Preventing A Government Shutdown: It is Foundations of Freedom Thursday, a special day of the week where we get to answer questions from you, the listeners! Tune in today as we answer your questions such as, “€œWhat are your thoughts on a proposed plan preventing a government shutdown?“€ “€œShould we befriend people who are openly sinning?”€ And so much more, right here on WallBuilders Live!

Air Date: 11/15/2018

On-air Personalities: David Barton, Rick Green, and Tim Barton

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Transcription note:  As a courtesy for our listeners’ enjoyment, we are providing a transcription of this podcast. Transcription will be released shortly. However, as this is transcribed from a live talk show, words and sentence structure were not altered to fit grammatical, written norms in order to preserve the integrity of the actual dialogue between the speakers. Additionally, names may be misspelled or we might use an asterisk to indicate a missing word because of the difficulty in understanding the speaker at times. We apologize in advance.

Faith And The Culture

 

Abraham Lincoln said, “€œWe the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts. Not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.”€

 

Rick:

Welcome to WallBuilders Live! It’s Foundations of Freedom Thursday; so, we’re diving into those foundational principles. We’re letting your questions drive the conversation here on WallBuilders Live! We’re always talking about today’s hottest topics; but, we’re always looking at them from a Biblical, constitutional, and historical perspective.

 

We appreciate you sending in your questions so that can, in fact, drive which areas and topics we go into. So, if you want to send one, send it to [email protected]; it’s [email protected]. Today we’re going to try to get to as many of those as we can.

 

Before we dive into the first question, I want to challenge you to go to WallBuilders.com today and check out the opportunity to become a partner of our program. We can’t do this program without your support. You’re the ones that make it possible for us to teach thousands and thousands, hundreds of thousands of people, about the Constitution about our founding principles.

 

Every time you donate you’re increasing the number of people were able to reach.   Please go to WallBuilders.com today and see what you can do to help us out–might be a small contribution, maybe five dollars a month.

Give up one coffee a month to be able to do that. You might be able to do more than that. Do whatever you can do. It’s a great blessing to us here at WallBuilders because of how we’re able to turn that around and bless people across the country with great information.

David, Tim, looking forward to some questions for you guys today here on this foundation of freedom Thursday. I’ve got I’ve got I’ve got a really good e-mail here it’s a little bit long you guys willing to let me just kind of dive in or read this thing.

Tim:

You bet; let’s do it.

Rick:

I’ll do it. Here we go.

Proposed Plan to Prevent Government Shutdown

This guy says, “€œWe all know that once the Democrats take control of the House, we will have massive deadlocks and government shutdowns. Both the Dems and the media will blame the Republicans no matter what. To prevent this, while the Republicans still have both Houses, why couldn’t they pass a permanent continuing resolution saying that all taxes and spending shall continue at the current levels until changed by another bill?

I see nothing in the Constitution that says budgets can only be done one year at a time. Just because we’ve always done it one way doesn’t mean we have to continue using the same messed up process. This will let the government continue on indefinitely even if Congress cannot agree on anything for the next few years.

Then the battles will only be over what changes are to be made in the budget. Every change should also be made permanent so that it will also continue indefinitely until changed by a future bill. I know that nobody likes everything about the current budget; but, at least the government can keep going, and then both sides can argue the merits of their proposed changes to the public while the government keeps going.

We know that the Democrats will scream bloody murder if the Republicans do this because it will keep them from shutting things down, meaning keeping the Democrats from shutting things down. Let them scream. It’s best for the country, and most people will see that in the long run.

Simplify Government

This truly is an emergency situation, because the country is so divided right now that there will be nothing but deadlock while the House and Senate are split. This could greatly simplify government from now on. Only changes to spending would have to be agreed upon each year. It would also make it harder to hide stuff since we would only be looking at changes with each bill, rather than a whole new massive spending bill each year.

I’ve said this to my congressman, but I’m also sending it to you. Perhaps if you agree with it, you could suggest it to the people who can make it happen before the end of the year.”€ That’s from Robert in Oklahoma City.

Robert, thanks for sending in your question and thoughts. David, Tim, what about a permanent continuing resolution?

