It's Not Your Fault

For years Barbara Williams-Skinner has been a prophetic voice for God in the fight against systemic racism in our country. She offers this wise insight: “It may not be your fault, but it certainly might be your time.”

Dave DeSelmOctober 21, 2020Esther 4:14, Queen Esther, Esther, Mordecai, Barbara Williams-Skinner, racism, systemic racism, justice, injustice, it's not your fault, not your fault, it's your time, might be your time, light a candle, curse the darkness, take action Comments

Dog Christians and Cat Christians

Perhaps you’ve heard about the differences between dogs and cats. A dog says, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me. You must be God.” A cat says, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me. I must be God.”

Dave DeSelmOctober 14, 2020Matthew 6:10, dogs and cats, dog and cat theology, dog theology, Dog Theology, Cat Theology, cat theology, prayer, self-focused, masters, dogs have masters, cats have staff Comments

The Ministry of Reconciliation

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Founding Brothers, Joseph Ellis tells of one of the great friendships in American history. That friendship was remarkable in that it was between two radically different personalities: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Dave DeSelmOctober 7, 20202 Corinthians 5:18, Mattew 5:9, reconciliation, reconcile, be reconciled, peace, peacemaker, blessed are the peacemakers, how to reconcile, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Founding Brothers, Joseph EllisComment

Plank-Eyed Speck Removers

The gospels record how, on multiple occasions, Jesus healed those who could not see. He recognized that physical blindness carried all sorts of negative implications. The thing is, Jesus was no less concerned about a parallel, yet no less costly, sort of blindness. That of a spiritual nature.

Dave DeSelmSeptember 30, 2020Matthew 7:3, judging others, judgment, being judgmental, don't judge others, blindspots, speck and plank, speck in your own eye, Sermon on the Mount, point out others failures, spiritual blindness, self-deception, deceiving yourselfComment

Rootfulness and Fruitfulness

What is it that causes some people to bear so much fruit for the Lord while others are simply “leafy”? What is the reason behind some consistently growing in strength while others consistently struggle in weakness?

Dave DeSelmSeptember 23, 2020Psalm 1:3, fruitfulness, like a tree, bearing fruit, roots, rooted in Christ, rootfulness, fruit of the Spirit, Colossians 2:6-7, hidden places, spiritual growthComment

Mourn With Those Who Mourn

The Apostle Paul commands us to rejoice with those who rejoice – something that most of us are pretty good at. We find vicarious enjoyment in celebrating another’s victory or breakthrough. After all, who doesn’t like a party? Yet in the same sentence, he also commands something else…

Dave DeSelmSeptember 16, 2020Romans 12:15, mourn with those who mourn, mourning, grief, grieving, comfort, power of presence, no longer alone, not alone, Chuck Swindoll, Joe Bayly, silenceComment

Groaners or Grumblers?

Author John Ortberg notes that there are two main words that the Bible uses to describe people’s response to suffering: groaning and grumbling. As an example of the former, we read in Exodus 2 how… “The Israelites groaned in their slavery

Dave DeSelmSeptember 9, 2020groaning, groaners, grumble, groan, grumbling, grumblers, gumbler, groaner, Moses, Exodus 2:23-25, God hears our groans, John Ortberg, pour out your heart, complain, complaining, complainer, complaintComment

Bringing God My Baloney Sandwich

The late Bob Benson is one of my favorite storytellers. In one of his most familiar stories, he recalls a time when as an unmarried young man, he went to an old-fashioned church picnic. Benson was running late and when he got ready to pack his food, all he could find in the refrigerator was a piece of baloney and two slices of stale bread.

Dave DeSelmSeptember 2, 2020Malachi 3:10, giving, bologna, bologna sandwich, picnic, Bob Benson, share what you have, tithe, tithing, floodgates, trust, trusting God, trusting God with money, moneyComment

Doing Your Best With What You Have

You’ve probably never heard of him before. All we learn about Shamgar is encapsulated in one verse in the book of Judges. Unlike the detailed account of other figures in the book – Gideon, Samson, and Deborah – Shamgar’s story seems to be a biblical footnote.

Dave DeSelmAugust 26, 2020Judges 3:31, Shamgar, Israel, oxgoad, Philistines, what's in your hand, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can, make a difference, accomplishment, rescue Comments

Reserving Judgment

An old Chinese legend is told about how, many years ago, there lived an old man along with his son and a horse. Back in those days, having a horse would be like owning a car in our day – very valuable.

