The following is an outline of a sermon delivered by Rev. Bolton at a P.G.B.I.S. (Put God Back In Schools) Rally at Burns Park in North Little Rock, AR, on June 13, 1998.
I. Text: Psalm 64 A. Theme verse: "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity" (verse 2) B. Psalms are just as prophetic as they are anything else. C. Psalm 64 foretells of those who plan secret insurrections against God and His people. D. Psalm 64 reminds me of the year 1964. II. 1964 - satan wins a great victory A. He carried out a great insurrection against God, probably the greatest coups he's ever pulled off 1. It has brought the greatest harm 2. It has affected generations of young people B. How did he do it? 1. In 1964, the Supreme Court of the US banned prayer and Bible reading in public schools; so he cleverly used the Supreme Court as his tool. a. These are those who uphold, interpret, and decide laws b. They passed satan's law into existence 2. satan used ignorance of the US Constitution and an erroneous interpretation of the 1st Ammendment. a. In some Western European nations, notably England, Scotland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, there are established or state religions. (1) This means that one denomination, or religious organization, has the support of the state and is in some degree governed by it. (2) Other denominations are tolerated, but they are not supported nor endoresed, but are expected to be self-supporting. b. This led, in many cases, to situations such as we see in Islamic nations today, where the dominant religion rules the populace and even outlaws other religions. c. Immigrants to America came to escape this and to found a country where they could be free to worship according to their denominational preferences. d. The First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or the prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." e. This amendment was designed to keep government OUT of religious expression, preventing repression, supression, and oppression. f. It provides for freedom to worship according to one's preference, unhindered by government. g. The words "separation of church and state" are nowhere to be found in the Constitution!!! (1) The phrase was first used by Jefferson Davis, and has been terribly misinterpred and misrepresented. (2) His meaning was not to ban religious expression, but to ban government interference. (3) Government interference is just what we got in 1964! 3. The government, through the Supreme Court, broke its own laws in passing the laws that banned prayer and Bible reading in the schools! 4. The schools, although funded by the government, are not government institutions anyway! 5. Instead of freedom OF religion, we now have freedom FROM religion! 6. Instead of the government keeping its hands off, it has told religion to keep its hands off! C. satan even used Christians to get this law passed, most tragically. 1. Certainly the ACLU and other such liberal, ungodly, humanistic tools of the devil were most active, but Christians kept silent! 2. Christians were just as gullible in believing the lie about separation of church and state. 3. Liberal ideas about "tolerance" affected and infected the thinking of the church. a. God is not tolerant, and neither should the church be tolerant! b. God will judge the church for being tolerant of the world and its lies. 4. Christians were uncommitted themselves. 5. They did not resist; they did not fight. They sat back and let satan get the victory. III. The picture since 1964 A. The biggest problem in schools used to be chewing gun and blue jeans; now it's guns and gang colors. B. Juvenile delinquency has risen to epidemic proportions, and juvenile detention facilities are filled to capacity. C. Teen pregnancy has risen exponentially. D. Teen gangs have become more prevalent and increasingly violent. E. Drug use has increased. F. Kids have no moral guidance or ethical instruction. G. Overall scholastic achievement and performance has declined. H. Most tragically, very few kids know anything about the Bible or God. I. But satan had another insurrection in the wings.... IV. Subtext: Psalm 73:3-6 A. Theme verse: "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment" (Verse 6) B. The wicked are described as being encircled and covered with pride and violence. C. The prophetic link with Psalm 73 is 1973. D. In 1973, the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade, legalizing abortion. E. This made murder of unborn children legal. F. It devalued human life. G. What has been "Roe v. Wade's" legacy over the last twenty-five years? 1. What "Roe v. Wade" actually did was cheapen life at every stage of development. 