Freshly Ground at The Grove

scripture and thoughts from Pastor Bobby

The Energy of the Early Church

		Wednesday, 19 November 08 - 07:45 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

In the early years of the church, just following the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, there was an explosion of new believers.  2,000 years later it is still the fastest growing group of people on the planet. Have you thought about the reason why the followers of Jesus Christ grew so quickly from the very first?  If you pay attention to the writings of Paul, John, and Peter you realize they  were motivated by two important beliefs.  First, they truly believed Jesus was risen from the dead.  Not only was He alive, but had a glorified body and had ascended to heaven.  Their Messiah, teacher, leader, and Savior was not just a person of history, like every other spiritual leader. But there is another element to their zeal.  Secondly, they believed Jesus was going to return and He could return at any moment.  They did not want to be caught off guard or unprepared.  The risen Jesus said He would return.  Now, if they knew He was risen, alive, and ascended to heaven, because they witnessed Him, then it would make sense that they would believe Him when He said He would return.  But, He did not say "when."  They assumed it would be very soon, therefore, no amount of suffering or sacrifice would stop them from eagerly spreading the "good news."  As the years go by it becomes easier for believers to again "assume" that because Jesus' return has taken many years, it will still be many more years.  Assuming that the return of Jesus is NOT soon lulls most Christians into apathy.  The truth, and also the logic, is that Jesus return is closer than ever before.  If you believe He is risen and He promised to return, then apathy is the last thing we should display in our lives.  Now add all the many prophecies of scripture which describe the world of the "end times" and it gets even more exciting. Remember the words of Paul in Philippians 3:20, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..."

 

God's Economy

		Thursday, 13 November 08 - 07:37 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Where is it going to stop?  How far down will the economy go?  Is there any end in sight?  Should I just worry a little or look for a high building from which to jump?  Can the people in Washington do anything to help?  Will this economic downturn effect my family?  These are just a few of the questions being asked every day and such fears and uncertainties always take an emotional toll on people. Let me remind you; there are three economies and they don't always run together.  The first is the U.S. economy which includes business cycles and events which are often far removed from where you live.  Second, there is your personal economy.  That is the economy of your house, your personal income, savings, investing, giving, and spending.  Most of the time your personal economy is very different from the U.S. economy.  Finally there is God's economy.  I believe that in every generation and in every society economic success or failure ultimately depends on the favor of God.  I know the God of scripture can guard my personal economy by His power.  Therefore, in these times of uncertainty and fear let me remind you what scripture tells us: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abudantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,..." Ephesians 3:20; "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in by Christ Jesus"  Philippians 4:19.  The Bible is full of such promises.  We sing the song, "Standing on the Promises," so let's stop bowing down in fear and start standing on the promises.

America Has Chosen a President

		Wednesday, 05 November 08 - 12:54 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Someone sent me this today and wish to share it with my readers.  It is from Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary.

