Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

Stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer. (1 Tim. 1:3)

Expanded Passage: 1 Timothy 1:1-7

When Paul wrote to Timothy, Nero sat on the throne of Rome and Christians were persecuted mercilessly. The Roman historian Tacitus told of Christians being burned alive as human torches to light Nero’s evening parties. Later, Nero would execute both Peter and Paul.

The church of the first century was painfully aware of the threat posed by outside persecution, but the New Testament also warns about the threat posed by false teachers within the church. Historically, persecution has almost always resulted in the growth and expansion of the church. Tertullian, writing about AD 200, famously reminded the faithful that the blood of the martyrs is seed, spreading the faith. False teaching, on the other hand, can rob the church of its power by corrupting its message. The issue is not differing interpretations of Scripture so much as it is a denial of its authority.

The false teachers in the church Timothy pastored were promoting doctrines that sound strange to us—obscure Jewish myths, contrived genealogies (perhaps to create a family-tree connection to Old Testament heroes), extreme forms of self-denial, and even self-abuse. We’re more familiar with modern examples of pastors and scholars who reduce Jesus to no more than a great teacher and the Bible to no more than a human book.

The threat is the same, and so is its source. Beware the enemy within.

Pray for the persecuted church and for misguided churches closer to home.

Bob Black is a third-generation Wesleyan minister and professor emeritus of religion at Southern Wesleyan University (SC).

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. (Ps. 119:66)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 119:65-72

It seems that common sense is not very common today. We live in an age where information is plentiful, yet wisdom seems scarce. Truth is often in the eye of the beholder, as they say. Recent research says that the one of the main uses for artificial intelligence is for therapy. As a culture, we are looking for help, for wisdom and counsel beyond ourselves. We are longing for something deeper, something with staying power that will not shift with the times.

This is what the psalmist in this passage is accessing—an ancient wisdom rooted in the relationship of God with his people. This is not just any god. This is the one true God, the maker of the heavens and the earth. The psalmist says he was once afflicted, but that now God has instructed him, and he is learning to walk in his ways. He says it was good for him to be afflicted, because he is now learning to value and trust in the commands of the Lord.

How are you growing in the knowledge of the Lord? Are you trusting his commands and relying on the good judgment that comes through the Holy Spirit?

Lord, continue to teach me your ways. Thank you for rescuing me from my affliction and help me to continue to trust your commands. Amen.

Follow the Lord’s commands in scripture for the wisdom needed for today.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. (2 Thess. 3:7)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

The stages of spiritual growth tend to be like the stages of human development. Just as someone is born as an infant, new Christians are often referred to as “baby Christians.” Humans grow physically, intellectually, and emotionally, and new Christians also grow spiritually in stages as they learn how to follow Jesus.

Paul saw himself as a spiritual parent to the new believers in Thessalonica. Even though he no longer lived with them, he had a great deal of affection toward them and desired for them to grow through his example. Paul was helping these new believers understand how to live like a Christian in a place where there had never been Christians. In this chapter, Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to imitate his example. In particular, he is challenging them to work diligently as he did when he was with them.

We have all needed spiritual examples in our own lives. In Christian homes, this role is often held by the parents. In churches, this can be a pastor or children’s worker. Adults need spiritual models as well to help them grow spiritually. Following Paul’s example, we are all called to become mature spiritual “parents” to help others grow in Christ. Who was a significant spiritual parent in your life? How did their example impact your spiritual growth? Who is God possibly asking you to spiritually parent?

Consider how you may set a spiritual example for others.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. (2 Thess. 3:16)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

Suffering is a universal human experience. To be human means to suffer. There are various approaches to dealing with suffering. Some people will medicate their suffering. Others will grit their way through suffering. Still others will just ignore the suffering hoping it will all go away. Very few people imagine they can experience peace in the midst of suffering, but this is Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians.

Out of context, the final greeting and blessing from Paul in 2 Thessalonians might seem ordinary and not particularly special, but Paul realizes the storm of persecution the believers in Thessalonica are facing each and every day. A natural part of human life is to attempt to assign meaning to our suffering. And for many in modern secular culture, the best approach to suffering is to eliminate it at all costs. For the Thessalonians, though, to live as a faithful witness for Christ meant to live under the constant threat of ridicule and even physical harm. Yet, Paul’s encouragement at the end of his letter is that they would experience peace from the “Lord of peace.”

How are you facing the storms of life today? What is God saying to you through the storms? And what would it look like for you to experience the peace of God “at all times and in every way” even in the most difficult seasons of life?

Trust in the Lord of peace through every season.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. (2 Thess. 3:13)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:11-15

“If so-and-so jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?” What parent has not asked this question to confront peer pressure in the lives of their young and impressionable kids? Maturity, though, is defined by the ability to make the right decisions based on what is good. As Christians, often the actions of those around us will be contrary to how God is asking us to live. We can become weary of always doing the right thing. Here Paul asks the church in Thessalonica to persevere in doing what is good.

Much of Paul’s writing to the Thessalonians is a call to persevere under the persecution they were experiencing in the city. Many in Thessalonica were even martyred for their faith in Jesus. In this passage, though, Paul is encouraging perseverance of a different kind. He is encouraging them to persevere in doing what is good, even when those around them are not doing good. Paul is directly confronting the problem of “idleness” in the church, but Paul praises those in the church who were not idle. They were doing good through their work, even when those around them were refusing to work.

So, where are you doing good work today? Your work might be behind the scenes or might seem insignificant to you. Know that God sees you and he sees your work and is cheering you on.

