Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Breaking News: YouTube censorship has struck Discover Ministries. The 31st of October is a HOLY DAY, the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation; but the devil has twisted it into Halloween. Pastor Steve Cioccolanti uses the anniversary to discuss attacks on freedom of speech. Watch the FULL hour message titled 500 YEARS SINCE MARTIN LUTHER'S INCOMPLETE REFORMATION: https://discover.org.au/bookshop/dvd-...
In this eclectic message, Pastor Steve Cioccolanti touches on Martin Luther, George Soros, Napoleon Hill, the King of Tonga, and Bill O'Reilly. Will we have revival or judgment? How do revivals die?
Join us on the new C-Pop podcast where Taylor and Jessilyn discuss, debate and sometimes deride pop culture with a strong sense of humor and a focus on Christ. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Darkness is used in Scripture as a metaphor for evil to represent all that is sinful and satanic.
In contrast, light is a biblical metaphor for good to represent truth and all that is of God.
The apostle Paul instructed, "Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth ... And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; instead, expose them" (Eph. 5:7-9, 11).
It's a tricky balance for Christians to be in the world without conforming to it.
Jesus prayed, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15).
If we imitate the world, we lose our distinction; if we isolate from the world, we lose our influence. Christians need to engage the culture if we expect to make an impact.
It's perfectly fine for a boat to be in the water, but if too much water gets in the boat, now that's a problem. This brings up the question, "How should Christians treat Halloween?"
The origin of Halloween incorporated a mixture of Christian and pagan practices.
According to World Book Encyclopedia, "Halloween developed from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago in the area that is now the U.K., Ireland, and Northern France. The festival was called 'Samhain' (pronounced SOW ehn), which means 'summer's end' and it marked the beginning of the dark winter season and was celebrated around Nov. 1. In the ninth century, the Catholic Church established a new holiday—All Saint's Day, also called All Hallows. 'Hallow' means 'saint' or 'one who is holy.' The evening before All Hallows was known as All Hallow's Eve, eventually shortened to Halloween.
"About 200 years later, the church added All Soul's Day on Nov. 2, a day set aside to pray for friends and family who died. People made many of the old pagan customs part of this Christian holy day. Some put out food for their deceased ancestors, or left lanterns burning in the windows so that ghosts could find their way home for the night. In England, people went house to house 'souling,' asking for small breads called soul cakes in exchange for prayers or songs (thus the origin of trick or treating)."
While I personally don't celebrate Halloween, I'm not a killjoy on a mission to rob people of fun. I do not equate dressing up in a cartoon or superhero costume and collecting candy with devil worship.
Many believers boycott Halloween because of its dark elements. The downside is Christian kids feel like they are missing out. Thankfully, many churches offer alternatives such as trunk-or-treat or fall festivals that provide wholesome fun and safe candy zones to keep kids off the streets.
Some of what happens on Halloween is harmless fun, but anyone with any spiritual discernment cannot deny that there is a sinister side.
"Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22). Sin, like art, starts by drawing a line somewhere! It's an odd contradiction for Christians to dress their kids up as creepy characters they try to teach them not emulate.
At this time of year there is a tsunami of horror movies flooding the airwaves featuring vampires, witches, zombies, monsters, cannibals and savage serial killers. Hollywood and viewers, it seems, have an obscene obsession with and an insatiable appetite for gory violence.
You can't avoid being bombarded by the commercials even if you just watch news or sports. These shows glamorize evil and open the door to demonic influences. Some say it's all just fantasy or harmless entertainment, but, if what people watch doesn't affect behavior, then why do companies spend billions of dollars to advertise to them?
In Greek Mythology, Zeus gave Pandora a box and a key as a wedding gift with a note "Do Not Open." Curiosity overcame her and she lifted the lid releasing all the forces of evil into the world.
The point is there are some doors you really don't want to open.
"Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]" (Eph. 4:27, AMP).
Don't open the door to sin's destructive influence. Slam the door shut in Satan's face!
Halloween is a showcase for witchcraft which the Bible clearly condemns (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:31, 20:6, 27; Deut. 18:10-14; Gal. 5:19-21), calling it an "abomination"—morally disgusting, detestable, despicable and abhorrent.
Contrary to popular belief, books and movies, there is no such thing as a "good witch." That is an oxymoron. How can someone controlled by evil forces be good?
Paul asked the Corinthians, "For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14, MEV).
There are only two sources of supernatural power—God and Satan. If something is not of God, where does it originate?
If you are involved in any of these practices, I urge you to repent of it, renounce it and ask God to remove it from your life. Don't gamble with your soul. Satan uses these and other ploys to deceive the masses.
What we need to know about our future is either found in Scripture or can be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13).
Like bugs drawn to a light to their own demise, man has an inexplicable, magnetic attraction toward evil.
