Just Stop And Say Selah!

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah." (Psalm 46:1-3)

The very last word in the Psalm above, “Selah”, is a word, but with one exception in Habakkuk, is only found in the Book of Psalms. It is a musical notation commanding the singer to stop singing and be silent while the musicians play on. The purpose of this rest for the singer is to stress and add emphasis to what was just said. We are to contemplate, measure and weigh the message just conveyed by the singer while the musicians play on.

God is our refuge and strength, we all understand that. But often times we fail to realize that means right now in a very real way. God is a “Very Present” help! He’s not far off, this is not empty words of vain comfort. This is a very real and tangible statement about the fact and reality of God!

But often times we depend upon our own understanding and strength. This is the very stronghold and “logic” that clogs up the free flow of God to us! We are our worst stumbling block and stop of God’s grace to ourselves.  

The Psalmist expresses troubles in a very real and demonstrative manner; earthquakes, floods, swelling and noisome waters and mountains moving! But the Psalmist wants us to stop and think about this. Even though all of these grandiose and horrid events take place, we are not to fear because we have God as our refuge, strength, and a very present help during times of trouble. Notice the addition of the word “very” to present, just to stress that God is really here, right now.

If you find your situation unbearable and out of control, then just stop and say “Selah”! Let the music play on as you contemplate the love, affection and protection that God offers you right now at this very moment!

Bill Hitchcock

Prayer Saves Lives!

You, yes you, can have a direct impact on the lives of Hurricane Florence victims. You can access this power of help, restoration and restitution through prayer.

“The most comfortable visitations, which God hath sent men from above, have taken especially the times of prayer as their most natural opportunities” Richard Hooker

The greatest moments of comfort and peace in the Bible are found while someone was praying. Prayer is our spiritual and metaphysical connection to God. Prayer can be done by anyone, anywhere, at any time. It only takes one to pray, but all can benefit from it.

“Prayer is that which we always have in our power to bestow, and they never in theirs to refuse.” (Richard Hooker)

So pray. Now!

“True prayer is an approach of the soul by the Spirit of God to the throne of God; it is not the utterance of words. It is not alone the feeling of desires; it is the advance of the desires to God, the spiritual approach of our nature towards the Lord our God. True prayer is not a mere mental exercise, nor a vocal performance, but it is far deeper than that—it is spiritual commerce with the Creator of heaven and earth” (Charles Spurgeon).

Folks, if there ever was a time for individual and corporate prayer, now is the time.

Look at the power of prayer to save lives. Paul and his company, while in Asia, encounter such troubles as that they were, “pressed out of measure, above strength” and had the “the sentence of death in ourselves”. For his rescue and salvation, Paul credits God, who “raiseth the dead” and the corporate prayer of the Corinthians!

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf (1 Corinthians 1:8-11).

God and corporate prayer overcame exhaustion, despair, and death.

Pray for the victims of Hurricane Florence. Pray continuously for their recovery, restitution and rectitude.

Prayer works.

Bill Hitchcock

The God of Mercy and Comfort

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

God is the Father of Jesus and the Father of all mercies and comfort. God comforted Paul during his difficulties, which enabled and empowered Paul to comfort the Corinthians during their difficulties.

We need to be like Paul during this time of Hurricane Florence.

Please understand. God’s grace is never meant to be held, but rather given. Never forget, while you seek the mercy and comfort of God, it is our responsibility as children of God to be that very same mercy and comfort to others. We are to help lead others to the source of that mercy and comfort-God! We are to lead by example.

On several occasions, Paul told the Corinthians, “Be ye followers (imitators) of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Stop crying. Start praising. Be the child of God and let the grace of our Lord fall all around you.

Yes, we are our brother’s keeper.

Bill Hitchcock

The Waters Have Come In Unto My Soul

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.” (Psalm 69:1-2).

It is one thing for the waters to come in unto your home, property and possessions. It is quite a different thing to have the waters come unto your soul. Hurricane Florence destroyed property. Don’t let it destroy your spirit.

“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Proverbs 18:14)

The spirit and soul are the driving forces of the body. The body can suffer but a sustained soul and spirit will allow us to continue on. But if the soul and spirit fail, then even the fittest body can longer function.

