Marketplace Evangelism Today

Should a Christian Participate in Halloween?

I used to participate in Halloween as a kid and a teenager. We loved to get candy. When I was in high school, I made a dummy out of a long sleeved shirt and long pants. I stuffed the arms and legs with pine straw and newspaper. I tied off the ends of the sleeves with rope and tied a rope around the waist for a belt and tied a rope around the neck. On Halloween night a friend and I climbed up on the roof and when kids came to the house, we would throw that dummy off the house and the kids would jump. They spilt their candy across the yard and we thought that was fun!

Back then, Halloween was a little more innocent than what it is today. Today, it has become very dark and often very evil, where occult practices are practiced and evil prevails. Should Christians participate in this holiday? Let us look at what Scripture says about evil and darkness.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” — Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)

“Abstain from every form of evil.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NKJV)

These two passages work especially well together when addressing a Christian’s relationship to practices associated with spiritual darkness.

Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV) emphasizes separation and discernment: believers should not participate in works of darkness but instead live in a way that exposes them through the light of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NKJV) emphasizes avoidance of evil. In context, Paul tells believers to test everything, hold firmly to what is good, and reject what is evil (vv. 21–22).

Together, they give a helpful principle:

The Christian question should not simply be, “Is this harmless fun?” but, “Does my participation honor Christ, reflect His light, and keep me separate from practices that glorify darkness or evil?”

That principle can be applied to Halloween without claiming that every person who hands out candy or wears a costume is intentionally participating in the occult. The concern becomes much clearer when Halloween activities celebrate witchcraft, demons, séances, divination, death, or other explicitly occult themes.

CHRISTIANS AND PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS

As followers of Christ, we should remember that the spiritual realm is not something God has called us to explore out of curiosity.

I understand why paranormal investigations can seem fascinating. Questions about haunted places, unexplained voices, spirits, and things we cannot see naturally capture people’s attention. But for the Christian, the question shouldn’t simply be, “Is this real?” The more important question is, “Does God want me participating in this?”

Scripture gives us reason to be very cautious.

God warned His people against seeking communication with spirits, mediums, and the dead:

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” — Leviticus 19:31

Isaiah asks:

“Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” — Isaiah 8:19

Paranormal investigations can cross a serious spiritual boundary when we begin calling out to spirits, asking them questions, recording EVPs hoping for responses, using spirit boxes, consulting mediums, or otherwise attempting communication with unseen entities.

Putting electronic equipment between ourselves and the spirit world does not necessarily change the nature of what we are attempting to do.

Yes, Christians believe in a spiritual realm. Scripture teaches us about angels, Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare. But recognizing that the spiritual realm exists does not mean God has given us permission to experiment with it.

Jesus never taught His disciples to search for haunted locations or attempt conversations with spirits. Instead, Scripture tells us:

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” — James 4:7

Our spiritual attention should be directed toward Jesus Christ—not toward ghosts, demons, familiar spirits, or paranormal manifestations.

We don’t need to become experts on darkness.

We need to become disciples who know Christ deeply.

If you have been involved in paranormal investigation, my purpose isn’t to condemn you. I would simply encourage you to prayerfully consider whether these activities are drawing you closer to Jesus or creating a growing fascination with the spiritual darkness He has called us away from.

There is tremendous freedom in realizing that we don’t have to investigate every unexplained experience.

We don’t have to identify every spirit.

We don’t have to understand every supernatural occurrence.

We need to know Jesus.

Our curiosity should never take us somewhere God’s Word tells us not to go.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” — Ephesians 5:8

May we seek Christ above everything else, remain firmly grounded in His Word, and walk faithfully in His marvelous light.

These type of investigations is not God’s will on your life. You should repent, renounce it, and ask our Heavenly Father to forgive you from your participation in those activities. Then stay steady in Christ my friends.

The Bible is Very Clear About Witchcraft!

Why do I keep bringing this up from time to time? The reason why is I continue to come across professing Christians who are dabbling into these things. There is a reason why God does not want you dabbling into these occultist works of darkness. Playing with these things can open up doors to demon possession or demon oppression. Stay clear of this abomination to God. Isn’t Jesus enough for you? Or is it that you truly do not know Jesus? Is it that you are not a true follower of Christ Jesus?

