Month: January 2014

I took the photos above while Christmas shopping a few weeks ago. In the perfume section of a major department store, one you may have frequented, was this demoniacally inviting display: Goddess of Prosperity, Goddess of Power, and Goddess of Love. I’m sure that some clever marketing maven thought it was smart to add a touch of New Age panache. Each pendant features a different pagan goddess, with invitations to “Believe in Your Dreams,” “Be Fearless,” and “Trust Your Heart.” How pleasantly alluring. And how satanically deceptive. More than once I’ve cast demons out of someone wearing a necklace displaying a demonic god. I remember a certain exorcism with a woman who had a pendant of Diana. She bought it while on a Christian tour of the Churches of Revelation, and found it in a gift shop near the ruins of Ephesus, where the great temple of Diana once stood. Her demon? Jezebel, a.k.a. Dianna. I can only wonder how many women sniffing the sample smells, sprayed on their wrists by a helpful salesperson, were also attracted to the invitations above. The occult is everywhere, and we all need to be aware of the subtleties of Satan in our midst. If you see someone displaying a symbol of a pagan god, say something. Bear witness of Christ and warn those who might not have a clue what demonic doorways they are opening, through how they smell and what they wear.

An encouraging word:  WITNESS EVERYWHERE

I was simply picking up my dry cleaning a couple of days ago, but I couldn’t keep silent. The clerk had a pentacle, a satanic symbol around her neck. “What’s that?” I asked. “It represents earth, wind, fire, water,” she said. “Actually no,” I countered, “it represents witchcraft. Are you a witch?” She was startled by my bluntness. Flustered for a moment she said, “Yes, I’m a pagan.” “Well I’m a Christian, and I need to warn you that what you’re involved with is dangerous,” I said seriously. Most Christians would have said nothing so as not to offend. But sometimes we need to risk being offensive to warn people who might not otherwise be warned. We wise, be prudent, don’t be obnoxious, but don’t be afraid to witness for Jesus everywhere.

We pass by them all the time. Sometimes we laugh. (“Don’t Let Worry Kill You, Let the Church Help.”) Other times we’re reflective. (“Many who Seek God at the Eleventh Hour Die at 10:30.”) Church marquees, those sloganized signs out front to be seen by cars passing by, can be cute or calamitous. Evolutionist can be made to think (“If Man Came from Apes, Why Do We Still Have Apes?”) or nonchalant passers-by to be amused (“Dairy Queen is not the only place that has awesome Sundays.”) Some see it as ministry, others (probably non-believers) as irritating. But they’ve been around a long time and likely aren’t going away. The trick is to be catchy without being irritating; theological but not judgmental; informative, but not offensive. A pastor might believe in Hell but it’s not likely a good idea to put hellfire-and-brimstone at curbside.

I’m not saying it’s a good or bad thing, one way or another. Personally, I think it’s difficult to sloganize Christianity. Imagine Paul erecting a sign outside the Antioch church inviting, “Come Inside, We’re Called Christians Here.” Or “Zeus and Diana are not your Savior, Jesus is.” Still, the Bible is filled with pithy, quotable lines: “Broad is the way . . . ” “Take my yoke upon you.” “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Clever marquee signs or obnoxious signs, I wonder who will compose the words after the rapture. I wouldn’t want to be the one who sets the signage with the words, “Oops, missed it, they were right after all.”

An encouraging word: WE ALL DESERVE HELL

There is no polite way to put it. We all deserve Hell. Which of us has lived a perfect life? Who has not lied or cheated or cursed or committed grave moral sin? Only Jesus was perfect, the rest of us are described by the words of Romans 3:12, “All have turned away, they have together become worthless, there is not one who does good, not even one.” Ouch. That is spiritually painful, but true. But my encouraging word is Romans 6:23: “The gift of God is eternal life.” Be grateful for the gift, and receive it.