Omnibus Bills

Tim:

I think we had one of those for many years during the Obama administration called an “€œomnibus”€ bill. I’m pretty sure that’s kind of how that–Now, I’m saying that a little facetiously; because that”€™s not something they voted to make permanent.

There are actually some clauses in the Constitution that would seem to indicate that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. I’m sure we will come to those in just a second. But yes; I mean, it’s supposed to be that the House and the Senate and the executive office, they  are supposed to present bills together and come up with a budget.

I’m saying bills–no, budget. They are supposed to come up with a budget every year they agree on, meaning that this is how they’re going to work and do things. Well, they didn’t do that.

They just made an omnibus that–“€œLet’s just keep spending what we’ve been spending, and we’ll add more things to it, because it does just keep things the same.”€ So, that’s actually how we’ve kind of been doing it for a while.

Government Shutdowns
Certainly government shutdowns do not bother me in theory. I actually think a lot of times you end up getting rid of negative things. I don’t think it hurts conservatives because they were kind of cheering for more limited government anyway.

The government shut down for a couple of months, and people realize, “€œHey, it really didn’t change my life that much. Maybe the government doesn’t do as much as I thought they did. They’re not as important as I thought they were.”€ So, I don’t see a government shutdown as really that scary.

Although of course, the political pundits try to make it seem scary. Dad, what do you think constitutionally? Where would you point the Constitution to the idea of Do we need budgets every year? Or, How do we resolve this problem?

What Does the Constitution Say?

David:

Let me answer your constitutional question first. This goes back to where the Constitution says in Article 1 that each body can make its own rules. So, the Constitution has given to each body the right to make the rules by which they proceed through the process.

A continuing resolution is not so much a law as it is a rule. A continuing resolution is done only because you are not following the current law that exists. The current law that exists requires each body, House the Senate, to come up with 13 appropriation bills, and each bill has to fund that area of the federal government.

Continuing Resolutions Occur When Federal Law is Not Obeyed.

The federal law currently requires you to have appropriation bills. You only have a continuing resolution when you haven”€™t obeyed the law. For 10 years the Senate has not obeyed the law.

The House, this time, was able to get three of those pushed through the Senate. So, the Senate agreed to three of the 13. Now, the House did all 13. The House followed the law, got all 13 appropriation bills through.

The omnibus bill you’re talking about is a great Christmas tree where everybody gets to hang their ornament on it, and you can”€™t knock down the Christmas tree without killing everybody’s ornaments. That’s why a continued resolution omnibus bill gets the weirdest things attached to it.

That’s how we got hate crimes in the nation,was we attached it to a military funding bill. Nobody wanted to vote against the military; so, you get hate crime legislation added. In the same way, that’s why we did not defund Planned Parenthood, because they attached it to an appropriation bill for funding the military. Nobody want to guess the military; so, we get Planned Parenthood funded.

What happens is, you’re in a continuing resolution, because you’re not obeying the law.  You really can’t make a continuing resolution be the law when it violates a law that’s already there. There’s two more assumptions that go with this.

This is number one: assuming that you could make a continuing resolution into a law. You’re assuming that the Democrats would follow it. Why would they follow something that limits their power, their ability to spend money? They want to spend more.

You Still Have to Go Through the Cloture Process

It would take–see, here’s where the rules come into play. Even with continuing resolutions you have to go through the cloture process. Now, some economic things, you don’t have to. You can vote directly on them, and just have a simple majority.

But, you still got to get 60 Senate members to agree to do this to get 51 votes. So, what happens is, you’ve got to get 60 Democrats; we’re talking, including the ones who just got defeated. You”€™ve got Heitcamp, McCaskill, Donnelly and others who would have to agree to limit the Democrats power.

You’re not going to get 60 votes, even to get a C.R. resolute a continuing resolution through. Then assuming you could, that means that the Senate Democrats would have to vote to take power away from the House Democrats. The Democrats just got the House.

It’s good in theory, and that should work. Except it won’t work, because it violates the current laws that are there, which are you do appropriations bills. So, we only have continued resolutions when we’re not following the law; that’s the biggest problem with that theory.

Constitutional Limitations

Although I applaud the intent of it, which is to limit spending and be able to bind future Congresses, under the process that the Constitution allows each body to establish, it just doesn’t happen. Under the laws as they currently exist it can’t happen.

