The Pour Over Today - Texas’ Abortion Case, Jack Smith’s SCOTUS Appeal, & More | 12.13.23

Episode Date: December 13, 2023

Today we’re talking about the Texas Supreme Court weighing in on an abortion exception, Special Counsel Jack Smith appealing to the Supreme Court, Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington D.C., and other top news for Wednesday, December 13. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Sponsored by Biblingo

Today we're talking about the Texas Supreme Court weighing in on an abortion exception, special counsel Jack Smith appealing to the Supreme Court, Zelensky's trip to Washington, D.C., and other top news for Wednesday, December 13th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over today. Here's the quote of the day. The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us. Billy Graham Let's get started with some espresso shots.

On Monday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against the first woman in the U.S. to seek a court-authorized abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned. After a likely fatal fetal diagnosis, Kate Cox sought to end her pregnancy under Texas' medical emergency exception, citing statements from her doctor that her health and future fertility were at risk. A lower court sided with Cox, but the state's Supreme Court overturned the lower court, saying she didn't currently qualify. Critics argue the law is too vague, saying doctors are fearful of performing abortions even when medically necessary because they risk life in prison if it's later deemed the procedure wasn't needed. There's already a related case before the Lone Star State's high court seeking clarity. Meanwhile, representatives for Cox announced she had left to seek an abortion outside the state. When discussing divisive topics such as abortion, remember that both your position and your posture reflect on Christ. That means humbly loving and caring for the unborn, single mothers,

women who have received abortions, and people who passionately disagree with you on this topic. Luke chapter 6 verses 32 and 35 say, If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. Special Counsel Jack Smith wants things to move faster. Last week, former President Trump's legal team requested that his federal 2020 election interference case be put on hold, saying he had presidential immunity

and that Smith is interfering in the 2024 election. Trying to avoid delaying the trial that's currently scheduled for March 2024, Smith asked the Supreme Court to weigh in. Smith wants to leapfrog the appellate system and have the Supremes quickly rule on whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office. A ruling in Trump's favor would effectively end Smith's prosecution before it goes to trial. A ruling in Smith's favor would likely mean a trial before the 2024 election. But first, the Supremes have to decide if they want to decide this hot-button issue. They're making that decision this month. No matter what happens in American

courtrooms, we can count on perfect justice and inexhaustible mercy from the courts of heaven. The Lord is not swayed by the power and wealth that tempt us toward partiality, and his verdicts restore what sin has broken. Deuteronomy 32 verse 4 says, As for the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a reliable God who is never unjust, he is fair and upright. Ukraine's President Zelensky traveled to Washington for the third time since the Ukraine-Russia war broke out. Hoping for additional funding, Zelenskyy started his visit with a friendly and candid conversation with Senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson and other Republican leaders have stipulated that additional funding for Ukraine needs to be tied to funds for securing the U.S.-Mexico border. While Democrats have

balked at the idea, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he's asked Johnson to stay in secession next week to keep working on a compromise. Zelensky also met with President Biden, who has proposed $60 billion in Ukrainian aid as part of an over $105 billion package that includes funds for Israel, Taiwan, and the U.S.'s southern border. If the plan doesn't pass, Biden said it would be Russia's greatest Christmas gift. As we mourn violence and pray for peace around the world, believers are reminded of how good the news is of Jesus' coming kingdom. His Spirit offers supernatural peace in our hearts today,

and His return promises peace in a renewed earth forever. Isaiah 65 verses 17 and 25 say, See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. and only requires 15 minutes a day. It breaks down the lessons into interactive activities that can be completed in just a few minutes, making it easy to make consistent progress. Reading the Bible in its original languages provides insights you can't get through translation.

If you want that rich relationship with God's Word, go to biblingo.org slash tpo. That's b-i-b-l-i-n-G-O dot O-R-G slash TPO and use code TPO and receive a 10-day free trial and 30% off a subscription for a full year. That's Biblingo.org slash TPO or check out the link in our show notes. Happy learning!

In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, is doing a victory dance after taking Google to court in winning. The jury unanimously ruled in favor of Epic on all counts. Epic accused the Google Play App Store of operating as an illegal monopoly by quashing competitors and squeezing excess profits from app developers. Epic sought no money, only changes to how Google Play operates. Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned Russian opposition leader, has gone missing from the penal colony where he's serving 19 years on controversial extremism charges. Navalny was due to appear in court on Monday, but never showed. His lawyers called out the suspiciousness

of his disappearance days after President Putin announced plans to run for re-election. Harvard's board has affirmed President Claudine Gay will not step down, calling her the right leader to help our community heal following backlash over her congressional testimony on anti-Semitism and accusations she plagiarized portions of her 1997 PhD dissertation. Gay has apologized for not unequivocally condemning genocide during her testimony and requested four corrections to her work's inadequate citations. Shohei Otani won't spend his record-breaking $700 million contract in one place, because he won't get much of it until 2034.

Otani will receive $2 million per year for 10 years, then $68 million per year for the next 10. This both allows Otani to potentially avoid paying California's high income taxes and freeze money for the Dodgers to pay other players in the near term. After months of not criticizing Israel, President Biden shifted his tone yesterday. The president warned Prime Minister Netanyahu that Israel risks losing international support due to indiscriminate bombing in Gaza and recently reiterated support for a two-state solution after the fighting stops. In a statement, Netanyahu acknowledged there's a disagreement about the day after Hamas with the U.S.

And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a 5-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and we hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Friday.