If you are a true follower of Jesus, STOP playing with the occult now! Repent of your sins now! Ask forgiveness now! Renounce ever doing occult practices now! Plead the blood of Jesus over yourself now! Turn 100% to Jesus now! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me!” John 14:6

Jesus wants all of you, not just part of you. You are either with Him or against Him! Repent and turn to Him today! There may be no tomorrow!

Press Release: As Iron Sharpens Iron: Discipleship to Holy Living

Press Release:

Reverend Joseph T. Lee of Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc. has just released his new book, entitled “As Iron Sharpens Iron: Discipleship to Holy Living. This has been published by WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervon. The publish date was on November 21, 2025.

The book is available in three formats, Hardcover, Softcover, and eBook. The book is available globally through online distributors such as Amazon, Barns & Noble, and Walmart.

Here is the Amazon link available in the United States.

https://a.co/d/flv4ryK

The following is a description of the book:

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
(Proverbs 27:17, NKJV)

As a marketplace minister, author Joseph T. Lee has encountered many people who are suffering because they are lost and stuck in a world of hopelessness. Through his work, he has been able to help and disciple people and point them to Jesus. Many times, people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus and believe and accept Him as their personal Savior. Then, often, these new converts are not being guided in how to live a life patterned after the life of Christ. Many are stuck in the same sin they were committing before getting saved. They need discipleship to assist them in their walk and their life.

As Iron Sharpens Iron discusses real-life problems and sin and offers a way to redemption and freedom so that people’s chains can be broken. Reverend Lee discusses sexual immorality, honoring your parents, witnessing, rebellion, confessing sin, repentance, the armor of God, struggles with the flesh, standing firm, thirsting for righteousness, worry, putting God first, Bible reading, prayer, forgiveness, discipleship, profanity, avoiding the occult, living by faith, less of yourself, being bold in your faith, and much more. New followers of Christ in need of guidance in their Christian walk can find the help they need on how to live a Christlike life.

Brought to Light

Brought to Light
Written by Joseph T Lee for Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc.

Most recently, at a Coldplay concert, an adulterous affair was brought to light where a married CEO and his HR Director were spotlighted on a “Kiss-Cam” in the stadium of where the concert took place. When caught, he was cradling her from behind and she was holding his arms. The CEO ducked down out of sight and the HR Director turned around quickly so that her face would not be seen by the video camera. Then they both disappeared.

These two were married but not to each other. Their infidelity was made very public, front and center. This reminded me of Adam and Eve. When they ate the forbidden fruit, they hid themselves in the garden and covered theirselves up with leaves because their eyes were opened to their nakedness. This was the first sin of humanity.

The fact that Adam and Eve hid themselves from God showed that they knew that their disobedience was wrong. They sinned against God. The same goes for the CEO and the HR Director. They were caught and tried to hide themselves because of their infidelity against their own spouses.

In Luke 8:17, it says, “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” Their affair has come to light in a huge way. Their sin was placed on display for the world to see. You cannot hide your sins from God! He sees all things.

One of the Ten Commandments says in Exodus 20:14, “You shall not commit adultery.”

Look at Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Their sexual immorality has been brought to light. Many might say that the producers of the concert should not have invaded their privacy, but in public, there is no expectation of privacy. Cameras are everywhere.

If one does not want their sin publicized, then they should not commit adultery and other sins. The CEO and the HR Director not only sinned against God, but they sinned against their own spouses. They sinned against their children and family. They also sinned against their own bodies.

Look at 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”

Now, I do not think these two are followers of Christ. Most likely they are not based on the fact that they were willing to cheat on their spouses. But they must repent and turn from this wickedness. They should break the relationship off and go back to their spouses and seek forgiveness and reconciliation.

It is my prayer that they seek reconciliation with their spouses and repent from their sins and adultery. I pray that they will come to the saving grace and knowledge of Jesus and that they will make Him Lord of their life! Please join me in praying for them and the spouses and family they have crushed and hurt!

