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- Finding God all over Washington, D.C.—Did you know, He’s been there all along!
- Michael W. Smith says kids are rising up to pray—are you one of them?
- Are you ready for See You at the Pole? It’s coming, Wednesday, September 27!
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| This is the main podium at the United Nations. From this rostrum President Bush spoke to the members of the U.N. Pray for the President’s efforts to build stronger relationships with all nations of the world, particularly those in the Middle East. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
- This has been a really interesting week as many world leaders came together in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. President Bush was there for two and a half days, as were Secretary of State Rice and other key leaders of our country. President Bush had many bi-lateral meetings with other leaders and he spoke to the whole assembly in a keynote speech. It’s a very good time to pray for the follow-up to President Bush’s work at the United Nations, that peace will come to all the places of trouble and unrest in the world, especially the Middle East.
- As is the practice at the United Nations, many leaders are given the opportunity to speak, even if their words are harsh or unpopular. Two such leaders spoke to the members of the U. N. this week, and both spoke with anger and threats toward President Bush and the United States of America. It’s interesting that these two leaders would take advantage of the freedom of speech they enjoyed while in America, but neither affords those privileges to their own citizens. Pray for those who abuse freedom, wherever they are, asking God to soften their hearts and show them His love and forgiveness. Pray that people who are persecuted and denied simple freedoms, wherever they live in the world, will be set free and will be able to enjoy the blessings of liberty.
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- Something really cool is happening next week! See You at the Pole, the once-a-year gathering of students all over America, is happening on Wednesday, September 27. Is there a SYATP event taking place at your school? Whether you go to public school, private school or you are homeschooled, it’s a really great event, and you should get involved! It’s also a great time to pray that many, many kids will get involved in See You at the Pole, and that lots of kids will learn how to pray for their school and their country.
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| Here’s what the Space Shuttle landing looked like on Thursday morning, September 21. Awesome, to think that this craft was orbiting earth just before this! Photo courtesy of NASA. |
- It’s a great answer to prayer that Space Shuttle Atlantis arrived home today! Thank God for helping the crew and staff of Atlantis to come home safely. We can also pray that God will help our leaders at NASA to continue their work with diligence and God’s wisdom helping them.
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| This Army specialist is on the watch for danger while nearby Iraqi army soldiers return to their vehicles after a search operation in southern Mosul, Iraq. Pray for our troops as they work in dangerous places every day. Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense. |
- Things are really rough in Iraq these days! Different sectarian groups are fighting with each other, and many, many people are getting hurt! American troops are still working hard to help the security forces and leadership of Iraq stop these disturbances and attacks. So it is a very important time to pray for our troops as they help the nation of Iraq become a democracy where people can live in freedom without fear. Pray for God’s mighty protection over them and pray that the sectarian troubles will come to a halt.
National Security Advisor—Stephen J. Hadley |
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| Photo courtesy of the White House. |
The formal title for the National Security Advisor is Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The NSA’s position is very interesting because she or he serves on the National Security Council within the Executive Office of the President. That means they work independently of the State Department and the Defense Department and can offer advice that is not colored by those departments or their policies.
Another interesting thing about the National Security Advisor is that the person in that position does not undergo the approval process of the Senate as do many other cabinet level positions. The NSA is an important member of the President’s team because he works very hard to provide the President with the most up-to-date information about America’s foreign and defense policies as well as advising the President on issues of national security.
The NSA is chaired by the President and includes the Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Defense, as well as several other high-ranking government officials. Each president determines how active a role the National Security Council and the National Security Advisor will play in his administration.
Stephen Hadley has a great track record as a strong public servant, having served as Deputy National Security Advisor under Condoleezza Rice who moved on to become Secretary of State. Before becoming a public servant, Mr. Hadley served in a Washington law firm and with an international consulting agency. Mr. Hadley received his bachelor's degree from Cornell University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
Director of the Secret Service—Ralph Basham |
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| Photo courtesy of the White House. |
The Secret Service was founded in 1865, and its original purpose was to stop people from making counterfeit currency. That’s why, until just recently, they were part of the Department of the Treasury.
Over time, the responsibilities of the Secret Service expanded to include fighting against people who were working to undermine our government and protecting the president. When President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Congress officially gave to the Secret Service the job of protecting the president, and today that is what the Secret Service is best known for. They also investigate people involved in fraud and credit card misuse, and they protect dignitaries from other countries when the pay a visit to the U.S along with coordinating security at major events such as the Super Bowl and Olympics. That’s a big job, as you can see, so Director Basham and his team really need God’s wisdom and help to carry out their work!
In March 2003, the Secret Service moved from Treasury to Homeland Security in the post-9/11 reorganization of major departments of the Executive Branch.
