Kerusso Daily Devotional Kerusso

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 as currency! Mainly, it was used as a critical food preservative.
 
Matthew 5 verses 13–16 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. 
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.                                      Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
 
God is telling us that we are to be the instrument that preserves and makes known the Gospel, and salt is one of the analogies.
 
Let us say to our friends, loved ones, and even strangers: Taste, and see that the Lord’s promises are good!
 
Let’s pray.
 
Lord, help us to be salt and light for your Word in this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you ever feel that you aren’t suited for sharing your faith in Christ? Maybe you’re not comfortable around people. Maybe you’ve encountered some who are hostile to faith.
 
If so, then we are speaking to you about sharing your light in a dark world.
 
Philippians 2:15 says, “Shine...like the stars in the sky.”
 
Have you seen the movie, “The Ten Commandments?” It’s doubtful the real Moses looked and talked like Charlton Heston. And do we really think God looks for His witnesses among people who have that perfect British accent in a Jesus movie? Nope. 
 
If we think we have to look or act a certain way, then we’re doing it wrong. God doesn’t ask our permission when giving us our marching orders for sharing the Gospel of Jesus. Instead, He approaches us as He did Job: Stand up and listen to what I have to tell you.
 
You are called to shine a light for Christ in a world full of dark things. You are equipped, just as you are. God has called you. Be bold in Christ.
 
He is the Star. We are just lights along the way.
 
Let’s pray. 
 
Lord, the time is now. So many need you. God would you help us to shine for you every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

John MacArthur once wrote a book called “Our Sufficiency in Christ.” In it, he revealed the path to finding true peace and contentment. And he says, “There’s a single word that encompasses all the riches we find in Christ—grace.” What a magnificent word it is. It’s used more than 150 times in the New Testament to speak of divine favor, bestowed on undeserving people. It is the means by which we receive every physical and spiritual benefit. 
 
People the world over search all their lives for peace. And who doesn’t want to be truly content? But we look for it everywhere but where it is. Chasing adventure or money or career success will leave you empty. Maybe you’ve been running hard for a long time so that you can advance in a career that you find meaningful. There’s nothing wrong with that. So long as there’s balance, and your life can remain focused on Jesus.
 
The Bible tells us very bluntly that anything else will leave us unsatisfied. And at the very least, you can start by finding even one or two minutes in your day before sun up or late in the evening, and just pray. Tell God that climbing the ladder at work is leaving you strangely empty. 
 
The Bible isn’t some interesting old book. It’s not just some historical treasure. It is life itself. Why? Because from beginning to end, it points us to Jesus Christ, who made us. Resolve right now, even as you’re sitting at your desk, to begin getting to know Christ. And sooner, rather than later, you will feel your anxiety lessen, and your priorities shift. You’ll discover what many have looked for in the wrong places for centuries. You’ll find peace for your soul.
 
Writing in 2 Corinthians, Paul said of Christ’s message to all of us, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
 
Philippians 4:12–13 says, “I know what it is to be in need. And I know what it is to have plenty. I’ve learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
 
And realizing all this, your circumstances might not change, but you will change for the better, for all time. 
 
Let’s pray.
 
Father God, you are sovereign, and that should make us calmer. Your power upholds everything in the universe, and you are good. You are not some impersonal being or one who is indifferent to our needs. Help us seek your Son Jesus at every turn. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As we continue in our series on finding contentment, today’s message is really about taking the long view. 
 
The human attention span is short. Like really, really short. Between the World Wars, Winston Churchill warned Europe that Hitler was a threat to the continent at least. But people ignored him. And then when the Nazis turned violent, the people turned to Churchill as their prime minister. 
 
Having led the country through another costly war to preserve freedom, Churchill was defeated for re-election in the last days of World War II. It’s like the people had forgotten his priceless contribution to world peace. He knew the war would take a long time and that it would be costly, and the people wanted to avoid thinking about it, and even later wanted it over quickly. And that’s rarely how life works.
 
Churchill returned as prime minister in the 1950s, but his experiences show that people mostly want short-term solutions. Working for the long goal is rarely popular. 
 
Jeremiah 15:15 says, “Lord, you understand. Remember me, care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering. Do not take me away. Think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.”
 
Here God is reminding us that often, we're required to stay in it for the long haul. Nowhere is this more true than in the pursuits of peace and contentment. That kind of thing is not built quickly. And not surprisingly, too many people don’t stay with it and they stumble along, looking for solutions in the wrong places.
 
