How to Meet Temptation in 1953

don · 08-10-09 9:37 pm

Australasian Union Record, June 15, 1953, page 6 (This summer our oldest son gets married. They have asked me to preach to them at the wedding. So, I have been looking for concepts to share. Being the budding historian that I am, I decided to look back in the Adventist Archives for historical essays on "Successful marriages." You can see my growing collection of articles at this site: <a href="http://www.covenantforum.com/discus/messages/584/2941.html?1249952994" target="_blank">**HERE**</a> While looking, I ran across this story. Thought it would be a good discussion starter.) <IMG SRC="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0> How to Meet Temptation J. WALTER RICH <blockquote>When Jesus met the tempter in the wilderness, and gained such a wonderful victory, that victory is ascribed to the method used in meeting the tempter. On each occasion His answer was, "It is written." Here is the method applied again, with equal force. Would we all could use it as successfully. A boy was once on a steamboat, making a journey. One day he sat alone on the deck, looking down into the deep water, and two ungodly men on the boat agreed between themselves that one of them would try to persuade the boy to take a drink of liquor. So one of the men drew near the lad, and in a very pleasant voice and manner invited him to go with him and drink a glass of wine. "I thank you, sir," replied the boy, "but I never drink intoxicating liquor." "Never mind, my lad; it will not hurt you. Come and have a drink with me, won't you?" But the boy's ready reply was this, " 'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.'" "You need not be deceived by it. I would not have you drink much. A little will do you no harm, but it would just liven you up." Said the boy, " 'At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder,' and I certainly think that it is not wise to play with an adder." "My fine young fellow," said the crafty man, "it will give me great pleasure if you will only come and drink just one glass of the very best wine with me." "My Bible says, "If sinners entice thee, consent thou not,' " was his reply. This was a stunning blow to the man who had become his tempter, and he went back to his companion, defeated. "Well, how, did you succeed?" he was asked. "Not at all! The fact is," replied the man, "that youngster is so full of the Bible that I can do nothing with him." Let us all thank God there is a way of escape, and let us use it. —"Pacific Union Recorder/' 9/3/53. <a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/AAR/AAR1953-V57-24/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=6" target=_top>http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/AAR/AAR1953- V57-24/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=6</a> </blockquote>

elaine · 08-10-09 10:13 pm

Don, we all wish the young couple a life of happiness. But, surely you know that there is little, if any difference in the divorce rate of Christians and non-Christians. Whether that also includes Adventists, is not known. If anyone knows the "secret" to happy marriages, the most important would be to respect the individuality of the other spouse. The great difference in marriage today and all the world's history of which we are certain, is that life expectancy is now so much longer than marriages have never expected to last nearly so long as today. We all wish them a long and happy life together. Just curious: why a "sermon" at a wedding. My daughter's wedding 10 years ago was short--everyone but the parents had to stand!

don · 08-11-09 5:03 am

why a "sermon" at a wedding Well, it is probably better to call it a talk. Apparently, wedding sermons are quite common. Look at these 12,700 google results for "<a href="http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%22wedding+sermon%22&meta=" target="_blank">Wedding Sermon</a>" <a href="http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%22wedding+sermon%22&meta=" target="_blank">http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%22wedding+ser mon%22&meta=</a> .

cadge · 08-11-09 9:52 am

Don, I went to a wedding in Chattanooga TN last summer. The people are members of a sect of believers called the Twelve Tribes, and consider themselves the New Israel. It was a beautiful and emotional presentation as they depict the return of Jesus, and the restoration of all things with the entrance of the new age and eternal reign and Kingdom with Him. In the presentation they beieve that they are restoring the true message that each wedding was suposed to convey to the witnesses, which has been lost over time. That message being the union and triumph of Jesus and His beautful and joyfully submissive bride, where loving obediance is the result of our recognition of His sovereignty and benign existence. There is a short story and pictures of one that took place in Massachussetts some time ago at their site: <a href="http://www.twelvetribes.org/news/8-20-03wedding-article.html" target=_top>http://www.twelvetribes.org/news/8-20-03wedding-ar ticle.html</a> And, so as not to be accused of being off thread, I was grateful to see the use of scripture to counter the entreaties of Satan in the story of the young fellow aboard the steamboat. This was the first lesson that Jesus taught us when He encountered the ploys of Satan in the wilderness of temptation. The admonition to "take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God", I think is too often forgotten and not appreciated for the power that accompanies it by those who profess to be His followers. It's never just Gideon, but always the "sword of the Lord and Gideon" which brings victory. Cadge

