This thought has been sitting with me for a while now. And every time I think about it, I somehow become even more convinced. I genuinely don't think you can afford to follow Jesus and ignore emotional intelligence. Notice I didn't say every Christian is emotionally intelligent. They're not. We've all met Christians who can quote Scripture for hours but cannot apologize. Who can discern "spirits" in every room but cannot discern that the person sitting beside them is tired, grieving or afraid. Who know how to pray, but don't know how to listen. Who know how to correct, but don't know how to restore. And I don't say that to judge anybody. I say it because I think we've accidentally separated two things that Jesus never separated. We've treated spiritual maturity and emotional maturity like they are different journeys. I don't think they are. Actually... I don't think they can be. Because who exactly are you becoming if you're becoming like Christ? Think about Jesus for a second. And no, not just what He taught. But the way He related to people. That's the part that keeps arresting me. He didn't speak to everyone the same way. To some people, He asked questions. To others, He sat and listened. Sometimes He challenged. Sometimes He comforted. Sometimes He walked away. Sometimes He stayed. He knew when Peter needed correction. He knew when Peter needed breakfast by the sea. He stood in front of a woman caught in adultery and somehow managed to hold both compassion and truth in the same conversation. How? He wasn't just spiritually deep. He understood people. He understood timing. He understood emotions. He understood that the same truth can heal one person and crush another depending on how and when it's delivered. And I think that's where a lot of us struggle. We've become so committed to saying the right thing... that we've forgotten to ask whether this is the right moment. Sometimes the truth is right. The timing isn't. Sometimes the words are biblical. The posture isn't. Sometimes we're so eager to "speak the truth" that we forget Scripture didn't stop there. It says to speak the truth in love. Love changes how truth sounds. I've also noticed something else. A lot of us think emotional intelligence means having deep conversations. Or using words like "boundaries" and "attachment styles." No. Sometimes emotional intelligence is much simpler than that. It's noticing that your friend has gone unusually quiet. It's realizing someone is angry but the anger isn't the real emotion. It's apologizing without adding, "But you also..." It's knowing when your spouse doesn't need another solution. They need to know they're not carrying the weight alone. It's recognizing that the person who keeps interrupting everyone may not be proud. They may simply be desperate to be heard. It's asking one more question instead of making one more assumption. You know what I find interesting? Paul spent so much of the New Testament teaching people how to relate. Be kind. Bear with one another. Forgive one another. Encourage one another. Be patient. Be gentle. Those aren't just spiritual instructions. They're relational ones. And relationships are where emotional intelligence is tested. Not during prayer meetings. During disagreement. During disappointment. During correction. During marriage. During leadership. During friendship. During ordinary Tuesday afternoons when someone says something that hurts your feelings. That's where you find out whether you've just learnt Scripture... or whether Scripture has started reshaping you. Because following Jesus should change more than your prayer life. It should change how safe people feel around you. How you handle conflict. How quickly you assume the worst. How you carry people's weaknesses. How you respond when you're misunderstood. How you hold both conviction and compassion without sacrificing either. If ten years with Jesus has made me more knowledgeable but less patient... something is wrong. If I've learnt how to preach but not how to apologize... something is wrong. If I know every spiritual principle but cannot sit with someone's grief without trying to fix it immediately... something is wrong. I honestly think we've admired gifting more than we've admired Christlikeness. And they're not the same thing. You can be gifted and still be emotionally immature. You can be anointed and still wound people with your words. You can lead thousands and still not know how to love the person sitting across from you. That should bother us. Because the goal of Christianity has never been to know more about Jesus. It's to become more like Him. And every time I read the Gospels, I don't just see a man full of power. I see a man who noticed people. Who made space for questions. Who wasn't intimidated by tears. Who wasn't threatened by people's emotions. Who could tell the hardest truths without making people feel unseen. The more I think about it, the less I believe emotional intelligence is optional for the Christian. Not because it's trendy or because psychology says it's important. But because every step towards Christ should also be a step towards becoming more patient, more gentle, more aware, more compassionate, more self-controlled. More human in the way heaven intended. Maybe that's what emotional intelligence looks like in the Kingdom. And not becoming better at reading people so you can manage them. But becoming so formed by Christ... that people consistently experience His heart when they encounter yours.

