Saturday, May 12, 2012
"Digression of our religious society"
First from Julie's Keyboard:
That Sneaky Evil Called "Pride"This week I was reminded once again of just how dangerous it can be to think you can be "sure of yourself." When it all comes down, there's really only One thing we can be sure of, and of course, it's our "
Friend that sticks closer than a brother." It's often easy while in a mode of devotional time with the good Lord to begin to feel that things are all in check. It's also easy to ask Him to point out the areas where one needs work going on in their life that maybe has been running along unnoticed. Well, I'm getting around to how this "sneaky little evil" sneaked up in me this weekend. I found myself hemmed into a situation that I had no control over, but happened to be in the right place at the right time. The error that occurred in this instance wasn't my problem, but I was associated with the person making the error and found myself in an extremely embarrassing situation. It was a public issue and therefore known to several people in a place of business. I'm sorry for speaking around the outside of this, but I would not embarrass the dear soul that had the problem that was so revealing of my foolish pride.
Now the stage is set. The point is this. God hates pride. It is one of the "seven abominations" of the Lord. Until we can identify this sneaky evil and put it where it belongs, we hamper the witness of Christ in our lives. Though this lesson over the weekend came a bit hard, it was indeed a needed lesson. Our Savior was willing to humble Himself to take the place of the lowest of the low on this earth and die in their stead. When we come to Him and receive His Lordship over our lives, we must learn to appropriate His meekness and humility. We may need to stand in the face of mockery or laughter and whispering backbiters. We have to remember that we may be deemed as the "off scouring of all things" but, He has told us that He is "meek and lowly" of heart. Seems it's about time we "got over ourselves."
There's much to be accomplished in this life as believers. We've been enlisted in the work of the kingdom of God and called as soldiers in His army. If vanity and pride have to take residence in our lives, we can forget being a profitable laborer in His kingdom. He's told us plainly that He does not share His glory with man. Thanks be to God for His grace to help us keep this "sneaky evil called pride" from us through the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord.
Having said all of this, know that this lesson was for me. We, in this case, is ME! If this doesn't help you, feel free to toss it over your shoulder to the next guy. Thanks for letting me preach to myself.
Have a super blessed week in His humility,
Julie
Scripture References:
I Corinthians 4:13 "Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day."
Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."
Proverbs 6:16,17 "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue,and hands that shed innocent blood,"
Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
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"Digression of our religious society"
Updegraph vs. The Commonwealth, 1824 - No free government now exists in the world unless where Christianity is acknowledged and is the religion of the country. . . . Its foundations are board and strong and deep . . . it is the purest system of morality, the firmest auxiliary , and only stable support of all human laws. ~ Updegraph at 399, 402 - 403, 406 - 407.
Vidal vs. Girard's Executors, 1844 - Why may not the Bible . . . be read and taught as a divine revelation in . . . college, its glorious principles of morality inculcated? . . . Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the new Testament? ~ Vidal at 152.
House and Senate Judiciary Committee reports 1853 - 1854 - In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity; that, in its general principles, is the great conservative element on which we must rely for the purity and permanence of free institutions. That was the religion of the founders of the republic, and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants. ~ Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States for the Second Session of the Thirty Second Congress, 1852 - 1853 (Washington: Roberty Armstrong 1853), pp. 1 - 4.
Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States, 1892 - The people of this State, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, as the rule of their faith and practice. . . . We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity, . . . ~ Holy Trintiy at 470 - 471
Eversion vs. Board Education, 1947- For the first time the court used the term - The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach. ~ Everson vs. Board of Education, 330, U. S. 1, 18 (1947)
Building upon that ruling:
Stein vs. Oshinsky, 1965 - Freedoms of speech and press are guaranteed to students and teachers, unless the topic is religious, at which time such speech becomes unconstitutional. ~ Stein vs. Oshinsky, 348 F. 2d 999 (2nd Cir. 1965), cert. denied, 382 U. S. 957.
Reed vs. Van Hoven, 1965 - If a student prays over his lunch, it is unconstitutional for him to pray aloud. ~ Reed vs. Van Hoven, 237 F. supp. 48 (W.D. Mich. 1965)
Lowe vs. City of Eugene, 1969 - It is unconstitutional for a war memorial to be erected in the shape of a cross. ~ Lowe vs. City of Eugene, 451 P.2nd 117 (Sup. Ct. Or. 1969), crt. denied, 434 U. S. 876.
Ohio vs. Whisner, 1976 - It is unconstitutional for a Board of Education to use or refer to the word "God" in any of its official writings. ~ State of Ohio vs. Whisner, 351 N. E. 2d 750 (Sup. Ct. Ohio 1976)
Florey vs. Sioux Falls School District, 1979 - It is unconstitutional for a kindergarten class to ask whose birthday is celebrated by Christmas. ~ Florey vs. Sioux Falls School District, 464 F. Supp. 911 (U.S.D.C., SD 1979), cert. denied, 449 U. S. 987 (1980)
Stone vs. Graham, 1980 - It is unconstitutional for students to see the Ten Commandments since they might read, meditate upon, respect, or obey them. ~ Stone vs. Graham, 449 U. S. 39 (1980)
Doe vs. Aldine Independent School District, 1982 - A school song was struck down because it promoted the values of honesty, truth, courage, and faith in the form of a "prayer". ~ Doe vs. Aldine Independent School Distric, 563 F. Supp. 883 (U.S.D.C., S.D. Tx. 1982)
Wallace vs Jaffree, 1985 - Even though the wording may be constitutionally acceptable, a bill becomes unconstitutional if the legislator who introduced the bill had a religious activity in his mind when it was authored. ~ Wallace vs. Jaffree, 472 U. S. 38, 86 (1985)
Warsaw vs Tehachapi, 1990 - It is unconstitutional for a public cemetery to have a planter in the shape of a cross, for if someone were to view that cross, it could cause "emotional distress" and thus constitute an "injury-in-fact." ~ Warsaw vs. Tehachapi, CV F-90-404 EDP (U.S.D.C., E.D. Ca. 1990)
Roberts vs. Madigan, 1990 - It is unconstitutional for a classroom library to contain books which deal with Christianity, or for a teacher to be seen with a personal copy of the Bible at school. ~ Roberts vs. Madigan 702 F. Supp. 1505 (D.C. Colo. 1989), 921 F. 2d 1047 (10 Cir. 1990), cert. denied, 112 S. Ct. 3025; 120 L. Ed. 2d 896.
Harvey vs. Cobb County, 1993 - The Ten Commandments may not be displayed at a public courthouse. ~ Harvey vs. Cobb County, 811 F. Supp. 669 (N.D. Ga. 1993); affirmed, 15 F. 3d 1097 (11th Cir. 1994); cert. denied, 114 S. Ct. 2138 (1994).
Harris vs. Joint School District, 1994 - When a student addresses an assembly of his peers, he effectively becomes a government representative; it is therefore unconstitutional for that student to engage in prayer. ~ Harris vs. Joint School District, 41 F. 3d 447 (9th Cir. 1994).
Freedom From Religion Foundation vs. John Hickenlooper, Last Thursday, May 10, 2012 - . . . the state's proclamation for a Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. In doing so, they undermine the premise that government serves believers and nonbelievers equally. ~ http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/11/colorado-appeals-court-declares-day-prayer-unconstitutional/#ixzz1ugQ6Ohem
May God bless each of you,
David
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