The Word for Everyday Disciples with Dave DeSelm

Today’s episode is different.

In June of 2025, Dave was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. And so, after five years of weekly teaching, this will be the final new episode of The Word for Everyday Disciples.

Rather than a sermon, what you’ll hear today is a conversation—an honest and thoughtful interview Dave recently recorded with a longtime friend and former colleague, Clinton Faupel. Clinton is the co-founder of Remedy Live, a ministry devoted to mental health advocacy and providing real-time, online crisis support to anyone who reaches out.

This conversation is not a farewell as much as it is a reflection—on faith, on suffering, and on hope. It’s a reminder that discipleship doesn’t stop when life gets hard, and that God often meets us most powerfully in honest conversation.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for walking with us through these years. And thank you for being part of this community of everyday disciples.

Watch the full video of this interview on YouTube. 

Recorded in the Remedy Live studios in Fort Wayne, IN, on November 18, 2025.

There is a popular holiday movie based on an award-winning children’s book called “The Polar Express.” In the story, a young boy is unable to hear the bells at Christmas. The reason? The disappointment of life had dimmed his belief and wonder. It was only after a magical encounter that he was able to believe again.

Now, I know that story is about Santa Claus, but there are some striking parallels to our walk of faith. Life in this cold, dark world has a way of dimming our belief, too.

Maybe this Christmas, the bells in your heart have gone silent. You once believed in a good, loving, powerful God – back when you were a kid.  But then life got in the way. The doubts began to creep in.  

To you who struggle to believe that there is a God who’s in control, who cares, and who understands, Christmas holds the answers to your questions. 

Is God in control? God literally moved heaven and earth to fulfill His purposes for mankind. He moved the heart of a king so His Son would be born in Bethlehem. He can handle whatever you’re facing. 

Does God understand? Jesus didn’t come as a conquering king or as some sort of superhero.  He came as a baby to dirt-poor parents among a marginalized people.  But even more, He was born in a barn and slept in a feeding trough, wrapped in rags. Why? So that we would never wonder if He knows what it’s like to really live in this cold, dark world under the worst of circumstances.  

In “The Polar Express,” there’s a great line offered by the train’s conductor in his attempt to get Billy to at least investigate the possibility of another reality.  He says to him, “Sometimes the most real things in this world are the things we can’t see.”

The Apostle Peter thought the same thing. He wrote, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him.  And even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1 Pet. 1:8)

God came to our world and faced all of its ugliness firsthand. He understands exactly what you and I face – because He faced it too. God came to earth in human form, seeking us.

And if you will go on an honest pursuit of Him, God promises that you will find Him (Jer. 29:13).  And you, too, will be changed for the better.  

Text: Is. 9:2, 6-7; 1 Pet. 1:8; Jer. 29:13

Originally recorded on December 24, 2007, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

In our last episode, we talked about the mystery of unanswered prayer. There are times when God, in His sovereignty and love, chooses to say “No” to our requests.

However, the Bible also tells us that our Father loves to say “Yes” to His children. So, why is it that so often we pray and pray, and nothing seems to happen? Where’s the problem?

All too often, the problem is with us. We’re the ones who torpedo the process. 

In this episode, we’re going to look at eight “prayer busters” the Bible warns us about. 

1. Failure to pray -“You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:2 
2. Unconfessed sin - “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. ” Psalm 66:18
3. Unresolved conflict - "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there…go and be reconciled to your brother…” Matthew  5:23-24
4. Uncaring attitudes -“If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” Proverbs 21:13
5.  Improper motives - “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3
6.  Improper timing - "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3:1
7. Inadequate faith - “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the wave of the sea… that man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” James 1:6-7
8.  Inappropriate requests - “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us…” I John 5:14 

If the request is wrong, God says, “No.”

If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow.”

If you are wrong, God says, “Grow.”

If the request is right, the timing is right, and you are right, God says, “Go.”

Text: various

Originally recorded on September 26, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

Have you ever begged God for something that mattered more than anything — and He didn’t come through the way you hoped? That very thing happened to the great King David. 

After years of conquest, Israel was now unified and at peace. But, Israel was still worshiping Yahweh at a tent—the Tabernacle that had made the trek through the wilderness with God’s people. 

Nestled in his cedar-lined palace, David—the man after God’s own heart—began to dream. “The Lord has been so good to me, and He is such a great God. It isn’t right that I should live in such splendor and luxury while God’s presence is still relegated to a tent. God deserves better. I want to build Him a glorious temple!” 

Nathan, the prophet, heard David’s dreams and could see that the king’s motives were pure and his dreams noble. So, he immediately told David, “Sounds like a great idea. Go for it!” 

