Witchcraft is a work of the flesh, and God views it like He views adultery and murder. As such, it should have no place in the life of a believer.
With each passing year, witchcraft has grown more acceptable in the eyes of man, yet God has not wavered concerning His thoughts on these matters.
Sin has consequences and brings responsibility. A man who gets right with the Lord should naturally look for ways to restore that which he has stolen.
The Old Testament Law declares and expresses the mind of God. It demonstrates God’s hatred for sin and His desire for just judgment.
Bible-believing Christians in their desire for independence have sometimes been characterized as rebels disapproving of most authority. This characterization should not be the case and our lives should reflect just the opposite mind-set and approach. Those who know the Lord should be the first to obey, submit to (Hebrews 13:17), and pray for (1 Timothy 2:1-2) those in authority. Those who walk in the flesh are the ones who“despise government” and “are not afraid to speak evil of dignities” (2 Peter 2:10; Jude 1:8). There are times when man’s authority comes into direct conflict with God’s authority. In these cases, men must choose to obey God (Acts 5:29). Yet, there are plenty of other times when the people of God need to learn a greater respect for authority.
The scriptures plainly and repeatedly state that Christ gave Himself as man’s complete and only sacrifice. Yet, the New Testament proclaims that because of salvation, the believer can offer spiritual sacrifices to God (1 Peter 2:5). Before a believer can determine the complete nature of these sacrifices, he must first recognize that any such sacrifices must be made to God only. The Lord declared His jealous nature in the Old Testament when He said, “He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed” (Exodus 22:20). Though much has changed, God still demands that man’s sacrifices be presented to Him and Him alone.
The godly choice of whom to marry likely will never again be as obvious as it was for Adam and Eve. Yet, the wrong choice can and will usually bring disastrous outcomes along with lifelong consequences. Wise counsel to avoid pitfalls related to bad choices is vitally important! Samson’s choice was ultimately of the Lord, but not because it was wise. His parents knew that his decision was fleshly and attempted to redirect him. Esau rebelliously sought a wife that would never meet his parents’ approval (Genesis 28:6-9). Throughout the Old Testament, parents were involved in the process of choosing the right spouse for their children. It may not be a direct command from God, but it remains a wise principle to follow. Parents are not always right, but the Lord is pleased to use them in this decision-making process.
The strength of any people will be determined by how they deal with two people groups: their young and their old. If at any point, either of these two groups becomes viewed as simply burdensome, both will cease to effectively attain God’s intended desire for society. The aged members of society are most often its wisest. They have had successes and failures and learned from both (Deuteronomy 32:7). They have witnessed the Lord’s provision through difficult times (Psalm 37:25). God purposed for the aged to instruct the young in practical and spiritual matters (Titus 2:1-11). While the young should feed off of the wisdom of the aged, the elderly members of society can be nourished by the joy, strength, and life of younger people (Ruth 4:15).
The book of Ruth tells the story of a family torn apart by death and how God miraculously worked behind the scenes. Ruth, a Moabite, married a Jew who was the son of Elimelech and Naomi. Over time while Naomi lived in Moab, her husband and both of her sons died. After their deaths, Naomi determined to return to the land of Judah. Naomi discouraged both Ruth and Orpah (her daughters-in-law) from returning with her. Each had to decide whether to go with Naomi or stay with their families in the land of Moab. Orpah decided to stay, while Ruth chose to go with Naomi. At the time, Ruth’s decision seemed foolish. Yet, all those who read the book of Ruth know the blessings associated with this one wise decision. Ruth came to Bethlehem at the right time (Ruth 1:22), married a great man named Boaz (Ruth 4:13), and God allowed her to become part of the lineage of King David and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ruth 4:17; Matthew 1:5).
