God stirs and motivates our spirit. This gives us the gumption to do, the light to see and the intellect to reason it. However, this stirring and motivation by God is not a mandate. We still decide whether or not to act upon it. But rest assured, if God does stir us, it is both His wish and our benefit that we do act upon it!

Gun Laws and Morality 

You do realize that all laws intrude on personal liberty don’t you? All a law can do is say no to something. But a law has no effect without enforcement. In a practical sense, without enforcement, there is no reason to adhere to a law outside of respect for civil society and moral conscience.

In the words of Shakespeare's Hamlet,  “Ay, there's the rub!”

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” - John Adams

I have a question. When there is a perceived problem in society, why is the knee jerk reaction always seem to be a cry for a new law? Why not examine the current laws to see if there was a failure somewhere? This is a much more expedient and productive process.

In our rush and demand to pass a new law we focus entirely on what we desire the law to accomplish and not whether or not that law can actually accomplish it. Our wants override rational thought. Remember Pelosi’s, “We need to pass this bill to find out what’s in it”? Our desires and wants override rational thought and examination of what is being proposed.

If your car doesn’t start, do you buy a new car? No. Do you buy additional car parts and add it to the vehicle? No. You locate the problem and fix it.

I challenge gun ban and new gun law advocates to examine all of the current local, state and federal gun laws. In any given shooting incident, see if there was an enforcement failure or a dereliction of duty in procedure of an existing law.

Can murders be stopped? Reread the John Adams quote. Can the rate of murders be reduced? Certainly. And the quickest and most efficient way to do this is to check the current laws and see if they are being carried out and enforced. Otherwise it is pure folly to create new laws if the problem is that laws aren’t being carried out or enforced. If your water bucket is empty because it has a hole in the bottom of it then it makes no sense to pour more water into it. Fix the bucket!

Albert Einstein is credited as saying, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

The mindless plea for new gun laws without examining current laws and procedures is just that, mindless and its insanity. It’s doing the same thing over and over again to no avail.

Reread the John Adams quote again. Let’s examine conscience and morality. Does conscience and morality come from laws? No. Are conscience and morality instituted by governments? No. Conscience and morality are of God. From creation of man into righteousness and his subsequent fall, a conscious moral standard was needed. God and righteousness is within the heart of man but stained by sin. Left alone, man will fail in this condition. So God gave a moral standard, the Ten Commandments that man could intellectually grasp and willingly strive towards. God gave man a Savior to attain the unattainable and the Holy Ghost to guide man from within.

Conscience and morality is not of man and his government, but of God and His government.

“…the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end…” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

W. Bradford Littlejohn in his new book, “The Two Kingdoms, A Guide For The Perplexed” is spot on with his analysis concerning conscience and morality.

“We often seem to expect politics to change hearts, which is of course Christ’s prerogative alone, and without changed hearts, many otherwise good policies may prove futile.”

“Christ reigns mysteriously and invisibly over the kingdom of conscience, and no human authority may dare to interpose itself as the mediator of this rule; it is by faith alone that we participate in this kingdom, so we must not be deceived into identifying it with external works or rituals.”

“Perhaps the greatest error of evangelicals in the past generation has been the temptation to think that more could be achieved through politics than was realistic, and sometimes that more must be achieved through politics than was appropriate”.

So, while society actively seeks to control a conscience and morality problem through more government and laws, society will see nothing but an increase in conscience and morality problems because the true solution is not being implemented.

Crime is a result of a conscience and morality problem. Government and laws attempt to prohibit and punish the crime, and do not address the condition or state of being of the person. God addresses the person, laws and government the crime.

Oh, and another thing about man’s law and government. It’s an electric fence, meant to keep bad out and to allow the good to roam free. But realize that the electric fence is also an enclosure. The more you demand new laws and bigger government, the smaller the enclosure becomes and less freedom you have to roam.

Bill Hitchcock

Best Moral Instincts

“When we look at the commands God gives us in Scripture, we see they consist with the best moral instincts of the human race; likewise, when we see promises of blessing God gives, we perceive the completion of our natures.” -Natural Law by David Haines & Andrew A. Fulford.

Wow! What a wonderful analysis. Scripture and God’s commands as our moral instincts and nature; blessings as the completion of our nature. I really am speechless for this encapsulates God, His word and man perfectly.

Bill Hitchcock

Natural Law

God created more than just substance. He created powers, order, meaning and purpose. We see God in more than just things, but in motion and structure. With reasoning man looks at nature and sees and understands God not only in the visible, physical and natural, but the invisible, intangible, and supernatural as well.

The natural order of all things is God and His law at work. Nature is created by God. This natural law is inherent in everything created, including man. But God gave man something that is unique to him. God not only gave him his natural order, which is inscribed upon his heart, God also gave man the ability to reason. This enables man to deduce and conclude God in all things. Not only does he see God in creation, but also sees God in the natural order and movement of things.

