Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:23)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Methodists are sometimes wrongfully accused of teaching that it is possible to live without fault in this life. In my sixty-three years of being associated with the Wesleyan denomination, I have never heard any pastor, denominational leader, or professor say faultless living is possible. The only person who has or ever will live without error is Jesus. All the rest of us will, at some point, fall very short of that standard of absolute, holy living.

But there is a significant and important difference between living “faultlessly” and living “blamelessly.” Clearly our key verse for today indicates it is possible to live blamelessly. The distinction between faultless and blameless is seen in Psalm 19:13, which states that blameless living is not committing willful sin. At conversion, and further reinforced by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, Christ followers can live in such a way that they do not willfully choose to disobey the known will of God (James 4:17). A child of God may stumble, falter, err, mess up, forget, neglect, or even disappoint God or others, but the God who sees the heart’s intent knows the difference between conscious rebellion to his will, and those who simply expressed human frailties.

Together, we can be thankful that we serve a God who looks at the heart more than the outward appearance.

Look more at the heart intents of others rather than their actions.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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 God himself . . . sanctify you through and through. (1 Thess. 5:23)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

Like many households, we have good dishes and everyday dishes. The nice china, silverware, and sparkling glassware is set aside for special occasions, whereas the regular dishes are used daily. Setting something aside for special usage is one definition of the word sanctify. God commanded certain people, places, and things to be set aside or sanctified for his holy purposes (Ex. 29:1–29).

But there is a second definition for the word sanctify. It means to purify something, to cleanse something from impurities. The analogy that works best in my mind is the product that we use to clean out clogs in our sink.

Today’s Bible verse uses the word sanctify in this second sense: the purifying of our hearts. A person who has experienced the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit has had the sinful nature of their heart cleansed “through and through.” The sanctified person’s heart is no longer inclined to live in rebellion to God, but rather in loving surrender to the heavenly Father.

Is this type of heart condition even possible? The answer is found in the very words of Jesus, “Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matt. 5:8). Why would Jesus even talk about having a pure heart, if it were not possible in this life? We must depend daily on God and seek after a life marked by a sanctifying Savior.

Seek the purifying sanctification of God’s Holy Spirit.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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!

Rejoice always, pray continually. (1 Thess. 5:16–17)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

As a very young person, I distinctly remember being confused by today’s key verse. It seemed unreasonable to me for God to expect a person to pray continuously, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. How was a person to ever earn a living, go to school, have any hobbies, or participate in any sports if they were always on their knees praying to God?

Much later in life, I finally saw the distinction between praying continuously as opposed to continually. Continuously means to perform an action without stopping. Continually implies picking up where you left off. Sometimes when I am driving along on the highway, I just naturally and spontaneously start talking to God, telling him how much I admire the beauty of the sunset he painted or the diversity of his creation.

The apostle Paul encouraged believers to have a similar ongoing conversation with God, to feel the freedom to talk to him frequently and naturally throughout the day. Sometimes we feel the need to begin prayer times by reintroducing ourselves to God: “Hey God, remember me? We talked last month.” But we are already known by him. Part of having an intimate and mature relationship with God means we can just pick up the conversation with God where we last left it and keep it going.

Weave continual prayer into the natural rhythm of your day.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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!

Live in peace with each other. (1 Thess. 5:13)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:13-15

In elementary school, two of my very best friends got into a fistfight with each other. I remember intervening and one of my friends inadvertently punched me in the face. I ran home with tears running down my cheeks. As I ran into our kitchen, my mom knelt to dry my tears and ask where I was hurt. I remember being so surprised and saying, “Mom, I’m not crying because I got hurt. I’m crying because my friends are fighting.” What my mom said next has never left me. She said, “God has made you to be a peacemaker.” She was right. It is my nature to help others around me.