SMART BOUNDARIES: BIBLICAL WISDOM ON NATIONS, CHURCHES, AND FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST 1/ Proverbs 20:16 in the NASB 1995 reads: "Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; And for foreigners, hold him in pledge." This ancient proverb gives us essential wisdom for our money, our country, and our personal walk with Jesus Christ. 2/ In basic terms, being surety means guaranteeing someone else's debt. In Traditional Judaism, famous scholars like Rashi explain that if a man is foolish enough to co-sign for a stranger without collateral, the court must seize his cloak as a deposit. You cannot pledge your hard-earned assets to an unvetted stranger without destroying your own household. 3/ Today, many political movements misuse Bible verses about helping the stranger. In Old Testament law, welcoming foreigners always required them to assimilate, obey local laws, and show good character. Foreigners were allowed to join the community, but they had to prove their worthiness first rather than demand free support. 4/ Socialist and progressive policies twist these scriptures to force taxpayers to pay for unchecked migration. Forcing citizens to act as financial guarantors for unproven strangers violates biblical stewardship. International laws cannot overrule a sovereign nation, because forcing a country to put foreign demands ahead of its own citizens forces that government to betray its people. A house divided against itself cannot stand. 5/ In Chabad and Chassidic thought, this verse carries a deeper spiritual meaning. The garment represents the soul's three tools: thought, speech, and action. The stranger represents the evil inclination, or Yetzer Hara, inside every person. 6/ When you surrender your thoughts, words, and actions to bad habits or false ideas, you become surety for a stranger. You allow lower impulses to take control, letting the evil inclination strip away your spiritual garments until you cross over from divine truth into spiritual bankruptcy. 7/ This same betrayal happens in controlling and abusive Christian ministries. When leaders twist Scripture and mix it with secular psychology, human philosophies, or power games, they give in to their evil inclination. By replacing God's truth with man's rules, these leaders host the stranger of worldly deception and cross over into the realm of idolatry. 8/ Conviction must hit our hearts here. In 1 Timothy 5:8, the Apostle Paul warns: "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." To abandon your household, church, or nation to finance reckless, unproven outside interests is a direct compromise of the Christian faith. 9/ Hear this warning: foolish sentimentality will destroy your life, your family, and your country. If you allow abusive leaders to control your mind, or if you support laws that bankrupt your nation to feed unvetted demands, you are giving away your garments to a stranger and walking into ruin. 10/ Here are four practical instructions to live out this truth in Jesus Christ: First, guard the garments of your soul by keeping your thoughts, words, and actions aligned strictly with Scripture. Second, test every pastor and teacher, rejecting any ministry that uses secular psychology or manipulation to control you. Third, practice true Christian charity voluntarily, but demand law, vetting, and accountability before giving resources. Fourth, stand up for lawful borders and national sovereignty, honoring God's design for order and protection. 11/ Be encouraged! Setting firm boundaries is not mean or unloving; it is true biblical wisdom. When you align your life with the Lord Jesus Christ, He gives you the strength to stand strong against deception, protect your home, and walk in total peace. 12/ A Prayer for Wisdom and Boundaries: Lord God, thank You for Your holy Word and the wisdom found in Proverbs. In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask You to help me guard the garments of my soul: my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Convict my heart whenever I give in to the evil inclination or let false ideas take control. Give me the discernment to reject abusive leaders and twisted doctrines that cross over into idolatry. Grant wisdom to our leaders to protect our nation, enforce righteous laws, and care for our citizens first. Give me the courage to practice true charity without falling into foolishness. I place my trust, my family, and my life securely in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE HIGH COST OF UNVETTED TRUST: BIBLICAL WISDOM ON NATIONAL, SPIRITUAL, AND MINISTERIAL BOUNDARIES 1/ Proverbs 20:16 in the NASB 1995 reads: "Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; And for foreigners, hold him in pledge." While modern ears might find this instruction severe, Scripture is providing an essential lesson on stewardship, governance, and spiritual boundaries. 2/ On a physical and economic level, standing as surety means guaranteeing the debt of another person. Biblical wisdom warns that co-signing for a stranger without collateral or proof of character is financial recklessness. Entrusting capital to unproven individuals invites ruin for households, corporations, and entire nations. 3/ Today, political movements frequently weaponize Old Testament commands to love the stranger, selectively stripping those verses of their original context. Ancient biblical law did extend hospitality to foreigners, but it explicitly required assimilation, obedience to the law of the land, and a commitment to the nation's God and moral order. 4/ Socialist and progressive ideologies warp these scriptures to justify open-ended state funding and unchecked immigration. True Christian charity is voluntary, sacrificial, and wise. Forcing taxpayers to act as financial guarantors for unvetted foreigners is not compassion; it is state-mandated recklessness that violates biblical principles of stewardship. 5/ When leaders compel a country to assume responsibility for individuals who have not demonstrated worthiness or a commitment to assimilate, they destroy the foundation of the nation state. A government that bankrupts its own citizens to fund unproven entities abdicates its primary duty: to protect and serve its own household first. 6/ On a spiritual level, this verse addresses the guardrails of the mind and heart. In scripture, garments represent our moral standing, thoughts, words, and choices. When you become surety for a stranger spiritually, you are allowing unvetted ideas, worldly philosophies, or destructive habits to take host in your soul. 7/ This same betrayal occurs within controlling and abusive Christian ministries. When spiritual leaders twist the Word of God by blending it with Greek philosophy, secular ideologies, or humanistic psychology to dominate others, they give in to their own evil inclination. By substituting man's wisdom for divine truth, they cross over into the realm of spiritual idolatry. 8/ These abusive systems surrender the pure garments of faith to foreign deceptions. By replacing biblical truth with psychological manipulation and authoritarian control, they abandon true shepherdhood and lead believers onto the other side of spiritual corruption. 9/ God calls His people to be generous, but never naive. Genuine compassion always operates within the framework of order, law, and absolute truth. Whether in national policy, church leadership, or personal faith, true strength requires discerning boundaries over reckless sentimentality and subtle heresy.

Dear Father, Pride is often a psychological response that is inspired not necessarily by wealth or high standing, but by insufficiency. Positions and authority do not always satisfy the soul's need to feel valued. Sometimes, pride is something people express subconsciously; in assuming control rashly, they reveal how wounded their self-esteem actually is. So, whenever I go seeking someone who lacks, I first look for those who try so hard to prove they own something, because the need to prove is often evidence that we have not yet possessed what has come to us. Little wonder James, in his Epistle, said, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." This reveals that nothing we own or acquire for ourselves has the capacity to bring us to the emotional state of acceptance and worth we desire. So often, we desire wealth, fame, and power for the satisfaction we imagine they will bring. Yet, even after acquiring them, we discover that we are wealthy and still feel empty. In an attempt to elevate our self-esteem to match our bank accounts or positions, we introduce pride. Yet, once again, nothing satisfies the soul's need to feel valued. No one but You. The test of a healthy self-esteem begins with examining what we continually shine the light on, even to an unhealthy degree. It is revealed in how we treat those under our authority, how we respond to correction, and how we treat people who have nothing to offer us. It begins with recognizing that kingship is more a matter of the heart than of position, and only You can place a man there. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #pride #psychology #sufficiency #humility

Dear Father, Pride is often a psychological response that is inspired not necessarily by wealth or high standing, but by insufficiency. Positions and authority do not always satisfy the soul's need to feel valued. Sometimes, pride is something people express subconsciously; in assuming control rashly, they reveal how wounded their self-esteem actually is. So, whenever I go seeking someone who lacks, I first look for those who try so hard to prove they own something, because the need to prove is often evidence that we have not yet possessed what has come to us. Little wonder James, in his Epistle, said, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." This reveals that nothing we own or acquire for ourselves has the capacity to bring us to the emotional state of acceptance and worth we desire. So often, we desire wealth, fame, and power for the satisfaction we imagine they will bring. Yet, even after acquiring them, we discover that we are wealthy and still feel empty. In an attempt to elevate our self-esteem to match our bank accounts or positions, we introduce pride. Yet, once again, nothing satisfies the soul's need to feel valued. No one but You. The test of a healthy self-esteem begins with examining what we continually shine the light on, even to an unhealthy degree. It is revealed in how we treat those under our authority, how we respond to correction, and how we treat people who have nothing to offer us. It begins with recognizing that kingship is more a matter of the heart than of position, and only You can place a man there. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #pride #psychology #sufficiency #humility

Guidelines for Living. July 17th, 2026 5 Questions that Predict Marital Success However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33 Good marriages have a lot of things in common, while unhappy marriages are as different in as many ways as there are unhappy people married to each other. Yet the factors which make for either being happy or unhappy are often far more predictable than most folks think. Dr. John Mordechai Gottman is a psychologist and researcher. Based upon his findings published in the Journal of Family Psychology, it is indeed possible to predict, with 94% accuracy, which marriages will end in failure long before the couples are ready to call it quits. Said Gottman, “In couples that stay together, there are about five times more positive things said to and about one another than negative ones.” But in marriages that ultimately fail, negative comments and negative attitudes reflect a growing hostility that eventually causes a couple to give up and call it quits. Attitudes which build or destroy marriages become habits. Without realizing what is happening, a couple’s relationship is either improving or disintegrating. It’s somewhat like a rowboat, adrift on a slowly moving river, that increases its tempo as the river drops down into a canyon and moves toward the white-water rapids. The closer the rowboat is to the point of breaking up on the rocks, the less able are those in that rowboat to turn it around and get it moving the other direction. Have you ever asked yourself, “At what point is a relationship so far gone that it can’t be turned around?” At what point do you say, “Enough is enough!”? Answering five questions will help you decide which direction you are headed. 1) Are you unconditionally committed to your marriage? That phrase “till death us do part” is much different from the one which has replaced it in some wedding ceremonies, which goes “as long as we both shall agree.” Frankly, some folks don’t even get out of the parking lot after the wedding before disagreements begin. There can be plenty of disagreements in a healthy marriage, but the issue of commitment makes the difference between disagreement being a plus or a decided minus. 2) Can you resolve disagreements or conflicts, or do you simply ignore them, letting the issues continue to bring divisions and eventually bitterness? In healthy marriages, disagreements come to a point of resolution. You learn from your mistakes and you strive to avoid continued irritation. Love puts the other first. 3) Are you willing to contribute more to your marriage than you take away from it? The attitude of selfishness which always insists on having your way causes relationships to wear thin. The attitude that “my fulfillment and my happiness are the most important things in a marriage, and if you can’t give me what I want, then maybe I had better search for the pot of gold somewhere else” reverses the formula for real happiness in marriage. 4) Do you make it a practice to affirm and build up your mate, or do you take advantage of failure to point out weaknesses and shortcomings? This, believes Dr. Gottman, is one of the sure signs of marital failure or success. 5) Do you strive to put into practice biblical principles which include: going to church together, praying together, looking to your Heavenly Father for His blessing and guidance? Good marriages include commitment, communication, and love that puts the other first, the ability to face the challenge of conflict, resolve it, and put it behind you. When you care, there’s hope for your marriage. Resource reading: Ephesians 5:22-33

