#70 "Blame everything but..." Thoughts from the Back Deck.

Blame everything and anybody but where the blame rests. 
When I was little, I mean very little, a comedian made the phrase "The devil made me do it" famous. His name was Flip Wilson. 

Think of the most common meme (white cat meme for me), and that is how well-known Flip Wilson's catchphrase was. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Today, no one says the devil made me do it. Why? Because we have reduced the devil to a cartoon character and written the devil off a lore. 
By the way, that is a mistake but that is a topic for another "Thought from the Back Deck."

Yet today's "verse of the day" puts the spotlight of temptation where it belongs. 
Not on the devil. 
Not on God. 
Not on our neighbor...
or culture 
or movies 
or music 
or video games 
or anything else in all of creation! 

Troubles with temptation rest solely with the individual. 

We have the ability, thanks be to God, to make wise and healthy choices.

The Holy Spirit gives me the strength to say "no." 

I make a choice of what to watch.
I pick what books to read.  
I decide what music to play in my car, my home, through my earbuds.
I don't have to stay in a tempting situation; I could be like our Old Testament Joseph, who ran away when confronted with temptation.

God is faithful. 
Listen to the Holy Spirit. 
Remember and read the word of God.
Pray for help, when help is needed. 
God is faithful.
 
We know what is good and what is not suitable for us. 

Peace out,
Andy

stpaullakeland.org 

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