February 27th – March 4th, 2020
PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
The Trump Administration is preparing to ask Congress for an emergency funding package to battle the novel coronavirus as the global outbreak presents growing threats to the U.S. No specific amount has been disclosed.
The Internal Revenue Service said it will “step up efforts to visit” high-income taxpayers this season who failed to file prior year tax returns, a new focus for the agency determined to engage with delinquent non-filers.
Pray for the many officials within the Trump Administration working to combat the coronavirus, create a vaccine, or find an effective treatment.
PRAY FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
Policy tensions have increased in Washington over a high-profile authorization of a handful of controversial surveillance programs, including reauthorizing exploring provisions of the USA Freedom Act first passed in 2015.
Representatives Devin Nunes of California and Doug Collins of Georgia are urging the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to move ahead with reforming the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to prevent the failures described in the Justice Department watchdog report from happening again.
Pray that Congress would do the right thing with respect to surveillance activities on American citizens at home and abroad
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
The Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Pensacola’s Bayview Cross can stay. The presence of the cross, often the scene of community celebrations, “does not offend the Constitution” or violate the First Amendment, the court said.
A federal appeals court upheld enjoining a Florida law that barred ex-felons from voting if they had not paid fines and other fees related to their sentences because limiting the voting rights of people with felony convictions was unconstitutional.
Pray for America’s judges as they rule on the constitutional rights of individuals and groups.
CURRENT EVENTS
WARS AND TERRORISM
Paratroopers deployed to the Middle East after the Baghdad embassy attack have returned home to Fort Bragg, as the State Department slapped new sanctions on Iran ahead of their parliamentary elections.
Turkish forces and Syrian rebels fought government troops in northwest Syria and Russian warplanes struck back in sharp escalation of already intense battles over the last rebel holdouts.
Pray for American troops still in the region; pray for the success of the short-term peace agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
FOREIGN INTERESTS AND CONFLICTS
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin hailed the FBI for sharing information that helped thwart a terror attack by adherents of the Islamic State group in St. Petersburg during the New Year holidays. “We are thankful,” he said, and “We will naturally respond in kind.”
Turkey has asked the U.S. to deploy two Patriot missile-defense batteries on its southern border to free it to respond to any future attacks by Russian-backed Syrian troops. They have also requested support from European NATO allies.
Pray for the U.S. relationship with Russia and for the prevention of any attempted interference with the U.S. presidential election.
ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
The registration data of all of Israel’s 6.5 million voters was leaked because of a faulty download site for the Likud party’s election management app. Legislative elections for the Knesset will be held on March 2.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new plan to build 2,200 housing units for Jewish settlers near East Jerusalem. There is a vast housing shortage in nearby neighborhoods, he said.
Pray for Israeli officials as they endeavor to protect the security of the election in the wake of the voter data breach and threats from the Palestinians.
THE ECONOMY
American and international companies are concerned over the likely economic impacts of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in China, warning that reduced flow of goods and people will have a tangible impact on global business and product availability.
Home sales fell in January as the supply of new homes has tightened. The squeeze is likely to ease, however, as building permits and the number of homes under construction are at levels last seen nearly 13 years ago.
Pray for the stability of the American economy, and that the coronavirus will have little impact on the economy overall.
ACROSS THE STATES
An appeals court in North Carolina blocked the state’s voter identification law from going into effect, finding it was a discriminatory attempt to suppress the black vote, reversing a lower court decision that had called for verification of photo ID at the polls.
New Mexico sued Alphabet Inc.’s Google, alleging that the internet giant knowingly spies on students and their families through its Google Education platform, saying Google used the platform to circumvent privacy laws and gain access to children’s personal data and movements online.
Pray for state leaders to enact laws that serve and protect the citizens.
VERSE OF THE WEEK
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. – Isaiah 54:10
