July 16th – July 22nd, 2020
PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
President Trump wore a face mask while visiting military personnel undergoing treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday, the first time in public he has been seen with the coronavirus precaution.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the Administration is aiming for another round of stimulus payments to individuals by the end of July and is working with the Senate on the economic relief.
Pray for President Trump and others working with him on overcoming the coronavirus and its national health and economic damage.
PRAY FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
Representative Ted Yoho of Florida, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee for Asia, said violent confrontation between the U.S. and China, which could take place within months, possibly beginning with Beijing taking aim at one of America’s ships in the South China Sea, would be a mistake.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives included a slew of police reforms along with $596.7 million in funding for reform programs, in a proposed spending bill for the 2021 fiscal year which begins in October.
Pray for the men and women in Congress and the duties they have to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States.
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
A federal judge permanently blocked Georgia’s 2009 “heartbeat” abortion law, finding it violates the U.S. Constitution, and “violates the constitutional right to privacy, which, in turn, inflicts per se irreparable harm,” he wrote.
A federal court upheld a regulation that removes barriers to electric grid-level batteries that store electricity. The federal energy chief said the rule is “the most important act we could take to ensure smooth transition to a new clean energy future.”
Pray for the judges who will hear cases that challenge bills enacted to protect life by various states.
CURRENT EVENTS
WARS AND TERRORISM
Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Andy Biggs of Arizona have called on President Trump to “immediately withdraw” all troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, arguing the country needs to stop engaging in “endless wars.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that U.S. and partner forces seized a boat last month carrying Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen as he renewed his call for the UN Security Council to extend an arms embargo on Iran.
Pray for wise decisions to be made by all in authority as they deal with conflicts in the Middle East.
FOREIGN INTERESTS AND CONFLICTS
The U.S. State Department announced that it rejects most of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, a step toward a tougher U.S. approach to China’s attempted annexation of the open seas.
The Kremlin announced that 78 percent of Russian voters supported changing their constitution to permit Vladimir Putin to remain as president of the Russian Federation until 2036, an election the U.S. State Department says was likely rigged, packed, and manipulated.
Pray about America’s strained relations with both China and Russia.
ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
A week after its successful launch into space, engineers activated the Ofec-16 reconnaissance satellite’s cameras and downloaded initial photographs of “incredible quality” in what the Defense Ministry calls a “landmark achievement.”
A recently-published report reveals that there are at least 28 never-before published missile launching sites belonging to Hezbollah in civilian areas in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, most housing medium-range precision-guided missiles.
Pray for those in Israel’s Defense Ministry and the steps required to maintain Israel’s security.
THE ECONOMY
Over 50 percent of Americans have lost work or income because of the COVID-19 and over a third say they would change fields if they lost their jobs. Workers in IT, finance and manufacturing are most interested in career change.
Reductions in state incomes as a direct result of the coronavirus is forcing many states to make budget cuts, the state funding for education and job layoffs taking the brunt of reductions.
Pray for an end to the coronavirus and a safe reopening that will return the nation’s economy to health.
ACROSS THE STATES
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law which aligns the state with a federal law raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21, after the state saw a marked increase in its use, especially through vaping.
Guidelines for youth and adult amateur athletics were released as part of Phase 3 reopening in Massachusetts, separating activities in three risk levels depending on number of competitors and abilities to social distance.
Pray for state officials working to maintain or improve the health of their youth, in particular.
VERSE OF THE WEEK
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. – Philippians 4:5