America Has Chosen a President
Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 at 5:04 am ET
The election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States
came as a bang, not a whimper. The tremors had been perceptible for days,
maybe even weeks. On Tuesday, America experienced nothing less than a
political and cultural earthquake.
The margin of victory for the Democratic ticket was clear. Americans voted
in record numbers and with tangible enthusiasm. By the end of the day, it
was clear that Barack Obama would be elected with a majority of the popular
vote and a near landslide in the Electoral College. When President-Elect
Obama greeted the throngs of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, he
basked in the glory of electoral energy.
For many of us, the end of the night brought disappointment. In this case,
the disappointment is compounded by the sense that the issues that did not
allow us to support Sen. Obama are matters of life and death -- not just
political issues of heated debate. Furthermore, the margin of victory and
sense of a shift in the political landscape point to greater disappointments
ahead. We all knew that so much was at stake.
For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears
of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American
President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim
victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd
in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there."
No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive
words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand
upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.
That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just
for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of
ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old
and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of
the United States. The President. The only President. The elected
President. Our President.
Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who
-- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American
democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves
and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.
Regardless of politics, could anyone remain unmoved by the sight of Jesse
Jackson crying alone amidst the crowd in Chicago? This dimension of
Election Day transcends politics and touches the heart of the American
people.
Yet, the issues and the politics remain. Given the scale of the Democratic
victory, the political landscape will be completely reshaped. The fight for
the dignity and sanctity of unborn human beings has been set back by a great
loss, and by the election of a President who has announced his intention to
sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The struggle to protect marriage
against its destruction by redefinition is now complicated by the election
of a President who has declared his aim to repeal the Defense of Marriage
Act. On issue after issue, we face a longer, harder, and more protracted
struggle than ever before.
Still, we must press on as advocates for the unborn, for the elderly, for
the infirm, and for the vulnerable. We must redouble our efforts to defend
marriage and the integrity of the family. We must be vigilant to protect
religious liberty and the freedom of the pulpit. We face awesome battles
ahead.
At the same time, we must be honest and recognize that the political maps
are being redrawn before our eyes. Will the Republican Party decide that
conservative Christians are just too troublesome for the party and see the
pro-life movement as a liability? There is the real danger that the
Republicans, stung by this defeat, will adopt a libertarian approach to
divisive moral issues and show conservative Christians the door.
Others will declare these struggles over, arguing that the election of Sen.
Obama means that Americans in general -- and many younger Evangelicals in
particular -- are ready to "move on" to other issues. This is no time for
surrender or the abandonment of our core principles. We face a much harder
struggle ahead, but we have no right to abandon the struggle.
We should look for opportunities to work with the new President and his
administration where we can. We must hope that he will lead and govern as
the bridge-builder he claimed to be in his campaign. We must confront and
oppose the Obama administration where conscience demands, but work together
where conscience allows.
Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen.
Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the
Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of
the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama's election and no failure to accord
this new President the respect and honor due to anyone elected to that high
office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical
command.
Beyond this, we must commit ourselves to pray for this new President, for
his wife and family, for his administration, and for the nation. We are
commanded to pray for rulers, and this new President faces challenges that
are not only daunting but potentially disastrous. May God grant him wisdom.
He and his family will face new challenges and the pressures of this office
May God protect them, give them joy in their family life, and hold them
close together.
We must pray that God will protect this nation even as the new President
settles into his role as Commander in Chief, and that God will grant peace
as he leads the nation through times of trial and international conflict and
tension.
We must pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on
issues of our crucial concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes
to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an
institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We
must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is
sovereign, after all.
Without doubt, we face hard days ahead. Realistically, we must expect to be
frustrated and disappointed. We may find ourselves to be defeated and
discouraged. We must keep ever in mind that it is God who raises up nations
and pulls them down, and who judges both nations and rulers. We must not
act or think as unbelievers, or as those who do not trust God.
America has chosen a President. President-Elect Barack Obama is that choice
and he faces a breathtaking array of challenges and choices in days ahead.
This is the time for Christians to begin praying in earnest for our new
President. There is no time to lose.



© All rights reserved, www.AlbertMohler.com

God Is In Control

		Tuesday, 04 November 08 - 10:18 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Well, today is November 4 and it is time to vote.  I actually voted early.  I have strong beliefs about many issues, especially those  which deal with morality.  I believe they have much to do with what ultimately happens to our country.  But this one thing I know, God is in control.  Paul told the church in 2 Thessalonians 518, "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  I have much to be thankful for and I know my God is greater than all the problems, issues, and forces in this world.  Don't get down, keep looking up!

The Current Crisis

		Thursday, 16 October 08 - 11:54 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

I find it interesting that in all of the news coverage concerning our current economic crisis, which is spreading around the world, there has not been the first mention by the news media, politicians, or analyst that we should call on God.  Why is that?  I can only think of two reasons; one; that God isn’t real or God isn’t relevant.  Either of those reasons would make the God of the Bible “make-believe.”  It assumes that if there is a God, He doesn’t care or isn’t involved in the current affairs of this world. 

