Our World: temptation

Showing posts with label temptation. Show all posts

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Internal or external devil

On our ecclesial contact form Anthony Buzzard wrote:

Can you please explain how the Devil can be internal when in Matthew 4 he is said to approach Jesus from the outside? How can the tempter there mean a temptation from within when he is expressly said to come from the outside? Thanks for your answer.

It seems this questioning person has, like several others, a misunderstanding of our understanding or sight on satan, devil, seduction or temptation.

The Satan is according us and the Bible not a figure from a place underneath the earth where people are terrorised or tortured for ever (in hell).

Jesus called at a certain point the apostle Peter "Satan". Peter is a living being and as such the other satans are also real existing beings. Any adversary, but in particular the adversary of God is called a Satan.

When we are confronted with a satan we are confronted by a figure outside us. For us Christadelphians, it is not like for Catholics and Muslims that a good angel would be seating at our right shoulder and a bad angel on our left shoulder. The temptations come from outside, brought to us by circumstance outside us and by people outside us. But how we react onto the temptation is something which comes from inside us. It is our own will which shall either go in or go against the temptation which comes over us. It is our own decision which shall allow the evil to go deeper into us or to weapon us against the evil around us.

The Satan can be any adversary of God, being a woman or a man. But we, too, can be a satan or adversary of God. That is stated by our attitude against God. The stipulation of our attitude to God is determinating if we can be a lover and follower of god, but at the same time it also can determine that we are going against God's Laws. When we allow our thoughts go astray and away from God it is possible that temptation can come from within when we follow our wrong thoughts. That is what is meant by "coming from within".

Do you not think that we ourselves can have different thoughts and have to choose from those thoughts which ones to follow? The right half from the brain, which designates our emotions, whilst left activates the action we undertake, and it is the relation or the strength of the bridge between those two. When you want to come closer to someone it is the right half of the brain which can put on the brakes. Emotion and behaviour have to be balanced. The behaviour is greatly designated by the function of our brain and as such is it something from within us. When the Bible speaks about demons in people it is the disease or the impossibility of the human being to control oneself. In ancient times it was a way to describe ill or mentally sick people.

Those demons and devils naturally can be people around us, and as such are being outside us and have nothing to do with something inside us, except that we shall have to react to them when we are meeting them. That interaction shall demand reactions from us, and those reactions shall be triggered by the brain function in us; It shall be us ourselves who shall have to make decisions and choices how to react.

Remember:

There was a lovely harmony in the Garden of Eden. Man was free to walk around and live nicely. He also was free to think and to make choices. There it went wrong. The woman let her mind wander and got tempted by her thoughts, willing to know more.
We have seen that the yielding to the tempter or man’s mind doubting God‘s honesty is treated allegorically in the Edenic covenant as the serpent in the flesh. First man was full of life but now death had come to him. Temptation had taken over and evil had entered his mind. This evil is the “devil” or diabolos of the New Testament, which term is defined as “that which has the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14), elsewhere described as “the law of sin and death”, “sin that dwelleth in me”, “sin in the flesh” (Romans 7:20; Romans 8:2-3).

Please find also to read:

Friday, 25 August 2017

Sometimes we face trials

In life we encounter many difficulties. Even as an organisation we can have to face trials or having to look at people who tell lies about us and have people defending the false accuser.

Sometimes we lack this necessary wisdom to face trials and persevere faithfully. These are the times when our suffering is so overwhelming that we are tempted to question whether God is either sovereign or good or to come to question if the organisation we are with might be the right one.

In such circumstances we may not forget that the adversary of God may be everywhere and in all sorts of disguises. There are enough people who shall try to get you away from your church or from your faith group. Their aim shall be to discourage you and to destroy your faith in that group you where doing so much for.

Though when we look at the matter, take distance form it we shall see some good things in it as well. It shall give us an opportunity to check if we are connected with the right persons. Also it shall remind us that if we lack the wisdom needed to face such trials with faith and steadfastness, we can ask God.
We should ask God.