But what was God’s response to David’s dream? In a word, His answer was…no. He affirmed David for his desire to honor Him, but he would not be the one to build God a temple. God had a better plan in mind. And that leads us to our four main points: 

1.    It’s not wrong to dream great dreams and pray great prayers. 

2.    Sometimes, though the dream is noble, it’s not God’s plan.

3.    When God says “No” to our dreams, it’s because He has better ones in mind.

4.    When disappointed with God, the best response is thoughtful reflection and humble submission. 

How did David respond to God’s “no”? The Bible says he “sat before the Lord and said, ‘Who am I, Sovereign Lord…” He paused to reflect on all the dreams that were fulfilled, the times God had answered prayer. And then he humbly submitted his dreams to the sovereignty of God. 

God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. When faced with the mystery of unanswered prayer, may we, like David, trust in the Sovereign Lord who is strong and loving and does all things well. 

Text: 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17

Originally recorded on September 12, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that prayer wasn’t a responsibility to be pushed into for Him; it was a relationship to be pulled into. It was in prayer where He found rest, strength, and direction, and where He experienced the Father’s love most deeply.

In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus offers some straightforward advice on how to pray like He did. 

1.     Pray systematically – carve out time.

Deep, satisfying relationships are a function of time spent together. The same is true with God.

However, time seems to be the one thing we run out of fastest! God offers to give wisdom and perspective, guidance and direction, encouragement and confidence through prayer.  But I’m too busy to take Him up on His offer.  

It’s been said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.” Why? Because if you’re too busy to connect with God, eventually, you’ll make yourself bad. 

Take a look at the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Jesus and his men stop by, and Martha heads to the kitchen to start preparing a meal. Meanwhile, her sister Mary is sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning from Him. Martha gets ticked off—not only at Mary, but at Jesus! She’s so busy doing “good” stuff, that she fails to do the “better” thing. And it made her worried and upset over things that didn’t really matter.

For Jesus, being busy was not an excuse to not pray. Instead, it was precisely because He WAS so busy that He intentionally got away and alone to spend time with His Father. 

And so should we. You will never know Jesus’ power until you follow Jesus’ pattern.

2.     Pray secretly – get away and get alone.

In Matthew 6:8, Jesus talks about going to your closet to pray. Find a quiet place where you can meet with God. 

It's alone, in the silence, when we can share with the Lord what He means to us.  It’s alone, in the silence, when we can pour our hearts out to Him.  It’s alone, in the silence, when all other voices are shut out, that we can hear the whisper of His still, small voice. It’s alone, in the silence, when we can just be with our Father.

Can you imagine doing life that way?  Here’s the thing: You will not drift into this way of life.  You must choose it.

Text: Mt. 6:5-8; Lk. 10:38-42; Mk. 1:35-36

Originally recorded on August 29, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

It has often been said that prayer is the greatest force in the universe. And yet, it remains a largely untapped resource for so many Christians. Why is that?

There are a lot of reasons why we don’t pray, but I think they can be summarized under two headings:  

• We don’t know how it works. It feels very unnatural to talk to someone I can’t actually see and whose voice I’ve never literally heard. 
•  We don’t think it really matters. We take a fatalistic view. “If it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen, whether I pray or not.” 

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable that addresses the issue of prayer straight-up. The story has two main characters: a widow and a judge. 

Widows in Jesus’ day were vulnerable. Unless she had a son to take care of her, she was without resources, power, or connections. In Jesus’ story, this widow was being harassed by an adversary, so she took her case to the local judge, seeking relief.

Unfortunately, the judge in this story was a hard-hearted man. He didn’t fear (respect) anyone – neither man nor God! 

When the widow came to him, he dismissed her. But she wouldn’t give up. She kept pestering the judge over and over again until finally, the judge threw up his hands and said, “I can’t take it anymore. Give her what she wants!”

Now, most people read this story and think... we’re like the widow—defenseless and weak. And God is like the judge! He’s super busy and doesn’t have time to bother with little people like me and my little problems. 

So, the moral of the story is… it pays to pester! The more I pester God in prayer, the more likely He’ll finally cave in and give me what I ask for!

Friends, that could not be further from the truth. This parable is not an allegory. It is a beautifully crafted study in contrasts! Jesus’ point is, if this sort of judge gives this sort of help to this sort of person, how much more will your Father give all kinds of help to you?  And in so doing, He gives us three prerequisites we need to understand if we hope to keep praying and not give up. 

1.     We need to understand our identity.

Some of us see God as Oz the Terrible. Like Dorothy and her friends, we tremble before Him. But for those who have come to faith in Christ, the King of the Universe is our Father! And He is thrilled with your presence and delighted to hear of your needs. No one’s voice sounds sweeter to God than yours.

