QUOTE: Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.

OVERESTIMATING THE ENEMY Early in the Civil War, when the Union armies were suffering repeated defeats, Abraham Lincoln was discussing the war situation with his cabinet. "How many men do you estimate are in the Confederate army?" a cabinet member asked.
"About a million and a half," said Lincoln.
"That many?" said another member. "I thought the number was considerably less."
"So did I," said Lincoln, "but every time one of our generals lose a battle, he insists that he was outnumbered three to one - and we have about 500,000 men."

AMERICA’S BELIEFS from barna.org 2001
6 out of 10 Americans believe Satan is only a symbol and not real
47 % of Christians believe the same thing
1 out of 4 Christians believe it doesn't matter what religion you are because all of them are the

same and they all lead to God
31% of Christians believe Heaven can be earned
Daily horoscope reading is equal among Christians and non-Christians
Only 51% of Christians would make it illegal to distribute pornographic material
35% of Christians believe it is ok to bend the rules to get what you want

THE SIZE OF THE LIE Hitler in Mein Kampf

In the size of the lie there is always contained a certain factor of credibility: the great masses of a people… more easily fall victims to a great lie than to a small one.

A distraught man went to a psychiatrist and explained, "Doctor, I believe I'm possessed by an evil spirit."
After talking to the patient at length, the psychiatrist said, "You do appear to have a problem. I'd like to see you again next Wednesday."
After a second session of psychotherapy, the psychiatrist pronounced his patient completely cured.
For the next nine months, the psychiatrist sent the man a monthly statement for his professional services, but the man wouldn't pay and refused to acknowledge the debt. Finally, the psychiatrist took the man to court and had him repossessed.

A woman once had the reputation of only saying good things even about her enemies. A preacher had difficulty believing that anyone could do that, so he spoke were her one day and asked her if she could say anything good about Satan. She thought for a moment and the smiled, "Well, the least that you can say about him is that he's persistent."

PBS Special covering the events that led up to the "Battle of the Bulge" in WWII revealed some interesting insights. It was the autumn of 1944 and Germany had been beaten back behind its borders. The Nazi war machine was in tatters and repeated bombing raids by the Allies all but assured that Hitler's forces would never rise again. Around the perimeter of Germany's borders, the Allies spread a thin line of forces that one person observed was so scattered that a man could slip between its lines without being observed. All across Europe, there was celebration. Parties, dances, speeches all rejoicing in Germany's defeat. The war was effectively over. The only problem was that somebody forgot to tell Germany.

Even as his forces were being shattered and driven back, Hitler was devising a plan for on last onslaught. Underground factories churned out more weapons, armament and ammunition, more of Germany's young and old men were conscripted and trained for war, and as Europe rejoiced, Hitler planned. His goal was not to drive back the Allies, as much as it was to divide the British to the North and Americans to the South and so demoralize them that they would sue for peace on his terms.

Sicknesses are tied to viruses and bacteria - can't see them, but I know they are there and my doctor advises me how to respond. So also with Satan - we can't see him, but God assures us he is there and that he is a formidable enemy.

If I were the prince of darkness, I would want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.

I'd have a 3rd 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 whisper. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper, "The Bible is a myth" I would convince them that "man created God" instead of the 'other way around.

I'd whisper that "what is bad is good and what is good is square."

In the ears of the young married I would whisper that work is debasing that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them to be "extreme" in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

And to the old I would teach to pray, to say after me " Our father which art in Washington. .."

Then I'd get organized I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull, uninteresting. I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice-versa.

I'd peddle 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 would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions, let those run wild.

I'd designate an atheist to front for me before the Highest Courts and I'd get preachers to say, " She's right"

I'd infiltrate unions and urge more loafing less work. Idle hands usually work for me. With flattery and promises of power, I would get the courts to vote against God in favor of pornography. Thus I would evict God from the courthouse, from the school house, then from the House of Congress. Then in His own churches I'd substitute psychology for religion and defy science. That way men would become smart enough to control everything.

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'd take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. Then my police state would force everybody back to work. Then I could separate families, putting children in unicamps.

