Prayer for our Nation, our Leaders and Topics of Concern for 12/13/13- 12/19/13

Barack H. Obama, President of the United States President Barack Obama has turned his attention yet again to the economy. Zeroing in on what he called the “defining challenge” of this generation – growing income equality between the richest 1 percent and the rest of America. But the president didn’t unveil any grand proposals to tackle the problem; instead, he repeated a laundry list of initiatives centered on many familiar themes: economic growth through government investment; job training and education reform; stronger protections for labor unions and paycheck fairness legislation; a hike to the minimum wage; and a revamped approach to how Americans save for retirement in private accounts and in government programs such as Social Security.

Patty Murray, United States Senator from Washington While the politics of healthcare and immigration reform play out elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Senator Patty Murray of Washington is working with Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin on the details of a possible two-year budget agreement. This would be significant because it would avert the threat of another government shutdown and allow both sides an opportunity to “regain some trust,” according to an aide.

Christine H. Fox, Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that President Barack Obama has appointed Christine H. Fox to serve as Acting Deputy Defense Secretary. Fox, who assumed her duties on December 4, is now the highest-ranking woman ever to serve the Defense Department. “Over the last five years, Christine has played a key role in helping shape solutions to the core challenges facing the Department of Defense,” a senior official said.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court appeared likely to reinstate the trespassing conviction of a man who was caught protesting military activities in a place he had been ordered to avoid: the zone designated for demonstrators outside the main gate at a California Air Force base. The protester tried to persuade the Court that his case raised important First Amendment issues. But the Justices focused instead on the federal law under which he was convicted, which gives commanding officers authority to prevent people from entering military installations.

Praying For Righteous Government New IRS regulations look to curtail corruption by Dr. Tom Askew Politics is about power but wise people want it to be regulated. Then, regulators have the power. Because of man’s sin nature, people rebel against power and look for ways to cheat the regulators. Mankind’s “pride of life,” causes each side to point fingers and claim the other side is cheating. As a result of the curse that “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread,” (Genesis 3:19) everyone knows that there’s no free lunch. It’s because of the realization that no one can do it all individually that there are corporate efforts for national defense and protection of private property. Lacking imaginative alternatives, those things are funded through taxes. Because humans are created in the image of God, most people are in agreement and support acts of charity and kindness. So these acts – and their donors as well – get tax breaks. On the playground, to get more power, you shout louder than your opponent. In the adult world, that’s called advertising, and it costs a lot of money to advertise more loudly than those who oppose you. Some greedy people figured out that they could avoid taxes and grab more power by masking their power grab as a charitable act. Now, because of their deception, innocent charities may suffer. Here’s what’s happening:

Congresswoman Celebrates Birth of Baby Girl Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington and her family have been blessed in the arrival of a new baby girl, Brynn Catherine. She was born on Sunday, November 24, weighing in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces. The Washington Congresswoman has made history as the first member to give birth three times while serving in Congress. She and husband Brian Rodgers already had two – son Cole, born in 2007 and daughter Grace in 2010. “Nothing compares to the miracle of bringing a new life into the world,” wrote Rodgers. “She’s beautiful and seems to be taking it all in stride. Our hearts are full.” Congratulations to the Rodgers family from everyone in The Presidential Prayer Team. Communion In The Conference Room Do corporations have religious freedoms? by Louie Christensen You can’t pick and choose which type of freedoms you want to defend. You must defend all of them, or none of them. That’s not a philosophy, or a constitution, but rather the definition of the word “freedom.” Unfortunately, it isn’t an easy definition to put into law or practice in a melting pot culture like that found in the United States. Whose liberty should be defended? The strong majority or the endangered minority? The paradox of freedom may be an unsolvable question, but it’s an ongoing problem. Now, it seems that the most unlikely organization will step into the ring to stand up for their freedom. Two weeks ago the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear a lawsuit against President Obama’s health care law filed by Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. The national arts and crafts business objects to providing employees with certain contraceptives mandated by The Affordable Care Act. Hobby Lobby’s founder David Green claims that the government cannot force him to provide his thousands of employees with insurance covering contraceptives such as morning-after pills. Vice President Joe Biden met with families of the victims of last year’s Sandy Hook school shooting and announced $100 million federal funding to increase the quality of mental health care in the United States. President Barack Obama has hired former Clinton Chief of Staff John Podesta as a special white house counselor for a year to aid in issues involving health care, climate change and intended executive actions. Pray for President Obama and Vice President Biden as they carry the burdens of leading the nation. Farm bill negotiators conceded that they will not finish their work before Congress recesses but Senator Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) said they should be ready to vote on new legislation in January. Representative James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wisconsin) has called for strict limits on the Patriot Act’s broad surveillance powers, saying he is “incensed” over the lack of oversight by Congress. He authored the Patriot Act. Pray about the many issues Congress must complete before they recess for Christmas and New Year’s. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that addresses what responsibility states have – or may not have – in regulating pollution that ends up in other states’ skies. A decision is not expected until June. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals announced it will provide live streaming video for some of its oral arguments, beginning with a privacy case involving police department retention of DAN profiles of criminal suspects. Pray about the wisdom of the cameras-in-the-courtroom decision and whether it should be used in other courts. THE WARS A car bomb exploded by a gate at a Kabul airport used mostly by NATO troops. No one was killed. The Taliban have taken responsibility for the bombing saying the attack was in response to foreign military occupation of Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai lashed out at the United States again, accusing it of making threats in the dispute over an agreement to keep U.S. troops in the country beyond 2014, and acting “like a colonial power.” Pray about all the issues surrounding America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in part or in whole by December 2014. TERRORISM Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab neighbors have agreed to establish a joint military command, paving the way for tighter security coordination in the face of their regional rival, Iran’s, ongoing pursuit of nuclear weapons capability. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the U.S. military to transport Burundian troops to Central Africa amid sectarian violence in that country. French troops have deployed to the region and have suffered two casualties. Pray about the many regions involved in sectarian and Islamist extremist conflicts, and the extent of U.S. involvement. THE ECONOMY The federal government sold its remaining shares of General Motors stock ending the controversial $49.5 billion bailout of the automaker with an approximate $10.5 billion loss for taxpayers. By almost two to one – 64 percent to 38 percent – Americans say the U.S. no longer offers everyone an equal chance to get ahead and the government isn’t doing much to help, according to a new Bloomberg National Poll. Pray about the erosion of faith in the American dream and growing income inequality. ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST European auditors said the European Union should stop funding Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip because money is going to officials who do not work,and that the EU the biggest donor to Palestinian terrorists. Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians have reached agreement on a three-way water supply arrangement to slake rising cross-border demand, a rare step toward economic integration of the region. Pray that the cooperation on the water supplies will ease some of the settlement tensions in the West Bank. HEALTH CARE Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has called on the Inspector General to investigate the botched roll-out of the HealthCare.gov website and its apparent ongoing lack of security controls. A trial has begun to see whether a drug used to treat diabetes can slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The study will involve 200 people with memory problems and involves reducing brain inflammation. Pray for laboratory physicians and technicians involved with drug testing, and for pharmaceutical effectiveness. Please accept our apology for sending out the weekly prayer request a day late. All prayer requests are made directly from our Presidential Prayer Leader.  We ask you all  to pray for our leaders as the scripture says.    1 Timothy 2:1-3   King James Version (KJV) 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;   Contact Evangelist Waters: www.PureGoldEvangelisticMinistries.com Follow my Bible Study Blog: www.PureGoldMinistries.blogspot.com Follow the Weekly Prayer Blog: www.PureGoldEvangelisticMinistriesPrayer.blogspot.com