Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ~ 1 Peter 5: 6-9

Paul Harvey – If I were the Devil – 1965
If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. 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 of good and evil — Thee.

So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first and 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’ and 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 on 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, sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction, and 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 and 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 wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet that 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 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.[end]

Codicil: The original recording is available but very grainy and hard to hear, but he did a remake in 1996 with a slightly different transcript, but with no less of a prophecy…

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Todd Starnes on the Parkland, Florida tragedy – 2018
Another American high school was turned into a killing field and the nation wonders why. Well, I’m going to answer that question for you and the answer may leave you a bit unsettled.

You see – I believe there is a God — but I also believe there is a Devil and I see his hand at work here. We’ve raised a generation to believe that truth is relative, that there is no right or wrong – And the Devil smiled.

  • They kicked God out of public schools, banned Bibles and prayer – And the Devil smiled.
  • We’ve destroyed the traditional family, broken homes raising broken kids – And the Devil smiled.
  • There are no consequences for bad behavior, no personal responsibility – And the Devil smiled.
  • Our movies and music and games glorify violence and gore, relationships poisoned by pornography. And the Devil smiled.

What happened in Parkland, Florida is about wickedness – a war with the forces of darkness – good versus evil. Our land is wounded, her people suffering. But we have turned our back on the One who promised to heal our land. The politicians and pundits would have you believe this is not about God – it’s about politics or mental illness or gun control.

And the Devil smiled.

Anybody getting the message yet?

The atheist and the crusty old cowboy
An atheist was seated next to a crusty old cowboy on an airplane and he turned to him and said, “Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.”

The old cowboy, who had just started to read his bible, replied to the total stranger, “What would you want to talk about?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said the atheist. “How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?” as he smiled smugly.

“Okay,” said the crusty old cowboy. “Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff – grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?”

The atheist, visibly surprised by the old cowboy’s intelligence, thinks about it and says, “Hmmm, I have no idea.”

To which the bible-believing crusty old cowboy replied, “Do you really feel qualified to discuss God, Heaven and Hell or life after death, when you don’t know crap?”

And the crusty old cowboy went back to his bible.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn…

Christ confounds the Devil – The three temptations – Matthew 4: 1-11
When Christ was confronted by the Devil out in the wilderness he didn’t excoriate or argue with him about the pros and cons of whether or not he was who he said he was. He went strictly by the code of Godly attribution. “It is written”.

On the first conviction of turning stones to bread, Christ’s response was “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”.

On the second, of throwing himself off a tall building to be saved by God’s angels, Christ answered “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God”.

And thirdly, on being offered all the kingdoms of the world if only he would bow down to worship and obey the Devil, Christ admonished the deceiver with “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”.

Just keep in mind folks, the power that you have to thwart the fiery darts of the enemy deceiver each and every time he comes after you. Remember that he has been defeated and he is currently on a very short leash. Stand up, be bold, be brave, be courageous. The entire resources of Heaven are available to you freely to protect you and make you victorious. Glory!

Message delivered. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen. Maranatha. In Him!

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. ~ Ecclesiastes 12: 11-14

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Face of Jesus by Richard Hook

Soli Deo Gloria!