“Horoscopes & Psychics”
2003 Hot Topics Series
I Timothy 4:1-10, Deuteronomy 18:9-12
August 3, 2003
Purpose: Horoscopes, psychics and the like, may seem like harmless entertainment, but instead they are an invitation…and invitation for evil to enter your life because these “deceiving spirits” and “hypocritical liars” distract us from following Christ, and thereby distract us from “knowing the truth.”
I. Introduction – A discussion at Peacock Ridge…(a waitress asked me if Edwards was real or
not, and how I could tell. My answer to her was the three points under “How can we tell what is and isn’t?”)
- It’s become popular…1994 USA Today – CNN-Gallup Poll found that70 million
Americans believe in that’s its possible to talk to the dead.
- Our first ladies have practiced it…Nancy Reagan consulted astrologiers, Hillary Clinton
admitted to summoning the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt in her decision making.
- Millions upon millions pick up their newspapers each day to read their horoscopes.
- Others have spent hundreds on 900 numbers…
- Still others watch television and movies that glorify psychic ability, witchcraft, and other occult-like activities.
- People are asking, “What’s so wrong with it?”
II. What’s so wrong with “crossing over?”
- Psychics, horoscope writers, and all often prey upon the weakest people in their weakest moments.
- i.e. – those grieving the loss of a loved one, those who are searching to be loved, those who are struggling with their finances.
- “900” numbers make billions
ex. Do you remember Miss Cleo? – Her real name is Yoruee Cleomilli Harris –Currently four states, including New York are in the process of suing her for fraud and misrepresenting her product. Needless to say, we don’t see on TV much anymore.
- And if that weren’t enough, most of the time psychics are no where near telling the truth. ex. Miami - talking to a person who actually worked those 900 lines she said, “we tell them what they want to hear so they’ll call back or we can keep them on the line."
- according to a long-time skeptic and magician , James Randi, whose standing offer of $1 million to psychics who can independently verify their “magic” which has gone unclaimed for years, he says that even the current popular psychics like James Van Praagh and Jonathon Edward follow the same old pattern like the ones before them. (source: www.randi.org)
- The pattern is called a “cold reading.” They tell the subjects nothing, but make guesses based on probability, put out suggestions, and ask questions. This is a very deceptive art, and the unwary observer may come away believing that unknown information was developed by some wondrous means. When, in reality, it’s a con.
- For example, 48 hours did a special on a Van Praagh reading that lasted 60 min.In that time, he asked 260 questions and made only 2 actual statements.
The first one he got right was the name “Jack” however, it took it 26 guesses of other men’s names before he got there!
The second thing he got right was about Jack’s death, but again he needed the subject, Jack’s wife, to help him with the answer. Listen to the actual transcript:
Van Praagh: “Now, Jack has passed correct?” (she had told him this previously.)
Subject: yes
Van Praagh: “Did your husband linger in the hospital or die quickly?”
Subject: “Oh, he died almost immediately.”
Van Praagh: “Yes, that’s right, because he’s saying to me that “I didn’t suffer, I was spared any pain.”
If Van Praagh had already heard from Jack, why did he need his wife’s confirmation? If you can speak to the dead why do you need verification from the living?
- According to Randi, most psychics have an accuracy rate of 13-15%
Even Edwards, who is the most well-known of this con, at his best can only get three correct answers, from 23 questions, according to Randi as he studied a 45 minute interrogation on one of Edward’s tapes
- Most psychics will claim that their powers are God-given linking God to their hoax.
- They claim to have “God-given” talents or go so far as to claim that God alone
has the power and they are just vessels of it.
- They may even go so far as to claim that the prophets were psychic or that even
Jesus himself was which was why he was able to help so many.
- To debuke this, we need to turn to Scripture.
III. What does the Bible say?
In addition to I Timothy 4, which we read today, there many other passages to which I’ll lift up few…
Deuteronomy 18:9-12 – “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omen, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices, the Lord your God will drive out these nations before you.”
