Freshly Ground at The Grove

scripture and thoughts from Pastor Bobby

Virtue and Our Nation

		Monday, 15 June 09 - 04:49 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

 Someone recently gave me the book THE 500 YEAR LEAP.  I was not surprised to learn that there is much American history not being taught in schools today.  Our forefathers did not use the terms we use in political discourse.  Terms like "liberal" and "conservative" were absent from their writings.  What concerned them was "tyranny" and "anarchy."  Tyranny involved government which was too centralized and controlling.  Anarchy was mob rule.  They chose a form of people's law which falls in the middle of both these extremes and is considered a form of self-rule.  It was a splendid concept which launced America to heights of success not seen anywhere else in the world.  There was one particular issue which concerned the early founders.  This issue was paramount for the success of self-rule.  If this particular issue was not satisfactorily addressed there would be no need to declare independence and attempt to set up a new government.  What was the isssue?  Virtue.  Up and down the entire eastern coastline the topic of individual virtue was discussed, examined and evaluated.  Community leaders, politicians, and pastors addressed the issue in depth.  Not until there was confidence we had the virtues of goodness, decency, and uprightness were the founders willing to declare independence.  They knew that a people absent of virture could never govern themselves.  As I look at our society today, from Washington to Hollywood, it appears we have drifted far away from the virtue our founders knew we needed to survive as a self-governed people.  My prayer is that we can see a revival of virtue and that God will bless America.

The Banging At Lot's Door

		Thursday, 21 May 09 - 02:29 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

 I've heard and read the story of Lot in Sodom all my life. I will have to say that I was always troubled with the incident outside his door the night the mob showed up to remove and violate his two guests, which were actually angels sent by God. But with the growing gay-rights movement and ballot initiatives to legalize gay marriage I now understand much better what happened in Genesis 19.  Let me recount the story.  Lot and Abraham had grown so wealthy in herds and servants that strife led them to seperate business operations.  Lot chose to locate his business near Sodom and Gomarrah, cities known for, among many other things, openly practiced and accepted homosexuallity.  As is the case with most societies, the wealthy are always welcomed for what they can bring to the economy and Lot was very wealthy.  We find Lot sitting in the gate of the city which is a prominent position.  I also know that Lot was very bothered by the culture  of Sodom and personally did not live as they did, according to 2 Peter 2:7-8.  So, why was he attacked when he had guests come visit? In that culture it was a matter of honor to provide and protect any guest you invite into your home.  Lot, according to Genesis 19:9, had not kept his displeasure over the culture of Sodom to himself.  When the men in Sodom saw an opportunity to humiliate Lot, cause him to lose honor, and fulfill their own fleshly lust, they made their move.  Lot, not wanting to lose his honor at the hands of this crowd, offered his own daughters to them, a move very foreign to us, but quite undestandable in that day. Their words were, "This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge..."  Their actions that night were driven, not so much by lust, but by vindictiveness.  They just hated Lot. Why is it that I can understand this story now as never before?  The recent conduct of the gay activist crowd toward Miss California shed new light on Genesis 19.  Unlike most other groups which live a lifestyle contrary to the Word of God, the gay activist crowd is angry.  They have always been angry.  According to Romans chapter one, the growing prominence of this group is a sign of the finality of a culture.  I believe history teaches that this particular sin is a sign of the finality of a culture.  For America's sake I hope not.  But for those of us who believe that the Scripture is the truth and are willing to proclaim its message, we need to be ready for a very angry cultrue.

Last Chance Offer!

		Wednesday, 06 May 09 - 01:57 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Have you ever seen those advertisements telling you to hurry in, this is the last chance to take advantage of  a great deal?  How about those "going out of business" sales?  I think I've seen certain businesses go out of business several times in the same year.  There are times when we must take advantage of certain offers before time runs out.  Someone recently asked me if there is a point in someone's life when God decides they have had enough time and opportunities to receive Him into their life. Would God ever turn away from someone and leave them eternally lost? We do know from Scripture that there are times God had deadlines for groups to respond to His offer of salvation only to cross that point where there was no going back.  All of civilization crossed that line during Noah's tenure of preaching.  Both the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah crossed that line in the Old Testament.  But, can an individual cross such a line? Scripture clearly teaches that death is such a line, for in Hebrews 9:27 it reads,"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."  Is there such a line of lost opportunity while a person is still living? According to Jesus words in John 6:44, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..."  Is there ever a "last chance offer" from God?  Can an individual reach a place where there is no more chance to be saved?  First, I believe that God's will is for everyone to be saved, not just a few select individuals. Second, I believe that everyone who is saved must come to Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Third, I do not believe God is obligated to draw a person continually or indefinitely through the Holy Spriit. Fourth, I believe God gives us a free will to choose or reject Him.  Therefore, if the Holy Spirit isn't drawing, the person will not come to Jesus, and if they are coming to Jesus, the Holy Spirit must be drawing. If you sense a desire or need for what only Jesus Christ can offer you, don't take a chance there will be another chance...no one knows for sure!

 

 

Do You Believe In Easter?

		Thursday, 09 April 09 - 04:17 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

I heard a story of an elderly Christian woman who for years had asked strangers an unusual question; "do you believe in Easter?"  If you think about it, that's a great question. Everything about Christianity hinges on that question.  What is Easter?  It is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Anyone who can truly say they believe in Easter should be ready and willing to accept the risen Christ as the one and only, genuine, unique, and complete Savior.  His resurrection confirms He taught the truth and is the truth.  His resurrection tells us His sacrifice is sufficient.  His resurrection tells us He gives life to those who have only death to look forward to.  Many people in the world will take some time off work this weekend for Easter, but how many truly believe in Easter?  Do you?  If you do, your life cannot be the same.

