Jumping On the Bandwagon

Well I wasn't going to say anything at all this time when a new Harry Potter movie came out....but you know me.... it's hard to keep my mouth shut when I know people who should know better are buying into something they should be running away from. So here goes:

No, I have never watched a Harry Potter movie or even read one of the books. I have only read reviews and watched movie trailers, so I admittedly am not a scholar on the subject, but I also don't have to drink alcohol or do drugs to realize that they are not good for me. It seems that it is easy to know nowadays what is good or bad for our physical bodies. There are ads everywhere promoting having a healthy lifestyle of eating the right foods and being active. So we know how to take care of our bodies. 

But there isn't much out there to help us with taking care of our spiritual life. Yes, we have the Bible but many rely on others to read it for them or to teach it to them and rarely consult its pages for themselves so they can be easily mislead. In many cases our churches are afraid to take a stand against what they know doesn't line up with the Word of God because they are afraid to offend and thereby lose numbers from their pews. So instead they seek ways to 'use' things like Harry Potter to 'reach a new generation for Christ'. 

Many would say that it's only a movie, what's the big deal? The big deal is this: if we are filling our minds with things that are not lining up with God's way of thinking, we are on a slippery slope that ends with despair. Do we watch movies such as this and just leave out those verses in the Bible that tells us to have nothing to do with witchcraft? Do we pretend that we didn't know God has a problem with the occult? How do we reconcile the things we are being taught through movies and books like these with the Bible?

"There shall not be found among you anyone who... practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead [necromancy]. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out..."Deuteronomy 18:10-12

God expects us to be different from the rest of the world. He expects us to be holy and to shun evil no matter what form it is found in. Instead, there are many in the church world today who are embracing the teachings that 'there is more than one way to God' and that 'if you are good enough you will go to Heaven' and 'you can achieve anything if you try hard enough.' While on the surface these may not seem like false teachings and many Christians have accepted them, it doesn't change the fact that each is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. 


Lest you think I am just jumping on Harry Potter, I will bring up the popular book The Shack in which you will find many New Age teachings. Many Christians have become enamoured with this book and have accepted its teachings. Many who have never read the Bible cover to cover have read The Shack several times. It is in subtle ways like this that the enemy of our soul tells us that there is more than one way to God and other lies. As Christians we need to test the spirits to see if they are of God.


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

We are to be different from the world. We are to be God's representatives and an example to the world."And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." Leviticus 20:26

Some feel that if you say anything contrary to what is popularly believed  you will be branded a judgemental Christian.  But I believe that it is up to us to stand up for what is right and to call sin exactly what it is: sin. 

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness..." Isaiah 5:20

There are subtle false teachings that are being embraced by many in the world today and we must be on our guard to test everything we come in contact with against the Word of God. We are often told to 'keep an open mind' and to be 'tolerant and accepting', but it is important to know what the Word of God says so that when we come into contact with false teachings we will recognize them for what they are. There are those who say there is no need of the cross, that as long as you are a good person you will be accepted into Heaven. There are those who feel that all roads lead to Heaven and that if you do enough good things here on this earth you will have accumulated enough 'points' to get into Heaven. These are false teachings. It is only by repenting of our sins and recognizing our need of a Saviour and accepting Christ as God's only Son that we will have eternity with Him. 


"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8


We are in the last days and Christ is coming back very soon for those who have kept themselves ready for Him. We have to be on our guard to remain true to God's Word. 


For there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24


I know I have said it many times, but I will say it again: read the Word, know what the Word says so that you can't be swept away by any wind of doctrine. God bless!


 "we henceforth be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and their cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;" Ephesians 4:14