2.     We need to understand God’s inclination.

Don’t think for a minute that you have to concoct some way to wrench a blessing from some tight-fisted miser.  That just isn’t so.  From cover to cover in the Bible, we read of a God who loves to give good things to His children. He delights in it.

3.     We need to understand God’s invitation.

God calls us to talk to Him—to ask, seek, and knock—not just to have our needs met, but that we might enter into a faith partnership with Him.

Text: Luke 18:1-8

Originally recorded on August 22, 2004, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

As we come to the end of our journey through the book of Joshua, our hero is now elderly—over 100 years old. He realizes his time of leading his people will soon be over. So, he calls the people together and gives a remarkable farewell speech. 

He begins by reminding them of the covenant God had made with their ancestors. He invited each of them to enter into that covenant, to choose to be loyal to God above all else. Abraham said, “I’m in.” Isaac and Jacob each in turn said, “I’m in.” Hundreds of years later, Moses said, “I’m in,” and even Joshua himself had made that choice. “I’m in. All in.” 

Now, as he prepares to pass from this earthly life, he asks his people, “What about you?”

He reminds them of all the ways God had led and protected them, miraculously giving them the land upon which they now stood. He knows that the temptation to assimilate the local gods into their worship would be fierce. In fact, it was already happening. 

So, he makes this challenge: “Choose for yourselves whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

The Israelites, moved by Joshua’s words, answered, “We’re in! We will serve the Lord, too!” But Joshua knows them all too well. 

“You can’t do it.” Joshua was pushing his people to really think through what they were committing to. See, talk is cheap. It’s easy to say you’ll follow God. But what will you do when serving God costs you? When someone important to you chooses another way?

The Israelites raised their voices to quell Joshua’s doubt. “No! We will serve the Lord and obey Him.” 

This same challenge is laid before you today. “Choose for yourself whom you will serve.” If you choose a life of loyalty to God, there are some timeless truths it would be wise to understand.

1.     You need to know that your allegiance will be opposed.

There are Satanically-inspired strategies all around us trying to trip us up—hoping to woo our hearts and compromise our values. We must be alert. 

2.     You need to see that your decision might be a lonely one.

When I was a young believer, I learned a song that has stuck with me over the years.  It says: “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.” The last stanza says, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back.”

To make a decision to serve God wholeheartedly…and for your family to be “on mission” for the Kingdom…might well be lonely.  

3.     You need to understand that your dedication needs to be shown and not merely said.

Are you a noun Christian or a verb Christian? A noun Christian is just a title you wear. A verb Christian is a life you live.

4.     You need to trust that your resolution will be worth it. 

To follow the Lord wholeheartedly will pay off with dividends that are literally out of this world.

“Choose yourselves this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

What about you?

Text: Joshua 24

Originally recorded on December 11, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

They were ready to fight. They thought they knew the truth. They were wrong.

Joshua 22 shows how fast things can go wrong when we rush to judgment. 

As the Israelites were making their way northward toward Canaan, some of the tribes found the land east of the Jordan to be quite attractive. They asked to settle there, and permission was granted for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh to stake their claims.

The only stipulation was that the troops from those tribes were to assist their brothers in conquering the territory west of the Jordan. Once the fighting was done and the land divided, the Reubenites, Gadites, and men of Manasseh, returned to their land and families east of the Jordan. 

But when the troops got to the edge of the river, somebody probably said, “Wait a minute. Suppose, sometime in the future, someone would say to our descendants, ‘You can’t really be God’s people – you’re on the wrong side of the river!’”

They decided, as a safeguard against that and to preserve their connection with the western tribes, they would build a monument. The text says that it looked like an altar – a place for sacrifice and worship.  But it was never intended to be that.  It was simply to be a reminder that they were part of the people of God.

Seems so innocent, doesn’t it?  

Not to the western tribes. They jumped to the conclusion that the eastern tribes had built their own place to worship God—something strictly forbidden. “This is heresy!” they thought. And they strapped on their swords, intending to go to war against their brothers.

The problem was, they didn’t pause to look into the situation first. Instead, they rushed to judgment and nearly destroyed untold lives.   

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. They sent some elders to get the facts. Their eastern brothers were horrified that their efforts to mark unity could be so badly interpreted. But because someone took the time to look into it rather than jump to conclusions, a split among God’s people was averted. 

Such close calls still happen today among God’s people. And all too often, the tragedy isn’t averted. Misunderstandings arise. Assumptions are made. Accusations follow. And in the end, friendships are lost. Partnerships are ended. Churches are split.

