Dove Creek Bible Church's Podcast

In this text, Joshua commanded the Israelites to prepare to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. Joshua cast a vision to prepare the people in God’s proper timing. The passage emphasizes the importance of spiritual partnership with God, his people, and godly leadership.

Change causes everyone a certain amount of anxiety. Change can be unsettling and stressful. Whenever there is a change in leadership, people start wondering, “What will happen now?” Courageous faith moves forward to face the future confidently because God is faithful. Joshua is being assured that although a great man of God has died, nothing of God has died with him, and God will be with Joshua as He was with Moses.

In 2 Peter 3:14-18, Peter urges believers to live in eager anticipation of Christ's return by pursuing a blameless life, growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus, and avoiding being misled by false teachings,. Instead, they should focus on the coming new heavens and earth where righteousness dwells rather than being swayed by those who distort the truth about Christ's second coming.

Pastor Josh preaches at the Christmas Eve Service

Pastor David preaches a Christmas Message.

In 2 Peter 2, Peter strongly warns of false teachers infiltrating the church and introducing destructive teachings and immoral lifestyles. Peter assures his readers the false teachers will reap what they sow, just like the angels who sinned, the ancient world, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter ends this chapter by stating that one's true nature usually reveals itself for better or worse.

In 2 Peter 1:12-21, Peter emphasizes applying the truths of the Gospel by reminding believers of scripture's reliability and divine origin, mainly through his eyewitness account of Jesus' transfiguration.

In his second epistle, Peter emphasizes the importance of knowing God and Jesus Christ through an intimate relationship. He also addresses the need to combat false teachers and to be spiritually sound in both doctrine and practice.

Peter ends his letter with a simple yet stirring exhortation: Stand firm in the true grace of God. To do this, we need clarity on what this true grace is and an understanding that it is powerful enough to sustain us even in the midst of persecution.

During a time of persecution, people's natural inclination is to panic and scatter. Peter reminds church elders to be gentle shepherds of God's flock. Peter advises the church to submit to their elders and humble themselves under God's mighty hand. In the meantime, while waiting for deliverance, they should cast all their anxiety on God because God cares for them. Finally, Peter offers hope by stating that after believers have suffered for a little while, God Himself, the source of all grace, will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish them.

This passage reminds Christians not to be surprised even by fiery suffering but instead to see it as evidence that God's Spirit rests on us. Peter provides a pastoral word of hope and reassurance for those who are facing abuse, social rejection, and public humiliation because they follow Jesus.

In this section, Peter urges his readers to be cool-headed and warm-hearted during difficult times. He emphasizes the paramount importance of love, which covers a multitude of sins. Showing hospitality and utilizing our spiritual gifts are practical ways to show love. Peter is clear that we should expect to suffer mistreatment and the only way to be ready to suffer is to make oneself willing to suffer.

Peter tells Christian wives to be subject to their husbands, even unbelieving husbands. In part, this is to win husbands to Christ by the example of their Christ-changed wives. Is the submission unqualified? Pastor Josh addresses these and other issues.

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.