 

I believe that God is real and relevant and that His hand is guiding the affairs of this world.  I believe it is His divine intervention which leads men to make choices in leadership which work and avoid the downfall of nations.  I believe that when God removes his blessings and grace and leaves man to his own devices, schemes, and reasoning that current affairs fall into disarray. 

 

Why would God remove his blessings and grace?  Because man has turned his back on even the existence of God and the love of God demonstrated through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In so doing, man has taken a road of reason which abandons all principles of Godliness. 

 

The Biblical record is clear; God judges the nations.  How can the nations of this world today avoid the judgment of God?  How can America continue on her current path and escape God’s hand.  At what point in the history of man will God orchestrate the events which the Bible predicts will set the stage for the return of Christ and His reign on this earth? 

 

We know from scripture that God often refers to people and nations as “adulterous” when he announces judgment.  This term includes spiritual unfaithfulness toward God as well as to the physical depravity which spreads through a society.  Take a look at our society.  If this is not an adulterous people and nation then the word “adulterous” has no meaning.  Just listen to the words of pop music, rock music, and even much of country music.  Watch the television shows and movies of today.  Observe the lifestyles of celebrities, politicians, and the average person living in your own town.  From teenagers and young single adults with their one-night stands to everyone from college students to grandparents choosing to live together before being married.  The word is “adulterous” and God condemns it and will judge our nation and our world for it!

 

But there is one more thing; one more hideous, evil, diabolical element to this adulterous generation.  It is the greatest issue of our day and it stems from all the adulterous activities of this generation.  It is the issue which brings out the most venom and hate between political parties.  It is the issue which is most sacred to an adulterous generation bent on a “no holes barred” life philosophy and a determination to destroy anyone who attempts to add roadblocks or even speed bumps to their adulterous lifestyle.  It is what otherwise would be at least a check on their “do what ever feels good” agenda.  What is this issue?  Abortion.  Without abortion made easy there would be real human consequences for their adulterous lifestyle.  Therefore, kill the baby; destroy the evidence; give a woman the right to choose.  Yes, to choose to end the life of her child which is a consequence of Godless choices.  God’s way is one man and one woman committed together for life in marriage and having children as a result of their love and life committed to one another.  That child is the greatest symbol of the “oneness” which exists between a man and women.  Taking that child’s life, killing that child, in order to ease financial pressure, keeping life uncomplicated, covering the shame of a Godless lifestyle, even if for one night, is wrong, sinful, and a violation of anything and everything that God considers right.  If there was ever a definition of an innocent person, the person within the womb of his or her mother is exactly that, innocent. 

 

3,500 babies per day just in the United States are killed through abortion.  93% are easily classified as for convenience.  If God does not judge our nation, and the world, for our adultery and the consequential killing of 3,500 innocent lives per day, then there is no God.  Just how adulterous has our nation become?  A man running for president, which leads in the polls, proudly believes that a woman has a right to kill her unwanted child and has the right to see that killing completed, even if the baby is born alive, being held in the hands of the abortion doctor, the baby should  die.  To take away our society’s right to continue this at the rate of 3,500 babies per day angers the celebrities in Hollywood, the rappers, rockers, and late night comedians.  It energizes the “move on dot.org”-ers.  It inspires the Michael Moores and Oliver Stones of the world. 

 

If you think the left’s hatred of the conservative crowd in America is because of the war in Irag, the economy, taxes, or health care, you are, of all people, most naïve.  It is the issues of morality and the fear that some how someone might in-act legislation which will restrain their adulterous lifestyle and their right to silence the innocent cries of 3.500 babies per day. 

 

May God have mercy on us!