But the responsibility to help heal and reconcile is not unique to those who are called to be pastors. It is the God-given responsibility of all Christ followers to be peacemakers (Matt. 5:9) and to do our best to restore peace and harmony where there is presently conflict and misunderstanding. Not only are we brokers of peace, but we are also to aim to live in peaceful relationships with one another.

Elsewhere in the Bible, we are instructed to live in peace with one another, as much as it depends upon us (Rom. 12:18). The psalmist was right when he said, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” (Ps. 133:1).

Look for ways to restore peace in your relationships.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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!

Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. (1 Thess. 5:13a)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:13

As a very young boy, traveling home with my parents after church one day, I recall saying to them, “I don’t know how he does it.” I didn’t know how our pastor could talk for so long about just a few words from the Bible. My mom shared about the importance of the preaching of God’s Word, and I distinctly remember responding, “I will never be a preacher.” I am convinced God has a great sense of humor. After thirty-five years as a pastor and a professor at a Bible college, I teach the next generation of up-and-coming Christian leaders how to preach, pastor, and lead.

Responsible pastors provide local church leadership, congregational care, and individual counseling; they empower and equip lay ministry, build teams, cast vision, and solve problems. The demands, challenges, and opportunities often far exceed the number of hours available. It is no wonder some call ministry the “black hole of the universe.” Ministry can and will take every bit of time, energy, resources, and thought pastors have to offer, and yet the needs continue to exceed what they can provide.

It is no wonder the apostle Paul said to hold spiritual leaders in “highest regard . . . because of their work.” Spiritual leaders need people who can support them, pray for them, and encourage them with words and actions.

Find practical ways to encourage your pastor.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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!

Acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord. (1 Thess. 5:12)

Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:12

My wife and I were on vacation and driving to Florida with some friends. In Georgia, we were pulled over by a state trooper for driving (slightly) too fast. As the trooper approached the car, he unexpectedly and viciously kicked the back bumper, put his hand on his gun, and yelled at my friend who was driving to get out of the car with his hands visible. To this day, I am not sure why the officer kicked the car, yelled, and saw us as a threat. Our license plate clearly identified us as living out of state, and we were obviously two young couples traveling with lots of luggage.

I remember thinking, “This police officer seems to be on a bit of a power trip. Why is he kicking our car?” Perhaps he had some stressful things happening at home or had previous bad interactions with tourists. Nevertheless, his treatment of us was clearly overblown. In my opinion, in that moment he did not deserve respect or submission.

But he was a police officer, appointed and empowered by the state to enforce laws and keep the peace. Somewhere along the line I had learned the importance of submitting to the position, not necessarily to the person. We complied with everything he asked of us, and eventually we were free to continue our travels.

Respect and submit to those the Lord has placed over you.

Stephen Elliott serves as national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and director of the Pastoral Ministry degree program at Kingswood University (CA). He has been happily married to his high school sweetheart since 1975.

© 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!

I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. (Ps. 119:32)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 119:25-32

Freedom is enjoyed most when exercised within defined boundaries. Freedom without boundaries is anarchy and chaos. Contrary to youthful thought, freedom cannot be a license to do whatever you want. The most enslaved person is the one who has claimed not to be answerable to anyone or accountable to any law and now cannot escape the consequences.

Something inside us resists the imposition of rules. But being within the boundaries established by the commandments of God is the best place to experience life in its fullness and the freedom to discover our greatest potential. Boundaries provide protection, order, and direction.

God is committed to our freedom. He wants to free us from the slavery and the restrictions of sin. He wants to liberate us from the downward spiral of culture. He wants to release us from the bondage of fear and anxiety. And he does all this by providing a path that has boundaries established by his commands. The enemy of your soul would tell you that the laws of God are restrictive and will rob you of fun and happiness. The truth is that walking in the path of righteousness brings joy and peace.

One of the most optimistic, yet paradoxical, truths is that I have been set free to follow the commands of God. I yield to his rule so I can run with a soul set free.

Enjoy the straight path and freedom found within God’s will.

