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When Davey Crockett was a Congressman he learned a lesson we desperately need to relearn in our nation.  He once voted for some $20,000 to be set aside from the national treasury to be given to families in north Washington, whose houses had burned.  It seemed to be the compassionate thing to do.  But later, back on the campaign trail, a well-respected farmer told him he could not again vote for him.  When Crockett asked him why, the man, Horatio Bunce, replied that he had violated the Constitution by voting that money for the destitute families.  Bunce then began to explain that the Constitution allows Congress only the right to vote appropriations for the duties which the Constitution enumerates that the government has the power to do.  It gives no power to give money to those citizens who need help.  Bunce said to Crockett, quote:

“The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man…

“If you have the right to give to one, you have the right to give to all; and, as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity, and to any amount you may think proper.  You will very easily perceive what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other.  No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity.”

(Harper’s Magazine, 1867, as written by James J. Bethune, pen name of Edward S. Ellis)

Davey Crockett learned a vital lesson that day:  If the people didn’t agree to something in the original Constitution—or haven’t amended it since concerning that power—then the Congress, the President, or the Supreme Court has no right to do it—PERIOD!!!  This view of the Constitution is called Original Intent, and it is the only view that will preserve our liberty!

In the Bible, we learn that we must trust God to enable us to earn what we need in this world.  Jesus told us the way to gain what we need.  He stated:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

By following Christ with our whole heart, we will find the way in which God wants us to earn our way in this world.  For what few people there are who simply cannot earn their way, the Bible has specific instructions as to how God will see to it that their needs are met:  And none of those ways are done with government tax dollars!

Those who want to use tax dollars to meets the needs of the poor, or pay for medical needs, or pay for education are simply deceived as to the purpose of government:  And it speaks volumes about their lack of understanding as to Who God is and how He operates His universe.  Our American Founders understood that the government we choose reflects our view of God and ourselves.  James Madison, the man who wrote most of our Constitution, said,

“But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?”

(Madison, James. The Federalist No. 51, The Federalist Papers, Clinton Rossiter, ed. (New York: Mentor Books, 1961), p. 322 | John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution – The Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, A Mott Media Book, 1987, 6th printing 1993), p. 102)

Thus, the massive number of things that our state and national governments now fund is strictly against the Bible.  The fact that we want to be the recipients of those “benefits”, and will vote for those who promise them, is very revealing as to how little we know about our Constitution:  And what is worse—how little we know God and His Word!

Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—and for your children!  And you won’t like what that brings to you.  I’m Don Pinson; this has been Think About It.