Interceding For The Soul of America!

8/31/03

 

Thomas Jefferson once warned that if the Supreme Court became the sole arbiter of the land, America would come under tyranny.

Tragically, this very thing has happened in our lifetime. We are now subject to the oppressive rule of a few unelected men and women appointed for life to the Supreme Court.

Instead of strictly interpreting the Constitution, a small majority on the Supreme Court bench has twisted it. They have banished prayer and the Bible from our public schools. They raised up a “right of privacy” not found in the Constitution that has fostered a holocaust of more than 43 million aborted babies — and counting. Most recently, a slim majority of justices declared that homosexuals have a constitutional right to consensual sodomy, opening the door to same-sex marriage.

These few justices are destroying the moral integrity of our nation.

Pr. 14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

1 Tim. 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Pr. 16:12 Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

Pr. 29:2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.

1 Ki. 15:9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, ¹⁰ and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. ¹² He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. ¹³ He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁴ Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. ¹⁵ He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

1 Ki. 22:41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴² Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³ In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. ⁴⁴ Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.

2 Ki. 12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. ³ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

2 Ki. 14:1 In the second year of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. ⁴ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

2 Ki. 15:1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. ² He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

2 Ki. 15:32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign. ³³ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ³⁴ He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. ³⁵ The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD.

2 Ki. 18:1 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. ³ He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. ⁴ He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it.

1 Ki. 16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. ³⁰ Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. ³¹ He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. ³² He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. ³³ Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

It could happen any day: A U.S. Supreme Court Justice —or two — could resign, leaving a vacancy on the high court. The last time the high court went this long without a vacancy was between 1812 and 1823. Some of our current justices are battling health problems. A few of them have served for more than 20 years! Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is 78 years old and has served since 1972. Justice John Paul Stevens is 82, serving since 1975, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, 72, has served since 1981. In fact, Rehnquist and O’Conner could both resign at any time! This upheaval would bring on a fierce political battle.

Supreme Court justices hold enormous power. For that reason, Americans should be very concerned about who fills future vacancies.

The nine men and women of the Supreme Court make decisions that directly impact our religious liberties, our families, the unborn, and much more.

During this current session, the high court will decide the constitutionality of a Texas ban on same-sex sodomy and a federal law that requires publicly funded libraries to use software that filters out pornography.

Last term, the high court decided that individual citizens do not need a permit from their city to distribute religious literature —a victory for people who want to evangelize and share the Gospel with their community!

In 1907, the former Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes said, “The Constitution is whatever the judges say it is.”

This sense of activism on the part of the U.S. Supreme Court continues to this day. We saw its troubling appearance in the tragic decision of Roe v. Wade, when justices redefined the word “liberty” and legalized abortion.

Columnist David Limbaugh puts it simply: “Judicial activism occurs when the judiciary makes-- rather than interprets laws.”

A powerful minority does not view the Constitution “as an institutional safeguard to our liberties, but as an instrument to advance their political agenda.”

It is a sign of our times that a person who destroys the egg of an American bald eagle may he sentenced to federal prison, while a person who advocates the wanton destruction of unborn humans can use this political position to win a seat in Congress!

Recent Supreme Court rulings — such as the decision to strike down the Child Pornography Prevention Act because it violates the freedom of speech — elevate the carnal desires of individuals over the good of society. By overturning the sodomy laws of Texas, the court has now opened the door to homosexual marriage, bigamy, legalized prostitution, and incest. In all history, no society condoning such immoral behavior has endured.

Five unelected judges have enormous power over our lives. Yet Americans seem to accept their verdicts without question. This is an extremely dangerous situation! That’s why we need to urgently pray for the justices who comprise our nations highest court system.

Consider this one example of the power they wield:

During the past judicial session, the Supreme Court issued 13 major rulings that were decided by a narrow 5 to 4 vote margin, in many of those slim decisions, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor cast the determining vote. Some political experts say that during her 22 years of service on the nation’s highest court, O’Connor has had the most important voice. Although she doesn’t consistently cast either a liberal or conservative vote, she often votes with the majority. Supreme Court analyst Thomas Goldstein has gone so far as to say, “She is the most powerful woman in the history of the universe.” Though his comment might he viewed as hyperbole, the point is well made.

Many Christians don’t fully realize how much one or two justices on the Supreme Court impact our lives. Just two judges can override everything that a righteous and godly President attempts to accomplish.

Today’s Supreme Court has supported pornography. They have taken prayer out of the public forum. They have taken down the Ten Commandments. They are steadily stripping America of its religious heritage.

A handful of judges can indeed change the course of our nation. Abortion is one such example. They have overruled the statutes of almost every state, and now we have the blood of 43 million unborn babies on our hands.

If we don’t fall on our knees and pray for our Lord to intervene in the Supreme Court and restore righteousness and justice in our land, there may he no turning hack.

We are interceding for the very soul of America!