INSPIRASUNS

Some of you reading this little blog may not have even been born 60 years ago. Well, now that’s an interesting way to start this little blog, isn’t it? Just stick with me, you’ll get where I’m going.

I’m not sure why I thought about this piece this morning, but it almost immediately came to mind when I was thinking about what to share here today. I guess that was Father telling me to share this particular message.

What I’m going to share is a piece that Paul Harvey broadcast in 1965, yes, 60 years ago. It’s almost chilling to read it now, and how absolutely accurate it is. I’m pretty sure that Father led Paul to these words that day, just as He has led me to share them today.

Friends, every single day we have choices to make. The Lord gives us free will, and sometimes we use it to do things that, well, quite frankly, we shouldn’t. When those times happen, He also allows us to ask for forgiveness to come back to Him and to ask for strength to do it differently the next time. And…He forgives.

So this morning I share this piece from Paul Harvey, from 1965. Time to step in and tell the fallen one, “No more”.

“If I Were the Devil” by Paul Harvey
“If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.

To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…

And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day”.

p.s. Thanks to my friend Christina Jepsen for the beautiful sunrise picture from the Heartland yesterday, the cover of today’s little blog.

Luke 23:34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.