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- Issue 749 – Verse of the Week
April 30th – May 6th, 2026
VERSE OF THE WEEK
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. – Malachi 3:3
Reflecting Him
Neither gold nor silver comes out of the earth in a pure form. It must be refined. The refining process takes time, and it requires a lot of heat. As the metal melts, impurities rise to the surface and are removed. After the metal cools, it is again heated to the melting point, and more dross is removed. It has been said that the refiner knows that the metal is pure when he can see the reflection of his face when he looks at it. This is a similar process to what the believer experiences as sanctification occurs. It requires time, and it includes discomfort. Your heart is “melted“ before the Lord, and you have to allow Him to remove the impurities from your life. As you repeat the process, you become more and more like Him, and He begins to see His reflection in your life. Persist and be encouraged. He causes you to shimmer and shine!
First Ministry Letter of 2026!
For 25 years, The Presidential Prayer Team has united millions in sharing their prayers for America on the National Day of Prayer. We offer real-time, coast-to-coast prayer activities for those who might be unable to attend local events.
This year is especially meaningful as our nation joyfully celebrates its 250th birthday! What an extraordinary milestone marking God’s faithfulness across generations. Wherever you are, join believers nationwide as we give thanks for our nation’s history, celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, and boldly lift America and its leaders to the Lord in prayer.
Resources available now!
▶ Print or get digital copy of official National Day of Prayer guide
▶ View and download the Leadership Prayer Checklist
▶ Call and record your prayer: 1-844-829-2022 (toll-free)
What can you do to prepare today?
– Prepare your heart.
– Tell us when you plan to pray: ▶ Sign up for the National Prayer Room
– Invite one or more friends to join you.
Online prayer activities coming May 7th
– Read, pray, and post your own prayers in the National Prayer Room
– Listen and pray along to continuous prayer stream from other members
Digital and printer-friendly versions of the official prayer guide are available now!
Our gift to you this holiday as we remember the true reason for the season with sacred and traditional Christmas music.- Issue 749 – Federal Branches
Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the aftermath of the attempted assassination of President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton last Saturday. He stated that the president’s concern was to release the video and immediately address the American people in a White House briefing. Secretary Rubio said this “really showed a lot of leadership by the President and I think calmed the nation down and I think has allowed us to pivot towards the investigation and move on with the work of the country.”
Pray for God’s protection over the president and his Cabinet, and that they seek His guidance in their actions and decisions.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Eric Schmitt of Missouri introduced legislation this week that would fund construction of the White House ballroom with taxpayer dollars after the attempted assassination of the president at the Washington Hilton last weekend. However, as President Trump has secured private funding for the project, Senator Paul Rand of Kentucky proposed passing a bill to authorize the construction of the ballroom without funding it. Construction of the ballroom has been paused by courts as a lawsuit proceeds.
Pray for senators and representatives in Congress as they seek ways to improve national security and legislate measures to support and protect the president.
PRAY FOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
Representative Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, recently introduced the Measures Against Marxism’s Dangerous Adherents and Noxious Islamists (MAMDANI) Act, which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. The measure would allow the U.S. to deny any migrant who is a member of a socialist party, communist party, the Chinese Communist Party, or an Islamic fundamentalist party entry or citizenship. It would also allow their deportation or denaturalization.
Pray for members of Senate and House committees as they review and markup legislation before floor votes.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
The Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a Texas law requiring public schools in that state to display the Ten Commandments. The circuit court reversed the preliminary injunction placed by a district judge and dismissed the plaintiffs’ Free Exercise claims, stating that the law does not violate the Constitution’s Establishment Clause or the Free Exercise Clause. The Texas legislature passed the law in 2025 to acknowledge “the historical foundations of our laws” and “honor the moral heritage that undergirds our legal system,” consistent with the Constitution.
Pray for discernment for federal justices and judges as they hear and rule on questions of constitutionality regarding federal and state laws and presidential orders.
Featured Leaders For Prayer
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Lee Zeldin, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA administrator pointed out Section 202 of the Clean Air Act does not address climate change during a House subcommittee hearing on his agency’s 2027 budget.
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Jim Banks, U.S. Senator from Indiana
Senator Jim Banks urged the FTC to investigate claims by abortion drug manufacturers regarding their safety.
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Judge Denise Casper, Massachusetts U.S. District Court
Federal Chief Judge Denise Casper ruled that renewable energy developers were likely to succeed in their suit against the Interior Department’s review policies.