If you’re in a bad place today, you have to start with basic steps. Talk to Jesus and tell him you’re struggling. Maybe you have a vague sense of depression and just can’t locate the direct cause. Take the example of people who did understand the source of true happiness, and were committed to seeing it through, no matter how long it took. 
 
Abraham knew the value of prayer and he waited for decades to have a son. Hannah was also unable to have children, but she prayed and stayed faithful. Eventually, God gave her a child and she felt fulfilled. Joseph spent years in exile and prison because of his brother’s actions, but his faith didn’t waver. He actually found his contentment in the middle of these trials, and eventually God restored his family, and all he had lost.
 
If you’re depressed or ground down from money worries, or facing some other huge challenge, go to God right now and tell him you need peace for your soul. Tell him you fully trust him, and will wait with as much patience and faith as you can. It’s then you start the clock ticking on your difficult circumstances. And while you wait, your heart will be at rest. 
 
Let’s pray. 
 
Father, thank you for the good gifts that we already have. Help us be grateful for those things that sustain life. We fully trust you to bring about our delivery from life’s circumstances precisely the moment you have chosen. Sustain our spirits on this journey, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The big question for today is, can we find contentment in things? Have you ever listened to a very successful person complain about the fact that his wealth doesn’t make him happy, how the success of life has left him or her empty? Of course, you have. We've all heard stories like that. But, pay attention to that because it’s really important. Watch people roll their eyes when they hear those stories. Why do they do that? Because they’re thinking, “Yeah, just give me some of that emptiness. I’d like to live on that side of town for a while.” But that attitude misses the point that’s trying to be made.
 
From the past to now, there have been at least multiple millions of these stories, these laments from very successful people who would trade it all to be content, millions and millions of successful, but unhappy people. It’s when we’re confronted with numbers like that that we should say to ourselves, “Wait a second. I need to think that through. Maybe having things and fame and success really doesn’t satisfy.” It’s then we start walking the right road to contentment.
 
April Model is a writer in California who works with her husband in ministry. Recently, she made a fascinating point. She said, “About six months ago, my husband said he thought the Lord was trying to teach him to be content with mediocrity. Mediocrity? Never. We should always be striving for the best, I thought to myself. But in light of a few life lessons of my own, I think I now understand what my husband was saying. It's easy for us to want the best life has to offer, but sometimes the best is learning to be content with what we have.”
 
Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.’”
 
You don’t actually need to hear another story of unfulfillment from someone you’ve admired to know that stuff doesn’t ultimately satisfy. You have only to think about your own life and realize that what God has given you materially is not the ultimate prize. It’s only when you’re in harmony with Him that you begin to know a life of contentment. 
 
Let’s pray.
 
Father, we know in our hearts that things don’t bring fulfillment. That fact is plain to us no matter how much we have. Help us be mindful that You alone would find the desires of our hearts. Remind us daily not to pin our hopes for the future on what we can acquire today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Today, our big question is, can we find contentment in relationships? How many times has this scene been repeated? A guy sees a girl he can’t live without. He thinks she will bring him happiness, and for a while, that’s how it plays out. But then one day he’s melancholy just like he used to be.
 
Or how about the woman who believes marriage will fulfill her heart’s desires, but then over time, her husband isn’t so perfect? You see the common denominator in these two scenarios. Partners aren’t the issue. The lack of contentment comes from the person seeking it. It comes from within. They’re looking in the wrong place.
 
Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
 
Author Rob Kuban sums up right relationships for those seeking contentment. He says, “The Bible calls us to allow our convictions, not our circumstances, to govern our sense of contentment.” If you aren't willing to do the work of changing from within, your desires will largely go unmet, and honestly, you will not be attractive as a potential friend or mate. Our first assignment is to find peace with God and then seek the one he has for us. You see, choosing to be content is the first step. It’s just that so many people want shortcuts.
 
Read Ecclesiastes sometime, it’s a leadership book, really, but it opens a window into Solomon’s mind and heart. Here we see his thoughts on what happens when a person looks in the wrong places for real happiness. Solomon was the richest man of his time, and he also had hundreds of wives. But as an old man, he was bent in body and spirit from too many years of pursuing everything but his creator. Learn from his example and fix your eyes on the ultimate relationship. People will then be able to see the contentment on your face.
 
Let’s pray. 
 
Father God, our first priority should be a right relationship with you. Only you can bring peace to our hearts and minds long-term so that in turn we can bless others. Thank you Father, for making a way for us to be content. In Jesus’ name, amen.