Daily Devo

Listen to today’s devo!

“People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 16:6-13

Private Desmond Doss did not seem to be a strong soldier, based on appearance. In the movie depicting his life, Private Doss’ sergeant compared his physique to a stalk of corn. Later in the movie he is referred to as “Doss the coward” because of his personal beliefs. However, Desmond Doss, in the heat of battle, went on to save the lives of approximately seventy-five men and was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor. Private Desmond Doss serves as a wonderful example of bravery, courage, and determination in the face of all odds, regardless of physical appearance.

God called Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel. By physical appearance and age, David would not have been the choice by human standards at the time. Many questioned the decision. However, our God does not look at outward appearance but instead focuses on the condition of the heart.

As Christians and Christian leaders, we need to consider the condition of our hearts. We must ask ourselves: Am I living a life that models after Jesus Christ? What is the condition of my soul? We can look our best on the outside and fool the world into believing what we want them to believe. But like the young king David, God looks at our hearts and knows the truth.

Evaluate the condition of your heart.

Andrew Christman, a proud veteran of the US Army, serves as a hospital chaplain in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a graduate of Wesley Seminary and an ordained Wesleyan pastor.

© 2024 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 Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?” (1 Sam. 16:1)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 16:1

One day, my father-in-law and I were out fishing. He was reeling in a lot of fish, but I had not caught a single one. I was using the same fishing technique I had used for many years, so I could not figure out what was wrong. He encouraged me to try his technique, which was new to me. I was hesitant at first, but when I tried this new way of fishing, trusting my father-in-law, I began to catch fish.

It is easy to fall into the trap of holding on to how things used to be and refuse to move into what can be. I say that, of course, with the utmost caution, knowing that many situations are more complicated than fishing. It can be difficult to grieve what was and to move into the unknown future of what can be.

Samuel, in this passage, was in the midst of grief and fear. He had been called to leave what was and go anoint the new king of Israel. First, he was grieving for Saul. Samuel anointed Saul as king, but Saul had been rejected by God. Secondly, he feared Saul. Samuel feared Saul’s reaction to the anointing of the new king. However, Samuel trusted in God to leave what was in order to welcome what would be.

Trust God to lead you into what can be.

Andrew Christman, a proud veteran of the US Army, serves as a hospital chaplain in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a graduate of Wesley Seminary and an ordained Wesleyan pastor.

© 2024 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!

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth. (Ps. 65:5)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 65:1-8

Funerals are generally notable for their glossy recollections of the deceased. And that is how it should be. The old proverb declares, “Of the dead and the absent, say nothing but good!” It is kind and right that we find all the good we can to say of those no longer with us. But many times, the character of the departed is retold in rosier hues than reality might have been. We tend to disregard little quirks and overlook human faults in our remembrance. We give much more grace to the dead than to the living.

None of us has a flawless character. We are, firstly, sinful and in need of redemption, and secondly, human and in need of maturation and grace. And when we are bereaved, we realize this fact anew.

But we do not need rose-tinted glasses to see our God. He is the one who does not fail, even in the smallest regard. The psalmist wrote that he hears all prayers, provides atonement for all sins, satisfies all people, answers us in righteous deeds, and is the confidence of the whole earth. He established the mountains and the seas and shows his wonders to people in every corner of the earth. His character is unquestionable. And he will never die. His ongoing righteous character is eternal, unchanging, and forever holy.

Trust the God of the Bible, whose character is undisputed.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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 Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people.” (1 Sam. 13:14)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 9:1-2, 19-22, 26-27; 10:1; 13:8-14

All of us have known people who started well, with sterling qualities and much potential, only to run aground in midlife or at a certain point in their career. This shift happens to entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes, politicians, royalty, clergy, and others. The budding character of youth should be solidified in the rigors of daily living. Character hinges upon choices of integrity, decisions in difficult moments and the investment of time and resources. If the proof is in the taste of the pudding, then, ultimately, the proof of character is in one’s deeds.

Saul began well, but he did not continue well. The Bible records his almost psychotic rage at the young man, David, and Saul’s attempts to murder him. We recall that, in impatience and arrogance, Saul offered his own sacrifice to the Lord and then disobeyed God’s direct command about the spoils of battle and King Agag. In the waning days of his life, he even solicited the services of a medium for spiritual advice. Finally, he dealt the death blow to his own body after a bloody battle with the Philistines.

How differently the biblical narrative would have been had Saul embraced this truth. As believers and leaders, we have much to learn from Saul’s decline, because character must not be only the beginning or middle of our stories, but the end as well.

Let the richness of your character increase every day.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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!

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.” (1 Sam. 13:13)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 13:8-14

Some people think character is negotiable. To them, policy that coincides with their philosophy matters more. To others, personal charisma and smooth words are important, or a hard-nosed, brawling approach is the answer. Unfortunately, citizens may care less about a candidate’s failings, because after all, a candidate who is a little shady, intemperate, and unfaithful makes them feel better about their own lives.

But it is never so with God. This sad story is proof. Saul became weary of waiting for the man of God to show up and conduct the sacrificial ceremony. He figured he was just as capable as a prophet, so he went against a command of God and presented his own burnt offering to the Lord. As a result, God promised to remove him from his position. Saul’s dynasty would come to an abrupt end and his place given to another, a man after God’s heart.

The decay of Saul’s character decreed his legacy. He is remembered more for his sins than his successes. Just as voters may choose a candidate who matches them and reflects their values, God chose a man who mirrored his heart. God chose David to be the next “commander” over his people. You may be assured that wherever a Saul is rebelling, a David is in the wings. God prepares sheepherders to be kings because character affects kingdom and dictates legacy.

