By Neil Anderson

      1 Corinthians 16:13
      Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith

      The school administration in a Christian high school found out that nearly every student in the school had played "Bloody Mary," a popular party game among some groups of children. A common version of the game requires a child to go into a completely darkened bathroom alone, spin around six times, face the mirror, and call upon Bloody Mary to show herself. In many cases these children saw something frightening in the mirror. There was no physical explanation for seeing anything in a totally dark room. These children had unwittingly opened themselves up to the god of this world.

      Bloody Mary is only one of the more "innocent" ways our children are giving Satan a foothold in their lives. Games like the Ouija board and Dungeons and Dragons are other common means by which children are introduced to the occult. The music, movies, magazines, television programs, and substances our children are exposed to create gaping doors of opportunity for Satan to seduce them. At one public high school in Southern California, 133 students were referred to the school psychologist during the first six weeks of classes because of their involvement with Satanism and the occult. Most children don't even realize the spiritual bondage they are submitting to when participating in these activities. What's worse, most parents don't either.

      Children are dabbling in all kinds of occultic experiences: astral projection, table lifting, fortune-telling, astrology, crystals or pyramids, automatic writing, tarot cards, palm reading, spirit guides and blood pacts. In addition, the New Age Movement, permeating our society and our public education system today, is the source of many pitfalls. Much of the world's attempt to amuse and entertain our children leads them into darkness.

      No matter how many dark doorways beckon to your children, Christ is the ultimate door to freedom. He is the truth and the light that dispels the lies of Satan and the darkness of the world. Teach yourself and your children to know and choose the truth.

      Prayer:

      Lord, help me equip my children to recognize and dispel the darkness in the worldly amusements and entertainment which surround them.