john8verse32 · 08-11-09 10:12 am

When Jesus met the tempter in the wilderness, and gained such a wonderful victory... isn't that "wonderful victory" supposed to have included a trip to a mountain top so high that Jesus and the Olde Debil could actually see "all the kingdoms of the earth"....???? so either this tale is just that, a "parable", a campfire story for edutainment, made up to convey some message to the readers, or Jesus was so scientifically illiterate that in letting the Olde Debil transport Him to a mountaintop, where they could see "all the kingdoms of the world", even He was ignorant about the round earth..just like the authors of that parable were.. if you choose to use this tale as part of your "talk", maybe it could serve to suggest that everyone should not believe everything they hear.....maybe to give each other any benefit of any doubt. <a href="http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/temptation.html" target=_top>http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/temptation.html</a> here's s'more good advice for them from your church: <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/10/1732.jpg" alt="">

john8verse32 · 08-11-09 10:25 am

joyfully submissive bride...??? isn't that kinda going the way of the dodo bird and the sabertooth tiger? unless the guy's trust fund outweighs his girth?<img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/10/1735.jpg" alt="">

elaine · 08-11-09 11:15 am

Maybe the young kid on the steamboat didn't know that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. Would he have drunk the wine Jesus made!!

don · 08-11-09 3:36 pm

Would he have drunk the wine Jesus made!! It certainly would have made a good discussion with Jesus. "Please explain you message re: alcohol." Some have suggested another discussion point. When God, through Samuel, told Saul to kill off the Amalekites, a discussion re: the ethics of Genocide would have seemed appropriate, at least to us "moderns". I imagine God's heavenly throne-room to be a discussion circle to address such matters. Moses, David, Job, Habakkuk, the souls under the altar in Revelation, et al, have all joined the circle with their concerns. One thing that the Temperance movement of the late 1800's drove home was the utter tragedy brought on be alcohol. Even in modern times, a large segment of traffic fatalities are alcohol related. There are very few substances that even get near wreaking the same social havoc that alcohol does. Adventists certainly use the Bible as a grounding of perspective, but we also recognize the role of science and experience in matters of lifestyle guidance. .

don · 08-11-09 3:43 pm

Cadge, What do you know of the Twelve Tribes group? Are they as wholesome as the news story portrays? .

elaine · 08-11-09 6:17 pm

Currently, using cell phones, and particularly texting while driving are far more dangerous than being drunk. Intemperant alcohol use; intemperant use of sugar-laden junk foods; and all use of tobacco are injurious to life and health. However, there are so many recognized benefits of moderate alcohol use, as well as coffee, that to ignore those studies, removes the status of "health reformer" for those who disagree. Personallly, I never drink, period. Can't stand the smell or taste of alcohol, but that's a personal preference. Coffee is limited to once a day, and has been shown to have great health benefits.

cadge · 08-11-09 7:18 pm

Cadge, "What do you know of the Twelve Tribes group"? Don, I just spent five weeks traveling and visiting their lives. I am a frequent visitor to one group in Chattanooga and I visited four others between here and Vermont. They are all that they are saying they are. I worked on their farms and in their restaurants (hey, I milked a goat at the farm in Hillsboro VA)<img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>. They have layed down their lives for one another in the way that Jesus lived. Their doors are open to all who wish to experience their life. People come from all walks of life and live in unity to build the Kingdom which is what the King in the parable comes to recieve. Their diet is very healthy, being composed of an abundance of fruits and vegetables and on the lighter side with fish and chicken now and then. Their life is one of much outdoor activity and physical labor where the whole community of families are involved. It's a good life that bears much good fruit in both drawing each other closely together and in touching the lives of those who come in contact with them. I was in Cambridge NY a couple of weeks ago where they held a large convocation on child raising. I was very impressed. I also, to my pleasant surprise, met many former SDA's there. The children are amazing. Highly respectful of their parents and each other and they love to help out and be part of everything the life offers. Truly saved out of a world of dangerous influences. I know of several people that have gravitated to SDA self supporting ministries to have that for theirselves and their children also, but its not the same. The people in the Twelve Tribes have layed down their lives for each other, having all things in common as their needs are met by their communal labor of love in the pattern that our saviour laid out. No one ammases any moneterial or material wealth for themselves for their security. They walk in faith in our Father's providence to provide as they live "the life". I don't know how close you are, but they have a few places in Canada. You ought to visit just to see what its all about. They are forming a group in Alaska and they have started one outside of D.C. and also in Warwick Rhode Island. I'm going to visit Sabbath. They start their celebration on Friday evening and serve delicious food to all who come. They rest Sabbath day unless they have some ministry work come up. Myself and the kids like to go over to the Deli on Sunday, which they call "first day", to help out because we enjoy being in their warm and cheerful company. Cadge

renie · 08-11-09 9:58 pm

What is the status of their women? Are they allowed to be leaders? Do they dress 'old period'? Or can you find them in jeans? Is their role to be subserviant?

