Sin and the Forces of Evil

The practices of Halloween as we know them originated with the Celts who lived in what is now Great Britain, Ireland, and Northern France. Their new year began on November 1. The Celtic Festival of “Samhain” began the previous evening, October 31. This festival honored “Samhain,” the Celtic lord of death. This celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness, and decay. The Celts believed that “Samhain” allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for the evening. During the festival, people wore costumes made of animal heads and skins.

The Question

Recently a brother, whom we’ll call Andrew, decided to have a new well drilled, as his old one was repeatedly running dry. When the drilling rig arrived, the driver (“George”) jumped out, holding two wires in his hands.

“What are they for?” asked Andrew. “To find water?”

“Yes,” George replied. “Aren’t you comfortable with that?”

What should Andrew have said?

What Is Dowsing?

Dowsing for water, or water smelling, is a method of searching for underground water. The custom is hundreds of years old, if not thousands.

The Question
Recently a brother, whom we’ll call Andrew, decided to have a new well drilled, as his old one was repeatedly running dry. When the drilling rig arrived, the driver (“George”) jumped out, holding two wires in his hands.
“What are they for?” asked Andrew. “To find water?”
“Yes,” George replied. “Aren’t you comfortable with that?”
What should Andrew have said?

What Is Dowsing?
Dowsing for water, or water smelling, is a method of searching for underground water. The custom is hundreds of years old, if not thousands.

The following is correspondence by a brother from the Pensacola, FL congregation to his uncle who believes in unconditional eternal security. It depicts the deceptive consequences of unsound doctrine afloat in today’s religious world.

From Uncle Freddy to his nephew:

They say Easter is a symbol of new things.

Folks seem to take extreme pleasure in new things—new cars, new houses, new tools, new machinery, new clothes, new books—new, new, new. There is no end of “new stuff” of carnal value. Carnality certainly finds great satisfaction in the carnal new. Economics rely upon them. All new things of carnal value await a destiny of infernal fire. Soon, they will pass away. Then whose will these new things be?

First patented in 1884 by Paul Nipkow in Germany, the television has become the most sought out form of medium the world over, challenged only by the recent development of the Internet. With this in mind, I asked myself the question how would Jesus view the television if it had been available in His day? Would He see it as an outlet that could have enhanced His ministry, enabling Him to preach to the masses in a more efficient and large scale way? Would He have used it to send God's message to every Jew and Gentile in all of the civilized world?

The Halloween holiday and season represent an ancient European variant, All-Hallows’-Even (“evening”), that is, the night before All Hallows’ Day.