The Word for Everyday Disciples with Dave DeSelm

Most of the time we pray on what might be considered “felt need” prayers. We’re facing a crisis, we have practical needs, we’re trying to cope, so we pray. We ask God to intervene.   But have you ever considered that there could be a whole other level to our prayers? The Apostle Paul certainly thought so, and the prayer we find in Ephesians 1:15-23 demonstrates that.   As we look at this prayer, w...

Who are you? How do you know who you are?   The World bases your identity on appearance, achievements, acquisitions, and associations. It’s a matter of how you look, what you do, what you get, and who you know.  The thing is…basing your identity on these things is a set-up for a heart-break. Sooner or later, all of that will change. None of it is lasting.  But the Word bases your identity on being...

The letter to the Ephesians starts like this: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus...” Right away, Paul makes a striking statement about how God sees these everyday people. They are “holy people.” The Greek word here is hagios and it means “saints.” Paul is calling them…saints!  Now some of you came out of a background...

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians has been called “The Queen of the Epistles.” It brilliantly blends some of the loftiest theology in Scripture with some of the most practical application. As we begin our study together, allow me to introduce this masterful letter. 1.      The Writer of the Letter: the Apostle Paul As was the custom in that day, the writer of this letter identifies himself right off...

Losing someone you love to death is incredibly painful. The grief you feel isn’t something you get over quickly. But for those who have a relationship with Jesus, there is actually hope in the midst of the tears.  In this message, Dave offers encouraging reminders for all believers that the day of reunion nears, the reality of heaven is immediate, and the transformation of your body will be comple...

Jesus‘ ministry was characterized by three things:  ·        WORDS:  He taught with authority. ·        WAYS:  He chose disciples in whom to invest. ·        WORKS:  He healed the sick and oppressed. And His disciples - then and now - are called to not only follow but to imitate their Rabbi.   For most of my Christian life, I committed myself to obey Jesus’ words . And I have come to see that I ne...

When it comes to healing,  it’s one thing to deal with the physical brokenness in our bodies or the emotional brokenness in our minds.  However, there are occasions when beneath all of that is something that’s hidden yet even more deadly – the spiritual brokenness in our souls.  Such strongholds can seriously affect the physical or the mental.   We read of that in Luke 13:10-13.   On a Sabbath Jes...

The people of Israel looked forward to the day the Kingdom of God would be revealed, ushering in an era of shalom – complete wholeness in body and soul.  Blind eyes are going to see.  Deaf ears are going to hear. Lame legs are going to leap.  When?  When God comes to save .      That day ultimately arrived. Jesus entered the world, announcing that in Him the Kingdom had come. He not only declared...

There are certain regrets in life that fall under the category of what might be called, “If only I’d known…”  But the ultimate regret story is the one Jesus told in Matthew 25. Nearly all of Jesus’ parables come out of ordinary life situations and this one is no different. The imagery of a mixed flock of sheep and goats would have been familiar to His audience as would the need to separate the flo...

We are told right from the start why Jesus told this story. He wanted to motivate His followers to pray and never give up.  In this story, there are two characters. First, there’s a widow. In the Bible, the widow symbolizes one who is weak and helpless, utterly devoid of power or resources. .  The widow in our story was being harassed by some sort of adversary. Perhaps he was trying to intimidate...

Whenever you deal with people, there will inevitably be conflicts. People will hurt you.  You may be facing that right now – in your family, your neighborhood, your job, or your church.   And our response is to want to settle the score. Even as Christians we have ways of making them pay, such as: Silence. You get wounded, so the walls go up and the words shut down Distance. You withdraw, ostensibl...

It happened at a dinner party. Jesus’ critics tried to lay a trap for Him, but Jesus turned the tables on them. How? He told them a story.  A man planned a banquet and sent out the invitations. RSVPs came in and preparations were made. On the appointed day, once everything was ready, the man sent his servants to each of his guests saying: “Come! The party’s ready to start.” But one by one each gue...

We are treasuring creatures. The question is not if we treasure, but what we treasure.   Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also .” (Matt. 6:21) Now the Lord didn’t say this to make us feel bad.  He’s just stating the way things are.  What you treasure is the trigger to your deepest points of response. So, what did Jesus treasure? In the parable found in Matthew 13:44, J...

Many of the lessons we learn in life come through stories. No one knew this more than Jesus.  So, as He began to share with people about this Kingdom that He was launching, He told stories to capture their attention – that they might join Him in the ultimate revolution. The storytelling strategy He used is called parables. He used parables for many reasons.  1.     Parables arouse our interest. 2....

Worship does many things. Worship… gives praise to the One who is above your circumstances. provides perspective in your circumstances.  breaks the power of the forces of darkness behind your circumstances. Psalm 8:2 says: “From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise because of your enemies to silence the foe and the avenger.” And a paraphrase of Psalm 50:23 reads: “To him that...

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells us that the battles we face in life are not against flesh and blood humans. The real battle is against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, we need to fight our battles on that front.  He then uses the illustration of a Roman soldier armed for battle, instructing us to put on the armor of God, protecting and preparing us for the attacks...

We live in a world at war. A spiritual war that is being felt in the lives of people since the fall of man. But the incarnation of Jesus Christ was an invasion.  The Son of God dropped down from above…into occupied territory…to do battle with the Enemy…and to free those held captive.  The mission was a glorious success.  But the price paid couldn’t have been higher.  It cost Jesus His life.  Yet,...

One of the strategies used by special forces teams is called H.A.L.O. – High Altitude, Low Opening. In order to minimize their exposure to enemy gunfire, these expert parachutists jump from a plane at a minimum altitude of 25,000 ft. They then free fall accelerating to up to 200 mph, opening their chutes only 2000 ft above the ground. Special forces from above, landing behind enemy lines, prepared...

If there was ever a prophet of hope in the OT, it was Isaiah. And yet he recognized that, as a diamond is best displayed on a black background, hope is best seen in the midst of despair.   The voice said, “Cry out!”  And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass,  And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades…          But the word of our God st...

Near the end of his life, the Apostle Paul wrote these words to his protégé, Timothy: “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”  (2 Tim. 4:7)   Each of us has a race to run.  And how you run that race carries huge implications – not only in the present but for the future. Indeed, for future generations. The race of life is in fact a relay.   To be sure, each...

I have four audiences in mind for this message.  1.     Youth You who are in junior high school or high school face the challenge of making the faith your own faith.  2.     Young Adults You are the Church’s hope for the future.  It might encourage you to know that ever since the 1st century the greatest Kingdom movements came from 18-29 year-olds. Stay strong.  Shine your light and shake your sal...

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 the same time, the Barna Group released its own, even more disconcerting, findings,  noting 61% of today’s young adults who had been churched at one point during their teen years are now spiritually di...

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, he lived a truly triumphant life.  I want to leave you with a few parting principles.  They’re very simple to understand but quite challenging to apply.  In fact, they’ll take a lifetime to master. ...

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, “Why would a loving Father test His cherished children?” I’m convinced that the answer to that question is within that question.  It’s because our Father is loving and does cherish us that He tests us. ...

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 may have lingering consequences with others. For example, say you got caught shoplifting. As you confessed that to God, He forgives you.  However, you might have to deal with the fact that you also sinn...