So, given this, let me offer you several points to remember lest you rush to judgment. 

1. Set your default to think the best not presume the worst.
2. Get the facts before you draw your conclusion.
3. Let your commitment to unity trump your need to be right.

 If we hope to live a life of courageous faith and be communities of courageous faith, we must commit to love and unity. In the words of St. Paul:

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:2-3

Text: Joshua 22

Originally recorded on November 27, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

After twelve chapters of action, miracles, and conquest, our journey through the book of Joshua enters a long stretch of mind-numbingly boring descriptions of towns and boundaries. What in the world could the division of the land into tribal territories have to do with us today?

In trying to answer that, I began to ask myself some questions: Why did God assign certain people to live in certain places? Was it simply to demonstrate His authority? Or could it be that He had bigger, Kingdom reasons for wanting them there?

In my pondering, I came to this conclusion: When it came to occupying ground for the Kingdom, the Lord assigned His people the territory where they could uniquely make an impact.

This idea of the Lord sovereignly placing people is carried over to the N.T. where we read that “God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live.” (Acts 17:26 NCV)

I want to suggest that the Lord might well do the same with you and me.  Could it be that, of all the places you could be living, you are in the exact place God wants you to be to make a Kingdom impact? What would it be like if, as surely as the tribes of Israel possessed their land, you and your tribe—your family— would possess your land? Your city, your zip code, your neighborhood, your street? How might you make a Kingdom impact in your land?

1.     Recognize that you have been given a land.

God has put you there as His representative. You have been given a land in which you are to represent the Kingdom of God. And, for good or for bad, you do.  It’s not a matter of if you will represent your King, but how you represent your King.  That leads to the next point.

2.     Honor the Lord in your land.

From the words we say to the attitudes we display to the actions we take, we are to glorify the One we represent.

3.     Pray for your land. 

Pray for the peace, prosperity, and people of your neighborhood. Take a prayer walk and intercede for individual homes. If there’s a nearby school, pray for it. Pray over the fire station.  Pray over the parks. Pray over governmental buildings.

4.     Engage with other believers in your land.

While you have been placed in a specific part of the land, you are likely not the only Christ-follower who has been placed there. God has given others that territory as well. Ask the Lord to show you who those people are, then look for ways to engage them in the mission.  

5.     Seek to impact the unbelievers in your land.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others so they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-15) Be the kind of people your neighbors are glad to live beside. Serve with kindness and sacrifice, and pray for opportunities to have spiritual conversations with those in your land.

Text: Joshua 13-21

Originally recorded on November 6, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

When the going gets tough—and the battles don’t end as quickly as we hoped—it’s easy to grow weary and discouraged. That’s where Israel found themselves in Joshua 11. Victory didn’t come in a single day or even a single campaign. It took years of relentless struggle.

After conquering the land in central and southern Canaan, Joshua turned his focus to the north. There, he was confronted by a huge coalition army. Not only was Joshua outnumbered 7-to-1, but for the first time in battle, he faced horses and chariots—terrifying and effective war machines of the Bronze Age.

Yet despite the odds, Joshua and his army ultimately triumphed. It didn’t happen easily, and it didn’t happen quickly. Estimates are that the Northern Campaign took more than seven years – seven painful, bloody years.

Here’s what we need to understand.  There is no record in chapter 11 of any sort of dramatic supernatural intervention. No rivers that parted…no walls that fell down…no hail from the sky…and no sun standing still.  For seven long years, God’s people had to fight day after day after day.

And that’s something we need to grasp in our day.

Sometimes God demonstrates that He is with us by moving in dramatic ways, which result in a quick victory. 

Other times, God demonstrates that He is with us by enabling us to doggedly fight on over the long haul.

What can we learn from Joshua that can help us keep going when the going gets tough? 

1.     Joshua demonstrated an unwavering trust in God. 

Joshua trusted that the God who had promised him ultimate victory would eventually take him there—even though there was pain and struggle along the way. Courageous faith soldiers on.  

2.     Joshua demonstrated an uncompromising obedience to God. 

When the going gets tough, it’s easy to begin cutting corners. A bit of compromise here or there. But Joshua recognized that the end does not justify the means. Obeying, even when it was difficult or didn’t make sense, was the key to success.

3.     Joshua demonstrated an unfaltering perseverance with God. 

When the going gets tough, it’s no easy thing to keep on fighting day after day after day. Yet, during those long years of struggle and battle, Joshua never gave in…he never gave out…he never gave up.  And in the end, he realized victory.

Text: Joshua 11 

Originally recorded on October 30, 2016, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN