Let me add what I was going to write at the end of this article because there may be some who might not read through to the end. It would be difficult to imagine that anyone who receives this teaching has not heard about and been deeply touched and concerned about the mass devastation of peoples’ lives, livelihoods, and personal possessions from the recent catastrophic storms. May we each examine our prayers to include our relatives, fellow neighbors, citizens, friends, and strangers who have suffered so much. Let us include asking the LORD how we, too, might help to bear one another burdens; whether it be that “widow’s mite” or from our abundance.
Many call it Halloween; a few refer to it as The Devil’s Holiday, and some churches deem it a Harvest Festival celebration. Halloween is “celebrated” by Christians and non-believers. After all, what’s so wrong about letting our innocent little ones dress up in costumes, to pretend to be someone they aren’t, and to beg for food (candy) from strangers, even though they are often taught not to talk to strangers and certainly not to take food from those they don’t know!
Do we give conflicting messages?
Many are unaware that Halloween is also the high day for the occult and celebrated by real witches and their counterparts with demonic ceremonies featuring human blood sacrifices. However, most who read this newsletter have no part in the latter activities, and many even doubt such horrific rituals exist. They, instead, practice a more acceptable form of this celebration which can anesthetize children to gradually accept increasingly more aggressive forms of occult activities. Their costumes often “advance” as they age from sweet, even infant costumes of angels and princesses to teens who don Dracula and witches’ paraphernalia as they mature.
Deception has many faces.
How many of us have at one time or another participated in some of these same things on differing levels and ignorantly “played” with the occult? This may have been through magic, crystals, horoscopes, Ouija boards, having our fortunes told, attending movies filled with fantasy and divination; automatic handwriting, handwriting analysis, enchantments, sorcery; praying to the dead; being involved in yoga and other types of meditation based upon Eastern religions; involvement in martial arts; reading books and watching movies based on sorcery.
Consider, for example the Harry Potter series which openly promotes the occult. Such books as the 300-page Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone are designed for third graders, as promoter’s state: “Most children are ready for the first three books in the Harry Potter series by the time they reach the 3rd grade.” As children mature, they are readied for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the 759-page Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Also popular for children are theme parks where millions of children are entertained with not only Harry Potter but The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, and other classical mythological representations of the “pretend,” but often occult-laden, world.
Please don’t turn this aside. I understand from where you might be coming. My husband and I, at one time, permitted our children to participate in selected Halloween activities—dressing in costumes and attending related activities. We didn’t have the teachings that I now beg you to let me share with you based on God’s Word.
Before you judge this too quickly, please consider God’s Word regarding involvement with some of the above. This isn’t my opinion, but what God clearly warns us to flee, no matter how it is camouflaged.
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Satan Packages his wiles in many deceptive formats, else they would be rejected by most.
There shall not be found among you … that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD … Deuteronomy 18:10-12
- Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:31
- And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards … I will even set my face against that soul … Leviticus 20:6
- Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 1 Corinthians 10:21
Many of us have been innocently involved in some of the above and have encouraged our children to participate without realizing such is an abomination to the Lord. We come from all walks of life: doctors, lawyers, teachers, secretaries, farmers, electricians, mothers, fathers, teenagers—and even the clergy.
Why does God object?
It is estimated that 70% of Americans read their horoscopes. Consulting signs of the zodiac to foretell life’s events is an abomination to the Lord. This is because man is looking to inanimate objects to determine his destiny rather than daily trusting God Who loves and cares for us. Others visit fortunetellers, while some look to spells and charms for the cure of diseases and the driving away of evil spirits.
The occult does have power!
Many have played with the Ouija board and Tarot cards and think there can be no harm to these inanimate objects. The Ouija Board is often used to communicate with the dead and is projected as a medium of communication between this world and the next; thus, the reader can perhaps understand why these are abominations to the Lord. Stop for a moment and study an “off limits” list given by the Lord from the Bible in the table above.
God has set any attempt to use supernatural powers or knowledge not of Him off limits.
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God … Deuteronomy 29:29 In the New Testament Biblical times, Christians became so convicted of the sinful nature and spiritual consequences of involvement with the occult that not only did they “flee” this, but they burned what is estimated in today’s economy, to be more than several millions of dollars’ worth of books, etc. that had to do with the occult.