Be a man or woman who mirrors God’s heart.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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!

Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?” (1 Sam. 10:1)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 10:1

If it takes noble character to respond to authority, it also takes noble character to handle one’s own authority. How many of us have witnessed the misuse of authority? Or have possibly been in the employment of one who abuses his or her power?

Some people in leadership roles are not vindictive, egotistical, or greedy, but rather too casual. They mishandle their power not with harshness but with nonchalance. They either do not know how or do not want to pick up the reins and move the organization down the road.

In an instant, Saul became a leader. Of course, he had advisors and did not assume the throne immediately, but in theory as the anointed king, he became the leader of millions of people. He was their monarch, their ruler. Quite a heady realization! Actually, the prophet called him the “commander” or the captain, and the people he was going to lead were the “inheritance” of the Lord God. Now that’s a responsibility, a good reason to steward one’s authority well.

Few people can truly manage authority. Unfortunately, many in powerful positions are influenced by selfish motives—to project a flashy image, to gather wealth, to garner praise, or to accumulate even more power. But, at the beginning of his reign as Israel’s king, Saul had none of these motives. He was a simple man, chosen and anointed.

Let God mold your character, so you can handle authority.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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!

Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while.” (1 Sam. 9:27)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 9:26-27

Character is often exhibited by one’s response to authority. If you’re a parent, you know that a huge part of bringing up your children to be responsible adults is instilling in them the importance of respecting those whom God has placed over them. This respect will help them, not only in interacting with society, holding a job, and being properly balanced, but also and most importantly, in submitting their young lives to their wise heavenly Father.

Saul must have had good training in this area. He could have refused to do what Samuel told him or disregarded the prophet as crotchety, senile, and irrelevant. Saul may not have wanted to send his servant on and stay behind with the old man of God. But he did. He honored God’s man and the instruction he gave.

You know the rest of the story.

In the very next verse, Samuel poured the oil of anointing on Saul’s head and proclaimed that he was chosen by God to be king. If Saul had not been willing to adapt his plans, he would not have been present for his own anointing. In fact, God may not have chosen him in the first place had this attitude not been part of his character. We do well to learn from Saul in this moment, to see that honoring those who are over you also brings honor to yourself.

Hold those who are in authority in high honor.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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!

“But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of . . . Benjamin?” (1 Sam. 9:21)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 9:19-21

Is it a sign of poor character to expect a promotion? Should one expect to be surpassed by the performance of others? Should one pretend ignorance of her own gifts, abilities, and possibilities?

When God chose Saul as the first king of Israel, he selected him from the least prominent clan in the tiny tribe of Benjamin. Saul’s words to the prophet Samuel registered his surprise. We aren’t told what his specific skills and gifts were. He was obviously a responsible and trustworthy son for his father to send him on a mission to rescue the livestock. Perhaps he was a gifted leader, a clever strategist, a born agriculturalist.

Saul’s opinion of himself is similar to that of Gideon who expressed almost the same thoughts to the angel in Judges 6:15: My family is nothing, and I am nothing. Perhaps both men wondered, “Is this a test of character?”

According to 1 Samuel 15:17, Samuel told Saul that he had originally been chosen by God because he was “small in [his] own eyes.” Here is the crux of character. When self is the biggest image on one’s horizon, good character and wise leadership are impossible. Saul and Gideon were chosen not for their poor opinion of themselves, but for their proper view of who they were in perspective to the God who rules all.

Be humble before God to lead in life.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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!

Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. (1 Sam. 9:2)

Expanded Passage: 1 Samuel 9:1-2

Is your father a warrior? Saul’s was. Saul’s father was known as a warrior. Samuel the prophet even called him “a mighty man of power.” He was no doubt respected among his friends and feared by his enemies. Everyone knew he could hold his own and get the job done.

In addition to having a daddy who was a he-man, Saul had a combination of DNA that set him up well for life. He was the best-looking man in Israel, and the tallest of them as well. Now, when Saul was at his prime, around 1052 bc the average height was much less than it is today. In fact, the average man of that period was about five and a half feet tall. But, still, he held the prize and was considered an all-star of that culture.

Perhaps you are the shortest in your family or your genetic material was not as kind to you as you’d wish. Few of us can claim the physical specs of Saul. But what our grandmothers used to say is true: “Beauty is only skin deep.” And while you can’t do much about the basic structure of your physique, the shape of one’s character is, in the end, molded not by our heritage or environment, but by our personal choices. Noble character is the beauty anyone can choose.

Choose today, by God’s grace, to have beautiful character.

Valorie Quesenberry is a wife, mother, gramma, speaker, and author of several books including the Sisters in Faith Bible Studies (WPH).

© 2024 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 last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” (Acts 2:17)

Expanded Passage: Acts 2:17-18

Not so long ago, my nine-year-old daughter, Zoe, told me not to pick her up from school on time. When I curiously asked her why, she told me how the end of their class day was the most exciting time because it is the only opportunity she gets to play with her friends and have a bit of fun at school. This brief window of time is also the only chance to see her friends from other grades. I made a deal with her to work hard in class, and if she did well on her grades, I would give her an extra fifteen minutes or so on the last two days of each week.

God our Father has promised us a last-day spiritual blessing: the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In our passage, we can read of this exciting divine occurrence where sons and daughters will prophesy and where we will have the opportunity to witness young men seeing visions and old men dreaming dreams.

Like young Zoe, we can have a prayerful anticipation for this blessing in these last days. We can look forward to this spiritual renewal and a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ, in which the entire world can witness such great revival and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Ask the Father to send us the outpouring of his Spirit.

Jim Machuku is an ordained minister, lead pastor, and educator. He is passionate about leadership development and community transformation.

© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.