This page must remain open to continue listening. To browse the internet while you listen, open a new browser window by clicking on "File", then "New", then "Window".

Click here after starting sermon to bring up slides and visual aides which go along with the message.

“Crossing Over” The Line

[I See Dumb People!]

America is obsessed with death, zombies, and the paranormal.  There's not time to talk about this subject completely, and there’s no cause to do more than an overview.  You need to be aware, but we need to spend most of our time talking about Jesus, not Dumb People!

John 3:19

    And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

·       1997-2001 occult book sales doubled [Harry Potter/Goosebumps for younger kids!] And these numbers continue to increase.

·       This year's "Heaven is for Real".  You can be sincerely wrong!

·       Colleges/Universities offer credited courses on the occult and thousands of college campuses are known to be set up with computerized horoscopes, 24 hours a day, so students can seek the guidance they are demanding!

·       Psychic hotlines, admittedly small-time and laughed at back in the days of Dionne War-witch are now a multi-billion dollar a year business employing tens of thousands and touching tens of millions!  Television psychic hotlines and shows featuring psychics like John Edward have become more popular.

·       Americans today spend hundreds of millions per year on Astrology.

·       Today there are over 10k practicing witches registered in America.

·       NYC yellow pages:  look up witches and it takes up 2 full columns!

·       America buys 2 million Ouija boards each year.

·       Thousands of public schools with prayer outlawed now have courses which teach witchcraft and many make Harry Potter required reading!

·       Video game industry today is held up primarily by games of wickedness, violence, and the occult [D & D].

·       The Gothic Movement is big now and claims to be nothing but an outward expression, simply a style of dress, not reflective of the person underneath…but God’s Word shows what’s deeper:

1 Samuel 15:23

    For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. [there is a connection!]

A USA Today-CNN-Gallup poll found that 70 million Americans believe, as Haley Joel Osment’s character did in “The Sixth Sense,” that it is possible to talk to the dead.  “I see dumb people!”

Twenty-eight percent of Americans believe that people can hear from or communicate mentally with the dead, a Gallup poll reports. Another 26% aren’t sure, but won’t rule it out. Half of all Americans believe in extrasensory perception. And notable individuals, from Hillary Clinton to Nancy Reagan to Adolf Hitler are known to have consulted with psychics.

[evidently many believe that Sonya, “the pet psychic”, can communicate with animals!]

Let’s talk about Psychics first:  not many REAL ones out in the open, and REAL ones use the power of Satan and are more accurate than most popular ones!
Longtime skeptic and magician James Randi, 86: his standing offer of $1 million to psychics who can independently verify their craft has gone unclaimed for decades.

"Everyone wants to be reassured about loved ones who have passed."

        And that’s why so many are duped!

Most psychics claim to be congruent with the Bible
1. State that Jesus was the greatest medium of all
Claim Jesus was clairvoyant, telepathic, and a materializing medium - Matthew 21:2
2. Claim that Abraham, Moses, Saul, Samuel, Isaiah, Daniel, and Paul were all psychics.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT CROSSING OVER
Deut. 18:10-12

    There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Leviticus 19:31 "Regard not them that have familiar spirits (’ôb - spirit of the dead), neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God."

I Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

Mark 13:22 "For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect."

I John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

How does one Cross-Over? [the line with God!]

A. Fraud
1. Cold Reading
2. The currently-popular "psychics" like Sylvia Browne, James Van Praagh, and John Edward, employ a technique known as "cold reading." They tell the subjects nothing, but make guesses, put out suggestions, and ask leading questions. This is a very deceptive art, and the unwary observer may come away believing that unknown data was developed by some wondrous means. Not so.

Examples: "I get an older man here" is a question, a suggestion, and a guess by the "reader," who expects some reaction from the subject, and usually gets it. That reaction may just be a nod, the actual name of a person, or an identification (brother, husband, grandfather), but it is supplied BY THE SUBJECT, not by the reader. "They’re saying, ’Bob,’ or ’Robert.’ Do you recognize this person?" is another question, suggestion, and guess. If there’s a Bob or Robert, the subject will amplify the identification. But if there’s no Bob or Robert immediately recognized, the reader passes right on, after commenting that Bob is there all right, but not recognized right now. If any Bob is remembered later, that is incorporated into the spiel. In one such by the mediumVan Praagh, prepared by the "48 Hours" TV program, a reading that lasted 60 minutes, there were only TWO actual statements made, and 260 questions asked. Both actual statements--guesses--were wrong. Van Praagh was looking for the name of the woman’s deceased husband, and he came up with it by asking, "Do you know anyone named, Jack?" The woman answered, "Yes! Jack, my husband!" But Van Praagh didn’t identify "Jack" at all. He asked her if SHE would identify him. By that time, Van Praagh had already tried on her 26 other men’s names--all wrong. But, the woman--the subject--forgot about those failures, because they were not important to her. "Jack" was important.

The readers have a way of leading the subject to believe that they knew something they didn’t. Example: Reader: "Did your husband linger on in the hospital, or did he pass quickly?" Subject: "Oh, he died almost immediately!" Reader: "Yes, because he’s saying to me, `I didn’t suffer. I was spared any pain.’" It’s strange that the reader had to ask that question...