Robert Rudolph said it well:"Open minds like open windows need screens to keep the bugs out."
The air may seem clean in a house, but the air filter catches many unseen pollutants. There are many false beliefs and deceptions floating around, but the Bible is our filter. Its radiant light helps us discern and dispel the darkness.
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Friends, it's not worth the eternal risk of dabbling with the dark side.
Ben Godwin is the author of four books and he pastors the Goodsprings Full Gospel Church. His weekly telecast, The Word Workshop, airs on TV-16 and Charter Cable No. 10 on Mondays at 9 p.m. and Tuesdays at noon and live streams on TV16HD.com. His website is bengodwin.org.
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I hold back the tears as I type out the words, pull horrific quotes and sort through photos to use with my articles to protect the innocent but draw attention to the violence.
But readers don't care. Sometimes, even my co-workers don't care. I've spent nearly a year working at what I consider my dream job, writing stories that I think matter, hoping to raise awareness about the tragedy of what's happening to my brothers and sisters, only to realize people would rather talk about Paula White's Halloween costume.
How do I know? My post about her Instagram photo garnered a whopping 28,000 shares and calls and comments from co-workers about my gifts.
A week earlier, my story about "Christians" maliciously abusing child "witches" netted 546 shares. I'm not a math person, but my calculator tells me White dressed as Little Red Riding Hood was over 5,000 percent more successful for site traffic.
This is horrifying.
We would rather gossip about a controversial evangelist than put our money where our faith should be and try to stop the evils of this world. More recently, our breaking news story about the heart-aching violence against Paris received just over 700 shares, which means White got 4,000 percent more shares.
My soul aches for the men and women involved, and yet some outrage creeps in. Outrage because believers care about Western attacks, but not the violence facing our brothers and sisters who endure persecution every day. Internationally, refugees are fleeing the very men who attacked Paris, but some are blaming the refugees for ushering in the violence.
Just imagine how our world could change if we would breach our comfort zone and stand up to evil.
Though I'm throwing accusations, I am just as guilty of wanting to clear my mind of what burdens my heart and watch a fluffy Hallmark movie to avoid reality. I share funny Facebook memes before I share stories about Coptic Christians forgiving the men who slaughtered their husbands, fathers and brothers.
As believers, we are called to be set apart (Deut. 14:2, Heb. 10:10-12), but we buy into what culture propagates as entertainment because it seems easier than letting our hearts do the talking.
How often do we as Christians let the Holy Spirit guide our social media habits? How many people spent even 30 seconds praying before firing off some comment about Starbucks red cups (I'll raise my hand, as I opened my mouth before I considered what God would want from me).
While your feed may have been filled with complaints about the complaints about Starbucks, comedian Bill Dixon tweeted, "If you're mad about Starbucks coffee cups, wait until you hear about sex trafficking!"
I'm pretty sure he isn't a believer, but his comment highlights an unfortunate truth in the Christian community: We get up in arms about situations that don't actually impact the Kingdom.
We complain about persecution but we largely ignore the devastation happening across the world. If we did, Real Housewives of Orange County's Vicki Gunderson's boyfriend's cancer scandal wouldn't be the one of the top stories of today.
Thanksgiving's coming up. So I have a challenge for us: Take the next week and share a post about something that's happening in the Christian community outside the United States and think of reasons why they might be grateful. Share it on your platforms and use your social media standing to make a difference.
Help us rebrand Christianity to be something Jesus would be proud of—as in something that would look like the Acts 2 church and not a quick hit for Internet traffic.
Jessilyn Justiceis the assistant news editor for Charisma. Born and raised in a pastor's family in Alabama, she went to Lee University and the Washington Journalism Center. She's passionate about the church, jogging, news and cupcakes not necessarily in that order. Tell her what you think of this story on Twitter@jessilynjustice.
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USA TODAY NETWORKMary Bowerman, USA TODAY Network October 28, 2015
A massive asteroid will hurtle by Earth on Oct. 31, at "unusually" high speeds, according to scientists.However, it will not come anywhere close to endangering Earth. USA TODAY
A massive asteroid will hurtle by Earth on Oct. 31, at "unusually" high speeds,
The asteroid is traveling at speed of more than 78,000 miles per hour and estimates of its size range from 689 to 2,133 feet, Earth Sky reported.
The asteroid will pass by a little over 300,000 miles from Earth, according to NASA's report. Which means it won't come anywhere close to crashing into the neighbor's Halloween party.
The asteroid's Halloween flyby will be visible by telescope, and may be at its peak "before sunrise on October 31 for observers in North America," according to the report. Though it may be hard to spot by a "small telescope."
"There is no scientific basis, not one shred of evidence, that an asteroid or any other celestial object will impact Earth on those dates," Chodas said in August. "In fact, not a single one of the known objects has any credible chance of hitting our planet over the next century.
