The Word for Everyday Disciples with Dave DeSelm

A few years ago a sobering statistic came out.  According to Gallop polls, approximately 40% of the 18-29-year-olds who attended church when they were 16 or 17 are no longer attending church. 

About t…

Well, we’ve reached the end of Abraham’s journey of trust. At the “good old age” of 175, Abraham breathed his last and was buried by his sons. 

He had his flaws and failures, but all things considered…

The opening words of Genesis 22 read: “Some time later God tested Abraham.”

That word “test” is only used in the Bible in reference to the people of God, never unbelievers. Which begs the question, “W…

Some of the most comforting words in all the world are these: God forgives your sins.

But while God forgives our sins and wipes the slate clean in terms of our relationship with Him, our wrongdoing ma…

Sodom and its sister city, Gomorrah, controlled a lush, fertile valley through which the Jordan River ran.  These two population centers were the economic hub for everything at the south end of the v…

Three visitors came to Abraham. One of them was Yahweh Himself. After a dinner where a miraculous birth was promised, God brought His friend, Abraham, into His confidence. The outcry against the repu…

Three visitors showed up at Abraham’s tent one day, and one of them….was God. The others are later identified as angels, but the Scripture makes clear, the One talking to Abraham was Yahweh Himself. …

It’s been 25 years since Abraham began his journey of trust by leaving his hometown of Ur. Over 10 years since the Lord had promised Abram many offspring. He is now 85 years old and Sarai, his wife, …

Genesis 14 would make an exciting action movie. It contains all the elements necessary: a riveting plot, villains, a hero, strategy, swordplay, and acts of daring.  

Abram’s nephew, Lot, who has moved…

After Abraham settled in Canaan, God blessed him financially. The Bible says he was “very wealthy.” And he shared that abundance with his nephew, Lot. Each man’s flocks and herds multiplied to the po…

Self-protection is one of the strongest of human instincts and sometimes drives us to do foolish things. That’s exactly what happened to Abraham in his journey of learning to trust God.

When Abram arr…

Abraham’s journey of trust began in the Mesopotamian city of Ur, one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. It was a city of great wealth and culture. 

It was also a city of deep religion. The C…

The extent that you trust God will be the key determiner for how you navigate your life.

This is true no matter where you are along the spiritual spectrum – whether you’re a skeptic, a seeker, or a Ch…

We don’t know a lot about the Magi. They were from the East, probably ancient Persia.  And they apparently had education, wealth, and status.    

They had read the ancient writings of Israel about the…

Three times in the Christmas narrative, angels appear to people bringing what would seem to be news of hope and promise. But each time they begin their tidings with these words: Don’t be afraid.

It ha…

Fear and worry are endemic in our culture. Whether it’s TV news, social media, our upbringing, or our genetics, it seems we are being conditioned to fear. 

God knows what fear can cost a person and He…

There’s a particular phrase that’s repeated over and over again in the Christmas story.  It’s said to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds. 

“Do not be afraid.”  

I think a clear message was being sen…

Psalm 121 begins, “I lift up my eyes…” A common expression in Hebrew Scriptures.  It means to notice something, to become aware of the possibilities, to have your attention grabbed. Sometimes it’s a …

The Apostle Paul knew full well the power that could be unleashed when someone determined to really pray. That’s why in Colossians 4, he exhorted those believers to become passionate, persistent pray…

I’d like to tell you about someone.  His name isn’t important.  His gender is irrelevant (in fact we don’t know whether this someone was a “he” or a “she”).  There’s no reason to think that this some…