2. The continued victimization and exploitation of women by abortionists. Millions of post-abortive women have suffered physically, emotionally, and psychologically from the abortion industry that lied to them. 3. The brutal death of over 30 million sons, daughters, abd grandchildren, whose lives were taken in the name of "personal freedom" and "autonomy". 4. This is pride and arrogance at its zenith, and it's violence in its least. H. When human life is thus devalued, and murder is legalized, murder is the result: 1. Now we have drive-by shootings 2. Gang violence increases 3. Drug-related violence is common 4. Hate crimes abound 5. School kids are killing their classmates in the school house and school yards 7. There is no sense of guilt or remorse 8. Schools have become battlegrounds a. Our kids are losing the battle b. satan ins winning again. V. It's now 1998, so what does Psalm 98 say? A. Psalm 98:1: "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm hath given Him the victory." 1. This describes the coming messianic Kingdom of Christ -- the 1000 year millenial reign. 2. Christ is sitting on the right hand of God 3. There is also a "holy arm" a. The arm branches off the body b. Christ is the vine and we are the branches, we branch off Christ c. The church is His holy arm, doing His work and His will on earth. 4. It's time for us to join in Christ's work in bringing about the victory! B. The good news is God wants to go back to school. C. Certain moves in that direction have started, but they're not enough. 1. In 1990, See You At The Pole started, and is held every September. It's a great move of God among students. But God wants more than one day. See You At The Pole is a start, but it's not enough! 2. Lately the Supreme Court has upheld student-led prayers and studies in schools as extra-curricular activities, but it's not enough! 3. It's been ruled that students cannot be prevented from carrying their Bibles to school, nor from praying silently on their own, but it's not enough! 4. It's a start, but it's not enough! D. We need to return to prayer and Bible study that is endorsed by the school and part of the daily curriculum. 1. This can be done by silent meditation/silent prayer time. 2. This can be done by having elective classes in the Bible a. One school district started a "Bible as History" elective class that has become very popular among students. b. Students want this! They want to know what the Bible says! c. The "Bible as History" curriculum has spread to other school districts also. d. What about "Bible as Poetry" or "Bible as Literature" or some such other class? e. We can trust God's Word to be powerful enough to reach children studying it as history, poetry, or literature (1) God's Word will not return void (2) God's Word is living and powerful f. We need this in Arkansas' schools! We need this in America's schools! 3. We can expect opposition... a. Some school boards will oppose, but there's still a way... b. Some parents will oppose, but there's still a way... c. ACLU will oppose, but there's still a way... d. satan will oppose, but there's still a way! 4. Spiritual warfare is what we'll ultimately be engaged in. a. We're called to fight the good fight of faith. b. We're called to be mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. c. We're called to resist satan. d. We're called to stand fast. e. We're called to unity. 5. We must all join together in unity to fight this battle for our children and their minds. E. Steps we can take: 1. Pray, then pray, then pray again! 1. Pray intercessory prayer a. For our children b. For our schools 2. Pray in faith a No need to weaken prayers with wishy-washy "if it be thy will" stuff b. IT IS GOD'S WILL FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN HIS WORD!!!! 2. Rebuke and resist the devil. 3. Petition God, them petition the school board 4. Petition your elected officials 1. They must resurrect and pass the School Prayer Amendment, which was recently defeated 2. They must present new legislation to allow Bible classes as electives. 5. Encourage your children and guide them in: 1. Student-led prayer groups 2. Student-led Bible study groups 3. Student fellowship clubs, such as CIA (Christians In Action) 4. Carrying their Bibles to school 5. Sharing their faith with their classmates 6. Support them all the way 6. Pray some more!!! VI. Together, united with firm resolve to resist satan's ongoing attacks against our young people, we must take a stand and fight the good fight of faith! VII. If God be for us, who can be against us? A. Not the NEA B. Not Congress C. Not Bill Clinton D. Not the ACLU E. Not even the devil! VIII. Let us begin today ro reclaim to victory, reclaim our children, and reclaim our schools. Let's take back the victory! IX. Let's put God back in schools!