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"...The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I Timothy 3:15
The Cunning Enemy
LeAnn Dillbeck, the Polk County Pulse, Mena, Arkansas
As printed in The Baptist Challenge, January 2014
Someone had recently posted an audio recording from 1965 of Paul Harvey that was quite profound ... especially for the year he recorded it. The transcript read:
“If I were the devil, I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. So, I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I would 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.’
“’Do as you please.’ To the young, I would whisper, ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them 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. 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 that war with themselves, churches that war with themselves, and nations that war with themselves, until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flame. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, and neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you know it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every school house door.
“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing. I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I would evict God from the courthouse, and then 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. What do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would question against extremes and hard work, and Patriotism and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging more fun, and 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 keep on doing what he’s doing.”
The Enemy is quite cunning. He seeks to kill, to steal, and to destroy (John. 10:10). He knows our weakest points and when to strategically strike with his lies and lures but he also knows our strength comes from the Lord ... His grace is sufficient ... for power is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). So if he is wise enough to know where our strength comes from ... shouldn’t we?
The nature of this business has taught me that everyone has a demon that they battle. It seems that every generation finds a new demon to battle and cunningly finds a way of defining so many.
I’ve been holding this poem that was brought in to me a couple of weeks ago for publishing and I love how perfect God’s timing always is because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was the week for it to be published when our top story of the week involved a drug trafficking ring ... it reminded me of what a problem this has truly become in our local society.
The man who submitted the poem had helped his nephew through an addiction ... his heart still bleeding for the thousands who are still battling ... still losing ... and the others who are just succumbing to the temptation and willingly beginning the biggest battle of their lives.
The author is unknown but is told to have been a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges ... addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail and was completely consumed by the horrors and effects of the drug that had come to own her.
The story told is that she was found dead not long after this composition ... with the needle still in her arm. May her words serve as a reminder that we have so many lost souls seeking to find “a fix” for the pain and “a fix” to feel good that we must pray for opportunities for God to be revealed to them as “the fix” that His perfect power will be revealed in their weakness and their demon will be conquered.
My Name Is “Meth”
I destroy homes. I tear families apart,
Take your children ... and that’s just the start.
I’m more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold.
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.
If you need me, remember I’m easily found.
I live all around you — in schools and in town.
I live with the rich; I live with the poor;
I live down the street, and maybe next door.
I’m made in a lab, not like you think.
I can be made under the kitchen sink,
Made in your child’s closet and even in the woods.
If this scares you to death, well, it certainly should.
I have many names, but there’s one you know best.
I’m sure you’ve heard of me, my name is crystal meth.
My power is awesome; try me you’ll see,
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once and I might let you go,
But try me twice, and I’ll own your soul.
When I possess you, you’ll steal and you’ll lie,
You’ll do what you have to just to get high.
The crimes you’ll commit for my narcotic charms
Will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in your arms - your lungs, your nose.
You’ll lie to your mother; you’ll steal from your dad;
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.
But you’ll forget your morals and how you were raised.
I’ll be your conscience. I’ll teach you my ways.
I take kids from parents, and parents from kids.
I turn people from God, and separate friends.
I’ll take everything from you, your looks and your pride.
I’ll be with you always ... right by your side.
You’ll give up everything ... your family, your home,
Your friends, your money, then you’ll be alone.
I’ll take and take, till you have nothing more to give;
When I’m finished with you, you’ll be lucky to live.
If you try me be warned — this is no game.
If given the chance, I’ll drive you insane.
I’ll ravish your body. I’ll control your mind.
I’ll own you completely your soul will be mine.
The nightmares I’ll give you while lying in bed,
The voices, the voices you’ll hear from inside your head.
The sweats, the shakes, the visions you’ll see,
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.
But then it’s too late, and you’ll know in your heart,
That you are mine, and we shall not part.
You’ll regret that you tried me, they always do,
but you came to me, not I to you.
You know this would happen, many times you were told,
But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.
You could have said no, and just walked away.
If you could live that day over, now what would you say?
I’ll be your master, you will be my slave.
I’ll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It’s all up to you.
I can bring you more misery than words can tell.
Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell...