Join Us in Prayer for our Nation, our Leaders and Topics of Concern for 6/6/14 - 6/12/14

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Gates At The Helm New president sets future course for Boy Scouts by Gigi Cook Robert M. Gates is the Boy Scouts of America president with a national reputation before being elected to the position. The 70-year-old Gates, an Eagle Scout, former secretary of defense, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and past president of Texas A&M University, was elected President of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in May. Gates replaces Seattle Mariners co-owner Wayne Perry, whose tenure was marked by divisive controversies surrounding BSA’s shifting policy on membership of openly gay youth and adults. In a national vote last year the BSA elected to allow openly gay scouts in membership while restricting adult homosexuals from leadership starting January 1, 2014. The decision drew criticism from conservatives who opposed the change and from gay rights groups who said it did not go far enough. While serving as defense secretary, Gates supported the 2010 repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay men and lesbians serving in the military, which may prove significant for the BSA as pressure on the group continues to persist from all sides of the issue.     Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States First Lady Michelle Obama is more aggressively wading into policy fights while expanding her portfolio. Six years into the Obama Administration, the First Lady has gone to bat on issues outside her bailiwick in the East Wing.  Steve Scaliee, United States Representative for Louisiana Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise will push for a House vote on an alternative health care plan crated by the GOP Conference’s more hardline members during a closed-door meeting of the Republican Study Committee.   Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr., USN, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Iran and North Korea, considered by the United States to be the chief nuclear and missile threats to the nation, know they would face “an overwhelming U.S. response to any attack” on the United States or its allies, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Successive U.S. administrations have consistently said that all options remain on the table should either nation deploy or use a nuclear weapon, but Navy Admiral. James A. Winnefeld Jr. used strong language in remarks to a missile defense conference in Washington.  Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court A divided Supreme Court ruled that Michigan can‘t block the opening of an off-reservation American Indian casino because the state‘s legal challenge is barred by tribal sovereign immunity. In a 5-4 decision, the high court said the state could not shutter the Bay Mills Indian Community‘s casino about 90 miles south of its Upper Peninsula reservation.  Empowering The Middle Class Group offers plan to prosper America by Bill Noles Jr. Some Americans believe the White House has been pushing the United States – and slowly succeeding – toward a welfare state since the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama. Conservatives have been pushing back with little effect arguably allowing America to head down a path that will not be easy to return from. According to the Pew Research Center, a majority of middle-class adults put most of the blame on the government for the difficulties they have faced in the past ten years, and people blame Congress more than any other institution. “Among the public, then, there is a very deep sense of unease and apprehension,” said Peter Wehner, former deputy assistant to the president. “This is not an unreasonable attitude. Both parties are, in important respects, disconnected from the problems of ordinary Americans.” A new group, known as Conservative Reformists, believes they have the answer to America’s woes. Rather than being concerned about the size of government, the Reformists argue that Conservatives should focus on the proper role of government.     “Boomers,” No Longer Babies How will their numbers affect churches, other ministries? by Dr. Tom Askew Growing up in different towns, my wife and I had remarkably similar life experiences, based on the fact that we were each born exactly nine months after our fathers returned home from World War II. Each school class was always larger than the previous year’s class. School facilities were being expanded and shuffled, but not in time to benefit us very well. We had many nearly-retired and highly experienced teachers who attacked teaching as a vocational calling, mixed with hastily recruited novices barely out of college. We were each among the first in our families to go to college. We were nurtured on “Howdy Doody” and “The Mickey Mouse Club” in homes where our parents had not seen a television set until adulthood. In college, on separate campuses, we transferred the idealism which provoked many of our generation to civil rights demonstrations and anti-Vietnam war protests to a zeal for Christian missions, the glue that eventually brought us together. We are the Baby Boomer generation. Dr. Thom Rainer, CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, has published a helpful set of predictors concerning the impact of retiring Boomers on the churches of America. In short, he predicts: • Retired Boomers will have less money to give to churches • Some will have more volunteer time • Most of the Boomers will still want to change the world • Many of the Boomers will be traveling more • Retiring Boomers will kill traditional church senior adult ministries   Veteran Healthcare Providing for your country’s protectors by Linda Gilden For several years Obamacare has been in the forefront of the news as families struggle to find ways to get the best and most practical healthcare. But recently, another health issue is demanding attention. Veterans waiting to see doctors at Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals across the nation are waiting long and sometimes fatal periods of time to be seen by their primary care physicians. The goal of the VA system is to give an appointment to patients within 14 days of when they first seek care, but some have waited months or haven’t gotten an appointment at all. As early as 2012 an emergency-room physician cited the Phoenix Arizona VA health system as being “overwhelmed and dangerous.” That was just the beginning of a scandal that today affects many of the nation’s 1,700 VA health care facilities. The VA System, the largest healthcare system in the nation, provides care to about 6.5 million military veterans. In a recent appearance on CNN’s “AC 360” Dr. Katherine Mitchell, the Emergency Room doctor who first brought this scandal to light, said, “People that are 100 percent service-connected that are polytrauma were waiting anywhere from six to ten months to get into a new appointment when I found out about em,” she said.    Survey Results Results for the Survey on the Sanctity of Life We asked for your opinion in this week’s Tell It To Us Tuesday – and you responded! Thank you. Here are the results. We’ll repeat the statement, and set out the percentages: Abortions prior to 20 weeks gestation should be decided only by the mother and her doctor. A combined total of 72% either strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed; 24.2% either agreed or somewhat agreed, and 3.8% were neutral. A woman has the right to choose what she does with her own body under any circumstance. 74.5% strongly disagreed with this statement; another 13.5% somewhat disagreed. Those agreed had a combined total of 9.4%, and only 2.6% had no opinion or were neutral. This statement brought the most number of separate emails – generally reminding us that the infant in gestation is not a part of her body! It is appropriate for Christian businesses and schools to be able to opt out of providing “morning-after” birth control as part of their health plans. The percentage of those who strongly agreed is 88.2%, and who somewhat agreed – 2.1%. 8.6% either strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed, and 1.1% were neutral.   THE ECONOMY U.S. consumer spending fell for the first time in a year during April after two months of gain. The decline may only be temporary, depending on whether the jobs market figures that are released later this week show a May improvement. The Commerce Department said the economy shrank at an annual rate of one percent in the first quarter, revising downward its initial estimate that had shown an improvement. Economists expect a 3-4 percent rise by end of 2014. Pray about the nation’s struggling economy, and the fixes that are necessary to improve it. ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST Expert-level talks between Iran and six world powers over Iran’s nuclear program resumed Wednesday in Vienna amid worries that a final-status deal won’t be reached in time to meet the July 20 target date. Declaring that “a black page in history has been turned forever,” President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority was sworn in as the head of the new government uniting the Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Pray about the threats that Israel faces daily, from home-grown terrorism to that from other nations like Iran. HEALTH CARE Many Michigan parents are outraged at a new state law that forces them to stand aside while a medical professional (generally a nurse) speaks privately to their 12 to 17 year olds about STDs and birth control. According to a new study, the Affordable Care Act will increase the number of uninsured and cause large price-for-service and premium increases within the next few years that could average over $4,000 more per family over 5 years. Pray about the government’s authority to control health care practices and prices. Secretary of State John Kerry made a surprise trip to Lebanon announcing $290 million in new aid meant to assist them with Syrian refugees, and pressing officials to deal with crises that left Lebanon without a president last month. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the re-establishment of a committee to fight terror threats posed by groups within U.S. borders. The panel, originally established by Janet Reno, was discharged after 9/11. Pray for members of President Obama’s Cabinet as they deal with both foreign and domestic security measures. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada) was the only member of Congress notified in advance of President Obama’s exchange of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban detainees held at Guantanamo, Cuba. The Senate’s fix to veterans’ healthcare problems might be headed down a familiar path into the chamber’s proverbial chokehold, as an alternate plan offered by Senators McCain, Flake, Burr and Coburn is denied a hearing. Pray as every activity in this mid-term election year seems to be succumbing to partisan gamesmanship. The end of the Supreme Court’s urrent term is June 30. Yet to be rendered are decisions on recess appointments, cell phone searches, public sector unions, buffer zones at abortion clinics, and the Hobby Lobby case. The Supreme Court refused to get involved in a case of a reporter who has been ordered to testify at the trial of a former CIA officer accused of disclosing classified information. Pray for the Supreme Court Justices as they write opinions that impact freedoms guaranteed under the Bill of Rights. THE WARS The U.S. has asked its allies to contribute 4,000 commando forces to the U.S. 9,800 person counterterrorism mission remaining in Afghanistan after the end-of-2014 withdrawal by the majority of forces. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is angry after being kept in the dark over a deal to free the five Taliban “dream team” militants in exchange for the release of Army Sgt. Bergdahl, accusing Washington of negotiating with terrorists. Pray as Afghanistan grows more restless as U.S. and NATO forces prepare for and begin their withdrawal. TERRORISM Syria has held a presidential election in government-controlled areas amid heightened security that will give President Assad a third seven-year term. Critics have denounced the election as a supreme farce. Nigerian police have banned protests in the streets of Abuja that pressure the government to secure the release of schoolgirls held by Boko Haram, saying the peaceful protests have become “a security concern.” Secretary of State John Kerry made a surprise trip to Lebanon announcing $290 million in new aid meant to assist them with Syrian refugees, and pressing officials to deal with crises that left Lebanon without a president last month. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the re-establishment of a committee to fight terror threats posed by groups within U.S. borders. The panel, originally established by Janet Reno, was discharged after 9/11. Pray for members of President Obama’s Cabinet as they deal with both foreign and domestic security measures. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nevada) was the only member of Congress notified in advance of President Obama’s exchange of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban detainees held at Guantanamo, Cuba. The Senate’s fix to veterans’ healthcare problems might be headed down a familiar path into the chamber’s proverbial chokehold, as an alternate plan offered by Senators McCain, Flake, Burr and Coburn is denied a hearing. Pray as every activity in this mid-term election year seems to be succumbing to partisan gamesmanship. The end of the Supreme Court’s urrent term is June 30. Yet to be rendered are decisions on recess appointments, cell phone searches, public sector unions, buffer zones at abortion clinics, and the Hobby Lobby case. The Supreme Court refused to get involved in a case of a reporter who has been ordered to testify at the trial of a former CIA officer accused of disclosing classified information. Pray for the Supreme Court Justices as they write opinions that impact freedoms guaranteed under the Bill of Rights. THE WARS The U.S. has asked its allies to contribute 4,000 commando forces to the U.S. 9,800 person counterterrorism mission remaining in Afghanistan after the end-of-2014 withdrawal by the majority of forces. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is angry after being kept in the dark over a deal to free the five Taliban “dream team” militants in exchange for the release of Army Sgt. Bergdahl, accusing Washington of negotiating with terrorists. Pray as Afghanistan grows more restless as U.S. and NATO forces prepare for and begin their withdrawal. TERRORISM Syria has held a presidential election in government-controlled areas amid heightened security that will give President Assad a third seven-year term. Critics have denounced the election as a supreme farce. Nigerian police have banned protests in the streets of Abuja that pressure the government to secure the release of schoolgirls held by Boko Haram, saying the peaceful protests have become “a security concern.”