Kerusso Daily Devotional Kerusso

Truett burst through the front door with exciting news one afternoon, anxious to share his latest find. “Mom! I found a praying mantis. Can you believe it! They’re pretty rare around here.”
 
It was certainly one of the biggest bugs they’d seen in the fields around their home. The beautiful emerald green insect crawled from hand to hand, curious about its new environment.
 
Considered a symbol of peace, contemplation, and prayer, the word “mantis” in Greek literally means prophet or seer. The prayerful pose we recognize in these insects is not actual prayer or meditation of course, but a pose designed to help them capture prey. The “prayers” of this fascinating creature are actually part of an intricately designed plan for their survival.
 
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
 
There are many things in this life that distract us from seeking what matters most. Technology. Financial stress. Family discord. Health concerns. Sin. The miraculous thing is when we quiet our hearts and minds and seek God first, He helps us clear away the clutter of this world, and blesses us with the things we need to take the next right step. With God, we can not only survive, but thrive. 
 
And you know what else? God will provide for all our needs. How poetic that a prayerful pose is a matter of survival for us as believers, too.
 
Let’s pray.
 
Lord, your incredible creation is filled with reminders to turn to you in all things. We thank you for that, and we love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.



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Communism kept half of Europe locked up for much of the 20th century. For 75 years, the oppressive system took most freedoms away from its ordinary citizens. The political system, responsible for tens of millions of deaths, seemed almost indestructible. 
 
Then, almost suddenly, the system built on restricting freedom just collapsed. The end came so quickly that all the most experienced analysts and diplomats were caught off guard. 
 
How did that amazing turnaround happen? 
 
It didn’t happen with guns and tanks and planes. Not a single missile silo was opened. Instead, it took the strategic efforts of a religious leader, a Polish labor union activist, and countless regular citizens in countries like Hungary and East Germany, among many others, to expose evil and demand a better way of life. 
 
In a similar way, God defeats evil by showing us a strategy that might go unnoticed at first. 
 
2 Corinthians 10:4 states, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” 
 
Only a reliance on God and continual prayer will win the day. 
 
The battles you are fighting cannot depend on vengeance or worldly efforts. We’re fighting spiritual battles and conventional weapons just won’t work. As believers, we’re called to duty, called to minister to others, to tell others of His Word, His love for us, and His actions to help us overcome. 
 
There are many examples in the Bible of people relying only on God for their victory. Not once did they lose. We won’t either if we lay aside our own perceived strength and trust completely in His divine power. 
 
Let’s pray. 
 
Father, help us see that our own plans are often wrong. We get into a battle and become blinded by our own strategies or a thirst for our own kind of victory. But the time to fight must come with a commitment to trust in your infinite power, to rely on the victory that only comes through Christ, and to tell others about our Lord and Savior. Bring this to our minds when the battle rages. In Jesus’ name, amen. 
 
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Jenna stopped in her tracks, sighing in frustration as she bent down to pick yet another rock out of her shoe. “Why on earth am I suddenly picking up rocks every time I walk the dog,” she wondered. 
 
They finished their usual route, and at home, Jenna slipped off her shoes and discovered the problem: she’d worn down those old slip-ons for so long that she wore a hole right through the soles of both shoes!   
 
Philippians 4:6 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  
 
Sometimes our prayer lives are like Jenna’s old shoes: we take them for granted, setting aside a daily prayer habit and coming back when it’s convenient—putting off prayer until we can find the time, or in a time of trouble or desperation, when we really need God to intervene.  
 
But prayer isn’t meant to be a sometimes thing.   
 
We cultivate a healthy prayer life when we communicate with God often—daily, or even more than once a day. When we let our communication with the Lord wear thin, we’re missing out on the blessings of His listening ear. He wants to hear from us: both our praises and our problems!  
 
Don’t tuck your prayer life away for later, like an old pair of shoes in the back of the closet. Pray throughout the day whenever you have a quiet moment to reach out to God, and build regular prayer into your day to ensure there are no holes in your communication with your Heavenly Father.  
 
So—why don’t we pray right now?  
 
Lord, thank you for being available to us through prayer. God, we are so grateful for your love for us, and your desire to hear from us, your children. Remind us to keep the lines of communication open. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
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Humans were built for language and communication. 
 
It’s one of the bits of creative genius God used when He formed His highest creation. And apart from regular communication, whether it’s the written word or verbal, we have a great gift from a loving God: prayer.
 
Prayer is an intensely personal way to communicate with our Creator, the One who knows everything about us.
 
Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you.”
 
All through scripture, we see that God is available to us all the time. No regular hours or standing meetings. We can talk to Him anytime we want. There are 650 recorded prayers in the Bible, and we read about people praying while sitting, standing, kneeling, with faces to the ground or hands lifted up.
 
By the way, Amen means “let it be,” or “so be it.”
The word “prayer” appears for the first time in Numbers 5:22.
 
Since prayers are human communication with God, we see that the first prayers were way back in Genesis 3 and 4 when Adam and Eve, and later Cain, talked with God. In the second exchange, even though Cain was angry and had just killed his brother, he was having a conversation with God.
 
Jesus famously modeled prayer in Luke 11; and notice that He was talking to God the Father.
 
It can be a fine line when thinking about how prayer is initiated. Often, thoughts come to our minds, or we’re reminded to pray for someone. However, there’s an indication that God prompts us to talk with Him.
 
Galatians 4:6, that from our hearts we cry out, “Abba Father,” and that the indwelling spirit of the Lord prompts this in us. Of all the great gifts God has given us, prayer is one of the most special. It's how our spirits commune with the One who loves us with perfect love. And He’s always ready and waiting to hear from us.
 
Let’s pray.
 
Father God, we worship you for who you are. We love you, and thank you for loving us. Thank you for making a way for us to talk with you about the things that lie hidden in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
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In the book of Romans, Paul tells us the evidence for the existence of God is so numerous in nature that anyone can believe in God. Surely one of the most compelling examples is in our night sky. When we look up at the heavens, it takes our breath away. The twinkling lights are like our own personal message from God.
 
All those stars…
 
Philippians 2:15 says, “Shine...like the stars in the sky.”
 
Astronomers tell us that each star is as unique as we are. We can see some burning dramatically, others are smaller but no less beautiful. All those infinite numbers dot the black backdrop, causing even the most cynical of us to marvel.
 
God has always intended for you to share your faith. Like a message written with stars, your story will resonate with people who wonder why you have joy in a crazy world. They will stop and consider what you have to say, because the light of Christ shines from the inside out.
 
That is a message worth sharing!
 
Let’s pray. 
 
Lord, would you give us the courage to tell our stories, to share the Good News of what Christ has done for us! It’s in Jesus' name that we pray, amen.
 
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When we look at the amazing diversity all around us in nature, we see that no detail escaped God’s attention. He created all things to live in harmony.
 
That includes our individual physical bodies. He intends for us to be healthy and whole—mind, body, and soul.
 
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 your soul.”
 
In order to fully serve God, we can’t neglect anything. So that we can be a faithful witness of His love and sacrifice, we gotta take care of ourselves, including our health.
 
You will not be able to effectively witness for Christ if you don’t take care of yourself. One of the easiest ways to do that is to take a walk each day. Make a real effort to walk in the fresh air, to strengthen your heart of love for a hurting world.
 
Get out there!
 
Let’s pray.
 
Lord, you direct our steps. Help us to be at the top of our game, including physically. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
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