Are your leadership habits keeping up with the times? 📊✨ It is easy to fall into comfortable routines when managing a team or an organization. But true stewardship means constantly sharpening our tools so we can effectively guide the people entrusted to us. Did you know that organizations prioritizing mature, continuous leadership frameworks are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers? On the flip side, when leaders stop learning, behavior drift sets in, and teams quietly disengage. In our new blog post, "The Lifelong Steward," we look at the intersection of faith, psychology, and organizational data to explore why frequent refresher workshops and webinars are non-negotiable for modern leaders. Discover how frequent learning touchpoints beat the "forgetting curve," shatter executive isolation, and build a culture of excellence that retains top-tier talent. Let's move past the "one-and-done" approach to training and embrace lifelong growth. 👉 Click the link to read and share your thoughts in the comments: https://www.sikiosikivu.com/2026/07/the-lifelong-steward-why-continuous.html #SikioSikivu #FaithAndWork #MarketplaceLeaders #ContinuousGrowth #Stewardship

❤️THE REALITY OF MODERN OCCULTISM. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. -1 Timothy 4:1. The Scriptures predict that there will be a great increase in demonic activity in the last days. Our age is characterized by an ever-increasing flood of Satanic wickedness ranging all the way from psychic afflictions to moral aberrations. This rapid expansion of the work of the kingdom of darkness is affecting and influencing the entire world, its governments, society, the church, and the life of the believer. Demonic activity is clearly seen in the alarming increase in crime, lust, deceit, moral depravity, suicide, war, homosexuality, fear, worry, anxiety, atheism, disease, psychic disorders, demonic oppression and possession, and drug and alcohol addiction, together with the growth and intensification of spiritism, occultism, false religious cults, and the work and doctrines of seducing spirits and demons. There has never been a time in history when the warnings against the dangers of occultism (all forms of fortunetelling, magic, spiritism, and false religious cults) were more needful than the time in which we live. Multitudes of people, Christian and non-Christian alike, find themselves suffering physical, mental, psychic, and spiritual oppression; yet few realize that it is because they have allowed themselves to become ensnared in the demonic web of occultism, which is under the influence and control of the powers of darkness. Practices such as witchcraft, sorcery, and spiritism, which were once conducted more or less surreptitiously and abhorred by the average person, are now being clothed with a cloak of respectability and popularized through religious literature, lectures, church groups, radio, and TV. Millions are being subjected to demonstrations of the powers of darkness by such occult practices as clairvoyance, telepathy, ESP, hypnotism, fortunetelling, divination, magic, seances, and many other psychic practices. The late James A. Pike, a well-known Episcopal bishop, participated in a televised seance, allegedly communicating with his dead son (a suicide) through the professional medium Arthur Ford, a Disciples of Christ minister! The daily lives of millions are being influenced by the horoscope, which is the ancient Babylonian pseudoscientific black art of astrology (Daniel 2:2). Occult games such as "Ouija," "Clairvoyant," "Horoscope," "ESP," "Mystic Eye," "Kabala," "Dungeons and Dragons," and "Voodoo" are now being sold everywhere and suggested as ideal gifts for children and adults alike. As a result of its unprecedented psychic interest, the public can also purchase such occult articles as the planchette, pendulum, horoscope charts, tarot cards for telling fortunes, crystal balls, books on ESP, party games involving mind reading, hypnosis, clairvoyance, precognition, and so on, as well as other objects of the black arts. We find that many persons in government circles presidents, prime ministers, congressmen, senators, generals and admirals, envoys, and members of the State Department–seek and welcome the counsel and advice of clairvoyants and psychic mediums such as Jeane Dixon, whose prognostications have been derived from fortune telling cards and the crystal ball, and Arthur Ford who has conducted seances while in a trance. Moreover, some law enforcement agencies unhesitatingly engage the services of psychics like Peter Hurkosand G. Croiset, who have used their occult psychometric and clairvoyant powers to aid in the solution of crimes. Hurkos, for example, has assisted the police on murder cases in many countries, including the notorious "Boston Strangler" case. Graphology, a form of fortune telling through handwriting analysis, is now being used by many business firms who regularly consult graphologists to analyze the handwriting of prospective employees in an attempt to "read" their character, personality, and other traits, and thereby to predict their potentiality and worth, or lack of it. The CIA is said to have used handwriting analysis along with other tests, as do banks, finance companies, sales firms, manufacturers, and many others. Multitudes, including business, government, and religious leaders, beset with problems, fearful and confused because of the present state of the world, and concerned about the future, are seeking help and information from fortune tellers and spiritualist mediums. Countless others have been subjected to the influences and deceptions of spiritualism, assuming everything supernatural is of God, and mistaking the powers of darkness for the power of God. The gullible are naively falling victim to the fallacious reasoning that since God can heal and perform miracles, then every case of healing and everything that passes for a miracle must be from God. Since God has spoken through men by prophecy and revelation, they believe that everyone who claims to have a prophecy or revelation from God must be accepted as a prophet and seer. Thus, psychic mediums and clairvoyants are finding increasing acceptance from every quarter by the multitudes who are clamoring for their help and guidance through the operation of their alleged "gifts of God." Many others are involved one way or another in the superstitions of magic in an effort to be healed or helped by it in some way, or in order to influence others through it. Such delusion is nothing new, for we find it recorded in Acts 8:9-11, and we are warned concerning its increase in the last days, in which we now live (I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 3:1-9; Matthew 24:24; II Corinthians 11:14; II Thessalonians 2:7-12). The use of LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs, with their resultant damaging emotional, mental, and psychic effects, has become in our time a symbol of mankind's frustration with life in the present world and is an attempt to venture into the spiritual "unknown" by means contrary to God's will. The "hippie" movement had considerable interest in the occult, e.g., fortunetelling, telepathy, astrology, black magic, devil worship, and other forms of witchcraft. Reports from England, Africa, France, Germany, South America, Haiti, Vietnam, Switzerland, in fact, from all over the world, including the U.S.A ., reveal that occultism in all forms is rapidly on the increase. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually on the so-called occult sciences. Thousands of tons of occult books and other literature find their way into homes via the newsstands and booksellers each year. Occult influence can readily be detected in movies, plays, and stories, and in many reputable magazines which contain regular monthly horoscope columns. Some years ago a published estimate revealed that there were at least 5000 astrologers in the U.S.A. alone, who charted the heavens for over 10 million ardent American followers of this ancient black art. These numbers continue to increase. Millions more have become addicted to and are influenced by horoscope columns in daily newspapers. The sale of horoscope magazines numbers in the millions and is increasing yearly according to reliable sources. In America, four times as many women as men are devotees of fortune telling by means of astrology. Business Week magazine reported that "legerdemain is becoming big business." People everywhere are taking renewed interest in magic and sleight of hand deception, including doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, ministers, advertising men, and salesmen. Even manufacturers are using the magician's tricks to promote their wares. Capitalizing on the new interest in occultism, many companies offer magic kits as a premium for buying their products. Time magazine has reported a great upsurge in interest in the black arts with sales of occult items such as crystal balls, tarot fortune telling cards, and Ouija boards at an all time record high. In any city of size, one can purchase such articles of witchcraft as amulets, hexing dolls, ingredients for casting magic spells, charm powders, mystic incense, roots, herbs, charms, magic candles, love potions, and many other occult and voodoo supplies. Books on "self-hypnosis" are becoming increasingly popular as a sort of do-it-yourself psychiatry. They promise the reader that self-hypnosis can, by controlling the subconscious, "unleash explosive powers within" and make life give you what you want-more money, power, prestige, marital happiness, freedom from pain and depression; put an end to fear; conquer bad temper; or change bad habits. A popular movement known as "Concept Therapy," a form of psychic self-improvement similar in some respects to such mental sciences as Unity and Christian Science, is being promoted as a panacea whereby one may, through mental concentration and the observance of certain "laws," actually "heal with ideas." The mails are being flooded with advertisements offering the gullible alleged occult secrets on "how to claim one's full psychic estate" by developing one's ESP powers. Others promise instruction on communication with departed loved ones and spirit "guides"; on projecting one's "astral self" outside the body in order to travel anywhere at will; on the practice of metaphysical healing of the body; and on such topics as how to read minds, how to gain control over others by mental suggestion, how to make oneself irresistible to the opposite sex, and how to predict the future. In this materialistic age, full of uncertainty and unrest, when even the church has grown skeptical of the validity of the supernatural for today, multitudes are turning to the delusions of spiritualism, or to the fortune tellers for guidance. They are seeking spiritual enlightenment and comfort, not from the Scriptures, but from the literature of occultism, including metaphysics and spiritism, and from false religious cults such as Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, Christian Science, Unity, Swedenborgianism, Mormonism, Baha'ism, Jehovah's Witness, and so on. The quest for spiritual reality and meaning in this chaoticage is reflected in the tremendous popularity of such pseudo-Christian literature as A Gift of Prophecy: The Phenomenal Jeane Dixon and A Search for the Truth by Ruth Montgomery; Edgar Cayce, The Sleeping Prophet (over 6 months on coast-to-coast best-seller lists); Nothing So Strange (the autobiography of Arthur Ford, the medium); and The Search for Bridey Murphy. The market is flooded with all manner of metaphysical and parapsychological literature, including books on ESP, telepathy, yoga, reincarnation, astrology, psychic phenomena, flying saucers (UFOs), ghosts, witchcraft, black magic, communication with the dead, hypnosis, and the supernatural and paranormal in general. Psychic interest is so high that occult book clubs have been established to meet the demand. Sensing that the contemporary church lacks the awareness of the true spiritual dimension and its power, many are seeking spiritual understanding and direction from such organizations as the Inner Peace Movement (IPM); the Association for Research and Enlightenment (ARE); Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship (SFF); and the Religious Research Foundation of America (RRFA). The occult nature of these and similar organizations is seen in their stress upon psychic phenomena and experiences, clairvoyance, precognition, the development of one's powers of ESP, personal communion with the dead and spirit "guides," and many other practices similar to those of spiritism, cults, and occultism in general. In addition, multitudes are being deluded by the absurd and unscriptural doctrine of reincarnation, whereby one "atones" for his own sins through a cycle of rebirths. This fantasy is currently arousing unusual interest in the Western world, largely as a result of renewed interest in Eastern metaphysics and the writings of such groups as the Rosicrucian's and Theosophy. Psychics like Edgar Cayce and Grace Whittenberger have contended that one may find the meaning and purpose of their present life on earth through so-called "life readings," or "reincarnative readings," concerning one's alleged previous lives. An important factor in the present-day alarming upsurge of interest in psychic phenomena, ESP, clairvoyance, telepathy, hypnosis, and so on, is the work done by such organizations as the English and American Societies for Psychical Research, as well as the writings of such men as Dr. J.B. Rhine of Duke University, author of Reach of the Mind, who originated the term "Extrasensory Perception" (ESP). Researchers in psychic science and parapsychology, with their discoveries of the hitherto largely unknown psychic forces present in the world, and by encouraging the development in man of the powers of clairvoyance, telepathy, hypnotism, and psychometry, are unwittingly opening wide the flood