Photo Credit: Google

Lord, I Need You!

Lord, I Need You

Written by Joseph T. Lee

Matt Maher wrote the song, “Lord, I Need You.” The Refrain lyrics are:

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Oh, how these words resonate with me. As much as I try to stay steady in Christ, I find myself failing when I try to do it on my own. I fail miserably because I personally do not have the power to do it. I find myself falling into sin, even if the sin is considered very little, or accepted as usual behavior by the world.

When we sin, as followers of Christ Jesus, if we do not feel guilty or sorrowful, then I would say that we have a serious problem in our faith walk. Billy Graham once said, “The closer we get to Christ, the more sinful we will feel.” Isn’t that the truth. The closer we get to Christ, the more sinful we feel because we know that when we sin, even the smallest sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us of that sin, if not immediately, but almost immediately.

The words “Lord, I need you, oh, I need you. Every hour I need you” is truth for me. I know that I cannot stay steady in my faith walk without constantly praying to Jesus. My thoughts, although dealing with other things, should always incorporate Jesus with all my decision making. I must pray multiple times a day, even while at work, to call out on the name of the Lord to help me get through my day. And while I am at home and away from the hustle and bustle of the day, I should consider Christ Jesus when making decisions to watch TV, read, or conversations with loved ones. Even when doing housework or yardwork, I must say a little prayer and give Christ Jesus praise.

If we proclaim to be Christ followers, then we must admit that we need Jesus every hour. We need Him to get through this life. We need Jesus, in everything that we do. We need Him when getting up in the morning, to going to work, to speaking with clients, to speaking with employees, to going home and speaking with our spouses and children. Every hour we need Jesus.

I cannot imagine life without Jesus. Can you? Are you struggling? Do you know where to turn for help? Jesus is waiting for you to turn to Him. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)” Jesus also said, “Come to me all who are heavy laden and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Paraphrased Matthew 11:28). Jesus is waiting to have a relationship with you.

Do not delay in your decision. Ask Him into your heart. Believe in Jesus and He will save you. Ask forgiveness of your sins and repent, meaning turn away from those sins. I pray that you will come to Christ today.

Photo Credit: Text Art App

All Sin and Fall Short of the Glory of God

All Sin and Fall Short of the Glory of God

There is a verse in the Bible that many people use as an excuse or cliché, in order to minimize sin and unrighteousness. Many people will quote this verse in defense of ungodly actions. The verse is so overused for this excuse that the meaning has been distorted.

The verse can be found in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” As you can see from this one verse, there is a comma. There is more to this statement. This verse just by itself is taken out of context top fit into someone else’s narrative. By taking just this verse and manipulating it to mean, “Well we all sin and fall short of God’s glory,” therefore it is okay to sin because we all sin and fall short of God’s glory!

The fact is that this is part of a larger scope and meaning. Paul, the author of Romans, wrote this verse in the middle of explaining the righteousness of God through faith! This one verse in itself is acknowledging that we all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. Let us look at the entire story of what Paul was stating.

Romans 3:21-26. We are only going to touch on this section of Scripture.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith

²¹But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

As R.C. Sproul describes this in his commentary, The righteousness of God must be received now that “it has been manifested.” Believing for Paul involves knowledge of the Gospel’s content, mental assent to its testimony about Christ, and trust and reliance on Him as Savior and Lord, which manifests itself in obedience. The righteousness of God is exclusively for those who have faith and inclusive of all who have faith, whether Jew or Gentile. There is no distinction, for all have sinned.

As we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory, this is a poignant description of the consequence of sin. We are made in the glorious image of God and humanity has exchanged God’s glory to idolatry and distorted the divine image. Now people are morally and spiritually ugly and depraved. Grace renews and restores humanity’s lost glory in believers.