Prepare For What You Cannot Plan

		Tuesday, 24 March 09 - 03:34 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

This week's message will focus on the promise Jesus made not to leave us alone when He left to go back to the Father at the end of His earthly ministry.  He promised us a Helper, the Holy Spirit.  In our church we try to plan and prepare each aspect of the ministry to reach a level of excellence. From the music we sing, lessons we teach, and sermons we preach, in all these go much preparation.  These are the things for which we can plan.  We cannot plan what the Holy Spirit will do.  And, sad to say, we don't prepare for the Holy Spirit to do anything.  Preparing for what the Holy Spirit might plan requires some earnest prayer time, soul-searching, perhaps some fasting, and repenting.  The sum total of what we can plan may be pretty nice at times, but it doesn't compare to the sum total of His plan.  Would it not seem wise to add to our preparation of  what we plan alot of preparation for what we cannot plan; the powerful moving of the Holy Spirit?

All People, Places and Power

		Thursday, 19 March 09 - 12:41 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

This week's message will look at Jesus the prophet.  The surest way to destroy your credibility is predict the future and it not come true. Well, Jesus was not afraid to throw out a little future telling.  All four gospels record numerous predictions spoken by Jesus during His ministry.  Biblical prophets only had one small condition to meet in order to be remembered as a true prophet; 100% accuracy!  One of the most exciting areas of prophecy by Jesus pertains to us right now.  Can you imagine the arrogance of a man in Jesus' day who never traveled over 100 miles from home, during a time of low to no technology, predicting that his message and his followers would rock the world, influence every part of the globe, and be impossible to stop.  Just look around and you see these predictions are continually being fulfilled over and over and larger and larger every day.  Jesus is a lot of things, and one of the greatest things is a prophet!

Jesus Showed Us Our Position

		Thursday, 12 March 09 - 09:17 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

This week's upcoming message speaks about how Jesus came to earth as a person.  Not just part of a person or a percentage of a person, but completely a person.  The final point of the message is found in Hebrews 2:5-9. ⁵ For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying:
      “ What is man that You are mindful of him,
      Or the son of man that You take care of him?
       ⁷ You have made him a little lower than the angels;
      You have crowned him with glory and honor,^[a]
       And set him over the works of Your hands.
       ⁸ You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”^[b]
   For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Verses 6-8 are actually a quote from Psalm 8.  In verse 5 of Psalms 8, the Hebrew word is not "angels," but "God."  Many bibles translate it this way.  Jesus came to earth to a position just a little lower than God, the same position He has given us.  Man is not below angels.  Angels, according to scripture, were created to minister to us.  We are made in the image of God, not angels.  We are joint heirs with Jesus, not angels.  We have a kinsman redeemer in Christ, not angels.  We will reign forever with  Christ in His kingdom, not angels.  Praise God for the place we have that Jesus shows us in His incarnation!

 

More Than You Can Imagine

		Tuesday, 10 February 09 - 01:11 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Some of us have some pretty wild imaginations.  Unfortunately, the older we get the more we dwell on remembering what once was instead of what could be. Maybe because we've "been there and done that" or we've tried and failed.  Perhaps we've been tricked, shammed, and misled too many times.  Of course, there are all those times we did attempt to think big only to come up short.  No wonder so many of us grow up to be such mean old sour pusses.  Good news!  God doesn't want us to give up on believing, expecting, stretching, trying, and imagining.  I love the promise found in Ephesians 3:20; "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."  If you have Jesus Christ in your life, then you have His power working in your life.  That power enables us to go beyond our imagination.  God has a plan and He wants to use you in His plan.  Go with God and go big!  Go beyond anything you could possibly imagine!

The Debt Dilemma

		Monday, 12 January 09 - 08:43 AM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6: 24 it is impossible for someone to serve two masters. Complete and total loyalty cannot be divided between two or more masters.  He closes His comment by specifically applying this principle to our relationship with God verses riches.  In I Corinthians 6:19-20, the apostle Paul tells us we have been bought at a price and we are not our own.  Jesus paid for us entirely at Calvary and we belong to him.  He is the master of our life, or so it would seem. Unfortunately, for many Christians someone else has entered the picture and assumed the role of master. Proverbs 22:7 tells us the borrower is a servant to the lender.  Borrowing money is not prohibitted in scripture, but strong warnings are given about debt and how we tend to use it, abuse it, and lose to it.  Many well meaning Christians have gotten caught up in keeping up with everyone around them and have become servants to their banker or credit card company. The debt dilemma is you cannot serve two masters. Are you free to answer God's call to give to His kingdom work, give to the needy, or respond to a call to ministry?  Or, do you have another master controlling your life and binding you to over-work, mental stress, and materialism?  If debt is your master, please seek guidance to overcome this master and replace it with the true Master, Jesus Christ.

Difficulty Seeing God

		Thursday, 18 December 08 - 01:16 PM (GMT -06:00) By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study

Folks down at the church, and I am one of them, like to talk about God.  Therefore, people who are looking for God will usually visit a church or two to see if they can find Him.  They also watch and listen, from a distance, to see what they can find out about God.  There is also alot of history which they can read concerning how the people at church have conducted themselves over the last two thousand years.  I was talking with one such person just the other day.  I wanted to talk about the God of the bible, but he couldn't seem to get past the people who represent the God of the bible.  He had lots of examples from present day characters and scandals to past inquisitions and crusades.  After our visit I began to think of how easy it is for people who are looking for God to get bogged down in their quest once they arrive at the door step of the average church.  Inside they find people who tend to be judgmental, hypocritical, innacurate, and most disagreeable.  Most are quite sencere, but they've taken the war to be fought inside their mind and body to the guy standing out in the street, or the other church down the street.  Sad to day, but hell is going to be full of people who never heard about Christ, and many who just heard about Christians.

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