CAMPBELLTON, New Brunswick, July 6, 2023 – There’s a growing trend among Christians to use God’s Word like a magic 8 ball: They close their eyes, open the Bible to a random page, point to someplace on the page, and then open their eyes to see if what they’re pointing to offers them guidance to their problem at hand.

This is a form of fortune-telling divination, which is thoroughly condemned by God.

Jesus died so that we could regain the close relationship with God that we lost when Adam and Eve sinned.  When we practice divination (which is what we’re doing when we use the Bible like a magic 8 ball), we’re essentially throwing Jesus’ sacrifice back in his face. We’re saying we don’t need a relationship with God. We saying we’d rather look for signs and omens and rely on fortune-telling than go to God in prayer.

I don’t know about you, but this is not something I want to mess with. Divination of any kind is an occult activity, which means it relies on the power of demons, not on the power of God’s Holy Spirit. You’re summoning demons when you practice divination. Even if you’re using a Bible, you’re appealing to demons to guide your hand.

God has given us his Word to use for guidance, comfort, and correction. We’re to read the Bible with reverence, not treat it like a parlour game. We’re not to idolize the Bible, but we should definitely treat it with respect. It’s not just another book, it’s THE book.

If you’ve been caught up in the trend of looking for signs and omens by opening the Bible to a random page, please consider not doing that anymore. Please remember Jesus’ sacrifice and what he accomplished by it. Please take advantage of Jesus’ accomplishment and go to God in prayer when you need guidance and direction.

As a born-again believer, you don’t need a magic 8 ball or tea leaves or any other kind of occult-based medium because you’ve got God on your supernatural speed dial 24/7. Through his Holy Spirit, he’s available day and night to answer your questions and keep you on the right path. Jesus is, too. All you have to do is pray.

“There shall not be found among you any one… that useth divination….

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-12