Apostle Joshua Selman

Main Scriptures: Luke 18:9–14 Supporting Scriptures: Romans 12:3; James 2:1–9 Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who go to the temple to pray. The Pharisee praises himself and contrasts his righteousness with the tax collector's failures. The tax collector asks God for mercy. Important Bible lesson: Religious knowledge and outward respectability do not give us permission to treat others as inferior. Have you ever been so focused on someone else's sins that you stopped examining your own heart?

Is love really enough to make a marriage work? Many people dream of getting married. They imagine the wedding, the beautiful pictures, the romantic moments, and spending their lives with someone they love. But beyond the excitement of the wedding day lies a much bigger question: Are you truly prepared to build a life with another person? In this episode of If Bible Could Talk, we explore the true meaning of marriage through biblical wisdom. We look at why marriage is more than attraction, why love requires sacrifice, and why choosing a life partner also means choosing someone with whom you must learn to communicate, resolve conflicts, manage responsibilities, and grow together. We'll discuss the important conversations many couples avoid before marriage, from money and children to family expectations, personal values, and responsibilities. We'll also explore what the Bible teaches about commitment, companionship, mutual respect, and the kind of love that goes beyond feelings. Because falling in love can be…

How Small Compromises Can Lead You Somewhere You Never Intended to Go Sin is not always presented to us as something obviously destructive. Sometimes it begins with a message we know we should not send, a lie that seems convenient, a secret relationship, a dishonest financial decision, or an opportunity to use someone for personal gain. We tell ourselves that we can control the situation. Then we begin protecting the secret, creating explanations, and making further compromises to avoid facing the first one. The danger is not only the first wrong decision. It is what we become willing to do to keep that decision hidden.

Sometimes, we exhaust ourselves trying to be available for everyone. We take responsibility for every problem, answer every request, and carry burdens that were never meant for us to bear alone. In Exodus 18:13–27, Moses spent his entire day settling disputes among the Israelites until his father-in-law, Jethro, recognized that his approach was unsustainable. Jethro advised him to appoint capable, trustworthy leaders who could handle smaller matters while Moses focused on greater responsibilities. This story teaches us an important lesson: being dependable doesn't mean being available to everyone all the time. You can care about people without sacrificing your well-being. You can be a good leader without doing everything yourself. And you can set boundaries without feeling guilty

Supporting Scriptures: Ruth 2:1–12; Ruth 4:13–17; Psalm 34:18 Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. She feels so overwhelmed by her losses that she asks to be called Mara, expressing the bitterness she feels. But Naomi's story does not end with her grief. Ruth accompanies her, and in Bethlehem, Ruth begins working in the fields of Boaz. Their story eventually leads to a new family future. The book does not pretend Naomi's suffering was insignificant. It shows a grieving woman whose story continues beyond the chapter in which she experiences devastating loss.

When Doing the Right Thing Might Costs You Something Main Scriptures: Daniel 3:1–30 Supporting Scriptures: Daniel 6:1–23; Acts 5:27–29; Romans 12:2 The story: Three men who refused to bow King Nebuchadnezzar creates a golden image and commands the people to bow down and worship it when they hear the designated music. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse. Their decision puts them in danger. They are brought before the king and given another opportunity to obey his command. The king threatens to throw them into a blazing furnace. Their response in Daniel 3:16–18 is remarkable. They believe God can deliver them, but they also make it clear that even if He does not, they will not worship the image.

The biblical account of Jonah reveals how easily people hypocritically desire grace for themselves while demanding strict judgment for others. When the wicked city of Nineveh repents,God shows compassion, which infuriates a bitter Jonah, who is more concerned with his own comfort than human lives. This narrative exposes personal biases, wounded pride, and resentment, challenging readers to examine their own resistance to the redemption of individuals they dislike. True personal growth requires extending understanding without necessarily excusing wrongdoing, proving that boundaries and accountability can peacefully coexist with compassion. Ultimately, the story demonstrates that knowing spiritual truths is entirely different from living them out, urging individuals to embrace mercy even toward those they have already condemned.

Solomon asks for an understanding heart to govern well. Explore why wisdom is more valuable than simply wanting more money, recognition, influence, or opportunities. Ask for the Engine, Not the Fuel.

Exploring Elijah's experience from the victory on Mount Carmel to his flight into the wilderness, his distress beneath the broom tree, God's provision of food and rest, the encounter at Horeb, and God's renewed instructions. Through these themes: * Why a major victory does not mean we will never feel afraid again. * How fear and discouragement can narrow our perspective. * Why God provided Elijah with food and rest before giving him further instructions. * The importance of honest prayer and making room for quiet reflection. * How Elijah's belief that he was alone was corrected by God's revelation of the seven thousand. * How to remember God's past faithfulness while honestly facing current difficulties. * Why practical action, wise counsel, physical rest, and spiritual renewal can work together.

God Can Use What You Already HaveScriptures: Exodus 3, Exodus 4:1–5 , Exodus 4:10–17 Lesson: Recognizing the resources and abilities already in your hands. You wait for more money. You wait for more confidence. You wait for better circumstances. You wait until the uncertainty disappears. And sometimes, waiting is wise. There are situations where preparation, training, and resources really are necessary. But sometimes, we use the things we lack as reasons to avoid taking the step we can already take.

Have you ever looked at someone else's life and suddenly felt like you were doing something wrong with yours? You open social media, and someone your age has graduated, another person has started a successful business, someone else is travelling the world, and another person seems to have figured out their entire future. Meanwhile, you're still trying to understand your next step. And before you know it, someone else's progress has become evidence that you're falling behind. You were doing fine until you started looking around..

If Jesus made room to withdraw from the crowds and pray, why do we sometimes believe that being constantly busy is proof that we are doing life right? Have you ever been so busy taking care of everything and everyone that you barely had time to take care of yourself? You wake up, handle your responsibilities, answer messages, solve problems, meet expectations, and try to be there for the people who need you. Before you know it, the day is over, and you are exhausted. But instead of resting, you feel guilty for slowing down because there is still so much left to do. And sometimes, the problem isn't that you don't care. It's that you've been trying to give from a place that desperately needs renewal. Luke 5:15–16 tells us that news about Jesus spread, and large crowds gathered to hear Him and receive healing. But verse 16 says that He often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Think about that for a moment. And rest is not automatically laziness. There is a difference between avoiding responsibilities and…

God May Be Preparing You in the Place You Want to Escape And You're Becoming Who You'll Need to Be. What if the season that feels like a delay is actually preparing you for your future? Joseph's story takes him from favored son, to betrayed brother, slave, prisoner, and eventually ruler in Egypt. Along the way, his circumstances change but so does he. In this episode, we explore Joseph's journey alongside Jacob's final blessings in Genesis 49 and discover how difficult seasons can shape character, develop resilience, and prepare us for anything we aren't ready for yet. Sometimes the purpose of a season isn't immediately visible.

Sometimes, moving forward isn't about finding the strength to leave. It's about finding the strength to stop looking back. In Genesis 19, Lot and his family are told to leave Sodom and not look back. But Lot's wife turns around and that moment carries a powerful lesson about attachment, obedience, and the difficulty of letting go of what God has already called us to leave behind. In this episode, we explore what Lot's wife can teach us about relationships, old habits, past mistakes, familiar environments, and the versions of ourselves we're sometimes afraid to let go of. You can learn from your past without living in it. And you can appreciate where you've been without going back there. Welcome to If Bibles Could Talk a new podcast exploring Scripture, faith, life, and the lessons hidden inside some of the Bible's most powerful stories. Every episode takes a story from Scripture and asks a simple question: What can this teach us about the way we live today?