You are encouraged to read the entire Chapter of Acts 19 to better understand the context of what follows: Many of them also which used curious arts [divination, magic, amulets, charms, etc.] brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Acts 19:19
Some might find it difficult to burn occult books, prayer rugs, and other related paraphernalia thinking it would be foolish not to, instead, sell them, or to even give them away. What would you do if you had such things in your home that were very expensive, or were a gift for a special occasion, but they were an abomination to the LORD? If you became convicted that they were wrong, would you sell them or would you destroy them so that no one else would be influenced by them; or might you even think about giving them to Goodwill! How would the Word, written through the apostle James, apply here? Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:19-20
These “works” mentioned above are not works which can save us. Salvation is a free gift, but what is being taught is that if our beliefs, evidenced by our lifestyles, do not line up with the Word, then we have a dead faith. … faith, if it hath not works, is dead … … Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 2:17; 4:8
God loves us so much that He was willing to lower Himself to be manifest in the flesh of man (in the flesh of Jesus) and die a heinous death on the cross for you and me. … God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3:16 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son [Jesus Christ], and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23 For unto us a child is born … The mighty God … Isaiah 9:6
Please consider two questions:
- Are the above warnings for you and me today? … they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:21
- If you are practicing any occult-related activities, do you love the Lord enough to “do the works” necessary to flee such?
God considers occult practices fellowship with devils (with Satan).
We must choose this day whom we will serve. When we partner with the works of Satan, we are an enemy of righteousness (the LORD). Paul called the sorcerer, Elymas, a child of the devil: And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Acts 13:10 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15
| The occult surrounds our homes disguised as “cute,” “harmless,” and “child’s play” (including mass deception and programming through children’s animated cartoons and toys), in movies, TV programs, theme parks, recreational activities, smart phones, and iPads. These types of things … provoked the LORD to anger against the Israelites [1 Kings 15:30] and are enticing millions today to partner with Satan who is … more subtil than any beast of the field … Genesis 3:1. |
The occult surrounds our homes disguised as “cute,” “harmless,” and “child’s play” (including mass deception and programming through children’s animated cartoons and toys), in movies, TV programs, theme parks, recreational activities, smart phones, and iPads. These types of things … provoked the LORD to anger against the Israelites [1 Kings 15:30] and are enticing millions today to partner with Satan who is ... more subtil than any beast of the field … Genesis 3:1
… he [Manasseh, King of Judah] observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 2 Chronicles 33:6
What the Israelites practiced was no different than what millions today are doing under the guise of entertainment and relaxation. Do we anesthetize children to accept witches and ghosts which God says we should abhor and with “cute” little Casper the Ghost or the adorable fairy princesses, with TV and Internet programming which feature “colabouring” with occult practices—all under the guise (deception) of entertainment?
Children learn what they are taught.
Do we encourage children to use stick-on tattoos but tell them as adults that they shouldn’t have their skin tattooed?
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:28
Do we tell our precious little ones not to become involved with the occult, but give them toys based on occult imagery and enable them to be trained by corollary TV programs where these seemingly innocent toys take on pseudo life often pretending to cast spells and exhibit other supernatural powers? As adults, do we read our horoscope, but pass such activities off by telling others we don’t take it seriously? Do we become pulled into identifying our “sign” for people who ask because we think such is harmless and want to be sociable?
I beg of you. Read between the lines of the media who report the deaths of the precious children and adults who commit suicide or become involved in heinous crimes. Research the home environment. For example, consider the account of teenager Sean Sellers’ dismal search for love and attention from his family who turned to Dungeons & Dragons and martial arts (introduced to him by a babysitter!) which filled that void for a while. However, as he states in his autobiography, the allurement for more supernatural power led him into Ninjutsu, the worship of the dead, illicit sex, and even drinking human blood. While in his teens and under the influence of these practices, he killed a business owner and his mother and stepfather.
Hell and destruction are never full;
so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
Proverbs 27:20
All of this is NOT to say that everyone who reads a vampire book, or reads a horoscope, or takes karate lessons, or plays with a magical game will be overcome with the evil to which many have succumbed. However, many are seduced.
I’m only sounding the alarm that most people who fall prey to the occult generally began “dabbling” a little bit here, a little bit there, until one day, they are caught in Satan’s horrible web.
God so loved …
God shed His own blood (See Acts 20:28.) and warns us through His Word (the Bible) to help us to avoid potential MINEFIELDS in our lives: Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, BEWARE lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 2 Peter 3:17
Consider to whom the admonition in Second Peter 3:17 is addressed: beloved. Like Eve who was deceived and Adam who right out disobeyed, let us not think IF we play with a poisonous snake, we, too, could not be bitten!
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field
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?
Genesis 3:1
So he [God] drove out the man
[This included both Adam and Eve] …
Genesis 3:24
If you have questions, need prayer, would like to be added to our free email teaching distribution list, contact us. We are blessed when we hear from you: RestorationOfTheFamily@gmail.com or Restoration Of The Family, PO Box 621342, Oviedo, FL 32762; www.RestorationOfTheFamily.org
In Christ’s Service,
Judith Brumbaugh
Founder/President
Restoration of the Family, Inc.
