame, but too often practical planning isn’t a big enough part of the picture. The Lord understands the importance of planning, and the need to plan ahead applies to how we share Him with others, too. Matthew 5 ve...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Salt of the Earth 3

During the Civil War, Southern states relied on salt perhaps even more than their Northern counterparts. The commodity preserved various foods—such as fish—and allowed more people to eat and even keep food supplied for a rainy day. As the Union troops began capturing Confederate saltworks, the food supplies there literally began drying up. It was one of the things that led to the end of the war, as food supplies literally not only lost their taste, but their preservative qualities. Things got so...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Salt of the Earth 2

The Dead Sea, bordering the countries of Israel and Jordan, is also located at the lowest point on Earth. The landscape is so barren, it looks like a moonscape. Not exactly a place for a vacation or rest stop. And yet…did you know that one of the valuable things from that area is the vast amount of salt that rings this body of water? Besides the salt content, the minerals in the Dead Sea are valuable for everything from medicines to cosmetics. What initially looks like a terrible place is actual...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Salt of the Earth 1

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, 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 as currency! Mainly, it was used as a critical food preservative. M...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - More Precious Than Jewels 5

As we wrap up our series on precious jewels, it is kind of fun to spotlight one last gemstone. One that isn’t immediately beautiful or desired. But it is the rarest! Discovered in east Asia by British mineralogist Arthur Pain, the so-called “Painite” gemstone can be found several colors, and the various hues seen as light hits them give an uncommon view. Incredibly, only 25 such stones exist today, and the value per gram works out to $9,000! Despite the fact that many people have never heard of ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - More Precious Than Jewels 4

In its natural state, the jaw-dropping gem known as emerald often resembles an ancient barrel-shaped decree from a king. It tells us things nothing else can. Today, the glittering green stone stops an onlooker. It takes our breath away. When set against a backdrop of shimmering gold, it is something that transfixes us. The calming color of an emerald actually give the eyes a rest after working for awhile. In fact, some think looking at emeralds relieves eyestrain, a sparkling, homeopathic remedy...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - More Precious Than Jewels 3

We don’t have direct evidence, of course. The Bible doesn’t tell us this exactly… But tradition says that the Ten Commandments were carved from a solid slab of sapphire. It’s a beautiful thought, isn’t it? The rich blue of the sapphire gemstone reminds us of royalty, and the regal King Jesus. It fits! Proverbs 31:10 says, “She is far more precious than jewels.” When a woman admires a sapphire necklace, or turns her hand in order to catch the light on that beautiful blue sapphire ring, she is pre...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - More Precious Than Jewels 2

Diamonds. The very word calls to mind something so beautiful and rare, people everywhere immediately form a sharp mental image. Who hasn’t dreamed of handfuls of these sparkling, valuable gemstones running through their hands? Nothings speaks of high value more than a diamond solitaire. Such a piece of jewelry signals to the world that a couple considers their relationship to be both priceless and eternal. Proverbs 31:10 says, “She is far more precious than jewels.” Yes, this is it. A Proverbs 3...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - More Precious Than Jewels 1

Everyone loves the beauty of nature’s gems. The greens, blues, and reds of natural gemstones have set apart jewelry since the beginning of time. These precious jewels are relatively rare, and desired by people from all walks of life. None more than the ruby. The second-hardest gemstone, rubies have always been striking for their deep reds that flash in the light. They have been used in the crowns of monarchs for centuries, and for the rings and necklaces we can find in jewelry stores today. Jewe...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - My Cup Runneth Over 5

Have you ever noticed how good chicken soup tastes when you’re sick? Usually we don’t want much to eat, but the hot broth soothes us inside and out. The natural elements do in fact help heal our bodies, and we can lie down to rest feeling nourished and content. 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 knows what we need and how much we need, and He’s never wrong. The One that created galaxies and distant st...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - My Cup Runneth Over 4

Jesus is always our standard. Moments after He picked the 12 disciples, Jesus was standing at the base of a mountain, teaching the people. He told them many things, but one thing really stands out: He told them how to treat each other. Jesus had a way with stories. Narrative was the way He told people what He wanted them to remember. And it was then that Jesus used an image of the good gifts God gives to those that love Him. The book of Luke tells the story. Jesus looked at His followers and sai...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - My Cup Runneth Over 3

It’s harder to visualize during the hot summer months, but during Christmas of 1944, American soldiers were dug in against the Germans. The dark, frozen Belgian forest added to the bleak atmosphere. Morale was low, ammo was low, and food supplies were low. But just when things looked the worst, General Patton’s Third Army showed up almost out of nowhere. The men who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and survived remembered many things about that strangest of Christmas holidays. Mostly they remem...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - My Cup Runneth Over

Do you ever just feel really low? Like…God has abandoned me, my friends don’t love me anymore. That kind of feeling? We all do at some point. But not only has God not abandoned you, He has great things in store for you. 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.” In ancient Israel, when God selected a new king for His people, a priest anointed the person with oil, then prayed. Oil from a clay pitcher would be pour...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - My Cup Runneth Over

The area surrounding Ein Gedi, near the Dead Sea, is bleak. Desert scenes and HOT temps! It isn’t a place you’d go just for fun. It really wasn’t fun when David was hiding from King Saul. The guy who whipped a rock at Goliath’s head was already a legend among the people. Saul couldn’t stand that, and so he did what power-hungry leaders do: he decided to eliminate the competition. David hid from the King’s henchmen for a long time, eventually settling south of Jerusalem, in a bleak place. Sitting...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Make Waves

