Laurelbrook Academy



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Steve Conway Preaches About "Temptation's Weakness"
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Sabbath services at the Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church on September 10, 2011 began with a Sabbath School song service led by Cody and Tiffany (sophomores), accompanied by Donna Kanna on the piano.   The opening song was “Redeemed”. Ellis (senior) welcomed everyone.

Giovani (senior) had prayer and read Revelation 12:10-11 “10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

Mike MuddMike Mudd gave a personal testimony.  Here are some notes about his talk:
  1. He came from a bad background in Louisville, Kentucky.  His father was a “hit man” who killed people for a living and absent from the home.  His mother worked three jobs to support the family.  His brothers dealt in drugs. By 16 he was deep into drugs and partying, was curious about his father, and was deep into fighting. By 18 he had a daughter on the way. 
  2. To the young people, you don’t have to have a taste of the worst the world has to offer to be complete in life.  All the people I knew as a worldly person are either dead or in prison.  Our choices every day form our character.   What you do now either helps you become a soul-winner for God or a hindrance for those who want to know God.
  3. Romans 13:11-“11 ¶ And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”  We are to put on the whole armor of light. In Ephesians, there is listed the armor we need, including a sword.
  4. There are 1500 verses in the New Testament about the Second Coming. John 14:29 “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.”
  5. This truth we bear saved my life. Over a period of time, you discard what is wrong or retain them and they become a part of you.
  6. Matthew 24:6-7 “6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”
  7. This makes it hard for people in the cities to appreciate God. But God takes no credit for the evil in the world.
  8. Ellen White, The Great Controversy, pp. 589-590, says that the disasters in the world today are caused by Satan because these cause discouragement. These are but the beginning of sorrows and problems. 
  9. Look around the world today – earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. Yet people still doubt the Second Coming because it has been delayed. These take part in the last days.
  10. Ellen White also says that Satan works with wars.  These are the things we are seeing.
  11. Satan is trying to deceive two different people groups – the non-believers have their hearts hardened.
  12. God is going to allow Satan to show His power until it is apparent where evil leads – and then Jesus will come.
  13. Matthew 24:23- “23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
  14. Before Pharaoh, his magicians made it appear that they could work miracles also.
  15. Exodus 7:17-22 “17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that [is] in mine hand upon the waters which [are] in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that [is] in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and [that] there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in [vessels of] wood, and in [vessels of] stone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that [were] in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that [were] in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that [was] in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.”
  16. In Africa, people through Satan’s power can predict when someone is going to die.
  17. Satan’s power will cause miracles in the last days, causing those who do not obey God’s rules to harden their hearts in rebellion.
  18. Your works cannot save you, but if you are saved you will do good works due to your thanks for being saved.
  19. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-13 “9 [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 ¶ But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”
  20. Faith healers appear to heal people. In Brazil, there is a person healing others of deadly cancers.  He is not trained in medicine whatsoever. Invisible angels tell him what to do.
  21. In Great Controversy, p. 590, Ellen White says Satan brings disease and disaster and then pretends to heal people who were made sick by his power.
  22. Satan is soon to appear as Jesus in His Second Coming. Stars are appearing supposedly as signs of the Second Coming.
  23. When I was converted, I got rid of all the music I had collected.  This was before I learned about Seventh-day Adventists.
  24. When you are converted, issues regarding music, modesty, etc. will be resolved.
  25. We are supposed to live as though we are walking side by side with Jesus all the minutes of our lives.
  26. Great Controversy, pp. 463-464, says worldly things engross the minds of supposedly converted church members.
  27. Satan parallels whatever Christ does. God is reviving His people so Satan will revive his followers also.
  28. The final moves will be rapid ones.  The stock market is going down, the dollar is becoming worthless, so the world will unite under Satan.
  29. Billy Graham’s son is hold Christian celebrations known as Rock the River. There is even Christian marijuana. Thousands are converted under this type of church service and are told that they can keep their evil ways.
  30. 2 Timothy 4:2-3 “2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”
  31. Jeremiah 12:5 “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and [if] in the land of peace, [wherein] thou trustedst, [they wearied thee], then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?”
  32. It’s time for us to get ready now because you may not see tomorrow.
  33. Ezekiel 33 talks about those who don’t help and then have to live with the consequences.
David (junior) and Anthony (9th grader) collected the Laurelbrook Missions Offering, which helps with the expenses of those who go on Laurelbrook mission trips.  Ellis (senior) had the closing prayer.

The group then split up into two Sabbath School classes to study a lesson on worship as seen in Christ’s ministry on this earth.  Clayton Brandt taught the Sabbath School lesson in the church sanctuary.

At 12:50 Rodney Herra had the announcements. There will be communion on September 30, a health expo beginning at 1:00 at the Dayton Welcome Center, the final meeting of the Week of Prayer at 7:00 this evening in the church, and a meeting of all those who are speaking during the evangelistic meetings this afternoon at 2:30 here in the church.

The church service began with an introit by Donna Kanna. Steve Conway had the opening prayer. Rodney Herra welcomed everyone and then announced the opening hymn - “Jesus is All  the World to Me”. Rodney Herra then had the Morning Prayer after reminding everyone that Jack Faatz needed prayer since he was in the hospital. Rodney Herra then called for the offering, which was for Fall Mission Appeal church budget.  Daryll Ellis and Cody (sophomore) collected the church offerings. After the congregation sang the doxology, Charles Sarr prayed for the offering.
Charles Sarr then read James 1:14-15 “14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
 
Steven (9th grader) told the children a story about a boy who got a dog for his 6th birthday. He was never to take the leash off the dog when he took the dog for a walk.  After a few days, he let the dog off the leash, the dog ran into the street, and a large truck killed the dog.  The boy had learned a lesson about doing what he was told.

