Daily Devo

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Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said. (Heb. 4:3)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 4:1-3

One of the best pieces of advice I received when entering into the ministry was to find my own voice of ministry. A minister can listen to every sermon Billy Graham ever preached, and can even memorize and repeat them, but that minister will never be Billy Graham. People didn’t pack out arenas to listen to him give a sermon someone else gave; they willingly stood in lines for hours to hear him preach his own heart and his own lessons in faith to lead others to Christ. I was told, “You can listen to the best preachers all day every day. But you do not have their mind, and they do not have your heart. God called you, not them through you.”

Christ promised that we will have a deep rest for our very souls when we seek him in our struggles. But how do we come to Christ? Rev. Graham answered that at the end of every crusade with the hymn “Just as I Am.” There is a divine rest that we can enjoy and a refreshment of the very depths of our being that simply cannot be found in any offered “comforts” of this world.

There is nothing able to be hidden from God. Come as you are, make your faith your own personal statement, and enjoy the comfort given by Jesus Christ.

Come to God’s presence as your own self.

Jayson McGraw is the assistant pastor at Liberty Center Wesleyan Church of Liberty Center, Ohio. He also serves as Sunday school superintendent and leads the community outreach program.

© 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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I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Ps. 16:8)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 16:5-11

Recently my husband and I took a trip through the Northeast. It was a good thing that we added the GPS at the last minute. Although the scenery was magnificent, the food excellent, and the people kind and friendly, the roads gave us quite a challenge. Windy, small, and unlit, they did little to bolster our confidence. Thank goodness we had the GPS to show us the way. With the tip of a finger, we could type the desired address into the task bar, and voilà: we were guided in the right direction.

We live in uncertain times. Sometimes it feels as if the days darken by the minute. But we don’t need a GPS to navigate this unfamiliar territory. We have a God and he is bigger than any GPS. He sits at our right hand, and sometimes, he even drives the car. With him at our side we have nothing to fear. Just as he sent the cloud by day and the fire by night to the Israelites in the wilderness, so will he send his Word and Holy Spirit to guide us through the wilderness in our lives.

If you are in a tough situation, don’t be discouraged. Call out to the Lord, put your trust in him, and he will shine his light to show the way.

Ask the Lord to direct and navigate your way through tough times.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. (Heb. 3:1)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 3:1-19

In the 1980s, a drug prevention program, Project Charlie, was introduced into the Texas fifth-grade curriculum. Based on self-esteem building, the theory was that if children have a good self-image, they will be better equipped to resist drug and alcohol temptations. The idea: you are what you think. A lot of time was spent on positive affirmations and changing negative thought patterns, especially in those who came from unstable home environments.

This is not a new concept. The Bible has been teaching this principle for years. But instead of self-esteem affirmations, we as children of God are taught to fix our thoughts on Jesus. God knew what he was doing. By keeping our thoughts on the One who is salt and light, who submitted himself to the will of the Father, serving him as a sacrifice for our sins, we, in time, can develop the character traits—called the fruit of the Spirit—of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The Bible is clear. This is our calling, our task, our assignment. As we set aside our flesh, as we fix our thoughts on Jesus, we become more Christlike. In time, others are drawn to the body of believers and most importantly to him, as we confess Jesus with our mouths and our actions.

Change your thoughts by spending more time in the Word.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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Let us run . . . fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Heb. 12:1–2)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 12:1-3

My husband is not a big TV watcher. But there’s something about the TV, when it’s on, that he can’t resist. I don’t know if it’s the movement, the sound, or what, but his eyes become fixated on the screen until I turn it off. I don’t even think he knows he’s doing it; it’s a subconscious thing.

But isn’t that how we are? We get fixated on something and can’t turn away until the task is completed or the device is turned off. I once heard it said, we become what we focus on. I think that’s true. If we watch violence, we become more violent. If we are around cussing, our language deteriorates. The converse is also true. If we surround ourselves with kind people, we become kinder. If we hang out with happy people, we start looking at life through an optimistic lens.

The Scripture is clear. Our task is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. As the days darken, instead of growing weary, let’s remember those who have gone before, our biblical ancestors and our own faithful family members. Let us learn from their courageous faith as we run the race set before us for a time such as this. Let each one of us be a modern witness, a member of the cloud of believers that stays focused on what is important—Jesus.

Ask God to help you prioritize your focus.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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 faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 11:1-6

My friend’s mother, Gloria, lost her eyesight. One day she was fine, then light began to fade. Within one month she was blind. I have often pondered what her life is like: not to see the face of a grandchild; never to marvel at a yellow and orange sunset; never to read a book or celebrate a beautiful painting; never to see the words of Scripture again.

But she has amazed us all. Even in the darkness her faith has grown. Instead of seeing with outward eyes, she sees with spiritual eyes. Her mind’s eye remembers the beauty she once beheld. Her spiritual eyes are focused on Jesus. Her faith is not diminished but has grown by leaps and bounds.

One cannot explain these mysteries. Yet the Bible is filled with examples of people like Gloria, men and women of faith who heard God and believed in him. Noah built an ark when God told him to, and he didn’t even know what an ark was. Abraham left his home and all that he knew to travel to a land he had never seen. Gideon fought an army of thousands with only three hundred men.

That is faith. By focusing on what God knows and not what we know, God opens our spiritual eyes so that we may see through his eyes what is best for us and his kingdom.