gates for satanic influence and control of the minds of men. These psychic powers, which are erroneously thought to be "latent" within all men, and only need developing to bring them forth, are not forces within the individual at all. On the contrary, the powers of clairvoyance, precognition, telepathy, and other forms of extrasensory perception, occur as a result of an invasion by insidious spiritual forces from without, which move in and begin to function in and through that individual. He opens himself to these dark powers by seeking psychic experiences, and through his efforts to develop the powers of ESP, or through involvement in any form of occultism. Thus, parapsychologists, under the guise of advancing psychic research and knowledge, are encouraging young and old alike to experiment in the psychic realm, in violation of the will of God and His express commands to the contrary. Their purpose is to heighten one's alleged subconscious powers of clairvoyance, telepathy, and so on; but they ignore the emotional, psychic, and spiritual damage to those who open themselves to the influence and control of the powers of darkness. The interest in psychic experimentation has become so widespread that more and more universities are establishing parapsychological departments for psychic research. Those who wish to test themselves personally for powers of ESP can now purchase "kits" by mail for such experimentation. Occultism and the black arts in general are experiencing a phenomenal revival of interest, influencing more people today than at any time in history. Leading universities, because of the great interest in the occult, offer courses of study with titles such as "Witchcraft, Magic, and Sorcery"; "Parapsychology"; "Psychology of the Paranormal"; and so on. So-called "witchcraft parties," in which a palmist, psychic, or fortuneteller is invited to enhance otherwise mediocre social gatherings, are becoming increasingly popular. Moreover, where the youth once gathered to play innocent party games, now they will amuse themselves, as likely as not, with such bizarre pastimes as table-tipping, levitation of bodies, seances, fortunetelling, hypnotism, playing with the Ouija board, and any number of other occult practices and psychic experiments. Leading sources have reported an open revival of witchcraft in England, as that nation is plagued with the greatest increase in sorcery and occultism since the Middle Ages. Thousands of confessed witches and devotees of witchcraft meet regularly to perpetuate pagan rituals and fertility rites, and to invoke and worship pagan gods (demons, cf. Deuteronomy 32:16-17; I Corinthians 10:20). In San Francisco, the First Satanic Church was founded and led by Anton La Vey, the self-proclaimed "priest of Satan." Devil worship is practiced throughout the world today in Germany, Mexico, England, America, France, and elsewhere. Practitioners of occultism can be found in every city of the world. The gullible seek them for guidance concerning their problems; "spirit" healing; readings of their alleged "past lives"; the location of lost persons and objects; predictions regarding everything from personal matters (marriage, career, love, etc.) to business affairs; and communication with the dead. The powers of darkness are sweeping across the earth to deceive and destroy, as Satan knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12). False prophets are rising to deceive many by making accurate predictions concerning historical events. Seducing spirits speaking through false teachers and writers are leading the gullible astray with their subtle teachings of religious error (I Timothy 4:1). Psychics, who claim their "gift" is from God, are deluding multitudes, including many professing Christians, ministers, and religious leaders, who naively accept everything supernatural as divine, oblivious of the fact that Satan also can perform great signs and wonders (II Thessalonians 2:9-12). Psychic and "spirit" healers, counterfeiting the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are performing many miraculous cures by occult power. For example, Tony Agpaoa, a "psychic surgeon" in the Philippines, made headlines when several well-known Americans, notably from the field of sports, went to have him perform drugless, painless surgery on them using no instruments to make incisions except his bare hands. Harry Edwards, a "spirit" healer in England, has had spirit "guides" heal through him, often without him touching the patient. Edwards, we are told, has even treated members of the royal family, as well as many of England's clergy. The current widespread scientific interest and developments in psychic research; the growing acceptance of parapsychology as a science; the use of hypnotism by psychiatrists and medical doctors; and the acceptance by scientists of extrasensory perception as a legitimate manifestation of the mind, are unmistakable evidence of Satan's success in gaining access to man's spirit, as a necessary step in his invasion of humanity on a scale unheard of in history! Furthermore, we are witnessing an increase in occult literature geared to influence business and professional men and women, stressing that the key to success and personal achievement is "psychic self-improvement"; development of one's "cosmic powers"; "tuning in on the creative intelligence of the universe"; learning "how to make ESP work for you"; and so on. Organizations such as the Inner Peace Movement (whose stated goal has been to help men develop their powers of ESP), have offered programs along the lines of "leadership training utilizing extrasensory perception" to business, industrial, professional, and academic leaders, in order to develop "self-understanding" in executives and supervisors. This is supposed to help them recognize and develop potentials in their employees. The growing influence of astrologers who specialize in forecasts concerning stock market conditions, labor and management, production, taxes, and politics, as well as business and financial matters in general, is unlike anything seen before, as countless business and professional people seek their advice and counsel. Show business people are notoriously superstitious and especially addicted to astrology for guidance concerning their professional careers. But businessmen who are consulting the horoscope are quickly overtaking them, both in numbers and fervor! The success of the powers of darkness in influencing religious leaders is nowhere more evident than in the contemporary liberal and neo-orthodox emphasis in religious schools and theological seminaries. Demonic activity and influence are not limited to the violent behavior we see in the Gadarene demoniac (Mark5). Satan often works in subtle ways, i.e., under the guise of modern scholarship, or through the religious cults. "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" (II Corinthians 11:14-15). Among ministers and religious leaders, there is