And remember these readers often go out and interview the audience members when they’re in line waiting to get into the studio or auditorium. That technique was employed by the very successful reader Doris Stokes. She would feed back any data she got as if she were receiving it just then. "Are you the lady who has a passed-on sister, dearie?" would of course receive assent from the victim, and “ahhhs” from the audience.

Also, a person who approaches the reader before the TV show or auditorium meeting and says she has a question about her deceased grandmother, can then later be selected out of the audience when they’re on-camera or during the live encounter, and can then be asked, "Is your question about your grandmother?" and that appears--to everyone else--like a bang-on "hit."
Or, and this is very subtle indeed, people in the studio or auditorium audience--usually seated up front for best visibility--are sometimes those who have already been to the "psychic" for a private reading, and have then been asked to show up later to occupy reserved seats at the public in-person gathering "to develop more information" using the "collective power of the assembled audience." The reader then repeats previously gleaned data, and that appears miraculous both to the audience in the studio and at home, watching, or elsewhere in the auditorium audience.

3. ’Miss Cleo’’ - real name, Youree Cleomili Harris - is an actress who claims to be a psychic. She is employed by Access Resource Service, a Florida-based telemarketing company owned by multimillionaire Steven Feder. The company has conflicted with several telemarketing laws. Thus far, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and New York have taken actions against the company.

Another kind of psychic…not frauds:
B. Apparent Bona-Fide
1. II Corinthians 11:14-15 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
2. Acts 16:16-18 "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour."

What is the acid test for Crossing Over?

God’s prophets were not using psychic ability, but were given the information directly by the Holy Spirit or in God-given visions. The prophets did not use techniques or seek out ways to develop supernormal powers. Most importantly, Biblical prophecy glorified God and proclaimed His words and messages. Psychic power is Satan’s counterfeit of God-given prophetic ability and does not lead those involved towards Christ, but rather further away, often denying Christian doctrine.

B. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? [22] When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

C. If the prophecy is not 100% accurate, the prophet is not from God, and in OT was to be stoned!

D. In tapes of Crossing Over with John Edward scrutinized by Randi, he says Edward had an accuracy of 13%. In one 45-second interrogation of a TV guest, Randi counted 23 questions by Edward with three correct answers.
E. A really good psychic on their best day might be about 85% accurate. No psychic claims 100% accuracy 100% of the time.

V. Can one truly Cross Over?
A. The Scripture teaches there is no contact between the living and the dead.
1. Job 7:10 "He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."
2. Ecclesiastes 9:6 "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
3. Isaiah 63:16 "Doubtless, thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting."
4. Luke 16:27-31 "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: [28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. [29] Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets…

Let’s look at astrology.

Many in the church read their horoscope everyday as soon as they get up in the morning. Almost every newspaper in this nation publishes horoscopes in their paper. Many people use their horoscope to invest their money or make decisions in their businesses. We have even had presidents of the United States that have consulted astrologers before making important decisions regarding our nation.

Many have told me that they read their horoscopes just for entertainment. Their lives would be much better if they read the Bible instead. The Bible tells us that astrologers will burn in hell. That is enough for me to stay away from horoscopes. Let’s read Isaiah 47: 13-14.

Isaiah 47:13-14

    Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. [14] Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Even though most people do not believe it, Satan does have power. Remember the things that God allowed him to do to Job and his family? Remember when Moses went to the Pharaoh and did the miracles commanded by God? Aaron threw down his staff and it turned into a snake, the magicians was also able to turn their staffs into snakes. When Moses turned the waters of the Nile to blood, the Egyptian magicians were also able to perform the same feat. The magicians duplicated the plague of frogs also. So Satan has limited power.

In a survey conducted by Barna Research Group we find the following facts:

58% of adults say that the devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is a symbol of evil. (2001)
45% of born again Christians deny Satan’s existence. (2001)
51% of Southern Baptist church attenders say the devil is non-existent. (2001)
68% of Catholics say the devil is non-existent. (2001)
60% of Protestant mainline church attenders say the devil is non-existent. (2001)

Is this why Satan can influence people so easily?  “If you don’t believe in something then it can’t hurt you.”  This is the biggest lie Satan has gotten Christians to believe. Only 31% of people believe that there is an actual physical hell. Why is it that we believe in the good things that the Bible tells us about, but we deny the existence of a hell and a devil that the Bibles tells us about?

Next look at the paranormal.

Paranormal is anything that is contrary to normal ways of life. Duke University in North Carolina is the foremost university in the nation and world on the research and study of the paranormal. They investigate and test for ESP. Extra sensory perception is the ability to predict an outcome before it happens. The most common test that they do is with cards. With a deck of 52 playing cards, they test people to see if they can predict the next card that will be turned over. If they successfully predict a percentage that is above the average chance level, then it said that that person has ESP. Another test is to try to see a picture that another person is looking at. Police departments across the nation use clairvoyants to visualize where a missing person may be. A clairvoyant is a person that can visualize a past event that they were not present at or visualize or see through the eyes of a person that is not in the location as the clairvoyant.