Rick:

And, this wouldn’t apply to anything other than military; but, you also have the two-year limitation in Article 1 Section 8, as far as the appropriation can’t be for any further out than that.

David:

That’s right.

Rick:

Of course, that would work for–pass that right now, that gets us to December of 2020; so, it would be after the next presidential election. Still, there is some limitation there; it couldn”€™t be ongoing forever.

David:

Yess, they do have to write a budget every two years, and so continuing resolutions– essentially writing a budget.  They’re saying, “€œWe”€™re taking what it is right now extending it for six months, 18 months, four months, three months,”€ whatever the various links have been on the number that they have done under Obama. So, that C.R. is –you are limited by a maximum of 24 months, and you have to come back and revisit it within that period of time or whatever you specify.

There are some constitutional limitations on it, but the pragmatic limitations is probably what will keep it from happening.

Rick:

Quick break, guys, we”€™ve got some more questions coming up. Folks, stay with us. You’re listening to WallBuilders Live; it’s Foundations of Freedom Thursday.

President Thomas Jefferson said, “€œI know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society, but the people themselves. And if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”€

Join Us In Israel!

Hey guys what are you doing January 28th through February 7th? If you said you don’t know, let me give you an idea. We are going to Israel. Rick Green, my dad, David Barton, Tim Barton, our families are going and we would love for you to go with us. We are going to the Holy Land if you’ve ever been to Israel this is something as a Christian that will make you forever read your bible differently.

To see where Jesus walked, where He lived, where He did miracles, where so much of the Bible took place. If you’ve ever read through the Bible and you’ve given it a mental picture, the mental picture will not do justice of what happens when you’re actually on the ground. If you’ve ever thought about the story of David and Goliath and you”€™ve envisioned what it looks like, we’re going to go to the actual field where it took place.

There are so many things that you will see that literally makes the Bible come to life. In fact, that’s the name of the tour group we”€™re going with is The Bible Comes to Life. Go to CMJacksboro.com. You can click on the link, it has an Israel itinerary, all kinds of details. Hope to see you on this trip this coming year.

Liberties and Freedom Are Worth Defending

Samuel Adams said, “€œThe liberties of our Country and the freedom of our civil Constitution are worth defending against hazards. And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”€

Rick:

Welcome back to WallBuilders Live! It”€™s Foundations of Freedom Thursday today. Be sure to send in your questions; you can send them to [email protected].

First I”€™ve got to read one that’s not really a question; it’s a comment we had on a Good News Friday maybe two, three, or four weeks ago.

It said, “€œAs I was returning from worship services today, I was listening to a rebroadcast of last week’s program. You suggested that it was “€˜SEC Day”€™ as you were looking at good news from the SEC states. I wished to suggest to you that there is more than Alabama in the state of Alabama; Auburn is in Alabama as well. All in good fun.”€

We appreciate the e-mail and comment. There is a very logical reason we don’t talk about Auburn on good news Fridays. It”€™s because it’s “€œGood News”€ Friday all day.

David:

[laughter] Oh.

Tim:

When you have to have won last to be able to have a “€œgood news”€ Friday? I”€™m just curious.  We couldn’t talk about the Dallas Cowboys on Friday.

Rick:

That’s right; or, the Texas Rangers.

Tim:

I just don’t know how far we have to go back. If we look back in time, “€œHey, remember that one time when they won a game? It was awesome.”€

David:

You guys are merciless, man. Oh wow.

Rick:

All right. I’m getting ready for the hate-mail. No, it was actually a great point. We will try to leave Auburn now–not leave Auburn out of SEC conversations.

David:

Is there any SEC? I thought the SEC was actually the Big 12 East. I mean, that’s where Texas A&M is and everything else. Is there really an SEC separate from the Big 12?

David:

Yeah, there’s not much to say to that. We are about to get slammed by every college-lover of football out there.

Rick:

We were going to leave it to just hate mail from the Auburn fans. David, you had to just expand it; thanks.

Tim:

Guys, the Big 12 has not been good in forever. Okay; we’re good. That’s fine. Leave it to the college playoffs. We get it. No problem. Move on to basketball; we’re good.