We must ask God.

In the very first chapter of his letter, James reminds us that the God we are to ask is not only sovereign, He is also faithful.

Many people may try to annoy us and get us so far that we start doing the wrong things; They may tempt us or want us to lure in saying things which can harm us more.

Many may use many ways to tempt us or to get us so far that we might react in the way they would love us to see, bringing damage to us. God does not tempt us to sin; He is good. He doesn’t make fun of us when we ask for wisdom; He is the God who gives generously.

James 1:5 The Scriptures 1998+ (5) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him.

When tempted by evil doers, we should not be afraid to ask God for advice. At moments we may feel left abandoned. We may feel as if so many are turning against us. We also may feel like we once more failed.

When daring to talk to God and asking His advice, He shall come to us and by our guide. Our good and sovereign God will grant to us the very thing we are lacking, the very thing we need to face suffering well.

So, let us ask God for wisdom, believing that He is sovereign, faithful, and good, and that God uses our suffering to make us look more like Jesus.

James 1:4 The Scriptures 1998+ (4) And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught.

Life might not always be easy and may demand a lot of us. Often we have to show a lot of patience.

When believing in God, trusting Him, we might find out that everything comes all right in due time.

Do you believe? Ask Him! He is a generous God who delights in giving good gifts to His children in order that we may patiently and faithfully endure to the end.

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Additional reading

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Thursday, 11 May 2017

Ability (part 2)

Wikipedia: taste the fruit of knowledge! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We did receive the ability to live and to use our brains. The ability of the brain to research, investigate and then to form conclusions gives us the ability to form ideas and to take action or react to those findings we got.

The ability to use our brains and to make up our mind allows us to gain and/or retrieve knowledge which never shall be complete in our lifetime. At a certain moment in life we shall be able to do certain things at an other moment we shall not be able to do those things which we previously could or later will be able to do anew or again. Even our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete.

We should know that it is always a gift from God when we have the ability to use our full senses and that it is God Who gives some people wealth and possessions, the power to enjoy them, the ability to accept their lot in life, and the ability to rejoice in their own hard work.

“Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:19 WEBSTR)

We must know that every person in this universe has to learn things and grow up in a world surrounding him or her, giving many impulses and many temptations. We also received the ability to resist such temptations. Though there isn’t any temptation that we have experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps His promises, will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist. But when we are tempted, the Most High shall be on the look out, to see what we do with such temptation and how we use our own free will to react on it. If we want it is also that Most High God Who will also give us the ability to endure the temptation as our way of escape.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 WEBSTR)

We must accept that it is the Spirit, the set-apart Power of God, Who gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom and Who gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. We only can hope that this Gentle Spirit also gives courageous faith to us. Because it is an ability to have faith which is only possible when we are willing to allow the Force of God to enter our hearts and to enlighten us. Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete.

“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;”(1 Corinthians 12:8–9 WEBSTR)

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.”(1 Corinthians 13:9 WEBSTR)

We have the ability to listen to people and as such can hear preachers tell a lot of the Word of God. The preacher's power lies very much in the ability of unfolding to the understanding and applying to the conscience the general principles involved in the passage of Scripture which he undertakes to expound. But we may not pin ourselves to it that those preachers would know everything and would always be right in their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Each of us received the ability to investigate himself. That gift of ability to search and investigate we should use.

By using our own ability to read and study the Holy Scriptures we shall have the ability to grow in our knowledge of those sacred writings. Our study of the Bible shall give us more insight which at its turn shall give us the ability for a growing faith, and with it we shall receive the ability to speak and to share our knowledge, our dedication, and our love for god and His creation.

“Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.” (2 Corinthians 8:7 WEBSTR)

The ability to be able to think, investigate, making conclusions, can make us to prevail or to overcome. Our ability to work at ourselves makes it possible to build up our character and to make ourselves strong. our knowledge of Scriptures shall give us the ability to understand how God has a Plan and how He follows humankind. It also shall give us insight how God will destroy anyone who secretly slanders his neighbour. Him not tolerating anyone with a conceited look or arrogant heart.
We should be convinced that Jehovah God His eyes will be watching the faithful people in the land so that they may find life by Him willing to serve Him.

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Preceding: Ability

Ability (part 3) Thoughts around Ability

Ability (part 4) Thought about the ability to have ability

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Saturday, 17 September 2011

Wondering

Wondering

There draweth near the day of God,
When messengers are sent abroad,
To gather from the world’s bye-ways,
All who these dark evil days
Holding Yahweh’s word supreme,
Make it their daily active theme
That they may judg’d be;
And I am wondering always,
What will the manner of that day be,
And its time of coming be?

Will it be the early morning hours,
Before the day has gained its powers
(So strong to draw our thoughts away
From things of God to things of clay)
That in its duties lurk?
Or will the angel’s quiet hand
Stay the imperious demand
Of the swift noonday work;
And a grave voice tell me I must be gone,
And let the dead with the dead work on?
Or when the evening morning sweet,
And rest is pleasant and musing meet,
Or when the darkness covers me,
Will the light shine round me suddenly,
And at midnight come the cry?

Ah! The time is little; the thought for me
Is, what will the manner of that day be?
If the angel should meet me on the way,
Or come to me in the house, and say
“The Master is come and calleth for thee,”
What will the summons be to me,
What will my heart reply?
Shall I hear it as a longed-for-word?
And rise up quickly to meet the Lord?
Or will my spirit quail,
And my heart sink down ,with a dread dismay,

A speechless fear, that the Judgment Day
I had not watched for, can only be
One of contempt and shame for me?
While tremblingly and pale,
I follow the angel forth to stand
Rejected, at the Lord’s left hand?

Forbid it Lord! Oh grant to me
Grace to follow hard after Thee,
Studying daily Thy written word
With purpose of heart to serve Thee Lord,
And walk with Thee always.
To let my eyelids look straight on
Unto the prize that must be won,
Yea, fought for, agonized for (Ah me!
How the flesh strives for the mastery
How heavy this weight of clay).

Lord help me that flesh to crucify,
Cut off the hand, pluck out the eye,
And having entered the straight gate
To lay away each heavy weight.
And the sins that besets so easily,
Still looking, looking unto thee
And gathering strength thereby;
To meet temptation steadfastly,
As thy hast met the same,

Watching and praying, day by day,
That when the angel comes, I may
Meet him with joy (though tremblingly),
Daring to hope that even I
May have the white stone given to me,
May join the acclaim,
And with the twelve twelve thousand be
Clothed with Immortality
Part of “the Yahweh Name”

Christadelphian 1882

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Because men choose to go their own way

The recent natural disasters around the world have caused many people to ponder whether these occurrences could be judgements from God. Some say that God is judging humanity because of its increasing immorality. Some say God is sending these calamities as punishment for our rebellion against Him. Are these people right? Are tornados, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and the like, judgements from God?

Because men choose to go his own way and God allowed him to, because He the Creator did not want to be a dictator. The standard, for living a complete life, God has given us is also not liked by many men. Lots of people refuse to keep to those simple standard rules which would make life much more easier.
The Satan prowling the earth is the evil around us, which we can encounter every day.

We should be stronger then all the temptations around us. As Job who shunned evil and even was blameless we should fear God not for what happens today, but for what is going to come at the End Times and at Judgement Day. We should try to find out what our knows our weaknesses and our strengths are and should work on it so that we can become like Christ Jesus.

We also should point out to the world that Planet Earth has to face attacks from Civilisations who do not want to recognise Jehovah God as their creator. In case we can convince others also to live according to the Law of God a lot of problems who have been dismissed.
There does not exist some creatures who would be Fallen Angels and can be called responsible for the problems of this earth. We ourselves are the ones to blame.