Man knows that nothing becomes without a becomer. Nothing moves without a mover. The unregenerated man can deduce this. Often times it is God’s law in nature itself that opens the eyes of man to God.

“In attestation of his wondrous wisdom, both the heavens and the earth present us with innumerable proofs not only those more recondite proofs which astronomy, medicine, and all the natural sciences, are designed to illustrate, but proofs which force themselves on the notice of the most illiterate peasant, who cannot open his eyes without beholding them…..No man, however, though he be ignorant of these, is incapacitated for discerning such proofs of creative wisdom as may well cause him to break forth in admiration of the Creator..….none who have the use of their eyes can be ignorant of the divine skill manifested so conspicuously in the endless variety, yet distinct and well ordered array, of the heavenly host; and, therefore, it is plain that the Lord has furnished every man with abundant proofs of his wisdom.” - John Calvin/ Institutes of the Christian Religion/Chapter 5

God created more than substantive things. God didn’t make earth, stars, moon and man and leave them be. God also created things such as powers, order and purpose that work in concert with these materially created things.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).

Man sees God in and through His creation both visible (nature) and invisible (God’s law).

God is in nature making plain His word in truth.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).

“Sun and moon and stars change not their order; so do ye also change not the law of God in the disorderliness of your doings. The Gentiles went astray, and forsook the Lord, and changed their order, and obeyed stocks and stones, spirits of deceit. But ye shall not be so, my children, recognizing in the firmament, in the earth, and in the sea, and in all created things, the Lord who made all things, that ye become not as Sodom, which changed the order of nature. In like manner the Watchers also changed the order of their nature, whom the Lord cursed at the flood, on whose account He made the earth without inhabitants and fruitless.” (The Testament of Naphtali 3:2-5)

Anything that is not of God, substantively or otherwise (power, order, will) is sin.

God created everything and is in everything, both visible and invisible. This includes nature and the natural workings of things. Man sees both. The man of God understands this. But even the unregenerated man through reasoning can deduce God in all things.

“Surley vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster; But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods; let them know how much better the Lord of them is: for the first author of beauty hath created them. But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them. For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen” (Wisdom of Solomon 13:1-5).

Understanding that all things come from God now uncovers the workings of man. Often times we discover that man’s workings are not, in fact, the workings of man at all but rather the workings of God.

Look into the foundation of man’s morality and his government. It was created and founded of God. Example, the Ten Commandments are the foundation of all of man’s morality. Government came through God’s Judges which taught, instituted, and heard God’s law. Later, it came through the institution of “higher powers” (Romans 13) to maintain God’s way, peace, order and civility. 

Bill Hitchcock

Gun Control

We control guns adequately and properly. We don’t always control criminals, zealots, and the insane with guns adequately or properly.

Guns have no rights. Criminals, zealots, and the insane do.

The criminals, zealots, and the insane might possibly get offended so we give them special treatment, give extra rights or have rights amended for their benefit. (Heaven forbid we say or do anything about the nut case before he kills someone. He might get offended!)

Guns don’t get offended so they get no special treatment.

The act of the crime stripped the victim of their right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Crime is also the epitome and definition of being offended.

So the gun has no rights and doesn’t get offended. The victim had their rights taken away and were completely violated and offended. So who gets all rights and protected?

The criminals, zealots, and the insane.

Bill Hitchcock

“But Only That He Is”

Points To Ponder About God

We only see the effects of God, but are these effects indeed, Him? Are these effects His essence? Are these effects His substance?

“We cannot understand the divine substance, for we do not know what God is, but only that he his”

-Damascene

“We do not know God in His essence but think of Him in His effects…..The saints in heaven who see God in His essence, in seeing God, see His goodness”

-Aquinas.

Is physical matter (substance) God or is physical matter a creation of God, an effect of the first cause, which is God? Is essence, which is the intrinsic nature of God nothing more than man’s attempt to describe Him?

We know God “is”, but what is God? Is limited intellectual capacity what hinders our complete understanding of Him? Is it sin which blinds us thus limiting us? Is our limited capacity due to lack of revelation by God?

“For in Him we live, and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Our very existence is dependent upon God. Our existence is not dependent upon on faith in God, for if it were, then those of no faith would not exist. We of course know that they do.

God cannot be defined, only described through His effects, or through negation, which describes what He is not.

We know that God exists. We experience His effects. Through this experience of His effects we derive and conclude essence, nature and intent. Substance is part and partial to effect in our present environment and is a method of relating and understanding essence and intent.

Can man understand essence, nature and intent without substance? Can man desire God strictly for His intrinsic qualities and character, minus the benefits of substance? Does man want God, His nature or His substance?  

The “who” of God is described by His effect. The “what” by the cause. Man describes the cause, God, as uncreated, unoriginated, from everlasting to everlasting, immutable, etc. These intangibles are used to describe the cause of all things.