Crush the man and his spirit continues on. Crush the spirit and the man is no more.

“Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.” (Psalm 69:15)

Notice how all of the references in the above verse are towards the physical “me” and not the spiritual? Our focus should always be on the spiritual, especially during times of great physical trial. The devil’s “in” is always through the physical. Be it pain or pleasure, the devil works through the skin to get in. He comes, “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10) our spirit and soul. The body is his ticket in. The body is tactile, temporal and temporary. The spirit is perpetual. Protect and save what is eternal.

Yes, Hurricane Florence was devastating. It is days after the storm made landfall and still some major rivers have yet to crest. Inland flooding from hurricanes are responsible for more deaths than any other aspect associated with a hurricane. But although our homes maybe underwater, we can not allow the waters to flood our souls. That’s when the devil wins.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

Notice how Jesus emphasis is with the heart (spirit) of man and not the physical during times of trouble?

During times of great turmoil, we must take to heart (spirit and soul) the very words of Jesus. We must, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Do not let the flood waters into your spirit. Shut your heart’s door to the rising tide.

After Noah, his family and all the animals boarded the ark, “the Lord shut him in.” (Genesis 7:16)

Immediately afterwards the, “flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.  And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 7:17-18).

The flood came. But Noah listened to God and believed in His word. As a result, instead of being covered by the flood, he rose above it. Instead of being ruined, Noah’s life and the life of the world was saved. Seal your heart and soul with God. Let God shut the door to your ark. Don’t worry about the flood for it can do no damage to you. The contents of the ark were saved. So will your heart, soul and spirit when you are in Christ and Christ is in you.

The pain of a disaster can be overwhelming. Usually no end or no relief is in sight. To tell someone in this state to have faith and trust in God is an intangible in a very tangible situation. But you must let go and let God. Trust in Him to shut the door of your ark and rise you above this current situation. Miracles happen. Let them.

God will lead you beside still waters and will restore your spirit and soul. You may be walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but you will do so without fear of evil. Why? Because first off, you’re not stopping in the valley, you’re passing through it.It is temporary. It is a shadow of death, not death itself. (It’s meant to scare, not kill). But most importantly, you’re walking with Jesus Christ. And as you know, every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus!

Bill Hitchcock  

Truth Faileth

“Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment” (Isaiah 59:15).

It isn’t Hurricane Florence related. But for some reason the above verse has been floating around inside the ol’ noggin. I do believe that it speaks to our time. Those who speak the truth are shunned. Those who live the truth are mocked. Departing from the darkness and stepping into the light makes one a target, especially now in a time of an ever growing and ever strengthening darkness.

But truth needs no approval or acceptance to be or to exist. Truth can not be altered or halted. Truth is both the unstoppable force and immovable object. For us to be true requires that we be obedient to it. Truth is not malleable. It does not conform to us, we must conform to it. We can support the truth, but we can not detract or subtract from it.

When the verse states that the truth “faileth”, it is a reference to the fact that the people departed from it. Truth can not fail, it can only “be”. Once someone departs from the truth, they now become exposed to evil and soon fall prey.

Notice what displeases God in the verse? “…the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment”. No judgment. There was no one able (or willing) to discern good from bad, true from false, righteous from unrighteous and God from the devil.

The standard used in judging are the divine attributes of God. These include justice, equity, righteousness and morality in the form of the rectitude of God.

God does not change. Judicial and ceremonial laws change. But moral laws, which are the attributes of God, do not change.

Where truth and anything else meet, there will be conflict and turmoil. This is why the ultimate truth, Jesus Christ said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33).

Supporting the truth is supporting Christ and is why God is so displeased by those who do not stand in truth, in Christ. God is expressing His great displeasure for those who do not judge the true and untrue by His standards. Now this is going to make some people uncomfortable, but blind acceptance of untruths and unrighteousness under the guise of “love” and “acceptance” is not a Godly act. It’s pacifism with its sole design and intent to avoid conflict.

God’s judgement isn’t about conflict, it’s about course correcting the soul. A pacifist will let you burn in your sin and will justify unrighteousness simply to avoid any conflict of personality. A pacifist wants to be liked and well thought of at any cost.