Let your good work show others that you are follower of Christ.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. (2 Thess. 3:6)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

“So, what do you do?” It is a common question to ask when meeting someone new. Really the question is, “What are you giving your life to?” “What is your job or your work?” Often when we think about spiritual growth, we think about prayer, Scripture reading, observing the Sabbath, and attending worship services. Paul, though, is addressing what you do—your work. And he thinks your work is important to your witness as a follower of Jesus.

Here, Paul is directly confronting an issue that had not been resolved since his first letter to the Thessalonians. There were apparently still those in the church in Thessalonica who were not just lazy, they were irresponsible, refusing to work. Paul is saying that Christians must follow in Jesus’ self-giving love and work hard, providing for their families and benefiting others through their work and generosity. Paul is even instructing the hard-working Christians to distance themselves from those who are being “idle and disruptive.”

God commands both work and rest for his people. He calls the Sabbath holy, but we are created to do holy work. It is your work that helps build the kingdom of God and brings flourishing to your community.

Honor God through your work today.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (2 Thess. 3:5)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5

The most heart-wrenching moments of parenting for me came from seeing my children suffer rejection and betrayal at the hands of their friends and classmates. Kids can be cruel. If we are honest, though, adults can also be cruel. Rejection is painful and the temptation for revenge is a normal human response. No one goes through life spared of the heartache of relational pain.

The Christians in Thessalonica were no strangers to the pain of rejection, either. As soon as Paul established the first church in the city, the persecution of Christians began in earnest. This persecution would have come from city officials who were threatened by the Christians swearing allegiance to a different king than Caesar. Persecution would have also come from family and friends. This rejection would have been particularly painful. So, Paul encourages his fellow believers to direct their “hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” Instead of revenge, Paul says instead to love better and to persevere with the grace that God offers.

How about you? Are you suffering relational rejection or even persecution today because of your faith? Perhaps you have experienced recent relational pain in your family or your church. How is God directing you deeper into his love today? How is Christ inviting you to greater perseverance in light of the suffering you are experiencing?

Choose perseverance in the face of relational pain.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. (2 Thess. 3:2)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

I grew up in the church and remember as a kid sitting through slide show presentations with missionaries from around the world. I remember how impressive it seemed that someone would go to a different country with a completely different language and culture to share about Jesus. However, to be honest, it was difficult for me to relate to their experience—or to know what to do in response.

Paul was the preeminent missionary of the early church, taking the gospel to hard places like Thessalonica. Shortly before Paul wrote his two letters to the Christians in Thessalonica, he had served them as a missionary. He shared the good news of a new king who was killed for the sins of the world yet was resurrected and is still alive. And many Thessalonians began to follow this new king, Jesus. After being forced to leave because of persecution, Paul was in danger in a new place, and he called on the Christians in Thessalonica to pray for him.

Some people are called to go, while others are called to pray and to give to support the spread of the gospel around the world. Are you called to go? If not, pray today for those who do go and who find themselves in hard places.

Pray today for those who take the gospel to hard places.

Branden Petersen is the cofounder/pastor of Resurrection Life NYC in Manhattan with his wife, Jenn. He is also the founder and director of the urban church planting network, Global Cities Network.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

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You are my portion, Lord; I have promised to obey your words. (Ps. 119:57)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 119:57-64

We have an online dollar auction in my community. It can be a fantastic way to make a few dollars from things that are just being stored at your house. You know the stuff—the clothes you are saving for when they come back in style or when you have lost that weight. Or the camping gear you have been storing with no plans of going to camp again. Your stored item becomes someone else’s treasure.

This week I saw a picture of a man standing in a parking lot, toaster in hand—considering the absurdity of risking his safety on a $5 used toaster bought on Marketplace. How far will we go to make a buck or get a bargain!

But I must admit—I love a good bargain! I am always on the lookout for the best discount. I love to walk down the clearance aisles. Warehouse clubs and online shopping make it easy to buy almost anything. But does this access and pursuit reveal a desire to fill our lives with stuff rather than Jesus?

In a world of excess, where everything is disposable, and all things are at your fingertips . . . is Jesus enough? As we commemorate Pentecost today, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on each of us, knowing that he provides everything we need. We just need to listen and follow him.

Live in the truth that Jesus is enough.

Belinda Selfridge is the assistant to the Tri-State district superintendent, assistant pastor, Oklahoma Wesleyan University adjunct professor, aunt, motorcyclist, creative frugalist, keyboardist, and bass player.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Listen to today’s devo!

May our Lord Jesus Christ . . . encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thess. 2:16–17)

Expanded Passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

A few years ago, I participated in a powerful, intentional time of prayer. The session was designed for parents to pray for their kids. Each participant was given a stack of cards printed with verses on them. As we read and prayed each Bible passage, we inserted the names of the kids and prayed the verse over them. I found it to be an incredible way to pray for my nieces, nephews, and children of my friends. This exercise taught me about praying Scripture over people. This was not an attempt to rewrite or add to Scripture—it was intended to pray blessings and promises over loved ones.

I know of parents who pray Scripture over their kids in the drop-off line before school. Others stand at the door of the bedrooms of their teenagers and pray for them. I have had friends pray Scripture over me—what a blessing!

Today’s Scripture is a blessing that could be prayed over your household, a friend, or a neighbor. Jesus can encourage us like no one else, and his strength is the very power we need. You could simply pray, “May our Lord Jesus Christ encourage [insert your loved one's name] and strengthen her in every good deed and word. Lord, help her to honor you in all that she says and does today.” What a blessing!

May our Lord Jesus Christ encourage you today!

Encourage someone by praying a Scripture today.

Belinda Selfridge is the assistant to the Tri-State district superintendent, assistant pastor, Oklahoma Wesleyan University adjunct professor, aunt, motorcyclist, creative frugalist, keyboardist, and bass player.

© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.