We have knowledge that God “is” through His effects, but “what” is God beyond describing Him as the first cause of all things?

Our knowledge of God through the effects of God is further limited to our awareness of those effects. Is man aware of all that God has manifested? Part of the Christian life of an individual is searching and becoming aware of what God is and has done. But the picture mankind has painted of God, has he used all of the colors God has given him to create the painting? Is our current knowledge of God deficient due the fact we are not aware of all God has effected (already done)?

Bill Hitchcock

What To Do About End Time Prophecy

In the prophetic Book of Daniel we learn that during the end times, “knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4) but also that “none of the wicked shall understand” (Daniel 12:10).

Knowledge without understanding. Clouds void of water, gathering together en masse, but unable to produce rain or grace.

We also learn that many, “shall run to and fro” (Daniel 12:4).

Highly educated and in a hyper state of being, but lacking understanding and direction. In short, these learned folks are running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

I see so many people, good people, Christian people worry and fret over the end times. They look for signs and wonders that correspond with the foretold future events. While they look into the distance, they neglect looking at the present.

Daniel learns of the resurrection of the dead, some 600 years before Christ.

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).

But see what Daniel was told to do once the future end times were revealed to him.

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4)

“But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days” (Daniel 12:13)

The future is revealed to Daniel. A frightful, awe filled, jaw dropping future. Resurrection of the dead? Really? And what is Daniel told to do? Don’t worry about it. Close it up, “shut up the words, and seal the book”.

And do what then?

“Go thy way till the end”. Be present in the present with Christ. God is in all times, all of the time. But we only have the here and now. The now is our time. The here is with God. We can not live in the future, nor the past. We can only live in the now. So we are to “go thy way”, the way of Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. We are to go His way, the way, “till the end”.

We don’t need to look for the end times. The end times, in due time, will find us. We are, however, to continue onward in, and with Christ.

 “Stand in thy lot at the end of the days” is when our life as a child of God will be made complete. Our reward, our “lot” is Jesus Christ, not pearly gates or streets of Gold. Jesus Christ is our portion.

This is when all forms of our being will be complete and one. Our lot, our inheritance is Jesus Christ. We walk with Him now so we can rest and be with Him forever.

“The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him” (Lamentations 3:24).

“Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words” (Psalms 119:57).

“I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living” (Psalm 142:5).

“For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9).

Bill Hitchcock

A Racist On The Hunt For Racism

I am extremely sick of the intolerance, bigotry and all out hatred that is constantly being generated from the leftist. I am tired of the accusatorial finger waving in everyone’s face, except that of the actual bigot and hater, the possessor of the waving accusatorial finger!

Enough of your constant belly aching about racism and discrimination. Stop bellowing about bigotry behind every bush.

Two things you must understand about racism. 1-It always has, and it always will, exist. This includes existing in you, Polly Perfect Finger Flailer. Yes, you! This is a sad reality about our human existence that racism, bigotry, intolerance and hatred have existed since the fall of ‘Adam (mankind). All anyone can do is be aware of racisms’ presence buried within the heart of self (Yes, you!) and make a conscientious effort to rid yourself (Yes, you!) of this hatred. Your job isn’t to find racism in others. Your job is to find this hatred within you. (Yes, you!)

2-Racism isn’t prejudiced. It loves all races! It’s universal! Racism is generated and perpetuated by every race! No one race has a monopoly on racism. You can be Black and a horrible racist. You can be Red or Yellow and be a horrible racist. Whites may get top billing, but this causes us to investigate as to why, especially in light of the fact that we know that racism has no favorites. (By the way, White is not a caste system.)

Sin, which of course includes racism, is like the cold or flu. It doesn’t care who it infects and is spread through human contact and interaction. Unlike the flu, there is no such a thing as a racism vaccination. We are all perpetually susceptible to it. (Yes, you too!)

The battle of racism doesn’t stop. But the battle must begin with you.

A racist on the hunt for racism is the most dangerous person alive. They will kill and destroy everything that isn’t identical to them or doesn’t reflect them. Hitler is a good example. Usually described as a right wing extremist, Hitler typified and epitomized leftist liberalism with his display of racism, hate and bigotry. Anything that didn’t typify the master race idea and ideal was persecuted and eliminated. Just like modern day liberalism. Any variant, any divergent thought, expression or action to the liberal ideal is immediately condemned as racist or bigoted with severe consequences demanded.

Stop and think about this for a moment. If racism is defined as anything dissimilar to you or to your kind, then the normative standard is self. So we can conclude that racism is nothing more than selfishness. This pride consumes everything that doesn’t justify, edify, and magnify its’ self.

I am extremely sick of the intolerance, bigotry and all out hatred that is constantly being generated from the leftist. Look at yourself. Start there. Work on fixing you. Realize that you and your kind are not the gold standard. I highly encourage you to try the Divine standard as your high calling and mark of excellence.

Bill Hitchcock