Leviticus 19:31 – “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
Mark 13:22-23 – “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if it were possible. So be on your guard! I have told you everything ahead of time.”
I John 4:1 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
IV. How can we tell what is and isn’t? (study the Word to avoid the absurd!)
1 – It must point to Christ and his message of salvation and reconciliation.
I John 4:2 – “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” The message must point to Christ’s message of love and reconciliation through Christ alone.
2 – It must be 100% accurate!
God is not imperfect! Deut. 18:21-22 says, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord? If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.” God doesn’t need to guess, ask questions, or misrepresent his abilities! He is not 13, 15, 25, 50, 75 or even 99%, he is 100%, 100% of the time. Truth is always on his side. Therefore, the message must be accurate.
3 – The message-giver’s motives must be clear. Remember Simon the Sorcerer in Acts? Acts 8:9 says, “Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was something great., and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention.”
But then Peter and John came to town and began to show him up, he offerred them money saying, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Spirit.”
Remember Peter’s response….vs. 20, “Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.”
V. Which leads us to the last question, is there actually a spiritual world?
We need to know that the spiritual world is just as real as our physical world. In our passage this morning, Paul told Timothy, “the Holy Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”(vs. 1)
Therefore, I cannot say emphatically enough, that the occult and all of his branches: astrology, fortune-telling, the paranormal, witchcraft and satanism, and so-called psychic ability, can be real, and we as Christians need to be on the look-out for them.
Today there are toys that we can buy for our children in our Kmarts, Walmarts, and Meijers which are occultic in nature. Ouija board, crystals, even those black 8-balls that will answer your questions (even two-out-three times until you get the answer you want), are all entry points for Satan to enter your life.
The Bible tells us that all he needs is our invitation. And I’m personally afraid that we as Christians don’t have our guard up enough.
Focus on the Family put out this statement which I think is a good one for us to hear…
“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 what they are doing is neither harmless or imaginary. In a culture with an obvious trend toward witchcraft, and New Age ideology, parents need to consider the effect that these ideas may have on young and impressionable minds.”
ex. Harry Potter (will talk more about next week)
Our Bibles tell us that evil will use evil to coerce the innocent.
And that our God, through his Son Jesus Christ, has given us given us the opportunity to fight evil with the all-knowing, all-encompassing, all-experiencing goodness of God’s truth.
In closing, hear these instructions from Paul to Timothy again, as if they were to you, because they were meant for each one of us….
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wive’s tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach [and live] these things.” (I Tim. 4:7-11)
Horoscopes and Psychics are not for the Christian who wants to draw closer to Christ. One hot topic down four more to go!
Will you join me in prayer?
Heavenly Father,
We stand in your truth and in your truth alone!
While we’re told by many that horoscopes, psychics and the like, are just harmless entertainment,
We now know that instead they are an invitation…an invitation for evil to enter our lives and enter the lives of our family and friends.
Lord, through your Spirit, you have called these “deceiving spirits” and “hypocritical liars.” Help us not be distracted from following you, and so we will not be distracted from “knowing your truth” and living the abundant life in you that you have planned for us.
Help us to stand up against the temptation.
Help us to stand up for our beliefs in our lives outside this building.
Help us to stand up for the only One that gives the assurance, the peace, and the insight that will
guide us from this life into everlasting life.
Help us to stand up for Christ, so that the world may know a better option, the best option of
all - turning their lives over to the one who creates, saves, and sustains.
Through his name we pray….Amen.
#514 – Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus
Benediction…
As we leave this place…
May God’s love be above us to protect us,
beneath us to sustain us,
before us to guide us,
behind us to motivate us, and
close beside us, and within us, to make us able for all things. Amen.
(Also could use Ephesians 6:14 as the benediction. Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus was based on this verse.)
Note: If for any reason you did not find this sermon helpful, please let me know by contacting me at gb@clergy.net. Your input will help me personally and my congregation as I learn professionally.
