Called Out Of Darkness

There I was, a Wiccan High Priest. I had been a High Priest for over 12 years, deeply involved in Witchcraft. Doing tarot card readings and talking to the dead happened at least once a day and often many times a day. I conducted rituals and sabbats (celebrations of various Witches’ holidays) which routinely involved working with a spirit, allowing myself to be possessed, casting spells to assist members of our group (or coven), or cursing those who were obstructing my goals or the goals of the group. And the spells worked! Each day I would cast protection spells to keep myself safe from harm, hoping that some more powerful witch could not break through my protective barrier. After all, I knew how easily I had broken through some other people’s protection spells. How hard was it to imagine that some other witch, who did not like me, could do the same thing to me? Everything depended on my knowledge and how much power I controlled. In our meetings we taught love and brotherhood, but the moment we were by ourselves it was all about self-gratification. Self! That was my biggest god. Power and control. That was my greatest goal. Our rituals were about gaining greater power and control over others, over ourselves, and over nature. We taught living in harmony, but whose harmony? Under whose control? During my life I had done horrible things: murder, theft, beating people, bullying others, manipulating people, sexual misconduct of all kinds, and on and on. In our world there was no such thing as forgiveness for these wrongs. Yet we all knew that these wrongs and actions not only affected this current life, but also had a serious effect on what would happen after we died. We lied to ourselves, telling each other that if we did enough good, then it would balance out the evil we had done … the evil I had done. Or, we hoped for an afterlife (reincarnation) so that we would have another chance to do it right. I was miserable, pretending all was well because I had power, control, and money. I hated myself because the guilt was heavy on my shoulders. I knew right from wrong. Doesn’t everybody? My conscience was too heavy to carry. What could be done? So there I was, a Wiccan High Priest at a spiritual retreat, hearing about a God that loved me and hearing about people who cared about me and loved me. Then, I heard about Jesus and what He could do and had done. How Jesus had died on the cross for my sins and could cleanse me of all the wrongs I had ever done. He died for me…He died for all the world. The evening before the last day of the retreat, they talked of love. Not only the love of Jesus Christ, who willingly died for me, but also the love of all the people involved in that retreat. God touched me through that love. Love was something I did not have much of in my life. All my life I had fought against Jesus Christ and God His Father. I had searched desperately for truth and love in every place and religion I could find. The only real and true answer I have ever found is Jesus Christ. It no longer depends entirely upon me. Now, Jesus watches over me and takes care of me. I rest in His arms and in His power. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9,10 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 I urge you to come to God now. Do not do like I did and wait until I had wasted over half my life in prison. Ask God to forgive you of your sins right now and tell Him you want Jesus to come into your heart. Nothing fancy. Just like talking to a friend. Believe me, if God can save me and turn me into the man I am today, then God can save you too. Here you will find forgiveness and love. God bless you. Amen. Your friend, Edward T. Anderson