Dave DeSelmAugust 19, 2020James 1:2-3, good luck, bad luck, maturity, God's permissive will, God's will, perseverance, trials, strength, capacity, Chinese proverb, Chinese legend, horseComment

Avoiding the Rocks

As the story goes, there was once an officer in the navy who always dreamed of commanding a battleship. He finally achieved that dream and was given command of the newest and proudest ship in the fleet. One stormy night…

Dave DeSelmAugust 12, 2020Psalm 119:105, lamp, light, lighthouse, lamp to my feet, light to my path, Bible, Word, Scripture, Thy Word, battleship, guidanceComment

Don't Give Up

We’ve all faced moments in life (far too many) when we’re tempted to stand down, walk away, give up. Circumstances seem to call to us to cash in our chips or wave the white flag.

Making Sense of the Puzzle

My wife is a “puzzler.” During the months of sheltering in, she must have put together at least a half-dozen jigsaw puzzles. Some were relatively easy, but others were real toughies. Fortunately, she was able to look at the box and see the big picture.

Dave DeSelmJuly 29, 2020Maggie, puzzle, puzzle pieces, interlocking pieces, Hebrews 11:1-2, Romand 8:28, faith, confidence, hope, pieces fit together, pieces fit, big pictureComment

Being Jesus to Others

Lee Strobel writes of a woman named Maggie who began to attend to his church. For a long time she sat in the back, fearful of being exposed, ashamed of her lifestyle, yet strangely drawn to the place.

Dave DeSelmJuly 22, 2020Maggie, Lee Strobel, small group, small groups, community, shame, acceptance, fear, risk, faith, salvation, being Jesus to others, Jesus, represent JesusComment

The Father's Love

One of the most gripping texts in the entire Old Testament is recorded in Genesis 22. In that account we read: Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son…

Dave DeSelmJuly 15, 2020John 3:16, Genesis 22, Abraham, Isaac, Mount Moriah, sacrifice, Father, father, Father God, Son, son, love, God's love, Father's love, father's love, Jesus, Matthew 13:17, John 5:20, John 17:24Comment

Anger Management

Several decades ago, a popular anger management therapy arose called ventilationism. The approach boiled down to this: When you get angry, let it out. Discharge your feelings, get it off your chest, blow off steam, hit something, throw something, scream something.

Dave DeSelmJuly 8, 2020Psalm 37:8, anger, angry, indignation, ventilationism, venting anger, vent your anger, Proverbs 29:11, releasing anger, overcoming angerComment

The Breath of Life

There’s a very interesting little account at the end of the gospel of John (20:22) where it describes how fearful the disciples were after Jesus’ death. They’re cowering behind locked doors and we’re told that, suddenly, Jesus appears in their midst and says, “Peace be with you.”

Dave DeSelmJuly 1, 2020teacher, Hebrews 10:24, John 20:22, breath, breathe, breathe life, breath of life, student, Teddy Stoddard, Mrs. Thompson, troublemaker, troubled studentComment

Hypocrisy

It’s not surprising that down through the years, religious hypocrisy has been one of the greatest barriers to faith. Why become a Christian when the church is filled with so many hypocrites who act as living contradictions to their confession?

Dave DeSelmJune 24, 2020Jesus, hypocrisy, hypocrites, church, unChristian, heart, deception, self-deception, Matthew 23:25-27, Pharisees, Psalm 139:23-24, search me, confess, confession, community, blindspotsComment

Keeping Your Focus in the Fog

Have you ever heard the story of long-distance American swimmer Florence Chadwick? In 1950, she swam 21 miles across the English Channel from France to England in13 hours and 20 minutes, breaking the women’s world record for traversing that body of water.

Dave DeSelmJune 17, 2020Jesus, cross, fog, Hebrews 12:1-2, joy, heaven, Florence Chadwick, swimming, swimmer, English Channel, Catalina Island, California, doubt, don't give up, don't quit, finish line, enduranceComment

Life's Turning Points

Life is full of turning points. Those occasions when you stand at a crossroads. Moments when you have to make a decision, and that decision that will forever change your trajectory.

Dave DeSelmJune 10, 2020Esther, David, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednigo, Peter, John, courage, turning points, crossroads, decisions, decision, risk, faith, choices, destiny, historyComment

Devotionals for Every Day Disciples

Biblical inspiration for pastors and their people

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