Ask God to increase your faith through seeing his world with spiritual eyes.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:14)

Expanded Passage: Philippians 3:7-15

I have a friend, Megan, who was thirty-two years old when she made her fourth attempt to reach the Olympic trials. Each time she has just missed the mark by a hair. Because of her determination, many in our Bible study prayed for her as she prepared to run the trials. As opposed to the past, this time she had a training plan. She knew how she was going to run the race. Even when she was sick to her stomach the morning of the race, she stuck to her plan. Mile twenty-one was her stretch, and we all knew it. Last try she faded at twenty-one and could not go on. This time, prayers became intense on all sides. She kept to her plan, pressed on, and for the first time ever she ran in the trials that spring.

Scripture tells us about the importance of running the race set before us. We are told to press on, no matter the trials and tribulations that hinder our race. By pressing through the fear, boredom, or exhaustion, we, like Paul and Megan, will finish the race and claim the victory.

No matter how hard, how high, how wide your personal challenge, by pressing on in the power of God’s Holy Spirit toward the goal, you will win the victory.

Make a plan to press toward your goal.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

Expanded Passage: 1 Peter 5:6-12

My freshman year in college, I joined a campus-wide singing competition called the Sing Song. Not a singer myself, I was thrilled to be included. One of the songs was “Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord.” Not a believer at the time, I was deeply touched by the rich voices of the young men as they sang in unison. I had no idea that the song was scriptural. The word humble meant nothing to me, especially as it related to the Lord. But the haunting tone touched me in the deep places.

Today I know that the Word of God in that song was like a two-edged sword in my heart. I also know that humility is a virtue, a state of being where one submits to God and others. From the Latin word humilitas it is translated “grounded” or “low.” What a beautiful description for one submitted to the Lord. Jesus modeled perfect humility, submission even to death. Obedient to the will of God, he came under the Lord’s mighty hand and was lifted up to sit at the right hand of the Father.

We can never be infinite in perfection as Jesus is. But by keeping our eyes on him, by focusing on God’s will for our lives, the haunting tones of humility—his song of submission—will make its home in our hearts.

Choose humility, submitting to God’s mighty hand.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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This is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. (1 John 5:3–4)

Expanded Passage: 1 John 5:1-13

When I was a child, I was told the story of a young girl who owned a large potato sack. Every day she went out into the world, gathered rocks, and put them in her sack. Soon the sack was so heavy she could barely walk. One day an old man saw her crying by the side of the road. He stopped and asked, “Why are you sitting by the roadside crying?” “Because my burden is too heavy and I am too tired to walk,” she answered. “Then take out some of the rocks,” the man replied.

Isn’t that how we are? Sometimes the answers are right before our eyes, but we miss them because we are focused on the wrong thing. Often we move through life gathering rocks, carrying burdens that are not ours to carry. God is clear in this passage. If we change our focus, if we obey God’s commands and keep our eyes focused on Jesus, our burdens become light.

What rocks are you gathering? What resentments, worries, and bitter roots are you placing in your potato sack? Does each day get harder and your heart heavier? If you’re struggling with your load, then take out some of the heaviest rocks, the ones you’ve carried the longest. Focus on Jesus and see how much lighter you feel.

Ask God how to begin laying down your burdens.

M. Norman previously served as a writer for Light from the Word.

© 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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Who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others. (Ps. 15:2–3)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 15

The right bean blend makes the best cup of coffee, and the right blend of grace and truth makes the best kind of Christian. Some Christians have truth beans with no grace blended in. The danger of this perspective is a tendency to be rigid, shrill, and insufferable. Chinese pastor Watchman Nee observed that insisting on everyone and everything being “right” damages our witness. Negative beans, alone, bring a bitter aftertaste. We have certainly seen an overspill of negative beans in social media rants and across our polarized culture.

Others, by contrast, are full of grace with no truth beans blended in. This saccharine spirituality leaves sin unchecked and is a recipe for shallow lukewarmness. Truth matters. If we don’t stand for anything, we’ll fall for everything. Many operate under the false assumption that love requires full endorsement of every view and action. Biblical love, however, calls us to integrity and requires truth from the heart. It cannot condone sinful behavior.

We need both kinds of beans in our blend. This is what Jesus modeled when he came to reveal his glory: “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This means “speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) regardless of our preferences or tendencies. The right grace-truth blend makes us good neighbors and brings beauty to the world.

Always speak truth from the heart in love.

Mark O. Wilson serves as Division of Religion chair at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina.

© 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 again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” (Heb. 2:13)

Expanded Passage: Hebrews 2:1-18

“Well, here we are,” is a useless phrase I frequently use in awkward or perplexing situations when I don’t know what else to say. My kids noticed and turned it into a family joke. Usually, when it’s come to “here we are,” we’re in a pickle.

However, “Here I am” is a powerful phrase in the Bible. It is often used after God calls a person by name: “Abraham! Abraham!” And Abraham replies, “Here I am” (Gen. 22:11); “Jacob.” Jacob answers, “Here I am” (Gen 31:11); “Moses! Moses!” . . . “Here I am” (Ex. 3:4). In these instances, those speaking mean they are ready to respond and prepared for action. When God called Isaiah, he responded, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isa. 6:8). Perhaps, “Well, here we are” isn’t such a useless phrase after all.

“Here I am” is a natural response to God’s “I Am” self-revelation (Ex. 3:14). He came first and is with us all along the way.

The “Here am I” in today’s reading refers to Christ’s fulfillment of Isaiah 8:18, echoing the burning bush revelation. and declaring that he is the one standing ready to respond alongside his children who do the same, as “signs and symbols” of his gracious love. In every perplexing situation, we are reminded that our Savior stands beside us to intervene, help, and guide. In response, the best thing we can say is “Well, here we are!”

Listen for God’s “Here I am” and respond in kind.

Mark O. Wilson serves as Division of Religion chair at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina.

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