Paul Harvey: True Than and Now

Paul Harvey, April 3, 1965:

"If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. 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”. In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an athiest to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.” With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

Paul Harvey, Good Day."

Singing Jesus Loves the Little Children

Do you have any loose wires?

"I'd plug it in and see what happens." Roger

I own a 2000 Ford Mustang GT.  In 2009, I started having some car trouble.  Being ignorant about how to fix cars I asked several professionals what was wrong with my car. Friends, mechanics, wanna-be mechanics, gave me theories about what might be wrong with my car.  Each theory of how to correct my problem would cost me between $150-$2,000.  Someone even told me my motor was blown.

I had a big problem, but didn't want to spend the money nor did I trust anyone enough to even identify and fix the problem.  What was my response to my impaired car?

Ignore it!

At first it was very easy to ignore my car.  She sat outside our home collecting pollen, dust and maybe a little bit of rust.  People would ask about it and I would be excited that I owned a Ford Mustang, but sadly had to tell them it wasn't working right.

As time went on, with some encouragement, my father in law decided to take my car and see if he could get her running.  What a deal!  Out of sight, out of mind.  My car was now 2 hours away, collecting more pollen, dust and probably rust somewhere else.  I didn't have to deal with the problem, it was now someone else's responsibility.  Trying to forget my car and the problem was very easy now.  Only when we went to see my in laws did my problem car haunt me.

It was on one of the trips to my in laws where I started feeling bad about sending my car away; neglecting the very machine that I enjoyed driving.  Kari, the boys and I washed the car off and it was apparent I was ready to bring my car home and deal with the problem.  Yes, the Mustang still had a problem.

I brought the Mustang home and their she sat in the driveway, occasionally limping her around camp to make the boys smile.  One day I noticed a wire hanging from underneath the car; I didn't give it a second thought.  Little did I know, I had identified the problem and than chose to ignore it.  Months went by and I continued to do the same thing, ignore the problem.

One day I decided to deal with the problem, or so I thought.  I had learned that I could buy 4 oxygen sensors for $140.  I was ready to spend $140 on these parts and I believed if I did this, my problem would be fixed.

As I contemplated the purchase, I asked one last person for his thoughts; he said it could be a number of things, but he would take a look.  Roger came over to the house, plugged his code reader into the car and told me, "One oxygen sensor code and 3 misfires on your cylinders."  What does that mean, I really don't know, but I am pretty sure it is not a good thing.  Inadvertently, "there is a hanging wire under my car, what do you think about that," shot out of my mouth.  Roger got on the ground and replied, "I'd plug it in and see what happens."

Three years my Ford Mustang had been ignored, talked about, pushed away, hidden and neglected because it had a problem.  Do you have any loose wires?

With the help from another buddy, Martin, we put the car up on ramps and I plugged the loose wire back in.  We removed it from the ramps and I turned the key, "VROOM VROOM!" My problem had been resolved.  I reset the computer and had Roger double check with his code reader, all the codes were gone.  For three years a loose wire had been neglected!

Do you have any loose wires that need to be dealt with?  I do.  We all have problems.  We are all jacked up. Many of us respond to problems in our own lives as I did to my car: ignore, talk about, push it away, hide it or neglect it. I even asked many people their opinion about my problem, but ultimately ignored it.  It was right in front of me, but it took three years to fix my loose wire.  To what benefit is this to ourselves, nothing.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

God no longer wants you and I to conform to the world.  He doesn't want us to look like that broken car, he wants you and I to embrace his grace and forgiveness offered by the blood of His son Jesus Christ and deal with these problems.  Once we are set right by His blood, allow the sanctification process (God begins to mold and transform you and I into holiness) to begin.  We are His creation, whom He desires for us to be living sacrifices daily; dying to ourselves and living in Him.  These are the things in which are, "holy and acceptable to God."

If we don't deal with our problems, we just have loose wires hanging down.  Nobody wants to have loose wires.  What loose wires do you need to deal with?  Are you ready to deal with them?

Today is a great day to start fixing loose wires.  Talk to God about your loose wires and get yourself back on track.

God Bless.

Let the frog ride the boat

A little tune for the boys in the bath tub tonight. Sung in the key of raspy wanna be blues man:

Let the frog ride the boat,
Let the frog ride the boat,
Let the frog ride the boat,
Down the river.

Oh that frog rode the boat,
Oh that frog rode the boat,
Oh that frog rode the boat,
Down the river.