an increasing interest in occult literature, ESP, and communication with the dead, as well as other occult practices and psychic phenomena. The Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship is an association of ministers and laymen interested in psychic phenomena, communication with the dead, and so on. Founded by Arthur Ford, a Disciples of Christ minister and trance medium, it is an example of the growing occult interests of ministers in America. The membership of the Churches Fellowship for Psychic Studies in England includes many religious dignitaries who are interested in the relationship between extrasensory experiences and religion. The widespread influence of psychics and other occult practitioners upon government, military, and political leaders has already been shown. Nor can we fail to mention the rise of the New Age movement, a demonically inspired, humanistic religion of rebellion against God, which sets up man as a "god" unto himself. Surely one cannot mistake the devilish source which drove a well-known movie starlet to run naked up and down a beach, screaming, "I am god! I am god!" in the name of the New Age! There has never been a time in history when occult involvement has been more widespread. Millions are deluded, including many professing Christians, ministers, and religious leaders, both as to its satanic character and its resultant psychic and spiritual damage to those who participate. Important questions to consider. Have there ever been any occult contacts or involvement in your personal life or family history? Are you aware that the Scriptures say that God condemns such participation without reservation? If you have ever practiced or participated in any of these things, then consider the following questions carefully. They may well be the doorway to your deliverance from occult subjection and oppression. 1. Have you ever visited a fortune teller, who told your fortune by the use of cards, tea leaves, palm reading, or other occult means? 2. Has anyone ever hypnotized you, or have you ever practiced self-hypnosis or yoga? 3. Do you read or follow the horoscope? 4. Have you attended a seance or spiritualist meeting at any time? 5. Have you had a "life" or "reincarnative" reading? 6. Have you consulted a Ouija board, planchette, cards, tea leaves, crystal ball, and such like (whether "in fun," out of curiosity, or in earnest)? 7. Have you played with any so-called "games" of an occult nature (ESP, Telepathy, Kabala, etc.)? 8 ). Have you ever consulted a medium? 9. Have you ever sought healing by any occult means, either voluntarily as an adult, or involuntarily as a child? This would include the removal of warts, or the treatment of burns or other disease by magic conjuration or charming; by a Spiritualist, Christian Scientist, or other "spirit-healing" practitioner; by psychic healing, hypnosis, or metaphysical healing; by the use of the pendulum or trance for diagnosis; or by any other occult means. (Such practices are not to be confused with divine healing through faith as taught in the Scriptures.) 10. Have you ever sought to locate missing objects or persons by consulting someone who has psychic, clairvoyant, or psychometric powers? 11. Have you practiced table-lifting (tipping), levitation, or automatic (spirit) writing? 12. Have you ever been given or worn an amulet, talisman, or charm for luck or protection? 13. Have you, or has anyone for you, practiced water witching (sometimes called dowsing or divining for water, etc.) using a twig or pendulum? 14. Do you read or possess occult or spiritualist literature, such as books on astrology, interpretation of dreams, metaphysics, psychic phenomena, ESP, self-realization, religious cults, fortunetelling, magic, or clairvoyance, and especially such occult magical books as Secrets of the Psalms, and the diabolical so-called Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses? 15. Have you experimented with or practiced ESP or telepathy? 16. Have you used the psychedelic drug, LSD? 17. Have you ever practiced any form of magic charming or ritual? 18. Have you had your handwriting analyzed, practiced mental suggestion, cast a magic spell, or sought psychic experiences? 19. Do you possess any occult or pagan relics, artifacts, or religious objects which may have been involved in pagan temples and religious rites, or in the practice of sorcery, magic, divination, or spiritualism? 20. Have you ever attended meetings such as those of the Rosicrucian's, Spiritualists, Mormons, Christian Scientists, Baha'i, Theosophy, Unity, Inner Peace Movement, Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, Association for Research and Enlightenment, Religious Research Foundation of America, Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarians, or others of an occult nature? 21. Do you realize that all these practices, as well as any participation in them, are condemned by God in the Scriptures? 22. Do you realize that divination, fortunetelling, magic practices, false religious cults, and spiritism in all forms are an abomination to God and are under His curse? 23. Do you realize that, if you ever practiced or participated in any form of occultism (whether intentionally or innocently), you opened the door to oppression from the powers of darkness, even if your occult activity occurred before you became a Christian? 24. Do you realize that you may now be the victim of demonic subjection or oppression because of this, even though you have been unaware of the source and cause of your problems? The direct connection between occult involvement and physical, psychic, mental, and spiritual oppression was shown in the previous study on “Demonism in the Light of Scripture” We urge you to give careful attention as you read it, for many have found the way of liberation when shown the occult cause for their oppression. I hope you join us next time for our further studies on these topics. Edited. Shared. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

Daily Devotional. Peace and Assurance. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Isaiah 32:17 The true principles of psychology are found in the Holy Scriptures. Man knows not his own value. He acts according to his unconverted temperament of character, because he does not look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of his faith. He who comes to Jesus, he who believes on Him and makes Him his Example, realizes the meaning of the words, “To them gave He power to become the sons of God.” ... Those who pass through the experience of true conversion will realize, with keenness of perception, their responsibility to God to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, their responsibility to make complete their recovery from the leprosy of sin. Such an experience will lead them humbly and trustfully to place their dependence upon God. To have a consciousness that the eyes of the Lord are upon us and His ears open to hear our prayers is a satisfaction indeed. To know that we have a never-failing Friend in whom we can confide all the secrets of the soul is a privilege which words can never express. Men and women enjoying the religion of Jesus Christ will not be uneasy, restless, discontented, changeable; the peace of Christ in the heart will give solidity to character. You must not let anything rob your soul of peace, of restfulness, of the assurance that you are accepted just now. Appropriate every promise; all are yours on condition of your complying with the Lord’s prescribed terms. Entire surrender of your ways, which seem so very wise, and taking Christ’s ways, is the secret of perfect rest in His love. The soul consecrated to the service of Christ has a peace that the world cannot give or take away. [177]