In Scripture, justification is the opposite of condemnation. It is the declaration of the unbelieving sinner to be just, for example, righteous, and it comes by virtue of the imputed righteousness of Christ, the “gift of righteousness.” Christ’s righteousness is now legally considered to be the possession of the sinner. Justification is final and is irreversible. It is grounded in Christ’s lifelong obedience, in which He fulfilled the precepts of God’s law for us, and in His death on the cross, where He bore the penalty of God’s judgement against us. Believers are united in faith alone to Christ Jesus in His resurrection, which vindicated His own flawless obedience to God’s law. He was raised for our justification. Therefore, believers now share the same righteous status as the risen Christ Himself, with whom they are united now and forever.

Now after explaining the true intention of this verse, yes, we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but we as Follower’s of Christ have been justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

I bring all of this up so that we as men will understand that we should not use Scripture taken out of context to substantiate our sinful nature. As I mentioned in yesterday’s podcast, I would be starting a series ministering to Christian men. There is a Scripture that I want you to hear. It is taken from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” As we move forward in the month of May, it is my hope that we can minister to men so that they will be strengthened in the faith.

Yes, although we all sin and we fall short of God’s glory, this verse should not be used by men as an excuse to sin. We will be addressing sin and temptation issues that men may face hundreds of times each day, but I want to tell you that there is hope and deliverance through Christ Jesus. Let today be the first day of the rest of your life in overcoming sin through Christ Jesus.

Rev. Joseph T. Lee is the Overseer of Marketplace Evangelism Ministries Inc. Please tune into our Podcast called “The Daily Bread” with Rev. Joseph T. Lee. The Daily Bread is broadcast on several platforms including but not limited to Apple, Buzzsprout, and Spotify. Here is the latest podcast link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324842/15003211

References:

The Reformation Study Bible

RC Sproul

Fear Not, For I Am With You!

Scripture taken from Isaiah 41:10:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

This Scripture gives me great comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Father is with me because I am a child of God through Christ Jesus. Only through Christ Jesus, I find comfort and rest.

One of my favorite prayers is taken from Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul. I take great comfort in knowing that if I place my trust and faith in Christ Jesus, He will comfort me in my time of trouble.

Here are several truths that I know. I know that Jesus is my Shepherd. Jesus gave Himself for me! Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me! All things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.

Tomorrow, I go in for a medical procedure at the hospital. This will be under anesthesia and is outpatient. Although I may have some concern, there is nothing that I can actually do about my health or circumstance. I must give all of this to my Heavenly Father.

The Lord IS my Shepherd. I will fear not because I know that Jesus is with me. I know that Jesus will strengthen me and hold me up with His righteous right hand! To God be the glory regardless of the outcome.

When faced with adversity, consider praying this prayer which are Scripture verses. Please join me in praying the following:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to not be afraid, for I know that you are with me. Help me to know that you are God, and you will strengthen me. I know that you will help me to overcome my illness or trial. I pray that you will uphold me with your righteous right hand.

I know that the Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not want. You make me lie down in green pastures. You lead me beside still waters. You restore my soul. You lead me in paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake. Even if I walk in the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I pray this in Jesus Name,

Amen.

If you prayed that prayer with me, then believe it in your heart. Stay steady in Christ my friends. He will see you through whatever adversity that you may be going through.

I leave you with this taken from Numbers 6:24-26.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Reference:

John Piper, “Lessons from a Hospital Bed,” 2016.

What If You Lost Everything?

Scripture taken from Job 1:13-22.

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

As I lay in bed tonight, I started thinking about some insurance agents who are struggling because some insurance companies in have stopped writing business. Some of these companies came into the state like gangbusters and allowed many risks to be written with their company, not taking in account the massive ensuing claims that would follow. These massive claims have affected the profitability of the insurance company. Some companies have pulled out of the state. Other companies have paused writing new insurance for several months. And then some companies have terminated agents and have non-renewed the terminated agents book of business.

These measures may seem extreme for the general public, but they may be necessary to stop the hemorrhage that is occurring where insurance companies are not profitable and may possibly be dipping deep into their reserves. This ultimately leads to higher rates for the consumer.

But let us get back to these insurance agents. Some agents are struggling and panicking. I think the reason why is that they have wrapped everything up into their business that they forgot to include God. God may not be a part of their lives. They may not have a personal relationship with Jesus. When things get tough, they have no where to turn.

