April 30th – May 6th, 2020
PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the federal government will spend more money to fund states, if necessary. “We’ll win this war, if we need to spend more money, we will, and we’ll only do it with bipartisan support.”
Citing national security risks, the Federal Communications Commission said it may shut down the U.S. operations of three state-controlled Chinese telecommunications companies. “We simply cannot take a risk and hope for the best,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said.
Pray for the President and his Cabinet members as they work on all major issues of government while dealing with the pandemic and economy.
PRAY FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
The clear intent of the emergency Paycheck Protection Program was to helpout small businesses, and larger companies and banks who are taking advantage of it should remember this “is not their money,” Senator Martha McSally of Arizona said.
Representative Elise Stefanik of New York introduced a bipartisan bill that calls for temporary student loan relief during the coronavirus pandemic for millions of people who borrowed under the now-defunct Federal Family Education Loan program.
Pray for members of the House and Senate looking to find ways to alleviate the economic pains being felt by Americans as a result of the pandemic shutdown.
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order allowing a Holly Springs, Mississippi, church to hold drive-in services while a lawsuit is litigated against the city’s prohibition of church gatherings.
The Supreme Court made it easier for federal authorities to deport certain immigrants who have committed crimes in a 5-4 ruling that could affect thousands of immigrants with criminal convictions who reside legally in the U.S.
Pray for the judges of the U.S. courts who may be overburdened by the plethora of lawsuits arising from coronavirus matters.
CURRENT EVENTS
WARS AND TERRORISM
President Trump wants to pull troops out of Afghanistan. In recent days, he has urged his military and national security advisers to pull all U.S. troops out, as that nation remains highly vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic.
Iran’s first satellite launched into space by its secret military space program is nothing but a “tumbling webcam in space” with no imaging capabilities, the head of the United States Space Force reported.
Pray for President Trump and Defense Secretary Esper to deal wisely with Afghanistan and Iran.
FOREIGN INTERESTS AND CONFLICTS
The U.S. proposed rule changes that impose new restrictions on exports to China, including on civil aircraft components and items related to semiconductors, that will require licenses for U.S. companies to sell certain items to military entities in China.
Israeli media quoted intelligence sources saying an unprecedented media campaign against Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad has been instituted by Russia and indicates that the Kremlin is fed up and is turning against him.
Pray for President Trump, Secretary of State Pompeo, and others dealing with China and Russia during these turbulent times.
ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is “confident” the Trump Administration will recognize Israeli sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank within months, giving an apparent green light for Israel to annex territory the Palestinians hope will form part of a future state.
The Israeli government says that hackers have targeted its water supply and treatment facilities, saying it had received reports of intrusion attempts, and urged systems to go offline until new security systems and new passwords are put in place.
Pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu as he works to ensure the security of Israel and leads the people of that land.
THE ECONOMY
New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods rose unexpectedly in March, but the gains are unlikely to be sustainable amid the coronavirus outbreak which has shut down the country and contributed to a collapse in crude oil prices.
According to a paper from researchers at four major universities, loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program went to only around 16 percent of companies that were the most hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.
Pray for the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration as they work to establish some level of stability in the American economy.
ACROSS THE STATES
Nevada’s governor announced that his state had joined a pact of western U.S. states that will work together on their COVID-19 response and reopening, “sharing critical information and best practices on how to… protect the health and safety of our residents.”
Pennsylvania’s governor and secretary of health said people of Pennsylvania shouldn’t be expecting a quick return to their regular way of life even as restrictions begin to ease in some counties next month.
Pray for all state governors and health commissioners as they each wrestle with the best practices for reopening their state’s economies and businesses.
VERSE OF THE WEEK
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.” – Psalm 91:14
