Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Crystal (04/24/25)
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TITLE: Messages From A Crystal Ball | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
05/01/25 -
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That is, that they can be the means of diverting the focus of our attention, trust, and devotion away from God and on to other things.
Keep in mind, that to the extent that God permits, evil powers do exist and can be used to produce “miraculous” activity, providing a degree of “credibility” to those the devil wants to upset or deceive.
Scripture (1) documents such things taking place in the ancient court of Pharaoh in Egypt.
Jesus was falsely accused of performing His miracles by using evil powers (2). This was obviously not true, but such activity was known to be taking place by others during that period of time, opening the door of opportunity for the Pharisees to offer this as their explanation.
In the End Times, “. . . false christs and false prophets will arise and provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect (Matt. 24: 24 NASB2020).”
I remember my mother telling me that as a young girl, a fortune teller at an amusement park told her she would marry and have three sons, but also that she would die relatively young.
As life went on, she did in fact marry, and did have three sons.
During our conversation, she told me that she wondered how many Christmases she had left to experience.
Not too long afterwards, she went home to be with the Lord at the age of 48, after a brief, unexpected, illness.
Where, if from anywhere, did this detailed foreknowledge, concerning her offspring and departure come from, I can’t say.
But I will say that there are some activities that would be best left alone if we are to avoid providing the devil with an opportunity (3) to impress our thought processes.
Throughout the course of human history, there have been what we would now call con artists that make a considerable income, claiming to be able to provide followers and clients with information concerning future events, so that they (the clients) can take actions to promote prosperity and or to avoid disaster.
There are many who claim to be followers of Christ that do not read their Bibles on a regular basis, but would not let a day go by without reading their horoscope or connecting with their alternative choice of source of divination (fortune-telling).
Keep in mind that as long as someone believes in something, for whatever reason, be it right or wrong, for him or her, it is both real and true.
The Old Testament standard for determining the legitimacy of someone’s alleged ability to foretell future events was the outcome of his or her predictions.
Old Testament prophets were held in high esteem, but just one prediction that failed to materialize, coming from someone who claimed to be speaking for God, would not only disqualify him as a future prophet, but could result in capital punishment.
For an advancing disciple of the Church Age, seeking spiritual guidance or intervention from ANY individual or source outside of the Triune Godhead, is an act of spiritual adultery; exposing unfaithfulness and lack of confidence in one’s relationship with God.
The prayer life of a self-centered, immature believer is dominated by what he or she wants to have, or to have happen.
An advancing disciple will not want anything that God does not want him or her to have or to experience.
Faith in God is easy when things are going our way. The testing of our metal comes into view when His unexplained answers to our prayer requests are “No.”.
This is especially challenging in light of the prosperity of the wicked (4).
Satan will use many different means of communication to present his counter-offers to the plan that God has in mind for each one of us.
Often times He sweetens the deal by offering some of the same benefits NOW, without having to wait or to make the sacrifices called for in the plan of God (5).
Of course, the devil “neglects” to mention the ultimate consequences that can be the result of listening to the messages coming from the crystal ball, or any other means of divination that he chooses to use.
(1) Exod. 7: 11 (2) Matt. 12: 24 (3) Eph. 4: 27 (4) Psalms 73 (5) Luke 4: 6
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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