Read more about it in:

Monday, 14 June 2010

Angry but not sinning

“but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” (Jas 1:14 NIV)

“For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does— comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1Jo 2:16 NIV)

“Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (Jas 1:15 NIV)

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1Pe 5:8 NIV)

“For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,” (Mr 7:21 NIV)

“The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” (Ge 6:6 NIV)

“who plots evil with deceit in his heart—he always stirs up dissension.” (Pr 6:14 NIV)

“O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbour wicked thoughts?” (Jer 4:14 NIV)

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9 NIV)

“How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?” (Jer 23:26 NIV)

“[For the director of music. A psalm of David.] Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from that noisy crowd of evildoers. They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear. They encourage each other in evil plans, they talk about hiding their snares; they say, "Who will see them?" {Or us} They plot injustice and say, "We have devised a perfect plan!" Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.” (Ps 64:1-6 NIV)

On the Biblestudentsblog I wrote an article in Dutch about our anger and when it is sin or when it is no sin to be angry. > Boos zijn en toch niet zondigen.
Also of interest is the thought of our brother John Aldersley: Being angry and not sinning.

Voor een Nederlandstalig artikel over het al of niet zondig zijn van het boos zijn, vind Boos zijn en toch niet zondigen

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Find also
Be ye angery and sin not
A learning process for each of us
Doest thou well to be angry
He who smiles rather than rages

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2016 linkupdate

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Songs in the night Worship God only

Songs in the night

Get thee hence, Satan:
for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and him only shalt thou serve.
— Matthew 4:10

DURING the forty days in the wilderness our Lord had come to see that the dominion of earth could be attained only through great
suffering.
He was weak from his long fast, and all the details of prophecy were
before his mind. He saw himself as a lamb dumb before his shearers; as the serpent lifted up in the wilderness.
Satan’s suggestion was a temptation, but after consideration he saw that Satan was asking him to violate his covenant
— to go contrary to God’s will.
Immediately he answered, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.”
Then the devil left the Lord, finding nothing to work upon
— so loyal was Jesus to the Word of Jehovah.
Afterwards the angels came and ministered unto him. —Z. 1912-262 (Hymn 200)

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Friday, 21 May 2010

Rejoice even though bound to grieve

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1Pe 1:6 NIV)

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1Pe 4:12-13 NIV)

“And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,” (Heb 12:5 NIV)

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Heb 12:11 NIV)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” (Heb 4:15 NIV)

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Heb 2:18 NIV)

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1Co 10:13 NIV)

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie > Jubelen alhoewel ook droevig

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Christ Suffering (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2013 update:

Friday, 12 March 2010

A love not exempting us from trials

"God's love for us is not a love that always exempts us from trials,
but rather, a love that sees us through trials."
- Anonymous

“If we open our heart for the love of God
we get more ‘breathing space’
and more easily can we aim ourselves to the will of God.”
- Marcus Ampe

“The love of God is an one of the largest realities in the universe
A pillar on which the hope of the world rests.
But it is also a personal intimate matter.

God does not love races, he loves people.
He does not love masses, but people.
- A. W. Tozer

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character;
and character, hope.
And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his love into our hearts …"
Romans 5:3-5

God, our maker, give that we can be formed for the good by You.
Give us your fatherly love and lead us not in temptation
but release us of angriness and evil
and give that we can share your love with others.

Dutch version / Nederlandstalige versie > Een liefde die ons niet vrijstelt van verzoeking

Welcome

Welcome at this zone created by Marcus Ampe for the Belgian Free Christadelphians, where previous articles from the MSN Groups and Multiply are brought together and made available again to the general public. On 2012 October 26 this site came into development and new articles shall be added next to our main site and to the Christadelphian Ecclesia site: Christadelphian Ecclesia.
You are welcome at that site to find more articles.

