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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - FEBRUARY 19, 2025
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Vance’s Stirring Speech Warns Europe of ‘Retreat’ from ‘Fundamental Values’ of Faith, Freedom
“Vice President J.D. Vance debuted on the international stage Friday morning with a powerful speech aimed at awakening foreign elites to their violation of pro-life advocates’ rights, censorship of Christians, and ‘running in fear of your own voters.’ Vance fearlessly faced down the assembled powers of Europe at the Munich Security Conference, highlighting one nation’s Orwellian prosecution of pro-life Christians for the crime of silent public prayer, and the members’ collective determination to preserve ‘Our Democracy,’TM without respecting civil liberties or the will of the people.” Read more at The Washington Stand.
THINK.
- Europe and the United States keep a watchful eye on nations like China and Russia, fearing what they might do to destroy Western ideals. The mainstream media covers their actions exhaustively, while Congress repeatedly warns of the threat they present to our sovereignty and our security. The narrative is so pervasive that few dare to question their status as our “greatest adversaries.”
- In his brief yet poignant and incisive speech, Vice President Vance challenged this assertion, saying, “What I worry about is the threat from within: the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.” He reinforced his argument by pointing to several alarming government actions across Europe, including the annulment of an entire election in Romania and the arrest of a man quietly praying outside an abortion clinic in the United Kingdom.
- Many Americans have either encountered or observed blatant censorship in recent years, and, sadly, Europeans have faced the same reality at the hands of their respective governments. Vice President Vance merely highlighted the hypocrisy of self-proclaimed champions of democracy in attendance—many of whom were quietly working to undermine the very foundations of democracy. As he said, “[Y]ou cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents or putting them in jail."
PRAY.
Thank You, Lord, for leaders willing to call out egregious laws and practices threatening our God-given freedoms. Please continue to raise men and women who are willing to proclaim the truth to those who are working in opposition to it. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
ACT.
Vice President Vance’s speech was the speech heard around the world. Some were encouraged by his boldness, others were enraged. What do you think about it?Listen to his full remarks here on CSPAN.
Attorney General Bondi Orders Pause in Federal Funding for Sanctuary Cities
“On her first day in office, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered a pause in federal funding from the Justice Department for sanctuary cities, pending a review of any agreements that may violate the law. Sanctuary laws limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. They essentially prevent agencies from using local resources to detain or identify individuals based on immigration status.” Read more at Straight Arrow News.
THINK.
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) often allocates funding to support local law enforcement departments or agencies, among other programs and initiatives. Under the Trump DOJ, cities that operate as “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants will lose access to that funding. In a recent memo, the DOJ announced, “To protect the American people from the effects of unlawful mass migration, President Trump has prioritized securing our nation’s border and enforcing federal immigration laws. In furtherance of that objective, the Department of Justice will ensure that, consistent with law, ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ do not receive access to federal funds from the Department.”
- The DOJ is also suing the State of New York—including the State’s Governor, Attorney General, and DMV Commissioner—over their sanctuary policies. In a press conference last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters, “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops; it stops today.”
- At the same time, Border Czar Tom Homan continues to track down the illegal immigrants who have committed or are currently committing violent crimes in our nation’s biggest cities. Last week, Homan sat down with New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams to discuss how the city can work with immigration enforcement officials to get these dangerous criminals off our streets. After their meeting, Mayor Adams announced ICE agents could work on Rikers Island—a large prison in the Bronx.
PRAY.
As the new administration takes a stand against illegal immigration, pray for their effectiveness and their safety. Ask God to give them wisdom as they face off against sanctuary laws and cities.
ACT.
State and local officials influence law enforcement priorities, allocate budgets, and make decisions that impact communities. That is why the leaders we elect to these positions matter. To ensure your voice is heard, do not miss the chance to vote in state and local elections. Sign up for TurboVote today to receive mobile notifications whenever an election is happening in your area.
Hostages Relate Stories of Hamas' Physical, Psychological Torture Following Release
“The three hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, Yair Horn, Alexander Trupanov, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, described physical and psychological abuse of the hands of their captors. While there was some trepidation in Israel regarding the condition of the hostages following the previous release in which the three hostages came back emaciated, the three men released on Saturday appeared in better physical condition. However, as with previous groups of hostages, the men who returned on Saturday shared stories of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Hamas.” Read more at The Christian Post.
THINK.
- The conditions under which these hostages have been kept were/are deplorable. Upon his release, Sagui Dekel-Chen shared that he had been shot in the shoulder by Hamas when he was captured, underwent poor treatment while in captivity, and still had not healed from his wounds—and that is just one hostage’s story. Others have appeared emaciated and malnourished upon release, with many stating they had been physically tortured by their captors.
- When America and her European allies fought against the Nazi regime in the 1940s, virtually everyone recognized the war for what it was—a battle between good and evil. When the concentration camps were liberated, the world looked at the thousands of emaciated, tortured, and traumatized prisoners and were horrified by what the men, women, and children had endured. Fast forward 80 years later, and many are unwilling to condemn the behavior of Hamas—a terrorist group whose treatment of their hostages is not unlike the Nazis’. How did we get here? Why would the same people condemning the Holocaust not condemn Hamas?
- On Tuesday, Hamas officials announced that they would be releasing six hostages on Saturday—Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham Al-Sayed, and Avera Mengistu. Additionally, Hamas said they would release the remains of four deceased hostages on Thursday of this week. As of this writing, Hamas and Israel have yet to reach a more permanent cease-fire agreement that would result in the release of the rest of the hostages.
PRAY.
Lord, we pray for the hostages that remain. We pray for their imminent release, and we ask that You protect them from any physical and psychological torture while they remain in captivity. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
ACT.
Join us in praying for Israel, a nation of great biblical significance and a strategic ally of the United States. To guide you as you pray, download our Five Prayer Points for Israel here.
Florida Sees Major Drop in Abortions
“Florida has recorded its first drop in abortions since Roe vs. Wade was overturned in 2022, according to data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. When approached for comment, the office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pointed Newsweek to his comments from a press conference on Friday.” Read more at Newsweek.
THINK.
- On Election Day last year, Floridians voted against a ballot measure that would have codified a woman’s “right to abortion” in the state’s constitution—one of the only states to take such a strong stance against abortion at the polls. Because the measure failed, Florida’s May 2024 heartbeat bill remains the law of the state—making abortion illegal once the baby reaches six weeks old.
- In 2023, just over 84,000 babies were killed in Florida. In 2024, the total had fallen to 60,755. Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters, “We've been able to save lives, and that matters to a lot of people. It may not matter to everyone right now, but it matters to me...If you believe in a culture of life, that's a positive indication for sure."
- The number of abortions is declining, and that is always cause for celebration. Yet, 60,000 babies murdered is 60,000 too many. Scripture is clear—every baby is a gift, fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image (Psalm 127:3-5 and 139:13-16). So, Florida may have seen a 28% drop in abortions, but our work is not finished until there is a 100% reduction.
PRAY.
We praise You, Lord, for this drop in abortions because we know that all children are a gift from You and must be protected at all costs. May what is happening in Florida begin to happen in every other state in our union. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
ACT.
The fight for life did not end when Roe v. Wade was overturned. That is why My Faith Votes has compiled a list of 20 Ways to Stand for Life, so that we may all effectively defend life from conception until natural death.
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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