The Church of Lucifer prepares to open its doors. (YouTube)
Intercessors Go to War as Church of Lucifer Readies to Open on Halloween
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Concerned families from the city of Spring, Texas, are saying: "Proud Lucifer next to the Christmas Crib—NO thanks!"
The cause of their alarm is the Greater Church of Lucifer opening in their town on Friday, Oct. 30.
This public devil worship in the heart of quaint Old Town Spring is sparking healthy reaction. Prayer vigils and peaceful protests are in the works by locals and by the national Catholic group TFP-America Needs Fatima on several days from now until Halloween.
TFP-America Needs Fatima is also launching an online petition against the opening of the "church" of Lucifer and in support of locals who abhor the growth of Satanism in their town.
"I'm inviting my friends from Houston, Dallas and Tyler to join with locals in a peaceful and prayerful opposition to this satanic denial that we are—and have always been—a country defined as 'One Nation Under God,'" said Thomas Drake, TFP Louisiana president.
"I cannot imagine parents bringing their children for Christmas shopping in Old Town Spring," Drake continued. "It would be an awful shock for children to see a 'church' to Lucifer amid their joys over Christ coming to the world."
More and more families are lining up with the angels against Satan.
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With Halloween just days away, children—and some parents, too—are eagerly anticipating donning costumes and asking for a 'treat' from neighbors as the price for not having a 'trick' played on them. Meanwhile, decorations designed to terrify—from skulls and witches to life-sized graveyards and giant insects—have turned homes across America into virtual haunted houses.
It's all just harmless fun. Or, is it?
Religion and culture expertDr. Alex McFarland says that while many see Halloween as a chance to dress up and get goodies, there is real danger involved.
"Many of the common activities and themes associated with Halloween provide opportunities for harmless fun and togetherness," McFarland said. "At this time of year, churches often capitalize on the spiritual openness of people, on children's capacity for imagination and on the enthusiasm that Halloween generates. But parents need to know that beneath the costumes and make believe are spiritual realities that should be taken seriously."
As an example, McFarland points to the prevalence of witchcraft and the occult during the Halloween season. Indeed Wicca, which is the prominent religion of witchcraft, views Halloween, or 'Samhain,' as a high holy day, and a day for communicating with the dead.
"Halloween in America has become a celebration of darkness and of the supernatural as it relates to darkness," McFarland continued. "This is compounded by the fact that people long for spiritual experiences, spiritual fulfillment and a place to 'fit in'—all of which are promised by witchcraft and other occult activities. While it used to be that witchcraft was widely viewed as evil, today there is growing mainstream acceptance of it. Much of our media and culture in recent years has centered on themes of witchcraft, vampirism, communication with the dead and paranormal phenomenon in general—for example, the 'Twilight' books and films; Katy Perry's 'Dark Horse' performance at the Grammys, which had the feel of a satanic ritual; Nicki Minaj's 'Roman Holiday' performance; and more. Halloween annually fans this cultural trend."
McFarland adds that because the supernatural is real and not simply a figment of the imagination, playing with the supernatural should not be taken lightly.
"One must use caution and exercise discernment when seeking spiritual reality, meaning and truth," he said. "The Bible clearly speaks out against occult practices and all forms of witchcraft. Today, many dismiss the Bible as outdated or marginally relevant at best, but it contains clear and emphatic prohibitions against occult involvement, in both the Old and New Testaments. This is not because God wants to take away our fun but because He loves us and wants us to be protected from evil spiritual entities whose desires are to deceive and destroy. Could it actually be that there is tangible danger in opening oneself up to certain types of spiritual experiences by participating in a supposedly innocuous celebration of a day devoted to death, darkness and witchcraft? According to the Bible, yes."
Editor's Note: We realize this article by Kimberly Daniels is controversial. It reflects her own personal views—based on her many years of ministering to people involved in the occult. We have chosen to post another column by Ken Eastburn that offers a different view of Halloween. We welcome our readers to post comments on that article as well.
Halloween—Oct. 31—is considered a holiday in the United States. In fact, it rivals Christmas with regard to how widely celebrated it is. Stores that sell only Halloween-related paraphernalia open up a few months before the day and close shortly after it ends. But is Halloween a holiday Christians should observe?
The word holiday means "holy day." But there is nothing holy about Halloween. The root word ofHalloween is hallow, which means "holy, consecrated and set apart for service." If this holiday is hallowed, whose service is it set apart for? The answer to that question is very easy—Lucifer's!
Lucifer is a part of the demonic godhead. Remember, everything God has, the devil has a counterfeit. Halloween is a counterfeit holy day that is dedicated to celebrating the demonic trinity of the Luciferian spirit (the false Father), the Antichrist spirit (the false Holy Spirit) and the spirit of Belial (the false Son).