Erin (senior) played “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” as a cello solo for special music, accompanied by Donna Kanna on the piano. Steve Conway discussed the topic “Temptation’s Weakness” and had a call to live a victorious life at the end of his presentation. The congregation sang “Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee”.  Charles Sarr closed the service with prayer.

Personnel Other Than Students:

Charles Sarr – assistant academy principal and campus tech person
Clayton Brandt – local elder, works with Laurelbrook’s heavy equipment
Daryll Ellis – son of John and Barbara Ellis, local church deacon, works at nearby Majestic Stone Company
Donna Kanna – director of the Laurelbrook Band, teaches music lessons to Laurelbrook students and staff members
Jack Faatz – retired Laurelbrook staff member who ran the purchasing department for many years
Mike Mudd – has spoken at ASI meetings
Rodney Herra – former staff member working for nearby Majestic Stone Company, local church elder
Steve Conway – pastor in the Detroit, Michigan area; Week of Prayer speaker; former Laurelbrook student teacher and staff member


 
Following are notes from the sermon:
  1. There is nothing like being together with fellow believers and worshipping God.
  2. Nothing, no decision for God will not be contested by the devil.
  3. James 1:14-15 “14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
  4. How is it that we are tricked by our desires?
  5. Feud taught that all humans are a sea of irrational desires and that these desires need to be suppressed because the world would be filled with maniacs.
  6. One of Freud’s nephews would take these ideas and tell corporations how to capitalize on these desires by making people want something they don’t need.
  7. One of his plans involved women smoking cigarettes.  Women who did so were considered bad.  So this nephew gathered a group of beautiful young ladies who at a certain point were to pull out a cigarette and light it in front of a number of photographers and reporters. These acts were portrayed as “torches lighting the way to freedom”. Sales of cigarettes went way up since women were looking for ways to assert their rights. In reality, smoking is a form of slavery.
  8. Another Freud nephew taught that everyone should do whatever they felt free to do (this culminated in the 1960s as a way of expressing their identities). So the corporations took this and convinced people that it was the “in” thing to wear certain clothes or shoes or drive a certain type of car or use a certain type of cell phone or computer. Unfortunately, when millions use the same thing, individuality is not present.
  9. Corporations have made millions by figuring out what we might lack and convincing us that to have a certain item will make each of us happy.
  10. Pastor Conway decided he needed a treadmill to take care of his physical problems. Then he started thinking that his wife would consent if she realized he really needed treadmills. So in Wal-Mart one day he came across a treadmill on clearance. He brought it home and set up in the garage. Over five years, he ran about 15 times on that treadmill.
  11. First, he desired a treadmill. Then desire turned into need.  That is the strength of temptation, power to trick us to believe that this thing is needed to make our lives complete. His very existence seemed to be on the line.
  12. Has anything made that jump in your life?
  13. Genesis 3:1-6 “1 ¶ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 ¶ 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.”
  14. Satan’s first goal is to raise a desire for the tree.  Eve thought it desirable to the eyes and the end result was desirable. Eve is thinking that unless she eats it, she will die.
  15. Adam realizes Eve has sinned, but he feels that if he doesn’t have Eve he will die also.  So he eats also. This is the strength of temptation.
  16. Temptation’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness.
  17. Matthew 4:1-2 “1 ¶ Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”  Jesus was starving.
  18. He went to the bottom of human need to where not to meet that need was certain death.
  19. Matthew 4:3-4 “3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
  20. At this point, Satan tempts Christ to use His divine power to fill His need. But Jesus uses God’s Word to turn back the temptation. Jesus demonstrates that there is something more essential than the filling of our needs.
  21. You can use God’s Word to demonstrate we need something by twisting what God has said.
  22. Jesus said “no” to His needs – we can, too, even if our lives appear to depend on the filling of that need.
  23. Satan has no power over anyone who says “no”.
  24. Can we really and truly forego our needs? 
  25. Elijah runs for his life, an angel comes with food twice, and that food sustains him for his entire journey.
  26. Moses was called into the mountain for 40 days and nights with no possible source of food - God sustained him for that period of time.
  27. Jesus lived out what He expects us to do and be.
  28. When falling into temptation, we can ask the Lord to give us victory over our ungodly desires. We can refuse to go along with Satan by invoking the power of God. God then will give us all the power we need to gain the victory.
  29. We often don’t say “no” because we really want what we want. 
  30. No one who calls on God for power will be let down.
  31. Be honest with yourself – Step 1 to transform your life. If we are flipping around without a firm decision to follow God, we cannot have God’s power. Step 2 – we need to make a decision to follow God, ask for His power, and then use that power to achieve victory.
  32. God needs us to achieve victory so we can reach out to others.
  33. The power of God is real.
  34. The danger of many realistic testimonies is that we desire to do the evil things so we can be saved like others.
  35. God expects us not to play games with Him.
  36. If we really are alive, we would want to go to heaven. Victory in Jesus sounds like fiction since many have never experienced that victory.
  37. Connect with Jesus and let Him share His victory with you. Be honest with yourselves and give God a chance.