All who want to follow Jesus/Jeshua (Yeshua/Yahsua) from Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah and wants to be united with people who sincerely want to keep to those teachings of this masterteacher are welcome to share their love for Christ and their hope for the coming Kingdom.

The names "Christadelphia" and 'Christadelphian' is compounded of two Greek words: 'christos' and 'adelphoi' and means 'brethren in Christ'.

This site is created by a Free Christadelphian only bounded to Jesus Christ. We are open to anybody who wants to share the brotherly love of Christ. Coming together by a common belief in 'the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ' (Acts 8:12).

In the older Multiply messages links to Multiply shall not always work from 2012 December 1, but you shall be able to find them by copying and pasting the title in the search machine. I have worked on re-editing those links from 2005 onwards, so that they could work in the future, but it became a to much time consuming job, so I stopped doing it after a while. (My apologies for certain links not working any more.)

Thanks for visiting us and hope to see you again.

Welkom

Wij wensen allen welkom die hier op deze pagina's terecht komen en hopen dat zij geïnspireerd mogen geraken om verder de Bijbel ter hand te nemen en zelf op onderzoek te gaan wat er in de Heilige Schrift werkelijk staat.

De namen "Christadelphia" en "Christadelphian" is een samentelling van twee Griekse woorden : "Christos" en "adelphoi" en betekent 'broer in Christus'. De Christadelphians zijn een groep van mensen die samen verbonden zijn door hun gemeenschappelijk geloof betreffende de dingen aangaande het Koninkrijk van God en de naam van Jezus Christus (Jeshua, de Messias) (Handelingen van de Apostelen 8v12).
Christadelphian mensen zouden tot een wereldwijde gemeenschap moeten behoren, wiens doel is zo trouw als mogelijke de leerstelling en voorbeeld van Jezus/Jehsua Christus te volgen, zoals het geregistreerd staat in de Bijbel.
In een wereld die vol is van onzekerheden genieten wij van een eenvoudig, rechtstreeks en logisch geloof, dat nu al vrede en voldoening aanbiedt en de belofte van het nog te komen eeuwigdurende vreugderijk: het Koninkijk van God.

Op deze site, gecreëerd door Marcus Ampe voor de Vrije Belgische Christadelphians, of Broeders in Christus, zijn in oktober 2012 de vroegere berichten uit de MSN Groepen en Multiply samen gebracht en terug zichtbaar gemaakt voor het algemeen publiek.

Meerdere linken in de vroegere artikelen zullen vermoedelijk niet werken, maar u kan de titel dan kopiëren en plakken in het "Zoek" venster om zo bij het juiste artikel te komen. Ik maakte er werk van om de artikelen vanaf 2005 terug te editen en daarin de linken te vernieuwen, zodat zij terug zouden werken. Maar dit vroeg zo veel tijd dat ik het heb opgegeven. Daarom verzoek ik mij te verontschuldigen indien u een link tegen komt die niet meer werkt.

Vanaf 26 oktober 2012 is deze website opengesteld naar het publiek en zullen er in de toekomst nog enkele artikelen bij komen. Maar de meerderheid van de teksten zullen nu geplaatst worden op de site van de Vlaamse Broeders in Christus of Christadelphians en op de kerkgemeenschapssite
Christadelphian Ecclesia.

Graag ontmoeten wij u daar voor meerdere artikelen.

Our World

Pages

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Internal or external devil

Please find also to read:

Friday, 25 August 2017

Sometimes we face trials

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Ability (part 2)

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Wondering

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Because men choose to go their own way

Profitable disasters

Monday, 14 June 2010

Angry but not sinning

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Songs in the night Worship God only

Friday, 21 May 2010

Rejoice even though bound to grieve

Friday, 12 March 2010

A love not exempting us from trials

Pages

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Please find also to read:

Friday, 25 August 2017

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Thursday, 11 May 2017

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Saturday, 17 September 2011

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Monday, 14 June 2010

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Tuesday, 25 May 2010

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Friday, 21 May 2010

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Friday, 12 March 2010

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