TV Heebie-Jeebies

I will be so glad when Halloween is OVER! I can't even go to the grocery store without seeing gross stuff like skeletons, spider webs, vampires, gravestones . . . ugh! The same thing happens when I turn on the TV. Shows I might normally think are OK to watch suddenly contain themes that could give a person the heebie-jeebies. (I don't know what those are, but they don't sound fun.)

Halloween isn't the only time of the year when occult stuff creeps into entertainment, though. And lots of times it doesn't show up looking inherently evil or scary. Take The Wizards of Waverly Place, for example. It's a Disney show about kids who are competing for magic powers and end up casting spells on each other that can be pretty funny. Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is another funny sitcom about a teenager dealing with special powers in addition to the normal craziness of teenagerhood. (FYI, I am not recommending any of these programs—just using them as examples.) When you see wizards, witches, and sorcerers in shows like these, it might be kind of hard to understand why God would have a problem with magic.

Hollywood would like us to believe that there are such things as "good" magic, "good" witches, and "good" psychic powers. The truth is, there aren't. Those practices are all powered by Satan—even if they are hilarious or, um, charming.

Why does God hate those practices so much? I think the reason is probably because they're dangerous, Satanic substitutes for God's powers. God also gives people supernatural abilities and talents, but they're powered by the Holy Spirit, and you can read about them in 1 Corinthians 12.

Ask God what talents or abilities He's given you, and use them according to His plan. Don't be fooled by comedies that show kids having fun with all kinds of Satanic powers. When you understand the source of that stuff, there's really nothing funny about it.