Laws For Us

TITLE: Laws For Us
DATE: December 1, 2019
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Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed.

TEXT:  Romans 13:1-7 – ESV - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God

Gabrielle Gabbard is a student at Gulf Coast High School in Naples, Florida.

Gabrielle Goddard is also a student who wanted to see a pro-life group started up at her school. She knew that the school already had:

• political groups like Turning Point USA, Young Conservatives, and Gulf Coast’s Collier Students for Change,
• ethnicity-based groups like clubs for Korean culture or Asian Culture,
•  religious groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes,
• and LGBTQ special-interest groups like the Gay-Straight Alliance.”

Seeing all these other groups Gabrielle believed there was room for a pro-life group, too. Not only did she believe it, she was ready to work for it. As a result Gabrielle filled out every form and met every requirement to establish a student group.
Then she sat back and waited for the official permission to come.

It never arrived. It seems that Sharks 4 Life, the official name for Gabrielle’s group, had been declined. Had Gabrielle missed something in the application process? No, she hadn’t. Careful investigation eventually revealed what had gone wrong.

The school’s Assistant Principal declined to approve the club because:

• it was too ‘political’ and ‘controversial,’” and because  
•  she did not want either pro-choice or pro-life groups at Gulf Coast. High School.  

The Assistant ’Principal’s opinion did not go unchallenged. Eventually the Alliance For Defending Freedom (ADF)  got involved. They said there are a number of reasons why Gabrielle’s group should be just as acceptable as any other group. 
Part of the ADF challenge was a letter which explains:
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1. “Public school officials can’t refuse to recognize a student organization for being too ‘political’ or ‘controversial,’ especially when they have rightfully approved a whole host of other clubs formed around religious, political, and social interests.”
2.  . “The First Amendment doesn’t permit a public school to play favorites when approving student organizations. .

Now the jury is still out on what is going to happen here. What we do know is that believers, as they bear witness to their Redeemer, must make use of every possible avenue to defend Him and proclaim the wonders of Him Who gave His life’s blood to save us.

THE PRAYER: Lord there are times when it feels like all the powers and authorities of earth have come against us. Let us be faithful in our witness to our Savior Who Gave His earthly life to save our eternal souls. May we, as we witness to our Redeemer,  utilize the laws of the lend to protect the Gospel. This I pray in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/florida-high-school-bans-pro-life-club-allows-lgbtq-group-it-s-blatantly-illegal.html  and the article written by Michael Foust  .

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html