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Admiral Sam Paparo, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
Admiral Sam Paparo addressed the 2027 budgetary needs for the Indo-Pacific Command and the production of munitions before a congressional committee.
As we lift up the federal government of United States of America, each day we will highlight one elected or appointed federal official serving in office. Pray with us for each of them as they tackle their unique responsibilities and fulfill their oaths of office.
TODAY’S NATIONAL LEADER FOR PRAYER
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- Jennifer McClellan, Representative for Virginia
Jennifer McClellan, Representative for Virginia
- Born – December 1972 in Petersburg, Virginia
- Education – B.A., University of Richmond; J.D., University of Virginia
- Military Service – None
- Profession – Politician
- Political Experience – Virginia Senate, Virginia House of Delegates
- In office since – 2023
- Family – Married to David, 2 children
- Religious Affiliation – Presbyterian
- Jennifer McClellan, Representative for Virginia
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AMERICA’S HISTORY OF FAITH AND PRAYER
- Issue 749 – Faith and Prayer History
“Men who see not God in our history have surely lost sight of the fact that, from the landing of the Mayflower to this hour, the great men whose names are indissolubly associated with the colonization, rise, and progress of the Republic have borne testimony to the vital truths of Christianity.“
– Vice President Henry Wilson, 1848
- Issue 749 – National Prayer Needs
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for America’s Military
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao stated at the Modern Day Marine exposition that the service is looking for “new equipment and better products.” He said they are welcoming new entrants to the naval supply chain and expressed the need for multiple sources for munitions. The Pentagon has requested an increased budget for munitions, and the Navy intends to double its budget for shipbuilding.
Pray for Secretary Hegseth, the heads of each service branch, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff as they collaborate on defense budget needs.
Pray for America’s Foreign Relations
Italy extradited a Chinese Communist Party hacker to Texas, who had engaged in a vast campaign against U.S. organizations. He was allegedly part of a cyber espionage group contracted by the Chinese Ministry of State Security to target American education institutions and health research labs.
The United Arab Emirates announced this week that it would leave the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after nearly 60 years of membership in the group. It is the fourth-largest producer of oil in the organization, behind Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Russia.
Pray for U.S. officials as they engage in diplomatic efforts with foreign leaders and ministers.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., announced that grocery chain Aldi will remove unhealthy ingredients from numerous private-label products. Secretary Kennedy stated, “[Aldi] is eliminating 44 additional ingredients from its private-label products—including select artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, and sweeteners—expanding its restricted ingredient list from 13 to 57. Other companies should follow their lead.”
Pray for Secretary Kennedy and U.S. health officials as they seek to increase the quantity of health food choices in markets nationwide.
Pray for Needs Across the States
A Virginia circuit court judge ruled that the congressional map, which passed in the recent state election, is unconstitutional. The judge issued an injunction against the redistricted map, blocking it from being certified. The decision has been appealed to the state supreme court, which has left the lower court’s injunction in place as the case proceeds.
The Wyoming legislature voted down a measure that would have allowed citizens who were acquitted of using deadly force in self-defense to recover legal expenses from prosecuting counties. The legislation would also have provided expedited expungement to clear the citizen’s record.
Pray for state legislators and judges to be prudent as they evaluate the consistency of referendums and acts with state constitutions.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“ If you look up the definition for killing time, it is to engage in an activity, usually a rather aimless or idle one, with the goal of making time seem to pass more quickly or less slowly. If you’re killing time, it means that you believe you have time to kill, right? Got plenty of time. You talk to people that are older, they realize they’re running out of time, one way or another. … It’s hard to explain all this stuff to kids, but I’m telling you, even if you’re young, you got to figure some stuff out. You only have so much time down here. … The Bible says it is appointed unto men once to die, after that the judgment.
So far, only two people in history… have not died. Two people got taken up. The rest of them died. Even Jesus died, right? Got raised from the dead, but he died. You’re going to die. If Jesus does not return in my lifetime, I will die. And my sand is falling very quickly. … The old man that discipled me told me one day, ‘The difference in your life will be what you do with your spare time.’ What do you do with your spare time? … Talk to people who [have] used any time they had to read, to seek for wisdom, to spend time with godly people – if you got spare time and you’re just killing time, you’re going nowhere.“ – Richard Ellis, Richard Ellis Talks, “Killing Time”
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