 God would rather you turn (repent) and confront the untruth, the unrighteousness in your life so as to save your soul. Yes, there is conflict with God and righteousness, but that is only the untruth and unrighteousness striking back. Move past the conflict into Christ and onto victory.

Skin and sin will resist the true and the good of God so as to maintain its course.

Jesus warned, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him” (Luke 12:4-5).

We have to engage the untruth, the unrighteous so as to gain (or lose) a soul, including our own. Jesus said I wish you were either hot or cold.

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

Hot or cold, it’s a yes or no proposition. You either accept Jesus Christ and His way, His truth and His life, or you accept the consequences of being left in the dark. Be either hot or cold.

If we fail (depart) truth, then we must embrace the evil. Being the truth in an evil world will make you a target. The need to “get along”, to avoid conflict and to be “loved” is so strong in man that he will embrace the evil so as to be accepted by the world. There will be plenty of people around you to justify whatever unrighteous lifestyle you choose to pursue.

The world doesn’t understand this, but judgement is a good thing.

“For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off” (Psalm 37:28).

Apply God’s standard to everything. Accept what coincides with it. Change what is in you that doesn’t. Offer Christ to those who disagree. Knock off the dirt from your sandals and move on down to the next house with those that refuse it.

Bill Hitchcock

Racism. The Real End Game

Racism. It’s all about perpetuating racism and division. There is no power or profit in unity, mercy, love, joy, peace, forgiveness, reconciliation or even truth. These things do not accomplish the desired goal of the modern day racist like Colin Kaepernick.

Power and money comes through division. That’s what the modern racist like Kaepernick and the force behind him are trying to accomplish.  Power and money comes through violence, rebellion, hatred, contentions, heated fervor and misguided zeal, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, false accusations and lies. That’s what the narrative of racism generates, feeds on and grows stronger with. That’s what liberalism generates, perpetuates, feeds on and grows stronger with. The two go hand in hand. In fact, racism is the hand tool of liberalism

This modern day cry of racism is a ploy, a ruse, a guise to hide what is really happening. Racism is the leverage used by liberals to pry apart this country in an attempt to overthrow it. United we stand. Divided we fall. This is a power struggle to flush the American system of government down the toilet. Liberals do not want the US Constitution or a free and open society.

Why?  The liberal dream is to have a Communist, single party government, with of course, the liberals being the single party. But that’s not the end game.

The very heart of it is this. America was founded by Christians on Christian principles. Ever since its inception, the devil had the United States in his crosshairs. Government itself is a gift from God. It is a divine method of self-regulation and control so as to allow the society to grow freely. Government was instituted by God so that the children of God, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, could live together in harmony, and in a free and open society.

Man was not designed to be controlled or oppressed by man or government. But since the fall of man and the introduction of sin, man became incapable of fellowship and communion on his own. God had to institute a system that would allow him to be as he was created all the while able to keep in check the very flaws now inherent within him. So God instituted government.

The devil, just like his attempt on heaven, wants to overthrow this Godly government that has been put into place.

Do you want to see the devil attack, and attack violently? Just put something of God, something of Christ in front of him. The violence and vileness is usually instantaneous.

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).

Liberalism and racism. Look again (above) at what racism generates. Those are all things of the spirit of antichrist, of the devil. Look again (above) at all of the things love and unity brings. Those are things of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. If in doubt, just read Galatians 5:14-26.

Racism, as it is being played out by people like Colin Kaepernick is nothing more than a devise of liberalism. Liberalism wants to overtake the American way and what is a Godly system of government. The devil is attacking and the spirit of antichrist is working, creating a rebellious, godless generation of people that want nothing more than to destroy what has been built.

United we stand. Divided we fall, or at least one side does. Which side shall remain standing? Unity only happens through Christ.

“The United States has a manifest destiny to eventually become a glorious example of God's law under a restored Constitution that will inspire the entire human race. The Founders sensed from the very beginning that they were on a divine mission. Their great disappointment was that it didn't all come to pass in their day, but they knew that someday it would. John Adams wrote: "I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in Providence for the illumination of the ignorant, and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth." Source: The 5,000 Year Leap

Bill Hitchcock

That Good Thing

“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

How wonderful this is in that Paul gives us a great example of Christianity, of being a child of God in spirit and not soulessly by the letter of the law.

