Dove Creek Bible Church's Podcast

In 1st Peter 2:18-25, Peter addresses a sad reality of fallen human society - slavery. Slavery was too established as a fact of life for Peter to suggest its overthrow. As Peter writes his letter to the saints in Asia Minor, many of those the Lord has saved and brought into his church are slaves. At the time Peter wrote, upwards of one in five, or about 12,000,000 people in Rome lived in slavery. We are likely to find Peter’s instruction to Christian slaves to be somewhat shocking. We wonder why the New Testament never cries out for the abolition of slavery, and we are even more dumbfounded when Peter instructs slaves to humble submission to their masters—even to unjust masters! Is the Bible pro-slavery? We’ll find it’s not that simple.

Part of Christian duty is civic responsibility. This begins with a sense of obligation to honor “governing authorities.” This sense, in turn, has a theological basis: God’s sovereignty as expressed in his establishment of the institution of human governments. However, should Christians always submit to the government?

1 Peter 2:1-10 reminds us of our divine calling and responsibility as living stones. We form a spiritual house, a community of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and God's special possession. We are called out of darkness into His marvelous light and are to proclaim His excellencies.

Are American Christians unprepared for persecution? Would we know how to respond if it were to happen? Would we bother to seek the Lord's counsel on how He wants us to respond or would we just react? In this passage, Peter offers counsel for how to prepare ourselves for persecution.

Our Men's Retreat Theme was Heart of a Warrior. Pastor Jeff talks about the importance of integrity and authenticity in developing the heart of a warrior.

Peter’s first epistle focuses on suffering persecution as a Christian. The purpose of the epistle is to encourage those experiencing suffering and to inspire hope despite their circumstances. Peter begins by pointing to what God has done for them in Christ and explains why they have a living hope.

1st Peter states our trials, though painful, are purposeful, refining our faith and bringing glory to Christ. Amidst all the fleeting allure of the world, the Word of God stands firm forever and provides us with a living hope.

Psalm 119:9-16 emphasizes the importance of living according to God's Word. It highlights the need to seek God with all one's heart and treasure His Word to avoid impurity. The Word of God protects us and serves as a guardrail to keep us on the straight and narrow path.

Psalm 143 poignantly reminds us that God's light shines brightest during our darkest moments. Psalm 143 expresses a deep cry to God during distress and spiritual desolation. Despite feeling overwhelmed by despair, David turns to God in prayer, reflecting on His past deeds and fervently yearning for His loving presence. David's deep-seated faith and trust in God’s guidance and deliverance offer us a model for our own spiritual journey.

Psalm 127 is a wisdom psalm attributed to Solomon. Psalm 127 emphasizes the crucial role of God's guidance and blessings in our lives, reminding us of the vanity of our efforts without His providence.

Psalm 27 empowers us to believe in the benefits of faith and trust in God during difficult times. No matter what life throws our way, David's words remind us that God is our sanctuary and source of strength. We are never alone. God's presence is a constant refuge in our darkest hours.

Psalm 91 has no title, and therefore we are unsure about the author. Because it shares some of the themes of Psalm 90, some think Moses was the author. Because it shares some of the themes and phrases of Psalm 27 and Psalm 31, some think the author was David. The Septuagint refers to the Psalm as a Psalm of David. In any event, Psalm 91 reaffirms that those who sincerely trust God will experience His protection, deliverance, and care. The psalm reinforces that God's promises are not just for this life but also for the next.

In Psalm 142, David felt overwhelmed by his circumstances. He called out to God for help, pouring out his heart and soul to him. Psalm 142 is a potent reminder that in times of desolation when the world seems to have forsaken us, we are never alone. God is always present, keenly aware of our hardships, and in our darkest hours, when we feel utterly isolated, God remains our refuge and portion, providing hope and a path to deliverance.

Psalm 122 encapsulates the essence of heartfelt worship, unity in faith, and the importance of peace and prosperity within the community. This Psalm inspires us to pray for peace within our communities and the broader world, urging us to seek and promote unity and brotherhood among all peoples.

This psalm, the only one in the collection titled A Psalm of Thanksgiving, invites the whole earth to know and worship God. Its powerful message encourages us to serve the Lord joyfully, recognize His eternal truth, and express our gratitude for His everlasting goodness.

The historical background for Psalm 51 thus is 2 Samuel 11-12. Psalm 51 is David's lament, where he cries out to God for deliverance from a life-threatening situation. The life-threatening situation is King David’s guilt over the taking of Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. Psalm 51 is a heartfelt cry to God from one who has committed heinous sins against God.

Psalm 5 begins as a lament and ends with praise. David expresses his confidence that God will be his shield from the wicked and ungodly.

Have you ever noticed that Psalm 22 speaks of the Messiah's Cross, Psalm 23 speaks of the Messiah's Shepherd's Crook, and Psalm 24 speaks of the Messiah's crown? Bible scholars call Psalm 24 a processional celebrating the King's entrance into Zion. If this King of Glory is God Almighty, wouldn't it be wise to allow Him to enter the gates of our innermost being?

Psalm 2 makes a striking claim: in the face of various plots and conspiracies to break the shackles of God's sovereign control, God is not threatened in the least. In fact, God laughs at the futility of such endeavors. His Son, the Anointed King, will break them before they can break their shackles. Instead of rebelling, they should take refuge in His Son.

Pastor Josh begins a new series on the Psalms with an introduction to the book.