August 27th – September 2nd, 2020
PRAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
A recent change at the Office of Management and Budget shifted policies to give more power to presidential appointees in crafting the budgets, diminishing the influence of career bureaucrats in the administration.
The Department of Defense Inspector General’s Office found that the Trump Administration had the legal right to send and fund active-duty troops to the southern U.S. border in support of the Department of Homeland Security.
Pray for President Trump and his advisors and their efforts to keep America’s borders secure and safe.
PRAY FOR OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS
Members of the House of Representatives have asked the Justice Department to provide more details on the recent seizure of cryptocurrency assets of several terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda, ISIS and Hamas.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rejected calls to extend unemployment benefits through a smaller package, arguing passage of a streamlined bill could derail talks on other partisan funding priorities.
Pray that legislators in Washington find compromises needed to fund additional relief during the pandemic.
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
A New Jersey judge ordered a new election for a Patterson City Council seat whose apparent winner has been charged with voter fraud after the U.S. Postal Service said hundreds of mail-in ballots had been found in a Patterson mailbox. The judge said allowing nationwide mail-in voting in the fall election will lead to a similar scenario.
The Supreme Court said it will review a federal appeals court decision on the constitutionality of the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act on November 10, noticeably after the presidential election.
Pray for judges across America will be asked to weigh in on state decisions to use mail-in ballot voting in November.
CURRENT EVENTS
WARS AND TERRORISM
President Trump reaffirmed his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq as quickly as possible as he met with the Iraqi prime minister to discuss ways to rein in pro-Iranian militias in that country and counter residual threats from Islamic State sleeper cells.
Authorities in Germany charged a man with attempted murder after a series of car crashes injured six people, and the incident is now being investigated as a potential Islamic terrorist attack as the Iraqi citizen yelled “Allahu Akbar” while threatening to detonate a bomb on the highway.
Pray for President Trump and Defense Secretary Esper and their decisions to reduce troop levels in many locations.
FOREIGN INTERESTS AND CONFLICTS
Iran showed off new surface-to-air and cruise missiles on state television in an apparent snub to U.S. demands that the United Nations reimpose sanctions against the regime. They named their missiles for two “martyrs,” Qasem Solemani and Abu Mahdi.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that his country faced “unexpected and inevitable challenges” this year, criticizing his government’s shortcomings. He also said that his sister, Kim Yo Jong, would oversee relations with the U.S. and South Korea in the future. There are new reports that Chairman Kim is in a medical coma.
Pray for diplomats and officials attempting to navigate instability in Iran and North Korea.
ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Israel’s government leaders postponed a deadline by 120 days for passage of a national budget, thus avoiding the country’s fourth election in less than two years, and parliament ratified the postponement two hours before its original ratification deadline was due to expire.
The U.S. will ensure Israel retains a military advantage in the Middle East under any future U.S. arms deals with the United Arab Emirates, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, committing to honor its legal requirement with respect to qualitative military edge.
Pray for unity and cooperation in the Israeli government.
THE ECONOMY
Major retailers are moving winter holiday promotions up to as early as October to prepare for the way consumers will shop for the holidays this year. Their extended shopping season also includes many bypassing Black Friday and closing for Thanksgiving.
For the second straight month, home sales in the U.S. rose at record pace and some home prices hit a record as historically low interest rates boosted demand for homes even as the virus keeps millions of people out of work.
Pray for the continued decrease in the coronavirus that will enable states to meet the guidelines allowing businesses to reopen and people to return to work.
ACROSS THE STATES
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law ramping up punishments for certain kinds of protests, including losing the right to vote, imposing a Class E felony punishable by up to six years in prison, and mandatory 45-day sentence for aggravated looting, blocking highway access, and increasing assaults against first responders to a Class C felony.
A 2016 law requiring women in Indiana to undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before having an abortion will go into effect on January 1 after Planned Parenthood conceded defeat in efforts to block the restriction.
Pray for wisdom for state and city leaders as they work to return peace and order to their communities.
VERSE OF THE WEEK
Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. – Psalm 119:165