Mr. Ralph Basham was sworn in as the 21st Director of the United States Secret Service on January 27, 2003. He’s a great person to lead this work because he is a 28-year veteran of the Secret Service, starting out in 1970 when he was appointed as a Special Agent in the Washington Field Office.
In January 2002, Mr. Basham was named Chief of Staff for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Among his responsibilities at TSA, Mr. Basham oversaw the hiring of federal security directors for the nation's 429 airports.
Ralph Basham is a native of Owensboro, Kentucky. He received a Bachelor's Degree from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C. Married to the former Judith O'Bryan, the couple has three children.
God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a human, that He should change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?
—Numbers 23:19
I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all He has done. I will rejoice in His great goodness to Israel, which He has granted according to His mercy and love.
—Isaiah 63:7
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| Michael W. Smith says kids are rising up to pray more than ever before. Are you among them? |
Truly in this time, for this generation, the call to prayer could not be more important. The young people of our nation are becoming involved in worship and prayer in a way they never have before. Now is the time to summon all of our energies for this important effort of prayer -- so God's purposes may be served and His will may be done.
I've been fortunate to spend time with several presidents personally, and my respect for these men is tremendous, because they have helped preserve the freedoms we enjoy. I urge you to continue to pray for the President and his advisors regarding the tough decisions that they will have to make in the coming weeks and months ahead. The Presidential Prayer Team is one way we can help leave a legacy of freedom to our children. May the Lord continue to draw us all closer to Him in awesome ways, and as we seek Him, may God truly bless America.
--Michael W. Smith
Have you ever been to our nation’s capital? If you have, did you find God when you were there? Did you find evidence of His hand on our nation’s founding? Of His laws and principles guiding those who formed and shaped America? Did you see the Ten Commandments and tons of other Scripture verses all over the place? We sure hope so, because it is really hard to miss those things when you go to Washington!
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| Moses is one of the most popular figures in Washington, D.C. He’s frequently seen, as a lawgiver, leader of people and a leader of God’s people, both Christian and Jewish. Photo courtesy of the U.S. District Court. |
That’s right. References to the Christian faith are everywhere in Washington, D.C. You might think they are not, because there is a lot of talk these days about keeping faith out of our public life, from our schools to our courtrooms and prisons and many other places. But the truth is that our Founding Fathers believed that God was guiding their efforts and they wanted to thank and acknowledge Him.
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| Portrait of George Washington courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery. |
How do you acknowledge God when you make a city or a building? Well, you might use scenes from the Bible to tell the story of God’s goodness to His people. Or you might put Scripture verses in interesting places where people will find them when they visit. You could also have public art, in the form of statues or paintings that tell of the great moments in history when God was acknowledged and praised for His guidance and help.
You can find examples of all these in our nation’s capital. Would you like to see some of them?
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| The Washington Monument is a tribute to our nation’s first president. Do you know that it acknowledges our godly heritage of faith in many ways? Image courtesy of the U.S. House of Representatives. |
The Washington Monument is a memorial dedicated to our first President, George Washington. He was a deeply religious man who made reference to his Christian faith often. A great example of that was his inauguration. He was the one who added the words, “so help me God” to the presidential oath of office. He also said the following in his inaugural address:
No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.
--George Washington
*Both “Invisible Hand” and “providential” are references to God.
When the Washington Monument was built, it was designed to have a cornerstone. Sometimes, special items or historic mementos are placed in a cornerstone. Many items were placed in the cornerstone of the Washington Monument, and a Holy Bible was one of them!
Since the 70’s, the stairs of the Washington Monument have been closed to all except tour groups. If you went inside the Washington Monument, you would find words that honor God all the way up! On the 12th landing, there is a prayer from the City of Baltimore, MD. On the 20th, there is a memorial presented by Chinese Christians. On the 24th landing, there is a presentation made by Sunday school children from New York and Philadelphia. This special part quotes Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.
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| Can you see the cap on the top of the Washington Monument? Made by the Alcoa Aluminum Company and set in place in 1884, the original piece is still there. Besides telling the story of those who made the monument, the all-important words, Laus Deo are found there as well. Do you know what Laus Deo means? Photo courtesy of Alcoa. |
It’s pretty cool to have Bible verses all the way up such an incredible monument like President Washington’s. But what would you put at the top, if you really wanted to show that God is supreme above all? Could you ever begin to guess what is on the very, tippy top of the monument? Two words: Laus Deo. Now before you decide these are nonsense words, let us tell you that they are an ancient language—one that all our Founding Fathers learned, in part so they could read the classics and translate the Bible. Hover here to read the meaning of the Latin words Laus Deo.