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuals?

Rick:

Next question here we go.”€In your broadcast from October 17th, you stated “€˜God says that homosexuals will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”€™ I was listening intently to this broadcast; because, I had “€˜intense fellowship”€™ with my 17-year-old daughter just two days earlier about her acceptance of her friend’s homosexual relationships and gay marriage.

“€œI made the case to her that faith in Christ is the only thing that determines whether you’re a Christian or not and that salvation has nothing to do with either your good works or your sins. This is the very foundation of my faith.  Will you please help me square that with First Corinthians 6:9-10 listing nearly a dozen types of offenders, including “€˜homosexual offenders”€™ who will not “€˜inherit the kingdom of God,”€™ as you pointed out in your broadcast.

“€œI feel like I need to be both loving and firm to try to win my daughter back; but, that’s tough to do while I am confused about what the Bible teaches. Thanks for all you do. I’m a longtime listener through the Blaze and online, and I appreciate the great work you’re doing.”€

Rick:

Guys, I know you”€™ve got some comments on this. I just want to first encourage people to get the Founders”€™ Bible. There are several fantastic–much more detail than we can go into in our few minutes here today–articles on this very topic, and almost answers your question, the person who sent this in. Because, there’s even a great article in there, basically a conversation between a father and son, answering these exact same things.

I just want encourage to go get a Founders”€™ Bible and read it all the way through. It’s the best thing I’ve done in a very really long time, to take that thing from cover to cover. These articles that are all over Corinthians and Romans inside the Founders”€™ Bible are fantastic.

Okay, back to the basic question, David, Tim?

What Does the Bible Say About Sex

Tim:

I think the challenge in modern culture is that, especially through the eyes of young people, we’ve redefined what it means to love somebody. We’ve redefined what truth means. We’ve redefined what right and wrong means.

We think because God is “€œloving”€ that God loves us, and in His love, He supports every decision we make. And that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Bible says, of the character or nature of who God is.   So, even in the reality of this, the Bible is really clear that all sex outside of a marriage between a man and woman is wrong.

Rick:

Heterosexual, homosexual, all of it outside of marriage?

Tim:

Right, all sex {outside of marriage}. Paul writes that “€œEvery sexual sin is a sin against our body,”€ all other sins are different. Sexual sins we commit against our own body.

Culture Has Redefined Standards

Certainly, the homosexuality issue has been something that’s been largely promoted and pushed in culture. However, it’s not that God is anti-homosexuality explicitly and solely. No, it’s explicitly against all sexuality outside of marriage between a man and woman.

This is something that culturally, we’ve kind of made these exceptions, and people think Well no, if I love my girlfriend or my boyfriend, we can live together; we can cohabitate; we can have sex; that’s normal; it”€™s part of dating.

We’ve changed and redefined a lot of the standards, and we’ve really tried to conform to make God in our image, instead of saying, “€œWhat does the Bible say?”€ Here’s what I would say, especially working with young people.

Whenever I talk with a young person and they say, “€œWell, here’s what I think,”€ what I always want to find out is Where do you form this opinion from? Right? What are you basing this on?

How Do You Determine Right and Wrong?

My question is: How do you determine right and wrong? If they say, “€œWell, because I think as a Christian, it should be this,”€ I’m going to say, “€œHow do we determine what a Christian should think or what is right and wrong in a Christian’s eyes?”€

If they if they answer something that’s purely subjective, “€œTo me, I think. Well I just feel like,”€ if it’s purely subjective, it’s pretty easy to win the purely subjective argument; because, you say, “€œWait a second. If everybody gets it determine right and wrong for themselves, how can we ever say that a murderer or a rapist is wrong? How can we say a child molester is wrong if it’s determining for themselves?”€

Especially for the Christian. If we’re not basing truth–if we’re not basing right and wrong on the Bible, then it’s going to be very hard to try to convince a child or the next generation; it’s going to be hard to convince them that behavior is right or wrong if they will not acknowledge the Bible to be true, if you’re using that as a basis of your argument.

If, for example, let’s say, “€œNo I believe in God. I don’t believe the Bible,”€ now we have a different conversation; because I’m not going to try to argue a point to you that you’ve already told me you don’t believe in, to convince you this is right or wrong.

