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Tuesday, 24 August 10 - 11:17 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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Drive around town and you can see every type of neighborhood imaginable. You’ll see dwellings that you aren’t sure how anyone could barely walk in, much less live in. Then there are the palaces and estates. Some have fences worth more than the average middle class home. There’s enough parked in their garages to send several children through a state university. But there is one thing every neighborhood has in common. Trouble.
Within the walls of dilapidated homes and exquisite homes you will find sickness, hurt, broken dreams, and eventually death. So where does one turn when trouble appears? In the fourth chapter of John’s gospel you find a nobleman, or royal official, who served King Herod. Believe me when I say, he lived on the “right side of town.” But that didn’t change the fact that his son was sick. He’d probably been sick for a long time and now he’s at the point of death. I’m sure he had available the best of everything for his son; things many others did not have. Yet, to no avail. But there was something else and it was available and accessible to all. He turned to the power of Jesus Christ. There are some things none of us can avoid, but let’s make sure the power and presence of God’s Son is not one of them.
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Thursday, 12 August 10 - 03:11 PM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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Charles Spurgeon shared a story he heard. A minister called upon a poor woman, intending to give her help, for he knew that she was very poor. With his money in his hand, he knocked at the door; but she did not answer. He concluded she was not at home, and went his way. A little later he met her at the church and told her that he had remembered her need: “I called at your house and knocked several times, and I suppose you were not at home, for I had no answer.” “At what hour did you call, sir?” “It was about noon.” “Oh dear,” she said, “I heard you, sir, and I am so sorry I did not answer, but I thought it was the man calling for the rent.” When God comes calling at your door please do not act as if you are not home. Don’t be afraid that He has arrived to demand from you that which you cannot afford to pay. God has arrived at the door of your heart with the free gift of eternal life. Consider yourself most fortunate and open the door.
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Tuesday, 06 July 10 - 11:59 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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All throughout the ministry of Jesus you will notice a pattern. First, there is curiosity. Who is this man from Galilee? What is all the commotion about? Next, there is a casual attempt to follow Him. Let’s go along to watch and listen. His words are interesting and His works are unusual. Then, there is the contingency. We begin to expect certain things from Him. If we are to continue following then we want to be fed and made to feel better. But, at some point, Jesus makes it clear; if you are going to be His disciple you have to completely turn you life over to His cause, that of serving the kingdom of God. It is at this point that most people, and I do mean most, stop. It is a moment of crisis. Admission into the kingdom of God requires becoming a true disciple. In John 6:60 many of His disciples turned away from Jesus when He spoke of the requirement to consume Him into their lives. It was their moment of crisis and they balked. How many people who consider themselves “Christian” are so only culturally, casually, curiously, contingently, but not completely? I have to agree with Francis Chan who believes the “lukewarm” of Laodicea in Revelation 3 are not truly Christians. The alarming truth is that the Laodiceans sound like most of us today. Perhaps we balked somewhere at our moment of crisis and chose the “norm” instead.
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Wednesday, 16 June 10 - 02:25 PM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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I heard of a teacher who said, “You can take this class one of two ways; you can take it seriously, or you can take it over.” As I read through the books of 1 and 2 Kings I am intrigued by the continual return to evil and idolatry of Israel’s kings. Over and over God sends clear warning and follows through with judgment just to bring a new round of disobedience by the next king. Solomon had already written, “A fool despises his father’s instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent.” (Proverbs 15:5) What is it about our human nature that fails to learn from lessons well taught? If we don’t learn well from God’s teaching we are doomed to repeat the hardships of life’s lessons.
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Tuesday, 01 June 10 - 01:31 PM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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In 1 Kings chapter one David is on his death bed and his children are at it again. This time it’s Adonijah. Even though David had earlier made it very clear that his son Solomon was heir to the throne, Adonijah began taking steps to crown himself king. Why did David have so much trouble with his children? Perhaps verse six gives us the answer: “And his father had not rebuked him at any time…” David had a lot of wonderful spiritual gifts, but a strong hand in governing his own children wasn’t one of them. There seems to be a pattern here. All the way to his final moments, tired, weak, and dying, David is still dealing with delinquent children. On the other hand, Solomon uses another approach. Once crowned as the new king, he summons Adonijah and explains very clearly that as long as he conducts himself honorably he will live, but if he steps out of line, he will die. Things seem to be going well until Adonijah contrives a plan to marry one of King David’s concubines, which implied certain kingly rights. Solomon makes it clear in chapter 2, verse 23, that Adonijah has chosen the outcome with his own actions and is put to death, just as Solomon promised. Next, Shimei, who had cursed David earlier in David’s life, is instructed by Solomon to remain within the gates of his home town and if he ever leaves it will cost him his life. Three years later Shimei goes after some runaway servants and Solomon summons him. After reminding Shimei of the ground rules he has him put to death. The last words of chapter two read: “Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.” Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should execute our erring children. But the principle of establishing roles of leadership and authority haven’t changed. David gave instructions, but did not follow through with discipline. Solomon gave clearly understood instructions, including well defined consequences if the rules weren’t followed and he did exactly what he said, thus establishing his kingdom. If your house is your castle then use the wisdom of Solomon and establish your kingdom as a parent and do it early. If you aren’t establishing your kingdom someone else will, and it’s probably your children. Isn’t that a scary thought. Explain clearly the rules and consequences and hold to them every time, or else watch your kingdom crumble.
