In 2016, “IBISWorld” reported that the psychic and fortune-telling services industry has become a $2 billion industry in the United States – and growing. It’s part of a growing trend in New Age Spirituality. As defined by IBISWorld, the psychic services industry includes palmistry (telling fortunes from the lines of the hand’s palm), cartomancy (fortune-telling using a deck of cards), mediumship (cooperating with spirits from spirit world), aura reading, tarot card reading (fortune-telling using a deck of cards), astrology (future-telling based on the stars and heavenly bodies), lithomancy (telling the future from the way stones fall when tossed), numerology (future-telling based on numbers), and other services. The report also states that the majority of customers in this industry do not affiliate with any particular religion. The majority of customers seem to be seeking reassurances that everything is going to be all right.
The thing is, if we place our faith in God then everything is going to be all right. If we seek comfort, we need only to pray and read the Bible. If we believe in Jesus and trust God to take care of us, we will find the peace we are looking for.
God does not want us to participate in fortune-telling, mediums, or witchcraft. God told Moses, “You must not… use fortune-telling or witchcraft.” (Leviticus 19:26) “Do not defile yourselves by consulting mediums and wizards, for I am Jehovah your God.” (Leviticus 19:30) God wants us to consult only with Him, through reading the Bible and prayer.
Neither does God want us to “…practice black magic, or call on the evil spirits for aid, or be a fortune-teller, or be a serpent charmer, medium, or wizard, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone doing these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord…”. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
As for the consequences of disobedience, unless forgiven, God told Moses, “I will set my face against anyone who consults mediums and wizards instead of me and I will cut that person off from his people.” (Leviticus 20:6)
As we journey through this world of beauty and many mysteries, we will be presented with many choices. While we should be aware that there is a spiritual realm that we cannot understand, we should not try to bridge it except to the extent we seek a relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
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