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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
In this week's Intersect, read about:
‘TRULY HORRIFYING’: Questions Swirl After Second Trump Assassination Attempt
“While Trump was golfing Sunday at his course in West Palm Beach, authorities said, a man put the muzzle of a rifle through a chain link fence around the next hole. According to Fox News, the man was between 300 and 500 yards from Trump. When he put the gun through the fence, a Secret Service agent or agents opened fire. According to the New York Post, the man had a GoPro camera hanging on the fence, which likely was intended to be used to record the shooting on video. ” read more at The Daily Signal
THINK.
- The perpetrator has been identified as Ryan Routh, a 58-year-old North Carolina native whose last known residence was in Hawaii. Routh appears to have been very passionate about the war in Ukraine and had traveled to Kyiv in the past to recruit soldiers for the Ukrainians. He was also disappointed by Trump’s relations with Iran while the former president was in office. In his memoir, Routh apologized to Iran for thinking Trump would be better than he was and wrote the following: “You [Iran] are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of the [Iran nuclear] deal.”
- Given that this was the second attempt on former President Trump’s life within the last two months, it is understandable that many have questions for the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Did President Trump have the proper amount of security considering his risk? Does the Secret Service have the resources it needs to properly protect those for whom it is responsible? What should be done differently moving forward?
- The future of America is uncertain, but our future, as children of God, is sure. So as we listen to the news and fear for the country, may we allow Jesus’ words in John 16:33 to give us peace: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
PRAY.
Lord, during times of uncertainty and confusion in our nation, please give us indescribable peace and confidence in You. Amen.
ACT.
During this particularly polarizing and suspenseful election season, the new movie God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust encourages Christians to be optimistic about the future of our nation and motivates us to get involved in the public square. It is an excellent film and only in theaters for a limited amount of time. Learn more and get your tickets today at GodsNotDead.com.
Abbott Announces Texas Crackdown on Venezuelan Gang
“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced new efforts to tighten border security, specifically targeting the Tren de Aragua gang from Venezuela. On Monday, Abbott announced that he is designating Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, which will allow the state to use the power of the courts to help their operations and use asset forfeiture to seize goods and belongings from the gang. Abbott also said the state will be doing all it can to keep gang members in jail longer. ” read more at News Nation
THINK.
- The Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, has expanded its footprint in the United States over the last several months. From New York to Florida to the Midwest, this gang is wreaking havoc, selling drugs, and trafficking women. A source in law enforcement said the gang has become more organized recently: “They’ve definitely gotten their operations organized to facilitate movement, to facilitate human trafficking, to get people in to cross the border, and once they get them across the border, to get them to other locations throughout the country.”
- Unfortunately, gang-related activity is not the only problem in the country. In Springfield, Ohio, thousands of migrants from Haiti have settled in the area, causing increases in traffic accidents and a significant strain on the city’s resources and infrastructure. Springfield residents, and Americans in general, are split between wanting to show immigrants compassion and wanting their cities to be safer and cleaner.
- As Christians, we should always look for ways to meet the needs of those around us, including immigrants. However, the Bible does not encourage or excuse criminal activity, and neither should we. We must continue to advocate for the equal enforcement of the law while also ministering to those who are in our communities as best we can.
PRAY.
Pray for an end to violence in our cities and ask God to raise up leaders who are willing to stand courageously for law and order. But ask Him, also, to open doors for you to serve and minister to those in need within your community. It is through acts of service that we can point others to Him.
ACT.
We are less than two months away from Election Day, which means now is the time to start thinking about which candidates will get your vote. To help identify what the candidates might stand for, My Faith Votes has put together a Party Platform Comparison that covers all the key issues, from abortion to immigration. Download your copy of this invaluable resource here.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Mail Ballots with Incorrect Dates Won't be Counted
“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Friday that mail ballots that are improperly dated won't be counted in November, a move that could have major implications in the closely divided battleground state. The decision reverses a lower court ruling from last month that found it was unconstitutional to reject mail ballots that had a missing or incorrect date.” read more at NBC News
THINK.
- What is the significance of this ruling? The ACLU of Pennsylvania argued that an incorrect or missing date is simply “a trivial paperwork error” and that “eligible voters who got their ballots in on time should have their votes counted and voices heard.” Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Whatley contended that “This makes mail voting in the Keystone State less susceptible to fraud.” The actual question of whether this law is constitutional, however, has not been settled because the court only ruled on procedural grounds.
- How could the election be impacted? This swing state, with 19 electoral college votes, is important not only for the presidential race but for the Senate race between Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick. That election could determine which party will have a majority in the Senate. According to Fox News, nearly 16,000 mail-in ballots in the state’s primary election this April were disqualified; almost half were due to missing signatures or wrong dates.
- Seven battleground states this year have passed laws, been dealt lawsuits, or received court rulings regarding their election procedures. Some have favored election integrity; others have not. As Christians, we should desire and support just and fair elections, since that is in line with God’s desire and character. He commands scales to be fair so that buyers are not oppressed. Should we not also apply His standard to our elections? (See Proverbs 11:1, 16:11, 20:10,23, Leviticus 19:36, Deuteronomy 25:13-15, Micah 6:11)
PRAY.
Pray for an active and engaged electorate. Pray against apathy and indifference, and instead, pray for Christians to put their faith into action, including in the voting booth. When you vote, seek God’s will for your vote. The primary pursuit in any election is to seek the face of God in prayer. Scripture says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). See more prayer points from our Election Integrity Prayer Guide.
ACT.
My Faith Votes has doubled our original goal to send handwritten letters to Christians in key states. Will you help us reach 600,000 voters? Over 300,000 are in Pennsylvania! If you have already signed up for our Write Now campaign, thank you! Please continue to share Write Now with like-minded friends who can join our efforts and encourage Christians to vote!
Seattle Pastor Arrested for Public Bible Reading Wins in Court
“A Seattle pastor who was twice arrested in 2022 after activists assaulted him and then complained to police about his public Bible reading was vindicated last week in federal district court. According to a statement from Texas-based First Liberty Institute, which represented Pastor Matthew Meinecke in his lawsuit against the city of Seattle, the pastor was arrested and censored by police because his Christian speech drew hostility from activists.” read more at Decision Magazine
THINK.
- A preacher was arrested for sharing the gospel in a public place? It’s hard to believe, but that is exactly what happened. Pastor Meinecke was arrested twice—once at an abortion rally, and again at an LGBTQ Pride festival. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the police were wrong to arrest Meinecke simply because the crowd reacted badly to his preaching. The court said that amounted to a heckler’s veto. “The government should never silence the speech of a citizen just because an audience dislikes what it’s hearing,” an attorney at First Liberty stated.
- We can recall another preacher who was arrested for sharing the gospel in public. The Apostle Paul was no stranger to bad crowd reactions…or to standing up for his rights (see Acts 16:16-14, 22:22-29, 25:10-12). Later, he wrote to Timothy, a pastor, urging him to “always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Those words—and the need to uphold our legal right to preach the gospel—are just as relevant today!
- Spiritual battles often lie behind political battles. This is an example of city policies that temporarily hindered the preaching of God’s word. Every election up and down the ballot is important. Are local offices on your ballot this year? How will you honor God with your vote?
PRAY.
Read the prayer of the believers in Acts 4:23-31, which they prayed right after Peter and John had been arrested for preaching that Jesus is the Savior. Thank God for His sovereignty and pray, like they did, for boldness.
ACT.
I stand united with other believers, ready to make my voice heard for His glory and the good of our country. If that statement describes you, sign our pledge to vote here. If you have already signed it, share it with a like-minded friend who needs encouragement to vote!
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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