These are not gifts of God. If they are not of God, then they must be from Satan. Out of the body experiences are also part of the paranormal. People have claimed that during surgeries that they have left their bodies and were able to watch the doctors operating on their physical bodies below. Others during self-hypnosis have claimed of having out of the body experiences. This is where they hypnotize themselves and leave their physical bodies and travel through space to another location. Duke University has documented such cases. If it’s real it is from Satan. Flee from such evil.

Today there are toys that you can buy for your children at Wal-mart, which are occultist in nature. Be very careful about what you buy your children and what you let them watch on TV and at the movies.

Next I want to talk about witchcraft and Satanism.

Each is a religion that is recognized by our government and given special rights that all other religions are given. Many people believe that witchcraft and Satanism are one in the same, but they are not. A witch refutes the teachings of Satanism, and a Satanist refutes the powers of a witch.

Let’s talk first about Satanism. This is a religious cult, which openly admits that they worship Satan. The best known promoter of Satanism is Anton La Vey, who founded the First Church of Satan in San Francisco, and rose to fame as the author of The Satanic Bible. For La Vey (born in 1930) and his followers, Satan symbolizes a force that can be tapped to achieve power and success.

Satanism is a direct perversion of Christianity. Satan is substituted for God, and his servants often imitate and mock Christian practices and institutions. Satanists often organize themselves into a group of 13 worshipers representing Christ and His 12 Apostles. Most covens consist of both men and women and are headed by high priests and priestesses.

In their meetings, almost always a naked girl, representing the sacrifice, lies on the altar during this portion of the sabbat. She is not killed, but a ceremonial animal sacrifice is offered to the devil. In some areas an infant is used for the sacrifice. During the ritual, symbolisms are used from the Catholic Church. A chalice is filled with blood instead of wine and the wafer (usually black in color) is stabbed instead of eaten. [counterfeit!]

You don’t hear much about Satanist because they tend to keep their ceremonies secret and never talk to anyone about being a Satanist.  But in NM we’d see the signs of animal sacrifices!

Satan’s only purpose is to deceive and to kill. He knows he has been defeated, but he plans to take as many as possible with him. Today Satan and his demons are busier than ever. He’ll try to get you to make deals with him, and he promises blessings, but he never delivers anything worthwhile…he hates you and will chew you up and spit you out after he makes the deal!

 
Next we will talk about witchcraft.

Even Christians are being fooled concerning it. Witchcraft is basically the casting of spells and the healing by spells. Witches are known as practicing either white magic or black magic. Both are evil and come from Satan. Witches are different from Satanists in that they usually openly admit that they are witches. Females call themselves witches, while males call themselves wizards or warlocks.

Black magic is to cause harm…White magic is the casting of spells to help a person’s love life, increase their finances, or to get something that a person wants. It is also used to cure people of their illnesses.

Witches use several methods in healing. One is that they will take a raw egg still in the shell and wave it over every part of your body and at the same time asking Jesus to heal you. After they are done, the witch will crack open the egg. If the egg is rotten and stinks, then you have been healed, if not you will need another treatment. Of course these treatments sometimes cost money. But what really scares me about this process is using Jesus’ name in this evil ritual.

Unlike Satanism, we can see the evidence of witchcraft everywhere today. You see it on TV, in books and on the shelves in toy stores. The US military even allows witches to hold their covenants on military bases. Witch covenants can receive the same tax-exempt status as any other religious organization. The trend today is to recruit our children.

Lindy Beam from Focus on the Family wrote the following:
"Any time the dark side of the supernatural world is presented as harmless or even imaginary, there is the danger that children will become curious and find too late that witchcraft is neither harmless nor imaginary. In a culture with an obvious trend toward witchcraft and New Age ideology, parents need to consider the effects that these ideas may have on young and impressionable minds."

J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter Books, admitted that she had studied mythology and witchcraft in order to write her books more accurately.

In short, Harry is a “seer” who uses divination to foretell the future.  He and his friends lie, cheat, steal, seek revenge, disobey their parents, break school rules, and all with no consequences…and then, since rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, they start working their spells…granted, it’s entry level, but it’s starting out many kids on that road!  The books contain profanity, and many murders as well!

If you have items you think could be associated with this filth, you ought to bring it to us for burning!

For those who think the burning of the Harry Potter Books and other occultic items are wrong let’s look at what happened in Acts chapter 19.

Acts 19:13-20

    Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. [14] And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. [15] And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? [16] And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. [18] And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. [19] Many of them also which used curious arts 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. [20] So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

If it wasn’t wrong during the early church age to burn witchcraft books, why is it wrong now? According to this scripture, the burning of the books even caused the word of the Lord to spread widely. Maybe we need more book burnings.

Let’s all be aware, be informed, and if involved in any of this, BEWARE!  God’s truth has been made known and if you’re wise at all you’ll stay away and not play with fire.  God has your best interests in mind…if He takes something away from you it’s only because He knows it’s for the best!