1st And 2nd Samuel (2015)

Are you wondering how you should pray during a crisis? Listen to this lesson to learn about a hymn David wrote where he praises the Lord and asks Him to give the people relief from judgment that is being used in punishment of David’s sins. Hear four questions he asked that are relevant for us. Then learn of an incident in the New Testament when the disciples were arrested and threatened after the healing of a lame man. See how they carefully crafted their prayer and responded to God’s miraculous answer.

When we’re sad and going through difficulties what should our mental attitude be? Listen to this message to learn that our problems are temporary, but God’s grace is forever. Find out what prosperity means in this psalm and how it can lead to arrogance and a sense of self-importance. See that the solution is to turn to God in humility and recognize that all we have is from God.

Do you consider yourself to be cultured? Unlock the meaning of “culture” with this lucid and interesting message discussing how cultures and subcultures develop within groups. See that worldliness refers to a set of beliefs and actions that are not influenced by biblical truth. Find out how God declared His creation to be “tov” or good and what the standards are for that. Hear a number of principles that can help distinguish beauty in music, art, and literature. Understand that beauty is not a human-based standard, but that it comes from God.

Is beauty dependent on personal opinions or is there a standard for beauty? Listen to this message to learn true beauty is divine and is based on God’s essence. Hear a number of biblical words for beauty and how these are used describing God’s attributes. See how beautiful music is a reflection of God’s majesty and splendor. Understand that anything that dishonors God can never be beautiful.

Have you heard about the worship wars? Listen to this lesson to learn that for some time churches have been engaged in trying to agree on what constitutes good church music. Hear some fallacies to avoid and certain criteria for making decisions in this arena. Find out what makes music beautiful and what standards are used to measure this. See that the Scriptures express the splendor and beauty of God and the music we sing should express this.

Does praising God always involve singing? Listen to this message to learn many facets of praise and the important role that singing and music plays in worship. Hear four basic meanings for the Hebrew word sheol that are used in the psalms. Remember to take time daily to declare thanks to God and praise Him for what He has done for you.

Have you offered praise to God today? Listen to this lesson to learn what it means to praise God and begin to study a psalm written by David when he was praising God for forgiveness after he failed the prosperity test. Find out that it is God’s character that we praise and what He has done for us in our lives. Hear about two kinds of praise and the building of both the Tabernacle and the Temple. Remember to tell others what God has done and is doing for you.

What mental attitude motivated David to number the people and see how destructive it is to all of us. Find out the importance of passing the prosperity test. See reasons why the numbers mentioned here are literal numbers. Hear David’s confession of his sin, the choices God gives him for discipline, and the results of this. Watch a video of the location of Araunah’s threshing floor and the part it played in this instance.

Why was it wrong for David to “number the people?” Listen to this message to learn what it means that the anger of the Lord burned against the people and find out what the mental attitude was behind taking this census. Learn what Satan’s role was in this. See the destructiveness of arrogance in a believer’s life.

How does God protect us? By supernatural means or by using others around us? Listen to this lesson to learn that many times God uses others to carry out His protection of us. Hear a number of incidents when David was in need of protection and the means that God accomplished this. Find out some of David’s character virtues in the way he responded to these men. Just like David, today we need to learn that God is our defense and our deliverer and we can trust Him in every circumstance. The movie, “American Gospel: Christ Alone‘ that Dr. Dean discussed in this lesson is available on Netflix.

That’s not fair! Everyone is outraged at times over the unfairness they see all around them. Listen to this lesson to learn that we live in a fallen world and that life is not fair. Find out that the Bible defines perfect justice and promises a time when there will be a ruler, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring justice to all. Until then, we need to accept that no group can bring justice by marching and demanding it. See that as believers we must be conformed in our thinking to God’s plan for our lives by studying the Word of God and walking by means of the Spirit.

Are you a vampire Christian? Listen to this message to measure yourself against four ways Christians act like vampires. Contrast these with David’s praising God for delivering him when he was almost overwhelmed by his enemies. See God intervenes in the lives of those who trust Him to protect and deliver them from all the evil around them. Recognize that we are to be loyal to God at all times in spite of our failures.

Should people have to pay for the wrongs their families or countrymen did before they were born? Listen to this message to hear principles of biblical justice. Listen to the episode where Israel was tricked into making a covenant with the Gibeonites and what King Saul and his family did to them later. Find out how David handled the situation and made a wise decision about how the matter should be handled. As believers today, we should pray that true biblical justice would be restored to our land.

The world around us seems to be going up in flames with riots and rebellions. How can we understand what is going on? Listen to this message to learn the underlying causes of the problems. Find out the meaning of social justice. Hear a comparison between Marxism and Christianity to gain a deeper understanding of the turmoil. See what the organizations of Black Lives Matter and Antifa espouse and see the close connection between their goals. As believers see how we are to talk to those involved in these causes to win them to Christ with respect and gentleness.

Must we do everything our government tells us to do no matter what they demand of us? Listen to this lesson to learn biblical principles that answer the question of whether it is ever right to say we cannot obey something that is ordered. Hear a historical summary beginning with Martin Luther of how the Bible has shown when a government is unjust. See what is the difference between the American War for Independence and what is going on in the rebellion and riots of today.

Everywhere we look we see evildoers trying to destroy our country. Should we protest against them? Listen to this lesson to learn that God has established authority and believers are instructed to obey it. See the exception to that principle when someone is ordered to disobey God in some manner. Hear a panorama of biblical rebels who were doing what was right. Find out that tyrannical government is to be resisted. See if Martin Luther’s rebellion against the Roman Catholic Church was just. Learn about the Magdeburg Confession and its application.

How should we handle injustice in our nation? Listen to this lesson to learn biblical principles to guide us in our quest for justice for all. Hear an overview of who the protestors are who are currently rioting and what is behind their acts. Find out how Absalom brooded over what he thought was injustice in his life that led to his rebellion against David. See Sheba’s scheme to turn the people against David and why he failed. Remember that rebellion is always an act against God and will not solve injustice. During this lesson Dr. Dean mentioned the books The Universe Next Door by James Sires and Did America Have a Christian Founding? by Mark David Hall.

What causes revolutions and rebellions? Listen to this lesson to learn that fallen mankind is always seeking to take power away from those with it. Find out about the rebellion of Sheba who was unwilling to submit to God’s authority. See how Joab pursued him and the advice he was given by a wise woman which ended the rebellion. When we face rebellion and chaos in our country we, too, need to deal with it in the wisdom from God’s Word.

Are godless socialist societies able to build utopias where all are treated equally? Listen to this lesson to learn that only God, not people with their sin natures, can bring about perfection. Hear how David treated Shimei and other enemies with grace. Find out how Mephibosheth was innocent of betraying David as Ziba had claimed. See how God used wealthy Barzillai to supply David’s needs. Personally, look for opportunities to extend grace to everyone in your life.

After Absalom was killed and his rebellion crushed how did David resume his role as king? Listen to this lesson to learn how David treated his defeated enemies in grace with the exception of his own general, Joab, whom he replaced. Hear the two limited roles of government according to the Bible which our Founding Fathers followed. Just as David did, we need to learn to love our enemies and treat them in grace.