as we confess all known sin can we aspire to a deeper commitment.
4. Encourage getting into the Bible. There are no shortcuts in the life of obedience. Our minds must be set always to seek the will of the Lord. Following the progressive discipline revealed through the Bible will result in a walk of obedience to God. We must "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).
5. Pray with the inquirer for the fulfillment of his or her desire to obey God's will.
6. Recommend cultivating fellowship with spiritually minded Christians in a Bible-teaching church, where he or she can learn more of the will and ways of God.
Scripture
"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known" (Deuteronomy 11:26–28, NIV).
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).
"Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. . . . Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:15, 21, NIV).
"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him" (1 John 2:5, NIV). Other suggested Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:13–16
THE OCCULT
Background
A national newspaper reported that occultism is the most rapidly growing religion in our country. When a spiritual vacuum exists, those who are empty, curious, and gullible are going to fill it with something. Occultism is a disturbing sign of the accelerating disintegration of our culture.
The primary meaning of the word occult is "hidden or concealed." The specifically religious definition of the word is somewhat ambiguous, covering a wide range of mystical phenomena. In general, the following religious practices are identified as occult:
Spiritism: The belief that people can make contact with the dead through a medium in order to receive revelations from the spirit world.
Clairvoyance: The belief that certain people possess "extrasensory" powers—the ability to see what cannot be seen by the ordinary five senses.
Fortune-telling: The claim of ability to predict the future by reading tea leaves, palms, tarot cards, and the like.
Astrology: The belief that the future can be foretold by studying the relative positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. The "horoscopes" found in local newspapers and other media offer advice based on astrological calculations.
Witchcraft: A "witch" could be defined as a person claiming the ability to contact and utilize powers from the unseen world. The Bible Forbids Involvement in the Occult
"Let no one be found among you . . . who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 18:10–12, NIV).
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:19, NIV).
God was displeased when Saul sought the help of a medium: "Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the