Separation of Church and State

I have papers and documents that Thomas Jefferson wrote that actually quote what he said when he mentioned the phrase “separation of church and state.” (See the letter here and the explanation here.) I can tell you who he wrote he letters to and what it was all about. I can tell you it was sixteen years after the Constitution was written. I can also tell you that the phrase was never used in a negative sense to rule in any judicial case in America until 1947. For a couple of hundred years, our fathers and our leaders in government knew what the First Amendment was all about. It was to prevent the government from the establishment of and the regulation of religion – particularly in choosing a specific form of Christian practice. It was to keep government out of the religious practices of the people, not keep the Church out of government. Many of our founders and early government leaders were pastors! That phrase—“separation of church and state”—originally meant about the opposite of what it means today. Since 1947, the courts, the media, and those with a liberal bent have used it to remove God from American society.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2; ESV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• Does it bother you that God has largely been removed from the public square by the courts, the media and the other “thought leaders”? Talk to the Lord about this.
• Decide that what the enemy has caused to be turned against backward, ousting God from America, will be set right again by the Ekklesia! Declare a Divine reversal back to the Constitution’s original intent!
• Spiritually push the government, and especially the Courts, back into their constitutional boundaries.
• Read 1 Timothy 2:1-2 this way: “That we may lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way, we will make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions” in our nation.
• Do what 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says.

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, it really bothers me that Christians must be afraid of everything we do and say in the marketplace and the public square. Far from being offensive, we should be lights in the darkness, loving and caring. Instead, we are rapidly becoming marginalized and our voices are being stifled by those that want You to go away. As the Ekklesia, we rise up and declare a Divine reversal—God welcome in every aspect of American society once again! Our U.S. Constitution set the boundaries of limitations for government and we decree a return to those boundaries. That we may lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way, we will make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s decree:

God, You are welcome in the public square!