Ken Heer was an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church prior to his death in 2016. He served as a pastor, educator, and church leader for more than forty years, helping people grow in Christ.

© 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!

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. (1 Thess. 5:10)

Expanded Passage: Colossians 4:2-6; 1 Peter 5:6-11; 2 Peter 3:10-15; Mark 13:32-37; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

I met a president of the United States once. He shook my hand, and we chatted for a minute. He was polite enough, but I could tell I didn’t mean much to him. Someone whispered in his ear so he could call me by name, but he knew nothing about me—where I lived or what I did to help pay his salary. We met, but we never became friends. He doesn’t call and ask me to come to his house and spend time with him. If he saw me out somewhere, he would not call me by name or remember that we had met before.

I have a friend who lives in a better place than the White House. He knows my name, where I live, what I do, and what my dreams are. He loves me enough that one day he chose to die so we could have an eternal friendship. While hanging on a cross, he signed the great invitation. He even went ahead and prepared a place for me in his kingdom and has invited me to come there, not just for a visit, but to live with him.

The wonderful thing is that there is room at his place for all of us to “live together with him.” We have everything we need in him to do that and wait with anticipation for him to come and get us.

Share the invitation to meet Jesus and live in his place.

Ken Heer was an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church prior to his death in 2016. He served as a pastor, educator, and church leader for more than forty years, helping people grow in Christ.

© 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!

The God of all grace . . . after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)

Expanded Passage: 1 Peter 5:6-11

Most pain doesn’t last forever. Hit your thumb with a hammer, and you will experience instant and intense pain. In that moment you probably aren’t rational enough to think that in a day or two it won’t hurt anymore, but a process of healing has already begun—even while the hurt remains.

Suffering is not always physical. In fact, emotional, relational, and circumstantial suffering can often be more painful than a whack on the thumb. Even God’s people can suffer intensely and think the hurt will never end. But usually it does. Suffering is usually for “a little while.” But even if it seems to go on and on, at some point God will restore you.

The God of grace is always moving toward restoring that which is broken and hurting. He moves that direction in our lives and in our world. He seeks to redeem our broken and suffering world. Right now it is one life at a time, but soon he will make all things new and whole.

Meanwhile, God can take the painful places of our lives and redeem them. He can restore wholeness in us. He can fix what is broken and make us stronger in those places.

Our sufferings intensify when we struggle with them alone. Casting our anxieties on the Lord more quickly moves us from hurting toward healing.

Turn your hurting place over to God and let him restore you.

Ken Heer was an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church prior to his death in 2016. He served as a pastor, educator, and church leader for more than forty years, helping people grow in Christ.

© 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!

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. (Eph. 6:12)

Expanded Passage: Ephesians 6:10-18

Life can be defined as a battle. At times people can cause pain, and circumstances seem insurmountable, but we can’t go far in life without also being reminded that a spiritual battle is going on, and often we are in the line of fire.

If you are going to be strong in the Lord, you will be required to “take your stand” (v. 11). You need to draw boundary lines and declare you will not cross them. Right and wrong matter to you. Principles guide your choices. Convictions will not be compromised.

After you have taken your stand, you will be challenged, and you must “stand your ground” (v. 13). It is not easy to hold the high ground. Culture will be against you. Your peers will live by different standards. Standing your ground may be more difficult than taking your stand.

When your spiritual resolve is wrapped in the armor of God and the enablement of the Holy Spirit, you can “stand firm” (v. 14). But the battle rages on, and you will show your greatest strength when, “after you have done everything, [you] stand” (v. 13). You have prayed. You have trusted. You have set your resolve. You have done what you can. All you can do now is stand—undefeated, unbroken, unyielding.

You are winning the battle. Keep standing!

Take your stand, stand your ground, and stand firm in the battle.

Ken Heer was an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church prior to his death in 2016. He served as a pastor, educator, and church leader for more than forty years, helping people grow in Christ.

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