July 2nd – July 8th, 2020
PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
Attorney General William Barr says an election done mostly by mail cannot be done securely, expressing grave concern that expanding mail-in voting could result in widespread fraud. “Just look at the missteps on sending out stimulus checks,” he said.
The Trump Administration is discussing a wide range of strategies to build competition against Chinese-based Huawei in order to secure a 5G future for America, including broad federal intervention into the private sector to stiffen global competition.
Pray this week for President Trump, his health and stamina, as he travels and conducts the business of government.
PRAY FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
Federal agencies, like the DOJ, FTC, FCC and IRS, have been asked by Senators Maggie Hassen of New Hampshire and Tom Carper of Delaware to take action in rooting out coronavirus-related scams and robocalls.
Statehood for the District of Columbia would “right a grave injustice which is an affront to our democracy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said ahead of the passage of legislation in the House that would make the city the country’s 51st state.
Pray for members of Congress looking to address immediate issues involving the nation’s health and security.
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
In a 2-1 ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said that President Trump acted unlawfully by shifting Defense Department funds to help pay for the wall being constructed along the U.S.-Mexico border after Congress refused to provide funds for the wall.
The Senate confirmed President Trump’s 200th nominee to the federal bench. The president has now filled all vacancies to the federal circuit courts, leaving what will possibly be his most enduring imprint on America, as many new judges are in their 40s and 50s and hold lifetime appointment.
Pray for America’s judges to be free from political constraints and work only to enforce U.S. laws and the Constitution.
CURRENT EVENTS
WARS AND TERRORISM
Congress and the administration are investigating intelligence reports that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militias in Afghanistan for killing coalition-led forces, including targeting American troops, in the middle of peace talks to end the war.
In its annual Country Reports on Terrorism, the State Department called Iran the “foremost state sponsor of terrorism,” saying they continue to funnel money and resources for terrorist operations across the globe, including groups like Hezbollah.
Pray for America’s intelligence agencies, and for investigators in other departments, working to prevent terrorism.
FOREIGN INTERESTS AND CONFLICTS
President Erdogan of Turkey is reviving plans to convert Hagia Sophia, one of Christendom’s most revered cathedrals, back into a mosque as he moves political and economic resources deeper into Islam.
Germany’s failure to fulfill NATO military spending commitments suggests that defense strategists in Berlin don’t take the threat of Russian aggression seriously, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
Pray for America’s relationships with and influences over allied nations like Turkey and Germany.
ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used Biblical references to argue in favor of President Trump’s Middle East peace proposal, saying the historic areas that would be part of Israel under the deal have significance to Jews and Christians alike.
Israel’s planned annexation of West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley is considered a “declaration of war,” according to Hamas, the Palestinian group in control of the Gaza Strip.
Pray for wisdom for the leaders of Israel as they move forward with annexation plans.
THE ECONOMY
The number of homeowners delaying their monthly mortgage payments due to the coronavirus rose by 79,000 in the last week of June to as many as 4.68 million seeking forbearance and as many as 47 percent of homeowners are seriously considering selling.
The number of workers seeking jobless benefits held steady at about 1.5 million each week for most of June, signaling a slow recovery for the job market as states face new infections that could impede getting people back to work.
Pray for those impacted by the return to lockdowns of some businesses in certain parts of the country.
ACROSS THE STATES
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back against protesters who recently tore down a Confederate statue and vandalized other monuments, saying no mob should “decide what they want to pull down… and certainly not destroy anything… and set it on fire.”
Lawmakers in Mississippi voted to remove a symbol of the Confederacy from their state flag, meeting in an over-the-weekend session. Their Speaker said, “The future has taken root in the present. … we can look on our state with new eyes, with pride and hope.”
Pray for state and local officials and the actions they are taking as a result of recent racial tensions.
VERSE OF THE WEEK
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. – James 4:8, 10