As for me, I am a business owner. I am already a survivor. At one point in my life, I lost everything. But God did not forsake me. God brought me out of the ashes and helped me to become successful in my business. It wasn’t easy, but Christ Jesus paved the way. And I give Christ Jesus all the glory and honor.

Look at Job. He lost everything including his sons and daughters. They were killed. But instead of Job screaming at God, he fell down on his knees and worshipped God. Then he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job was definitely a survivor and he knew where his wealth came from. But when God allowed Satan to take everything away from him, Job knew that although he was broke, God still received his praise and adoration.

Later on, we know that Job was restored by God. In our own walk with Christ Jesus, we can easily lose what God has given us. We are to praise Him for all of our circumstances regardless of whether we lose everything. To God be the glory.

My business is not really mine. It belongs to God. I am just the steward of God’s business. If He chooses to take it away, I know that the Lord will take care of our needs. It is my prayer that you too would have a relationship with the Father, where you can say, the Lord gave and the Lord took away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you will help me to make you the center of my life. I give my all to you to do with as you wish. I pray that Jesus will come into my life and I will make Him Lord of my life. Even if you give and take away, help me to say, “Blessed is the name of the Lord.” I place all my trust and faith in you!

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Do You Seek the Things That Are From Above in Your Everyday Life?

Do You Seek the Things That Are From Above in Your Everyday Life?

Scripture taken from Colossians 3:1-2. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

If we continue to read Colossians 3, we would understand that this passage is talking about putting on a new self in Christ Jesus. Everyday, we are barraged with the evils of this world. The generation we are now living in is filled with so many abominations, it is almost as bad if not worse than Sodom and Gomorrah.

What was once considered by society pure and holy is now considered intolerable by this sinful and evil society. What was once considered abominations to God is now celebrated as wonderful and the right to practice sin and glorify it.

When we, as Followers of Christ Jesus are not in Church, what are we filling our minds with? I was recently reading a book that John Piper wrote.

He said that he doesn’t have a television at home because of the “subtle and pervasive dehumanizing banality of most television programming. This is the last thing a person needs when he is standing on the brink of eternity.”

The subtle programming has recently gotten worse since Piper wrote those words. Now, abominations to God are right in your face with every turn you make when watching television or participating in social media. Many social media platforms have allowed nudity and sexual encounters and perversion to be shown on their platforms. Certainly, Sodom and Gomorrah are being repeated right in the United States.

Let’s understand what Paul was writing in Colossians 3:1-2. If believers have been raised with Christ, it means that we have died to self and raised back up with Jesus. We have put off our old selves and have put on our new selves in our daily walk with Jesus. We are living our lives in a manner that is holy and pleasing to Jesus. We are seeking things from above. Our obedience is a response of gratitude of God’s favor which is already bestowed on us as Followers of Christ Jesus.

We are seeking to continue to live our lives holy because Christ Jesus sits on the right hand of God. The phrase “seated at the right hand of God” refers to the authority of Jesus over the world. RC Sproul writes, “The Christian life must be lived with an abiding confidence in and submission to the lordship of Christ.”

When we live our lives the other six days of the week, and we are not in Church, let us not participate in consuming the filth of this evil world. Instead, let us fill our free time with reading God’s Word, listening to Christ centered podcasts or programming. Listen to Christian music. Fill your mind with God and His Words and teachings.

The minute that you say it’s okay to watch a program or movie with cursing and sexuality, you are opening your mind to the evil one. This done over and over will condition your mind to start accepting sin as the norm. Instead, stay steady in Christ. Although we are in the world, we are not to participate in the sin of this evil world.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, If I have sinned against you by watching and listening to sin filled programming, I ask for forgiveness. Please help me to withstand the schemes of Satan through his temptations. Send your Holy Spirit to teach me what you want me to learn and change about myself. I want to live my life in a manner that is pleasing to you. I ask this in the name of Jesus.

Amen

References:

John Piper, “Lessons From a Hospital Bed,” 2016.

R. C. Sproul, The Reformation Study Bible, 2015.