Why Does Life Feel Empty Even When Everything Seems Fine? A Biblical Answer That Touches the Heart Have you ever experienced something like this? There are no major problems in your life. Your work is going well. Your family is doing fine. Your health is reasonably good. In fact, you may have many things to be grateful for. Yet when the busyness of the day fades away, the night becomes quiet, and you are left alone with your thoughts, a certain feeling rises from deep within your heart: Emptiness. It is difficult to explain. It is not sadness. It is not anger. It is not even despair. There is simply a sense of emptiness that feels very real—as though something is missing, but you cannot quite identify what it is. Then a question begins to surface: "Why does life keep feeling empty even when everything seems fine?" Interestingly, this experience is not limited to a few people. Many individuals from different backgrounds, ages, and walks of life have felt the same way. Even those who appear successful, have thriving careers, loving families, and lives that seem complete from the outside. So why does this happen? Emptiness Is Not Always Caused by Problems We often assume that feelings of emptiness come from difficulties or hardships. But that is not always the case. Sometimes people experience emptiness precisely when they begin achieving their life goals. Things they once believed would bring lasting happiness fail to provide the satisfaction they expected. Modern psychology explains that human beings need more than physical necessities. We need meaning, purpose, and deep relationships. People need more than food, shelter, and entertainment. We long to understand why we exist and what our lives are truly for. Interestingly, thousands of years before psychology became a formal field of study, the Bible was already addressing the same struggle. Solomon: When You Have Everything but Still Feel Empty One of the most fascinating figures in the Bible is King Solomon. If there was ever a person who possessed nearly everything people desire, it was Solomon. He had immense wealth, power, knowledge, honor, and influence. Yet after experiencing it all, he wrote: "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) At first glance, these words may sound pessimistic. But Solomon was expressing a profoundly human reality. He discovered that wealth, accomplishments, and pleasures could not satisfy the deepest needs of the human soul. Not because these things are bad. In fact, they are good gifts from God. Yet the human heart was created for something greater than all of them. The Bible's Secret About the Human Heart In the same book, Solomon wrote: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11) This verse may provide one of the deepest explanations for why people experience emptiness. The Bible teaches that God has placed a longing for eternity within the human heart. Because of this, when we try to fill an eternal space with temporary things, the satisfaction often fades quickly. Achievements bring excitement. Relationships bring happiness. Success brings fulfillment. Yet none of these can fully satisfy the deepest longing of the soul. It is as if there is a space within us designed for something greater. Why Do People Keep Searching? Perhaps this is why so many people are constantly pursuing the next thing. Once one goal is achieved, another appears. Once one dream comes true, a new dream emerges. This is not necessarily because people are greedy. Rather, it is because the human heart is searching for something deeper than achievement itself. Saint Augustine once wrote these famous words: "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You." This statement reflects the belief that humanity's deepest longing ultimately points toward God. The Good News Jesus Offers One reason so many people have been touched by the teachings of Jesus is that He understands the condition of the human heart. Jesus said: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say: Wait until your life is perfect. Nor did He say: Fix all your problems first. He simply said: "Come to Me." For many Christians, these words have become a tremendous source of comfort. God does not require people to become perfect before approaching Him. Instead, He invites us to come exactly as we are. God Is Close to the Brokenhearted Sometimes we think God is closest when life is going well. But the Bible reveals something different. "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18) This verse offers gentle hope. Feeling empty does not mean God has moved away from you. In fact, it may be during those very moments that God is inviting you to seek Him more deeply. Not through fear. Not through pressure. But through a longing in your heart that has not yet been fulfilled. When Emptiness Becomes an Invitation Perhaps we have spent our lives treating emptiness as an enemy that must be eliminated immediately. But what if that emptiness is actually a sign? A sign that our souls are longing for something the world cannot provide. An invitation to pause and ask: "Have I been looking for fulfillment in the wrong places?" That question is not always easy to answer. Yet many journeys of faith begin right there. Conclusion If you have been feeling empty lately even though life appears to be going well, do not be too quick to assume that something is wrong with you. That feeling does not make you weak. It does not make you a failure. And it certainly does not mean you are alone. According to the Bible, God has placed a longing within every human heart—a longing for something eternal, something greater than achievements, pleasures, or daily routines. Perhaps the emptiness you feel is not the end of a journey. Perhaps it is the beginning of a deeper search. And perhaps, behind all those questions, God is gently knocking on the door of your heart. Not to condemn you. Not to demand anything from you. But to remind you that there is a place within the human heart that was created to be filled by Him. And when that place begins to be filled, the tears that come are often not tears of despair. They are tears of finally finding what you have been searching for all along.