SUNSET FADE
BY REV. G. R. TRAVIS
(Excerpts from a message preached to the Mississippi District Conference.)
A beautiful spring day was coming to a close. I was listening to a radio talk show. Suddenly the program was interrupted–there was no sound. After while the announcer said, “We are experiencing sunset fade. As soon as we have correct these difficulties, we will resume normal broadcasting.”
My mind began to race. From the context of the announcer’s statement, I concluded that at sundown there was problem either with transmitting or receiving the radio frequencies or both. Perhaps a logical assumption would be that there was interference somewhere between the transmission and the receiving.
There is an interesting article in Modem Maturity, October 1992 that illustrates the fact that at some point we (the physical body) begin to shrink. Someone said, We begin to die as soon as we are loom.” Technically, I suppose you could say they are correct. Cells are constantly dying and being replaced. However, in the truest sense, this statement is not altogether accurate. We grow to a certain point and then we begin to die. As dreadful as the thought may be, we have to face reality God never intended for our existence in this life to be permanent. He has reserved it for eternity.
I cannot explain sunset fade as it relates to radio broadcasting, nor can I explain the shrinking of the physical body, but I do know many contributing factors to “Spiritual Sunset Fade.” At the sunset of this dispensation, Satan is intensifying his efforts against the church. His tactics are evident; his objective is to obstruct or at the least, to frustrate the heavenly transmissions.
The following article, If I Were the Devil,” was used by Paul Harvey on his noon broadcast. As you read it, you will quickly recognize the inroads the Devil has made. We are engaged in our greatest battles, but we are also experiencing our greatest victories.
IF I WERE THE DEVIL
If I were the Prince of darkness, I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness, and I’d have a third of its real estate and 4/5 of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I’d 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 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 would 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 peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies any gentlemen of distinction. I9d 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 would 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 court house, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the Houses of Congress. 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 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 it to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious and what’ll you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich. I would caution against extremes in 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. I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.
In other words, if I were the devil. I would just keep right on doing what he’s doing.
This article “Sunset Fade” written by Rev. G. R. Travis is excerpted from the Mississippi Torch an August 1994 edition.
