Against the cultural grain--Some things I've been convicted about.

Magic (or witchcraft), violent, gory video games, vampires, werewolves...these things are glorified in our society. They may seem intriguing and empowering on the outside.

I volunteer at a library part-time, and so I spend a LOT of time scouring the shelves, section by section, re-arranging books and media. Those shelves are packed with every adventure and fancy you can imagine...and I love reading all the book spines as I weave through the library. But it also poises a dilemma for me personally---every time I scan the Young Adult shelves, I see dozens on dozens of books on Fantasy (involving magic, spells, wizardry, and so on..), which appeal to millions of people. I have to admit--I am drawn to fantasy, and I've watched movies and read books that make magic seem innocent and appealing, not really allowing myself to stop and question: is this something a Christian should be watching/reading? People are drawn to power, no doubt about that. But lately I have felt convicted. 

 We go along with the crowd, saturating or dipping our minds into what we may know to be questionable... but we fear to ask, "what does GOD say about this?"

Over this weekend, God has been helping me find Scriptures that deal with magic and sorcery. Here's a wee bit of what I found:

"When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God." -- Deuteronomy 18:9-13

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD.’” --Ezekiel 13:20-23

  “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. -- Malachi 3:5

Wow... VERY powerful verses! So is there any record in the Bible of God saving people involved in sorcery? Yes! Check it out:

"Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We^[a] exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered^[b] them, and prevailed against them,^[c] so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed."

--Acts 19:11-20

Never forget that GOD is more powerful than man or magic. Evil must flee before HIM. If you are a Believer in Christ, a born-again Son or Daughter of God, and you know someone who is practicing witchcraft/sorcery/magic--they need the Lord. They need your prayer! 


Thanks so much for reading, guys. =) If you think of it, please pray for me...pray that I will live in the power of the Holy Spirit and continue to seek after God's truth. 

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans 8:38-39

Fireflight "Wrapped in Your Arms"

As a Daughter of God-- You are precious in His sight! This is one of my favorite Fireflight songs. I hope it reminds you just how much God loves you. Remember to spend quiet time with Him today.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

--Romans 8:38-39

 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD. 

“Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head."

--Ezekiel 16:8-12

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."

--Jude 1: 24-25 

 

Bible Verses for Loneliness

Last year (2011) I struggled with deep loneliness. Sometimes I wondered if God was really near me; if He could fill the empty holes in my heart...I felt very alone and listless. But during this new year God has been showing me that I am never alone, and I've come to treasure the people I do have around me even more than before! If you are feeling lonely, I hope these verses encourage you as they have encouraged me.

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."
Psalm 40:1-3

"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper who is just right for him.”"
Genesis 2:18

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
John 14:16-17

"When my father and my mother forsake me,
then the LORD will take me up."
Psalm 27:10

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living."
Psalm 27:13

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Hebrews 13:5-6

"Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us."
Ecclesiastes 7:3

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."
Psalm 42:1-5

"You find families for those who are lonely. You set prisoners free and let them prosper, but all who rebel will live in a scorching desert."
Psalm 68:6

"At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom:
to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
2 Timothy 4:16-18

Holiness

God is Holy.

"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

--Exodus 15:11

Holiness literally means, "Set Apart", which is what every Christian (or, "little Christ") is called by Jesus to be: set apart from the world. As a Christian women, I know it's VERY tough in many ways to be set apart for God. I want to be accepted by people, I want them to like me, I want on and on and on... basically God knows how much my human heart shies away from holiness. But God is HOLY, and as one of God's Daughter's, I am called to pursue HIS holiness.

"For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness."

--1 Thessalonians 4:7

Becoming set apart means putting God FIRST before other things in our lives. We give Him our hearts, trusting in Him and immersing our minds in His Truth (His Word, the Bible). Yeah that may mean allowing Him to remove some idols, be it friendships, money, beauty, shoes, boy/girlfriends, power, pride, comfort, whatever you may worship (love) more than Him...check your heart and ask God to help you give over these things to Him.
"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."
--1 Chronicles 16:29

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”"

--1 Peter 1:14-16
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

--1 Peter 2:9
Remember, when we choose God over this world, we do not lose--we gain everything! When we give ourselves over to God, He changes us from the inside out...and we understand more of what it is to be Sons and Daughters of God.

"For everyone who has been born of GOD overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

--1 John 5:4 (emphasis mine)

"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."

--2 Corinthians 7:1

"But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,”What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

-- 1 Corinthians 2:7-9