If, for example, in this situation, the child says, “€œNo, I do believe the Bible,”€ at this point, there is an awful lot of verses we can point to where the Bible is very clear on this issue.

Rick:

Tim, I’m gonna interrupt you one second. Hold that thought. We’ll be right back.

We”€™ve got to take a quick break. Folks, stay with us. You’re listening to WallBuilders Live!

Be At All Times Armed

Thomas Jefferson said, “€œThe constitutions of most of our states, and of the United States, assert that all power is inherent in the people that they may exercise it by themselves that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed. That they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press.”€

This Precarious Moment Book

David:

This is David Barton. I want to let about a brand new book we have called This Precarious Moment, Six Urgent Steps That Will Save You, Your family, and Our Country. Jim Garlow and I have co-authored this book and we take six issues that are hot in the culture right now.

Issues that we’re dealing with, issues such as immigration, race relations, our relationship with Israel, the rising generation Millennials, and the absence of the church in the culture wars, and where American heritage is, our godly heritage. We look at all six of those issues right now that are under attack and we give you both Biblical and historical perspective on those issues that provide solutions on what each of us can do right now to make a difference.

These are all problems that are solvable if we’ll get involved. So you can grab the book This Precarious Moment and find out what you can do to make a difference. This Precarious Moment is available at WallBuilders.com.

Greatest Political Privilege

Intro:

Calvin Coolidge said, “€œThe more I study the Constitution, the more I realize that no other document devised by the hand of man has brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. To live under the American Constitution is the greatest political privilege that was ever accorded to the human race.”€

Rick:

We’re back on WallBuilders Live. Thanks for staying with us on this Foundations of Freedom Thursday.

We”€™re still taking this question on an actual program we had a couple of weeks ago where we were talking about First Corinthians 6:9- 10. Tim, you were diving a little bit further into that; go for it.

Tim:

I was just pointing out the Bible has a lot to say about this; but, you have to establish the foundation of Are we basing our argument or basing the reality of right and wrong on the Bible? Because, if I’m trying to convince somebody that this is what the Bible says, and they say, “€œI don’t care what the Bible says,”€ then even if I convince them it’s what the Bible says, I’m not going to win that argument, because that’s not the basis of truth in their life or in their worldview and their philosophy.

We have to establish what  we are basing our truth on. But if someone says, “€œNo, I’m a Christian; I believe the Bible,”€ there’s a lot of places in the Bible we can point to that are very clear on this issue.

David:

That passeage that we refer to back in that previous program a few weeks ago, was First Corinthians 6, where the Bible says, “€œHomosexuals shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.”€

Tim:

Actually, there are several things on that list, right?

David:

Right.

Tim:

Homosexuals is one of those. This is the point again. It’s not just that God has chosen homosexuals and that’s the behavior I’m totally against that, and everything else is fine.

No, there’s a lot of things the Bible is very clear that He opposes and is against. It’s just this is one of those things.

A Message of Redemption

Rick:

Let’s not forget what Tim–I think I started to interrupt you.  Let”€™s not forget; you pointed this out on the program I think a couple of weeks ago as well.

What He follows that with is, he’s saying to the church there, “€œSome of you were that, but you’ve been washed; your sanctified; you’re justified in the Name of  the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God.”€ It’s a message of redemption.

What you’re saying is, “€œFirst, you’ve got to start with the foundation Is the Bible going to be your source of truth so that you can get to that redemption.

David:

For anyone who says that they’re a follower of Jesus, for them the Bible has to be the source of truth. There’s a lot of folks who say, “€œNo, I’m going to make my own truth.”€ If you are traditionally a Christian, it is because you conform your life to the standards that God Himself set forth in the Bible and the New Testament, which is where we get the definition of “€œChristian.”€

Using the definition “€œChristian”€ not in current culture terms, but in God terms, one of the things God makes really clear is, “€œLook. There’s a whole lot of people who call themselves by My name; but, I’m going to say to them, “€˜I never knew you. I mean, you said you did all the stuff in My name; but, you didn’t do what I told you to.”€™”€

God Decides the Standards

We have passages in Matthew and Luke, and we don’t get to decide what God’s standards are. He tells us what His standards are, and we don’t pick and choose which standards we’re going to use.