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Thursday, 13 May 10 - 08:07 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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Jesus washes the feet of the man He knows is plotting to betray him. He stands quietly while being falsely accused and condemned. He prays that forgiveness be given to the ones who are killing him. All this pain led Him to a point when He could utter the words, “it is finished.” Jesus had successfully reached the finish line. The purpose for His life here on earth was complete. Was the journey painful? Yes! But the gratification was well worth it. We want to protect our young people from pain. Then we watch them choose some of the most painful activities and wonder why? It is gratification. They are not afraid of pain nearly as much as they are not finding something that brings gratification. A challenge to do something truly gratifying is what they need and desire. Hide them, baby them, protect them from painful situations, even if it is God’s calling, and watch them find something else that hurts. If you’re going to experience pain, and you will, make sure it is for something that brings true gratification. Do something challenging for God. Do something that when finished you can hear the words “well done” from the One who loves you and saves you.
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Thursday, 29 April 10 - 10:05 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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There are many things in our world that don't seem to make good sense. People live in mobile homes that don't move. We wear sports clothes to work. We wear sweatshirts to relax in. We eat jumbo shrimp on our working vacations. These paradoxes are humorous and fun to think about. But some paradoxes can be hard to get our minds around. The kingdom of God is filled with paradoxes, too. We give in order to receive; we live by dying; we become great by being a servant; and we find ourselves by losing ourselves in Christ. Spend time meditating on God's truths and ask Him for help to understand His ways. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8
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Tuesday, 20 April 10 - 06:34 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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“Life is too short.” How many times have you heard that? It is true; life is too short, but the meaning behind the words differs greatly from person to person. To many it means life is too short to waste the opportunity to live it up, follow your wildest dreams and fulfill every fantasy; don’t miss out on tasting the goodies your flesh longs to try. If you don’t do it now life will be over and you will have missed your chance. I also believe life is too short, but not at all for those reasons. Life is too short compared to eternity to throw my life away serving “self” in this very brief “here and now” and ruin my position in God’s kingdom when Christ returns. That eternal kingdom is “real life” and it will be forever. This tiny little bit of physical existence from the cradle to the grave has no comparison to our future existence in glory. Faith in Christ gives us citizenship in that kingdom; but how we live for Christ determines our position and place of responsibility in that kingdom forever. Life is too short to blow all of eternity just to sow a few wild oats in this withering, frail and dying body of mine.
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Monday, 29 March 10 - 02:59 PM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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They call it rage. You know; the emotion that pours all over you when someone cuts you off in traffic and almost endangers your life. At that moment, what do you do? Just recently I was out on the bicycle with some friends when a full size pick up truck blew by us barely missing us with his side view mirror. There was no other traffic on this four lane road and he was simply trying to let us know he didn’t like bicycles. You can imagine the emotion that over comes a person when confronted with such a cowardly and thoughtless act which puts your well being in jeopardy. Just as I watch the brave soul drive on one of my cycling companions rips out ahead trying to chase the guy down. We all laughed at his senseless attempt to outrun eight cylinders with two pedals. Of course we know he was just reacting in anger with out really thinking. That is just another reminder of what the writer said in Proverbs 16:32; “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
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Monday, 22 March 10 - 07:06 AM (GMT -06:00)
By Bobby Sebastian in Bible Study
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Some people always have an excuse. There are times when we all have conflicts in our schedule or emergencies that pop up. We wanted to be there, but we just couldn’t this time. But, sometimes we just don’t want to go. Wouldn’t it be a lot more honorable just to admit we aren’t interested? Perhaps it is a good thing, but not quite high enough on our list of priorities. None of us can do everything people ask us to do. But then there is that person that can’t ever seem to do anything. There is always an excuse; some problem, conflict, or emergency. Perhaps the wise man had this one pegged when he wrote; “The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” (Proverbs 22:13)
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