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What do the Scriptures Say?

from the Church of Christ in Richmond Indiana


to the Youth of America
July 9, 2006
Bible answers for Bible questions: E-mail: Bibleanswers2@juno.com
From this age on…
I don’t know what is so magical about the age thirteen, but it seems from that
age on Satan tries to tempt you with everything he can. All of your senses,
sights, sounds, smells, touch, and taste will be affected. Emotions will
become the driving force behind almost all you do. Sinful things will bring
momentary pleasure and tempt you to commit more sin. Some of the things
will tempt you because ‘grown-ups’ do them. Your world will be one-sided for
a long time. It will seem the ones in authority care less about your ‘real’
needs and more about things that to you are insignificant. They, those in
authority, will seem to force schooling down your throat and, to you, they
care nothing about what is important in your life. Then, somewhere in all of
this, love comes in. Now things really heat up. You become deeply in love
with the one that you believe will be your ‘soul mate,’ and all the adults tell
you, you know nothing about love. Somewhere you begin to think that no one
understands you, except your closest friends.

We’ve been there…


Although the adults seem to have little knowledge of what it is like to have
these temptations, remember, as adults, we’ve been there. What adults know
is, everything you do now, every decision you make, every step you make
can greatly affect your future. This is the danger from this era of your life.
Even though we, the adults, know nothing about the world you are in, so to
speak, we know the consequences of wrong decisions. We can look back and
see how one small bad decision turned a life away from God into the realm of
the world. I have seen young men marry a wife against the advice of their
parents and other friends, with the result of nearly a total disaster.
Likewise, I have seen young women marry a husband against the advice of
their parents and other friends with again, their life becoming a near total
disaster.

I have seen teens take steps in the wrong direction that bring them nothing
but pain and anguish throughout their life. I am currently watching three
teenage boys that are in this dangerous part of their life. One has already
committed various crimes, been in re-hab and is continuing a path of
personal destruction. Many adults are trying to get him on the right path.
However, Satan tempts him with physical pleasures (not to the point that he
cannot resist) and he gives in to Satan. This young man is not responding
to the Lord in a favorable way. I admit, to some, following after the Lord is
not as ‘fun’ because it prohibits drugs, crime and sexual immorality. Although
the young man may be having ‘fun,’ he will be eternally lost if he does not
cease from his sinful ways.

One of the three young men is attending every worship service possible and
has already obeyed the gospel. This young man is not partaking of the sinful
ways of the one mentioned. Consider what would be said about these two
young men if their lives ended tragically.

Please be warned, what happens now will affect what happens later. I will
note that just because a young person has obeyed the gospel does not mean
they will continue on the right path. Further, just because one is on the wrong
path does not mean they will not one day obey the gospel. However, it is my
experience that the righteous continued on their path as the unrighteous
continued on their path.

Notice what Jesus said: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)

There are only two paths in life. One leads to eternal life and the other leads
to eternal destruction. What path are you on? If you are unsure, do what Paul
told those in Corinth to do, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Cor. 13:5 (KJV)

What drives your life? Sin or obedience? One leads to eternal death, the other
leads to eternal life. Who is your master, God or Satan? Paul said a person
chooses his/her master, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves
servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16 (KJV)

What one must learn is to abstain from a sinful path. Consider the warning
from Solomon to his son, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it
sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly: At the last it biteth like a
serpent, And stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange things,
And thy heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth
down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They
have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; They have beaten
me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.” Proverbs
23:31-35 (ASV)

The danger is rationalization. Looking upon the wine when it is red and when
it sparkles can entice a person to drink it. Consider the television
commercials around the New Year that concern alcoholic beverages
(especially wine and champagne). It is never advertised as something that
can ruin one’s life. It never mentions the people who are killed from alcohol
related health complications. It never mentions the people injured or killed
from drunk drivers. It only shows that in order to be popular and in order to
have a good time, one must drink some type of alcoholic beverage.

Consider Eve. She knew the commandment of the Lord and knew its
punishment. However, Satan enticed her to look at the forbidden fruit and
rationalize partaking of it. Notice what happened, “And when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a
tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:6 (KJV)
She rationalized a way to justify eating the forbidden fruit. This is what Satan
does. Satan cannot make someone sin. He can only entice one to sin. It is a
choice of the individual as to whom he will obey: God or Satan. Paul noted
this, “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 that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 (KJV)

Remember, from this age on… Satan will tempt you with everything he can
find. We must be prepared to resist him or we will be consumed by our sins.
Doug Clark
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This bulletin is constructed for teens and young adults. If there is any subject you would like to discuss,
simply contact me: Doug Clark
The Church of Christ
1835 Gaar Road
Richmond, IN 47374
phone 765-935-2911
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Last Week:
1) How did God say he spoke to Moses? Mouth to mouth (Numbers 12:8)
2) How did God speak to prophets? In a dream or vision (Numbers 12:6)
3) Did Moses initially resist the task God had for him? Yes (Exodus 3:1-4:17)
4) How did Paul describe himself in comparison to the other apostles?
As the least of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:9)
5) What did Paul say he did more than the other apostles? Labored more abundantly (1 Cor. 15:10)
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This week:
1) In Proverbs 23:31-35, when the drunk wakes up, what does he seek?
2) If one loves the world what is not in him? (1 John 2:15)
3) In what areas are people tempted? (1 John 2:16)
4) What will happen to the world? (1 John 2:17)
5) What advice did Solomon give to his son when sinners came to entice him? (Proverbs 1:10)
Answers in next bulletin
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