The key word in discussing Halloween is dedicated. It is dedicated to darkness and is an accursed season. During Halloween, time-released curses are always loosed. A time-released curse is a period that has been set aside to release demonic activity and to ensnare souls in great measure.
You may ask, "Doesn't God have more power than the devil?" Yes, but He has given that power to us. If we do not walk in it, we will become the devil's prey. Witchcraft works through dirty hearts and wrong spirits.
During this period, demons are assigned against those who participate in the rituals and festivities. These demons are automatically drawn to the fetishes that open doors for them to come into the lives of human beings. For example, most of the candy sold during this season has been dedicated and prayed over by witches.
I do not buy candy during the Halloween season. Curses are sent through the tricks and treats of the innocent, whether they get it by going door to door or by purchasing it from the local grocery store. The demons cannot tell the difference.
Even the colors of Halloween (orange, brown and dark red) are dedicated. These colors are connected to the fall equinox, which is around the 20th or 21st of September each year and is sometimes called "Mabon." During this season, witches are celebrating the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. They give praise to the gods for the demonic harvest. They pray to the gods of the elements (air, fire, water and earth).
Mother Earth is highly celebrated during the fall demonic harvest. Witches praise Mother Earth by bringing her fruits, nuts and herbs. Demons are loosed during these acts of worship. When nice church folk lay out their pumpkins on the church lawn, fill their baskets with nuts and herbs, and fire up their bonfires, the demons get busy. They have no respect for the church grounds. They respect only the sacrifice and do not care if it comes from believers or nonbelievers.
Gathering around bonfires is a common practice in pagan worship. As I remember, the bonfires I attended during homecoming week when I was in high school were always in the fall. I am amazed at how we ignorantly participate in pagan, occult rituals.
The gods of harvest the witches worship during their fall festivals are the Corn King and the Harvest Lord. The devil is too stupid to understand that Jesus is the Lord of the harvest 365 days a year. But we cannot be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. When we pray, we bind the powers of the strong men that people involved in the occult worship.
Halloween is much more than a holiday filled with fun and tricks or treats. It is a time for the gathering of evil that masquerades behind the fictitious characters of Dracula, werewolves, mummies and witches on brooms. The truth is that these demons that have been presented as scary cartoons actually exist. I have prayed for witches who are addicted to drinking blood and howling at the moon.
While the lukewarm and ignorant think of these customs as just harmless fun, the vortexes of hell release new assignments against souls. Witches take pride in laughing at the ignorance of natural men (those who ignore the spirit realm).
Decorating buildings with Halloween scenes, dressing up for parties, going door to door for candy, standing around bonfires and highlighting pumpkin patches are all acts rooted in entertaining familiar spirits. All these activities are demonic and have occult roots.
The word occult means "secret." The danger of Halloween is not in the scary things we see but in the secret, wicked, cruel activities that go on behind the scenes. These activities include:
Sex with demons
Orgies between animals and humans
Animal and human sacrifices
Sacrificing babies to shed innocent blood
Rape and molestation of adults, children and babies
Revel nights
Conjuring of demons and casting of spells
Release of time-released curses against the innocent and the ignorant
Another abomination that goes on behind the scenes of Halloween is necromancy, or communication with the dead. Séances and contact with spirit guides are very popular on Halloween, so there is a lot of darkness lurking in the air.
However, Ephesians 1:19-21 speaks of the authority of the believer and the exceeding greatness of God's power in us (the same power that raised Christ from the dead). The passage goes on to say Jesus is seated in heavenly places far above all principalities, power, might, dominions and every name that is named. The good news is that because we are seated in heavenly places with Jesus, the same demonic activity that is under His feet is under our feet too!
People who worship the devil continue to attempt to lift him up. But he has already been cast out and down! Many are blinded to this fact, but the day will come when all will know he has been defeated once and for all.
When we accept Jesus but refuse to renounce Satan and his practices, we are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm—and the Word says God will spit us out of His mouth. The problem with lukewarm is that it attempts to mix the things of the devil with the things of God. It is God's desire that we serve Him alone.
Second Corinthians 6:15 asks the question, "And what agreement has Christ with Belial?" As believers, we need to answer that question in our hearts. We must avoid the very appearance of evil. I would not want a demon spirit to mistake me for an occult worshipper.
There is no doubt in my heart that God is not calling us to replace fall festivals and Halloween activities; rather, He wants us to utterly destroy the deeds of this season. If you or your family members have opened the door to any curses that are released during the demonic fall festivals, renounce them and repent. I already have. Then declare with me: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
Kimberly Daniels is a sought-after conference speaker and preacher. She is the founder of Kimberly Daniels Ministries International (kimberlydaniels.com), Spoken Word Ministries—the church she pastors in Jacksonville, Fla., with her husband, Ardell—A Child of the King Learning Center and Word Bible College. Kim is a recognized prophetic voice as well as the author of several books, including Prayers That Bring Change.
