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- Issue 764 – Verse of the Week
August 13th – August 19th, 2026
VERSE OF THE WEEK
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. – Ephesians 5:11
Be Discerning
The first half of the fifth chapter of Ephesians directs Christians to walk in love. Paul also cautions you not to be deceived into accepting things that are not true and warns against any compromise with the ways of the world that oppose the life to which God calls you. As you spend time in prayer, study and internalize Scripture, and commune with the Lord, you learn to discern and embrace what is pleasing to Him. Evil tries to entice with deceptive messages and ideas that sound virtuous. However, at the root, you will find “desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life,“ which are not from the Father (1 John 2:16)! Be ready to shine God’s love into this dark world and “walk as children of light“ (Ephesians 5:8).
First Ministry Letter of 2026!
Our gift to you this holiday as we remember the true reason for the season with sacred and traditional Christmas music.- Issue 764 – Federal Branches
Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
The White House Government Transparency Task Force recently released documentation from the intelligence community and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealing that a hacker stole more than 600,000 voter records from Maricopa County, Arizona, just before the 2020 presidential election. FBI Director Kash Patel reported that, though the suspect later confessed to conducting the cyber intrusion to federal authorities, and even acknowledged destroying the data stored at his home, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and the Maricopa and Pinal County prosecutors declined to file charges.
Pray for Director Patel and DNI Clayton as they release information regarding cyberattacks related to previous elections and seek to ensure future election integrity.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts sent a letter to encourage Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to support legislation that would codify parts of President Trump’s January executive order blocking military contractors from paying dividends or buying back stock until “they are able to produce a superior product, on time and on budget.” Senator Warren commended the president’s action, stating, “Since the executive order was issued, each of the four largest defense contractors that engaged in stock buybacks and dividend payouts in the first quarter of 2025 cut them dramatically in the first quarter of 2026.” She added, “The president’s executive order helped protect taxpayers and improve investments by defense contractors.”
Pray for senators and representatives as they review the effectiveness of the president’s executive orders regarding production of military contractors and request federal officials’ support for codifying legislation.
PRAY FOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
The Senate Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, is in possession of a copy of the iPhone Dr. Anthony Fauci used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Johnson reported that the cell phone material dates from sometime in 2014 through the doctor’s retirement as the director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the end of 2022.
Pray for discernment for members of congressional committees as they review data from government devices and the communications they hold from former federal officials.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
District of Columbia U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes recently reversed her block of the elimination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals by President Trump’s administration, aligning with the Supreme Court’s June ruling recognizing the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) authority to terminate TPS. The high court determined that federal law “expressly restricts” federal courts from reviewing DHS decisions to end or extend TPS protections.
Pray for Circuit and District judges as they hear and decide cases that challenge the constitutionality of federal officials’ actions to enforce federal immigration laws and implement deportation policies.
Featured Leaders For Prayer
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Scott Bessent, Secretary of Treasury
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Strait of Hormuz would eventually become irrelevant once over half of Middle Eastern oil transmission flows through underground pipelines.
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Rick Scott, U.S. Senator from Florida
Florida Senator Rick Scott highlighted how birthright citizenship is being exploited by adversaries of the United States and the need for Congress to pass laws prohibiting birth tourism for national security.
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Judge Andrew Oldham, Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Judge Andrew Oldham wrote the Fifth Circuit Court’s opinion that determined the Energy Department erred in using an abbreviated rule-making process to ban gas appliances in 2024.
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Steve Feinberg, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg recently gave defense contractors 21 days to submit plans on producing weapons and munitions “significantly faster.”
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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- Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff
Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff
- Born – May 1957 in Lake City, Florida
- Education – B.A., University of Maryland, College Park
- Military Service – None
- Profession – Government official, political consultant
- Political Experience – Campaign manager, Chief of Staff for Jacksonville Mayor, Political advisor
- In office since – 2025
- Family – Divorced from Lanny, 2 children
- Religious Affiliation – Undisclosed
- Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff
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AMERICA’S HISTORY OF FAITH AND PRAYER
- Issue 764 – Faith and Prayer History
“I believe with all my heart that standing up for America means standing up for the God who has so blessed our land. We need God’s help to guide our nation through stormy seas. But we can’t expect Him to protect America in a crisis if we just leave Him over on the shelf in our day-to-day living.“
– President George Washington, First Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789
- Issue 764- National Prayer Needs
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for America’s Military
The Pentagon announced the launch of the Golden Dome for America Ecosystem Hub, a digital platform designed to streamline collaboration between the Defense Department and the commercial technology sector. General Mike Guetlein said they are “cutting bureaucratic red tape, harnessing innovation through partnerships.” However, the general warned that Congress needs to provide funding for the program for fiscal year 2027. He said, “If they don’t figure it out, there is no Golden Dome because there is no funding.”
Pray for General Guetlin and officials working to develop the Golden Dome U.S. missile defense shield, and for federal legislators as they assess the fiscal year 2027 funding needed to support it.
Pray for America’s Foreign Relations
The State Department has taken steps to make a program permanent that requires citizens from 50 countries, many in Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 to apply for B1 and B2 visas, for business or tourism in the U.S. The bond will be refunded if the application is denied or, if granted, after the applicant adheres to the visa’s terms. The program, which began as a pilot in August 2025, is intended to discourage visa overstays. Separately, the agency is piloting a program that charges $750 for an expedited nonimmigration visa appointment at certain U.S. embassies and consulates through the end of the year.
North Korea launched two ballistic missiles in the past week ahead of the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises that will be conducted by the United States and South Korea. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated, “Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies.” Japan’s defense minister said the launch violated U.N. Security Council resolutions and that his nation submitted a protest through diplomatic channels.
Pray for Secretary Rubio as he assesses and engages in foreign relations diplomacy. Pray for wisdom for Secretary Hegseth and U.S. commanders as they oversee joint military trainings with allied nations.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of jalapeño peppers distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors and finished products from Taylor Farms that include the peppers due to possible Salmonella contamination after 345 reported cases across 27 states. The FDA and CDC are working with state and local officials to investigate the outbreak of Salmonella, linked to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Pray for Acting FDA Commissioner Diamantas and Acting CDC Director Bhattacharya as they seek the source of and work to stop the multistate Salmonella outbreak.
Pray for Needs Across the States
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida would be actively testing flying cars, formally known as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, by the end of this year. The governor also said his state’s transportation department was partnering with Embry-Riddle and Polk State “to help Florida students prepare for exciting career opportunities in the next generation of transportation.”
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed legislation this week that changes the state’s rules to allow abortion up to the point of birth. The previous law placed limits on pregnancy termination procedures after 24 weeks. “We believe that healthcare decisions should be made between women and families and their doctors, not politicians,” the governor said at the bill-signing ceremony. “Abortion will remain safe, it will remain legal, and it will remain accessible here in Massachusetts.”
Pray for state governors, secretaries of state, and legislators as they determine new policies regarding abortion and for their decisions regarding technological innovation, including the testing of flying cars.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“There aren’t a lot of these super heavy-duty crises in our lives, but there are some. Marriages do dissolve. They do go through great strain. Money does run out. Jobs do end. Adultery does happen. Jail does come. Addiction grabs hold. Houses burn down. People we love die.
These things do happen in our lives, but God is using them. We may not even see how God’s using them until years later or even into eternity. But God is saying, ‘I want you, and I want all of you, and I want more of you.’ And God is going to use the crisis in your life to draw you to Himself.” – Pastor Ed Taylor, Abounding Grace, “The Crisis is God’s Tool to Get More of You Part 2”
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