#269 (7/21) - Prayer Items Since July 17th

[FYI - My GENday is Sept. 19th. What is YOURS?]

Colorado Gunman Kills 12 and Hurts About 38 July 20

A terrifying shooting at an Aurora movie theater overnight left 12 people dead and about 38 people hurt.Police said a gunman with a gas mask on and dressed in black shot and killed dozens and dozens of people. Authorities say the suspect, James Holmes, 24, killed 10 people inside the theater complex and that three others died after they were taken from the scene. Sources: CBS Denver, Denver Post, Reuters, NBC News)

As the Lord leads, please pray:
=For the families who are grieving the inexplicable loss of their loved ones.
=For those who have been injured, and the medical teams attending them.[One is a Christian girl named PETRA who is recovering from a wound to the head.]
=For the family of James Holmes.
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Russia, China Veto U.N. Security Council Resolution on Syria July 19

Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution on Thursday that threatened Syrian authorities with sanctions if they did not halt violence against an uprising, thwarting Western hopes for tough action as the crisis in Syria escalates. It was the third time that Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, and China have used their veto power to block U.N. Security Council resolutions designed to put pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and halt the violence in a 16-month conflict that has killed thousands of people.

As efforts to forge a diplomatic solution appeared to collapse, Syrian rebels clashed with forces loyal to Assad in Damascus, a day after the killing of three close allies of the president led to fresh warnings that the situation was spinning out of control...(Sources: BBC News, Reuters)

As the Lord leads, please pray:
•About the escalating situation in Syria.
•For wisdom for America’s diplomats and President Obama as they assess whether to take action beyond sanctions.
•For the people of Damascus and other cities who are fleeing to Lebanon or Turkey as refugees.
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Israel Blames Iran in Deadly Bulgaria Bus Blast - Wednesday, July 18

A bus carrying Israeli youth exploded Wednesday in a Bulgarian resort, killing at least six people and wounding more than 32, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "an Iranian terror attack" and promised a tough response. No group immediately claimed responsibility. But Israelis often have been targeted in attacks outside their country, and Wednesday’s bombing coincided with the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina that killed 85 people.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the blast was "clearly a terrorist attack initiated probably by Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad or another group under the terror auspices of either Iran or other radical Islamic groups." Netanyahu noted that Wednesday’s attack followed similar attacks or attempted attacks in India, Georgia, Thailand and Kenya and Cyprus in recent months. He said that once again, "all signs point to Iran," though he did not offer any evidence to back up the claim. "This is an Iranian terror attack that is spreading across the world," Netanyahu said. "Israel will react strongly to Iran’s terror." Tehran did not immediately issue any comment.(Source: CBS News, BBC News, Associated Foreign Press, Jerusalem Post)

As the Lord leads, please pray:
•That the response of the nation of Israel to the attack on the bus will be measured yet appropriate.
•For the grieving families of the deceased, and for those who are injured.
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Bernanke Pleads with Lawmakers to Avoid ’Fiscal Cliff’ - July 17

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pleaded with lawmakers Tuesday to take action swiftly to avoid taking the nation’s economy over a "fiscal cliff." In testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, Bernanke said the economy has leveled off and warned Congress it will add to economic instability if it does not take action to avoid steep tax hikes and spending cuts set to begin in January. "Fiscal decisions should take into account the fragility of the recovery," Bernanke said. "That recovery could be endangered by the confluence of tax increases and spending reductions that will take effect early next year if no legislative action is taken."

Addressing the cliff is the "most effective way Congress could help to support the economy right now." The George W. Bush-era tax rates are set to expire on all income brackets on Jan. 1, and spending cuts for defense and non-defense programs are also set to begin that month. If lawmakers fail to act, Bernanke said, they could see a repeat of the drama from last summer, when stocks plunged amid uncertainty over whether the nation’s debt limit would be . With a newly worried tone, Bernanke called on lawmakers to come together as soon as possible to address the nation’s finances (Sources: The Hill, Reuters, Wall Street Journal)

As the Lord leads, please pray:
•For members of the Federal Reserve Board as they work on monetary policy for the U.S.
•For members of Congress to act in the best interests of all of the American people.
•About Americans being preared for another recessionary dip if some actions are not taken quickly.
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IRS gearing up for new responsibilities in health care July 08

The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold most of President Barack Obama’s health care law will come home to roost for most taxpayers in about 2½ years, when they’ll have to start providing proof on their tax returns that they have health insurance.
That scenario puts the Internal Revenue Service at the center of the debate, renewing questions about whether the agency is capable of policing the health care decisions of millions of people in the United States while also collecting the taxes needed to run the federal government.(Source: Associated Press, MSNBC)

As the Lord leads, please pray:
· About the implications of new regulations supporting the health care law.
· That Congress will be able to find a way to keep this new tax from being imposed on aleady heavily burdened Americans.