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| The Capitol Building is the symbol of the legislative branch of government. Did you know the building is filled with references to faith in God? Photo courtesy of the U.S. Senate. |
Just as the White House is the symbol of the presidency, the Capitol Building is the symbol of Congress. You can’t walk far in the corridors of the Capitol without seeing references to America’s foundation of faith in God.
The central core of the Capitol is the Rotunda. Its curved walls are covered with images showing faith in God--paintings like The Embarkation of the Pilgrims and The Baptism of Pocahontas show the central role that faith played for our forefathers and mothers. When you look up to the ceiling of the Rotunda, you see The Apotheosis of Washington, a fresco that shows President George Washington as he is being taken up to heaven.
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| This painting is called The Embarkation of the Pilgrims, and you can find it right in the middle of the Capitol Building in the Rotunda. The picture shows William Brewster reading from the Bible with others joining in prayer to ask God for a safe journey. In the background there is a rainbow, a symbol of God’s promise to protect and help His people. Image courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol. |
If you walk from the Rotunda toward the House of Representatives wing, you’ll see the words to My Country ‘Tis of Thee engraved on the wall. Words which are really a prayer to God to bless our country. “America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!” Keep going, into the House Chamber, and you’ll see right there on the wall a plaque with the words, “In God we trust.”
Go the other direction, down to the Senate Chamber, and you’ll see more inscriptions of faith. At the East entrance of the Senate Chamber is “Annuit coeptis”—another important Latin phrase which means, “God has favored our undertakings.” And right over the south door, you’ll read “In God We Trust.” You can also see a relief portrait of Moses with the Ten Commandments.
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| A famous story is told of a man who observed George Washington praying at Valley Forge, PA during harsh winter of 1777. This stained glass window depicts that special moment and can be found in the prayer room of the U.S. Capitol. Photo courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol. |
Did you know there is a prayer chapel in the Capitol? Open whenever Congress is in session, the room is dedicated to prayer and those who come in to use it are reminded about the godly faith of George Washington when they see this beautiful stained glass window. Additionally Psalm 16:1 Is found there: Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
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| The Library of Congress is a national resource. There are many references to godly faith there. It was begun as a library that would be of help to the members of Congress, but has grown into one of the most significant repositories of information in the world. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
The Library of Congress is another great place to see how our faith is woven in to the most important parts of our nation’s capital.
You can experience this as you walk along the top floor of the Great Hall where you’ll see several phrases along the top near the ceiling. No credit is given for these words, yet their truth rings out. On the right side (from the staircase) it says: “Nature is the art of God.” In back of the stairs you’ll read: “Ignorance is the curse of God, Knowledge the wing where with we fly to heaven.”
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| This statue of Moses and the Ten Commandments stands tall over the main viewing area in the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
There are many depictions of the Ten Commandments in the capital city, but the one in the Library of Congress may be one of the coolest. In the main viewing area you can see a large statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments. He’s looking over the whole great hall. Why would the Ten Commandments be portrayed there, in the Library of Congress? What do you think?
Just across from Moses, there is a large plaque with some great words from poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson: “One God, one law, one element, and one far off divine event to which the whole creation moves.” What do you think Tennyson is referring to?
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| You can see this beautiful, nearly perfect edition of the Gutenberg Bible at the Library of Congress. God’s Word is there, in all kinds of forms! Image courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
Another really great thing you can see in the Library of Congress is a beautiful edition of the Gutenberg Bible, the first mass-produced book of any kind! And that development of the Gutenberg Bible certainly revolutionized the world, for it made the Scriptures available to everyday people for the first time ever.
QUESTION 1
True or False The people who created our nation’s greatest monuments had to get special permission to include references to faith in God when they designed and built these buildings.
- True
- False
QUESTION 2
True or False When George Washington spoke of “the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of man” he was really talking about the wind and the way it moves across this great land of ours.
- True
- False
QUESTION 3
What do the Latin words, Laus Deo, found at the very top of the Washington Monument mean?
- “It’s a lovely day!
- “God is lost.”
- Glory to God!
QUESTION 4
Why is it important for the members of Congress to have so many references to faith in God wherever they look in the Capitol Building?
- Because they need to remember that their authority comes from God.
- Because being elected to Congress can cause a person to think that they are very powerful, and that could go to one’s head.
- Because generations of people who have served in Congress have looked to God and have sought His help as they led. The current leaders shouldn’t be any different.
It’s really been fun to learn about some of the great places in our nation’s capital! We’ve only just scratched the surface as far as finding all the references to God and His truths that can be found in Washington, D.C. The important thing, for a kid who prays, is to remember that our Founding Fathers looked to God for guidance, strength and wisdom. They turned to Him in moments of crisis and in moments of great joy. When we see the way they made sure God was not forgotten in the development of the capital, it inspires us to keep doing as they did. And to remember to pray, because that’s the best way a kid can serve his or her country!
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