We also have Titus 1:16, where He says, “€œIn words you profess, but in your works, your reprobate,”€ which means that your works deny what your profession is. Your profession says, “€œHey I’m a follower of Jesus,”€ but your work said that you’re doing things that followers of Jesus are not to be doing. God is really clear.

Tim, as you pointed out, it doesn’t say just homosexuality. It talks about all sorts of different lifestyles.

The one thing about a Christian faith–go to Ephesians 2:8-9 , yes, “€œBy grace we are saved through faith.”€ It comes through a relationship with Jesus; but, it says, “€œWe’re saved unto good works.”€

Just simply professing Christ or having a relationship with Him doesn’t guarantee that our life has been changed in the right direction.

Tim:

It’s also worth noting in the situation. Maybe the daughter”€™s friends who are practicing homosexuality, maybe there are not Christians and don’t want to be. The issue is Should you be hanging out with people that are openly embracing and practicing sin?  As a parent, would you want your kids hanging out with people that are embracing a lifestyle that is certainly contrary to the Bible?

This is where, obviously, relationships are so significant in life and Christianity. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus; He wants to be in relationship with us. This is a big deal.

Even if you go to John 8, which is what so often people want to point you when it comes to addressing sin: Jesus didn’t condemn the woman caught and adultery. If you read in John 8 this story the woman caught adultery, no, Jesus didn’t condemn her. But, He also told her, “€œHey, you’re not supposed to be doing this, and don’t ever do this ever again.”€

The Bible is Very Much About Loving People

The Bible is very much about being able to love people no matter where they are who they are or what they’re doing; but, the Gospel is all about not continuing to walk in the sin you”€™ve been walking in.

This is certainly something that I can imagine as a parent. I want to be very wise with who my kids hang out with. Not because I don’t want them to show the love of Christ and to be around and hopefully witness and share the Gospel with them, but because the Bible does tell us, “€œDon’t be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals.”€

I don’t want my kids hanging out with people that, because they”€™re are around them, they begin to embrace some of that language or some of that behavior, and all of a sudden, they’re doing things that our families told them their entire life they shouldn’t be doing this, and they’re embracing this now.

This is were, strategically, relationships are very important and significant. But, at the same time, we don’t want to be supportive of a certain lifestyle and behavior.

The thing about Jesus is He was constantly hanging around with gluttons and sinners and thieves; but, He never was around them while they were doing those things. Actually, Jesus always controlled the environment where He was.

Jesus never went to a strip club to live on sinners. No, Jesus always drew them away from sin to be where He was, to show them the better way. This is ultimately–

You’re never going to find people that you can hang out with who don’t have sin in their life somewhere. No, there’s a reason Jesus came. But, at the same time, I would never want to be in a situation where hanging out with people who are are openly in sin, in a place and environment of sin.

We want to draw them away. Especially, as a parent, I want to protect that environment or my kids are going to be. I can say for any parent, don’t sever the relationship with your child at the expense of trying to prove to them you are right.

Foundational Principles for Government and Life Are Found in the Bible

Help love them through this, walking, guide them through this. Controversy, friction is going to drive them away. You want to, in loving understanding, present truth and make sure that we’re standing on a foundation of truth ultimately from the Word of God.

If they say, “€œI don’t believe the Bible?”€ “€œOkay, then how do we determine right and wrong?”€ I’m using the Bible as an objective standard, and if we don’t use the Bible, then ultimately we’re just kind of making it up as we go.

You can have these conversations to help guide and lead them in truth, and why it makes a difference to make sure we’re protecting the environment we live in.

Rick:

I hate to sound like a broken record; but again, Founders”€™ Bible. You”€™ve got to get the Founders”€™ Bible and read through those articles. It takes you into these answers, exactly what Tim was saying; it gives you that information that you need to be able to dive into those verses.

So, check all that out at WallBuilders.com. Get your Founders”€™ Bible today. Also visit WallBuildersLive.com for archives of the program. Thanks so much for listening today to WallBuilders Live!

Thomas Jefferson said, “€œIn questions of power then, let no more be heard of confidence in man; but, bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.”€