The word, “form” in the verse above is a reference to being shown by example or by pattern. When Paul says, “Hold fast the form of sound words”, he is telling everyone to hang onto to the principle and precept of the Gospels of Christ, not necessarily by memorization and recitation.

This is in keeping with how Jesus Christ taught. For example, with what we call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…..” Jesus did not say memorize and recite. He said after this manner. He gave us an example, a form to follow when praying to God.

Prior to Christ, the Jews had a series of pre-written prayers, supplications, devotions, etc. that were recited at specified times and in certain manners. This required zero faith and belief, only discipline in performing the act.

Notice how Paul says how we are to “hold fast” unto the word of God? It is by “faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” It’s with our heart and Spirit. Christ is not focusing on our head knowledge.

Notice how Paul refers to the Gospel as, “that good thing” that is kept by the Holy Ghost which “dwelleth in us”. It’s not so much the exact words retained in the brain and recited. It is the principle and precept, the meaning, the spirit of those words, held within our heart and kept by the Spirit of Christ who lives inside of us.

The devil himself can recite scripture. He’s done so to Jesus Christ himself. But only a child of God can be filled with the spirit of Christ and the spirit of His words. There is a heaven of difference between knowing God’s word by rote and by spirit.

Is it OK to memorize scripture and prayers. Certainly it is. But understand this. The Spirit is given to man for his every benefit. It is the Spirit that gives man wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues and interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). Absorb God’s word and Spirit into your Spirit and being, don’t just embed and encode it into your brain.

The act of memorization and recitation minus the Spirit of Christ will make you no better than those whom Jesus called a heathen and a hypocrite.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7)

Bill Hitchcock

His Elect, His Chosen, His Children

“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.” (Psalm 119:176)

“I have gone astray” is by definition, sin. To miss the mark, to fall or to wander from the path of uprightness is the literal definition of the Greek, “Hamartano” or sin.

It isn’t that the Psalmist has committed a sin, but rather he is confessing to sin being active in his life. He identifies himself as “lost sheep”. This is quite significant in that he stills identifies as a child of God (sheep), and not an apostate. He still believes and has faith in God. Further proof of this is when he states, “I do not forget thy commandments”. But the Psalmist has sinned and wandered off the path of righteousness, and into the darkness and void of the lost. Many would give up under such conditions.

But look at the Psalmist one request to God. He pleads to Him saying, “Seek thy servant”.

When we stumble and fall, when we divert from the path of righteousness and find our self, surrounded by darkness, rest assured that God knows who we are and where we are. We are never lost to God.

Jesus said to God, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost.” (John 17:12)

God’s chosen, the elect people, or as Jesus phrased it, “those that thou gavest me”. Jesus himself said, “I have kept and none of them lost”.

No matter how lost, how dark or how far away from righteousness you may have wandered, call out to God. Ask Him to “seek thy servant”.

God said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8).

From your perspective you were lost, but not from God’s perspective. He knows where every single one of His elect, His chosen, His children are at all times. Just call out to Him.

Bill Hitchcock

Get Up And Move

The Holy Spirit works in us. The Spirit will lead us and empower us, but we have to do our part to. We have to get up and move. Nothing happens if we don’t get up, move and have faith in the Holy Spirit.

"We must not sit still, and expect that the Spirit should do all when the Spirit goes before us we must bestir ourselves. We cannot without God, and he will not without us." (Matthew Henry)

“And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.” (2 Samuel 5:22-25)

Bill Hitchcock

My Soul

“My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.” (Psalm 119:109)

“My soul is continually in my hand” is believed to be a Hebraism signifying a state of most extreme peril. This would be keeping in context with the rest of the psalm, although Augustine wasn’t quite sure what to make of the phrase.

But I rather think, especially when you take it as a stand-alone verse, that this has nothing to do with external dangers, but rather something much worse, the dangers from within. Self is our greatest threat.

God has us in His hands. But we have our soul in ours. What are we doing with it? Are we taking the course of action to preserve it?  Do we do and believe in the things necessary to purify our soul? Getting past right now, what future plans do we have for our soul? How do we plan to attain it?