Think of what Jesus was asking of His followers. He had just risen from the dead. That doesn’t happen every day. His ministry had been destroyed, so they thought. He wasn’t coming back. But then He did. Only days after being killed on a brutal Roman cross, Jesus was standing in front of his friends, looking very much alive. And He was telling them their futures were dicey. Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Jerusalem at the time was ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Make Waves 4

Are you comfortable in your life? This is a little different than asking if you are always happy, or living in some sort of paradise. Comfortable just means you are relatively peaceful and content with your situation. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it can be dangerous in a spiritual sense. Jesus calls us to something more. Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Of the 200 or so nations in the world today, a good portion of them hav...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Make Waves 3

In the dark days of mid-20th century Europe, a lone German decided to make political waves. His choices put his own life in grave danger. Oskar Schindler was a businessman with factories in countries occupied by the Nazis. Jews everywhere were being shipped like cattle to extermination camps. Some of Schindler’s employees were in danger. What did he do? He saved over a thousand of them by keeping their names on a list of employees necessary to conduct business. By war’s end, he had spent his ent...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Make Waves 2

In the Tom Hanks film “Castaway,” the main character, “Chuck,” finds himself in the ultimate terrifying situation. Chuck’s plane goes down in the ocean, and he finds himself stranded on a very deserted island. Years pass. Chuck’s family and friends long ago gave up on him, and why not? No one could have known he was sitting on a remote pile of sand in the Pacific Ocean. He learns to survive, but then reflects on the future. What happens if he gets sick? What happens if he’s injured? Staying put ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Make Waves 1

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Fearless 5

Our nation’s leaders have always acknowledged God, even if some of them haven’t always been model Christians. For one thing, no one can occupy the Oval Office and not lay aside some pride. And if our nation’s spiritual health has sometimes been less-than-desired, there is a unity that we all enjoy. This community spirit has made America a very interesting experiment. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We are now more than 200 years into our story. Even the harshest ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Fearless 4

Games and sports aren’t real life, but they often give a pretty accurate picture of how we can choose to face life. Some people love Tom Brady, some don’t. What we have to admit though is that the guy is at his best when the pressure is the most intense. Imagine that your profession is on a national stage. You have the ball with less than two minutes to go, and your team is behind. Standing behind center and looking out at the defense, how many of us could even think? Then, imagine throwing the ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Fearless 3

It’s interesting watching the outcomes of people who refuse to give in to fear. Many years ago, while America was going through a severe economic Depression and a world war, President Roosevelt told Americans that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Those listening over the radio said later that they felt a great sense of relief just from his words! Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod an...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Fearless 2

Sandra was a single mom with little family support. Her ex was not exactly helping repair a tough situation. Her days slowed down only late at night when everyone else was asleep. That’s when fear got into bed with her and wouldn’t budge. Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Every human being in history is faced with trouble at some point. But how we handle the roug...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Fearless 1

Do you like scary movies? Is an evening spent looking through your fingers appealing to you? It is to a lot of people. Some of us really like to be scared! But hopefully that doesn’t translate to real life. Screaming in a dark theatre can actually be fun, but you don’t want to live a life of fear. Psalm 23:4 tells us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” To be blunt about it, God made u...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Focus on God 5

Our nation’s leaders have always acknowledged God, even if some of them haven’t always been model Christians. For one thing, no one can occupy the Oval Office and not lay aside some pride. And if our nation’s spiritual health has sometimes been less-than-desired, there is a unity that we all enjoy. This community spirit has made America a very interesting experiment. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” We are now more than 200 years into our story. Even the harshest ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Focus on God 4

Would it surprise you to know that God has always been interested in you? Did you know He knew you before you were born? He has a vested interest in how your life turns out. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He isn’t some remote deity. God doesn’t pay attention only most of the time. He doesn’t form His plans here and there. He is there for us all the time. The question is, where are we? Before you were born, it was God’s will that you would have a relationship wit...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Focus on God 3

As a believer, have you noticed that it’s often easier to stay in God’s will when you’re at home? At work, it gets a little dicey. It’s at work that people see us, and our decisions can have such impact. Not being in God’s will in that setting can be catastrophic. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Terry Looper is the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company. Once, he was negotiating a sale and was at the finish line when he realized he hadn’t sought God’s will in the ...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Focus on God 2

Billy Graham had many admirable qualities. He deserved the accolades he got in life. He also once said that one day people would hear that he had died, but in fact that was wrong; he was going to see Jesus, and so would more alive than he’d ever been. What explains that kind of conviction? Could it be that the so-called secret to his success was that Billy Graham sought to be in God’s will every day, for decades? He did have an advantage that his work life was also his ministry. But the point is...

Kerusso Daily Devotional - Focus on God 1

Do you struggle to wonder what God’s will is for your life? Many of us do. Although it isn’t a quick answer, the best way to find God’s will for your life is to read His Word. The Bible will tell you the answer to that question. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Actually, finding God’s will isn’t the hardest part. Deciding to follow His will is where we get tripped up. People need the skill and discipline of being persistent. Too often the impulse is to give up and...