pilgrim99 · 08-12-09 4:37 pm

Don, I first heard of this group through the postings of Cadge. From a distance, they appear to be another personality cult. Feel free to do a 'Bing' search and read the articles, both pro and con. Here is one that I found to be pretty balanced. <a href="http://www.neirr.org/mcconclu.html" target=_top>TWELVE TRIBES</a> AKA: Twelve Tribes, Northeast Kingdom Community Church,The New Apostolic Order in Messiah, The Church in Island Pond, The Communities. As someone who does not believe in latter day Apostles or Prophets, it is interesting to read<a href="http://www.neirr.org/pearls.html" target=_top> these pearls</a> along with <a href="http://www.neirr.org/yoniq.htm" target=_top>Response from the Twelve Tribes...</a> They also seem to be separation oriented, which I believe is in direct contradiction to the words of Jesus. How can Christians win souls for Christ if we only interact with other Christians?

cadge · 08-12-09 11:31 pm

"They know this. Even their bowel movements. We cover them up in the woods because our Father walks out there, Gen. 3:8 (Fallen man just leaves there for someone to step in). Reverence and respect for other human beings, since they are made in the image of God, will decide whether someone should enter the nations." That was an error. He should have quoted Deuteronomy 23: 13&14: Deut. 23:13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: Deut 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

john8verse32 · 08-13-09 10:46 am

so is that how the Israelites hid all evidence of their 40 yr schlep thru the Sinai, leaving behind no evidence? The members of the 12 tribes carried shovels, and buried their own personal products..... no massive, collective bathroom sites like the Romans and Greeks left us to prove the size, development, and level of their civilization. but 2 1/2 million people? wandering around a desert? with urns, pots, cattle, goats, baskets, digging for water? and so far archeologists can find NOTHING to prove they were there? maybe the story was.. 1) exaggerated for effect..how their God helped them massacre the Egyptian King's armies...in order to spread fear into the tribes they were intending to ethnically cleanse, killing all the women who had had sex, and saving the virgins to use...allegedly at God's command.... or 2) imagined then retold around the campfire to impress Hebrew kids with their importance in their corner of the flat world, or 3) the number "40" is just a figurative way of saying many...as many as two ignorant goat herders recounting the tale can count on their combined fingers and toes. Cornuke raises the problem of the lack of archaeological evidence for Israel in Sinai. After citing Beit-Arieh's 1984 article in Biblical Archaeology Review, he says, "Fifteen years of exhaustive, painstaking investigation by veteran archaeologists found nothing to suggest as many as two-and-a-half million Jewish pilgrims once flooded the Egyptian landscape. No trace of a mighty host littering the wilderness with their smoking campfires, stores of food, cook pots, and acres of pottery, ceremonial implements and utensils, weapons, jewels, trinkets, and religious objects. No evidence of huge herds, flocks, or the daily waste and abandoned junk of a wandering multitude. Nothing" (Cornuke and Halbrook 2000: 168). <a href="http://ldolphin.org/franz-sinai.html" target=_top>http://ldolphin.org/franz-sinai.html</a> more figurative numerology? Moses sent "12" spies into Cannan to search out the place....12 being the "number indicating "completeness"...as in the 12 constellations of the night sky..all night... the complete period of darkness.... they were gone "40" days... and returned to say that the Israelites were like grasshoppers before the armies of the Caananites... that's why they needed "40" more years to build up their forces to attack? what isn't smoke and mirrors could be what they were smoking while fearing their superstitious numerology!!! at least their system wasn't like our corporate methods of disposal: btw: in the current environment, you can substitute politicians for management too... and voters for employees!!! <img src="http://www.atomorrow.net/discus/messages/10/1746.jpg" alt="">

elaine · 08-13-09 3:24 pm

It's called "Hebrew Megalomania." Construct a glorious past--that never was. Other nations have done it, and the Hebrews did also.

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