David follows up with, “yet do I not forget thy law”. It’s as if there was a danger of forgetting God and His ways. Maybe so. Maybe we can be so enamored, infatuated or somehow caught up in the moment with the soul itself to be concerned with the bigger, weightier matter. God. Our soul. If there ever was a marriage to be made in heaven this would be it. Two become one. God and our soul. It is this unity that God is trying to open our eyes to. It is by His law, His dictum unto goodness and salvation, that we achieve this.

Yes, our soul is in our hand. What are we going to do with it?

Bill Hitchcock

The Poor and the Rich

“The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:2, 7)

“The godly rich and poor meet together in one place to worship God; they meet together in a Gospel church state, enjoying the same privileges and ordinances; and will all meet the Lord, and all meet together at his judgment seat; and they will meet in heaven, and be together to all eternity, where the distinction will cease: and the wicked rich and poor meet together to commit sin; and they meet together in the grave, where there is no difference; and they will meet at the bar of God at the last day, and in hell, where they will be together for evermore” (John Gill)

The rich may rule over the poor, but the rich are also dependent upon poor, just as the poor are dependent upon the rich. One is serviceable to the other. Neither one can exist without the other. The Godly rich and poor relationship is one of need, trust and respect. It’s a two way street.

God is maker of the rich. God is maker of the poor. We have a station in this life and it is our responsibility to glorify God while in it. Rebelling against the rich is rebellion against God. Oppressing the poor is oppressing God.

To glorify God only when rich, would be to despise Him when poor. The point is not our lot in this life. The point is God. As the Apostle Paul said:

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

The sin is when, “Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.” (Matthew Henry)

Liberty. What is liberty? In the Old Testament liberty is usually a reference to something open, broad and free flowing. The New Testament meaning is usually in regards to being able to do or to not do things having no relationship to salvation. You could sum up liberty as righteous freedom. But the lustful man will trade his liberty for luxury. In context to the rich man, poor man relationship, this means giving up the spiritual, Godly you in trade for a carnal, worldly benefit. This is exactly what the devil first attempted to accomplish with Jesus.

“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:8-10).

The devil attempted to get Jesus to sell His righteous liberty in trade for worldly luxury. What the devil didn’t understand is that the luxuries of this world can’t gratify Jesus. People, not luxuries would gratify Jesus. Restoring their righteousness would gratify Jesus, and the only way to restore the righteousness of His people was through His saving grace. Salvation at the cross was the only way.

Do not misinterpret what is being said. Are rich people of the devil? No, as scripture pointed out, God is maker of both rich and poor. The rich, like the poor, can be either for God or for the devil. It’s a choice, it’s always a choice.

Can a Godly poor person become rich or a Godly rich person become poor? Yes to both.

But the problem with the above questions is that the focus is wrong. The above questions focus on being rich. They focus on luxury. The focus should always be on Christ and His glory. We glorify Jesus by edifying and uplifting our fellow man. All others, especially folks who are not like us should be edified and uplifted, as in the case of the rich and poor. Yes, poor folks are to uplift and edify the rich. The rich folks are to edify and uplift the poor. It’s God’s way.

But we have a very disturbing trend in today’s world. The rich are being hated and reviled. There is an upheaval, an uprising, a ground swell support for a government take-over of the wealthy, to strip the upper income bracket of its money and to redistribute these funds as the government sees fit. This runs counter to the God designed and instituted relationship of rich and poor. Both are necessary. This isn’t a government take-over of the rich and their money. This is an attempted government take-over and replacement of God, His will and design. This is a nation saying no to God, and that never ends well.

This is the work of the devil. It starts by not putting your trust and faith in God. Envy sprouts and takes root. The Godless envy tree grows the fruit of hate. Once that fruit has been tasted, destruction and rebellion are born.

Socialism and Communism are Godless governments, born of envy, brought about by hate and achieved through violence, death and destruction.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12)

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18)

“The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.” (Proverbs 11:3-4)

God made the rich and the poor. God arranged it so that the rich and poor could mutually and amicably, “meet together”. This relationship is natural on the surface, supernatural when you cut it to the core. Don’t rebel against God. Honor Him. Honor God through our righteous relationships. It all boils down to that one simple commandment.

“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” and “love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Mark 12:30-31).

We not only love skin color, national origin, gender and such. We are to love the poor and the rich too.

Bill Hitchcock