A Time For Nations to Call On God

		Thursday, 09 October 08 - 08:26 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Psalm 67:1 May God show us his favor and bless us! May he smile on us!  (Selah)67:2 Then those living on earth will know what you are like; all nations will know how you deliver your people. 67:3 Let the nations thank you, O God! Let all the nations thank you! 67:4 Let foreigners  rejoice and celebrate!  For you execute justice among the nations,and govern the people living on earth.  (Selah)67:5 Let the nations thank you, O God! Let all the nations thank you! 67:6 The earth yields its crops. May God, our God, bless us!  67:7 May God bless us!  Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves.

We are in a global financial crisis.  I have said many times that a nation's financial success and military power are in the hands of God.  We have heard every idea and plan possible discussed by our leaders, but not one person has said "let's call on God."  Why?  I'm afraid He is not real in or relevant in their minds.  Is He real in your mind?  Have you called on Him today?

 

 

"Because Their Lips are Moving"

		Tuesday, 07 October 08 - 03:23 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

You've heard the joke about how to tell when certain people are lying. You know they are lying because their lips are moving.  Well, unfortunately, we live in a world where that is becoming the reality much too often.  The dishonesty, misinformation, half-truths, and outright lies have become the norm in almost everyone who works in Washington, in the media, in business, and even in the scientific community.  Everyone has an agenda and fudging on the facts is acceptable if it furthers the cause.  It is in this age we should recall the words of the apostle Paul as he wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12: the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. The beginning of truth and knowing the truth when you hear it comes from a heart which is open to the truth of God.  I believe "strong delusion" is "strong"  because it is so prevelant and overwhelming.  If you want to know the truth then stay in the word of God.  Unfortunately, if you want to know if the world is lying, just look to see if their lips are moving.

Just Do Something!

		Wednesday, 01 October 08 - 09:08 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the three servants who are left with various amounts of money from their master while he goes to a far  country.  The master gave each one an amount he believed the servant could handle.  He expected each servant to get busy and put the money to work. When he returned the first two servants had been busy investing and working with what the master left them and he was very pleased to hear of their profits.  The third servant froze in fear.  He was only given a small amount to work with and he was afraid he would lose it. So, instead, he sat on it.  Better to hold on to what little I have than to put it to work, make a mistake, and lose it all.  What was the reaction of the master to this fearful servant?  "You wicked and lazy servant" was the reaction.  Don't be afraid to try something for God!  He has the power to take our meager efforts, even poor judgements, and make great and wonderful things happen.  Sure, we need to seek wisdom and use His word to guide us.  But, if we freeze in fear then how does the Holy Spirit work with that?  We serve a mighty God!  Just do something!

"If the Lord wills"

		Tuesday, 09 September 08 - 08:43 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Just this week in the news the reporters were all over the new vice presidential candidate for asking a group in church to pray that what we are  doing in Irag be "the will of God."  Somehow that statement must mean that she views our military involvement as some type of holy war and therefore would put us on the same level as radical Islam.  For evangelical Bible students, this statement isn't difficult to understand at all.  James tells us in James 4:13-16 that in any plan of action we take we should ask if it is the "will of God."  The secular world thinks you should keep your religion and the rest of your life seperate.  That is impossible if you believe God is the master of your life, not just your Sundays.  It also scares them because they see religion, any kind of religion, even the kind of religion which directed the lives of our founding fathers, as dangerous to modern society.  I cheer anyone who seeks the will of God in their life. 

Tough Love

		Thursday, 28 August 08 - 07:59 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

The common use of the term "tough love" is when a friend chooses not to help another friend because they believe they need to "hit bottom" in order to turn their life around.  I certainly agree that is needed in many cases.  But there is another type of "tough love" Jesus spoke about in Luke 6:34-36.  He said, "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."  Now that is true tough love.  To follow that teaching you need an inner strength and presence of the Holy Spirit.  You also need to have experienced the awsome forgiveness of God in your own life to appreciate the motive of being merciful.  The more you understand what God has done for you when He gave His only begotten Son, the easier it is to pass along that "tough love" to others.  Remember, you can't give someone else something you haven't gotten yourself.

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