If I were Satan, I'd just keep on doing what I am doing and the whole world would go to Hell as sure as the Devil.

A Finish infidel died and left his farm willed to the devil. The courts, after deliberating on such a ridiculous set of circumstances decided the best way to carry out the wishes of the infidel was to permit the farmland to grow up in weeds and briers, to allow the house and barn to remain unpainted and to rot down, and to permit the soil to erode and wash away. The court said, "The best way to let Satan have it is to do nothing."

Therein lies a common story. Few of us claim to be infidels. Few plan to will land or life over to the devil. But we may actually do the same thing by procrastination. We put off now what we know we ought to do. We look for a more convenient time. Postponement is the most popular method of avoidance. We say, "Sometime we will take care of that." And, as with the fields willed to the devil, procrastination becomes the perversion of something good.

CHANGING THE PRICE TAGS Anthony Campolo's "Who Switched The Price Tags?"

One year, my best friend and I devised what we thought was a brilliant and creative plan for mischief. We decided to break into the basement of the local five-and-dime store. We did not plan to rob the place (Sunday School boys would never do that sort of the thing); instead, we planned to do something that, as far as the owner of the store was concerned, would have been far worse. Our plan was to get into that five-and-dime store and change the price tags on things.

We imagined what it would be like the next morning when people came into the store and discovered that radios were selling for a quarter and bobby pins were priced at five dollars each. With diabolical glee, we wondered what it would be like in that store when nobody could figure out what the prices of things really should be.

Sometimes I think that Satan has played the same kind of trick on all of us. Sometimes I think that he has broken into our lives and changed the price tags on things. Too often, under the influences of his malicious ploy, we treat what deserves to be treated with loving care as though it were of little worth. On the other hand, we find ourselves tempted to make great sacrifices for that which, in the long run of life, has no lasting value and delivers very little gratification. Sometimes I think that one of the worst consequences of being fallen creatures is our failure to understand what really is important in life.

THE DEVIL'S BEATITUDES BelleCentre Newsletter

Blessed are they who feel too tired and busy to assemble with the church on Sunday; for they are my best workers.

Blessed are they who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes; for they get nothing out of the sermon.

Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church; for he is important to me.

Blessed are they who do not meet with the church on Sunday; for they cause the world to

say "The church is failing."

Blessed are they who are easily offended; for they get angry and quit.

Blessed are they who do not give to carry on God's work and mission; for they are my helpers.

Blessed are the trouble makers; for they shall be called the children of the devil.

Blessed is he professes to love God, but hates his brother; for he will be with me forever.

Blessed is he who has not time to pray; for he shall be easy prey for me.

Two boys were walking home from Sunday School. They had just had a lesson that morning on the devil.

"What do you think of this devil business?" one boy asked the other.

The other child paused and then said, "Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out - it is either your mother or your father."

A liberal preacher once mocked a conservative friend by stating that he was not afraid of the devil.

"That's not the question," replied his friend. "The question is, 'Is the devil afraid of you?'"

Early part of the last century an artist who loved chess painted a picture of chess game that portrayed a contest between Satan (black pieces) and a young man (white). The stated stakes were that if the young man were to win, he would be forever free from the power of evil, but if he lost, he would be Satan's slave forever.

The artist apparently viewed the devil as invincible, because he depicted the pieces so that even the most skilled chess player would recognize that Satan was going to win. The canvas hung in a great art gallery and was the topic of much conversation.

Then one day, a doubter arose among those who gathered. He didn't believe in a no win scenario in facing Satan and he went so far as to contact one of the foremost experts in chess from New Orleans, Paul Morphy to come at his expense to debunk the views of his comrades.

Morphy arrived at the gallery and went to picture, intrigued by its portrayal and set about visualizing each move the young man could make. Five minutes, 10, 15, a half an hour, he concentrated, lifting and lowering his hands as, in his imagination, he made and eliminated moves. Abruptly his hand paused, his eyes burned with the vision of an unthought of combination. Suddenly he shouted "Young man, make that move - that's the move!" To the amazement of all, the old master, had discovered the combination that would defeat Satan's seemingly iron grip of the game.