Pray that our governmental authorities be granted wisdom in their effort to keep our national energy supply on a course of stability. Pray that those who are the most in need of energy resources have their critical needs met. God has many promises in meeting real needs in our lives if we cry out to Him for our help.

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25)

The LA Times reports, Retail gasoline prices have risen to such record high levels for the month of March that some experts are rethinking their predictions on how high fuel prices could go in 2012.

With the national average already reaching GasBuddy.com's prediction for mid-May of $3.75 a gallon to $4.15 a gallon nationally, senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said, "The rise in price is so unbelievable that we may have to revise upward our previous gasoline forecast."

Gas prices are slated to hit new highs within months. How might that affect the modest economic recovery? Here's a clue: Every 10-cent rise per gallon in gas prices costs the U.S. economy $11 billion.

ABC News reported, "Gasoline has never been so high this time of year, and analysts say it could reach a record of $4.25 per gallon by late April. Last year's peak price was $3.985 per gallon on May 4, and the record was $4.11 per gallon in July 2008."

The fragile American economy has been painstakingly nursed back toward health with a variety of remedies, ranging from zero percent interest rates and extended tax cuts to the bailout of Detroit and controversial stimulus spending on roads, teacher salaries, and clean energy projects.

Now, soaring fuel prices are threatening to undo it all.

Almost everyone from consumers tanking up the family car to the local pizza deliveryman to giant companies with fleets of cars is feeling it in the wallet as the national price of gasoline heads closer and closer to $4 a gallon.

The price at the pump is rising so quickly that the extra money Americans are spending is absorbing a significant amount of the payroll tax cut that Congress agreed to and Obama signed into law Feb. 23 to help boost the economy. 

conomists say if the price stays high for a good part of the year, it could stall the creation of jobs. And higher fuel prices could eventually start to have an unwelcome side effect: spiraling inflation.

"This rise in fuel price is a negative for the economy," says John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, N.C. "The reality is transportation gets hit and the cost of goods goes up."

Those hardest hit are the drivers who live in the poorest states and those who travel the longest distances. However, the price of gasoline has probably risen fastest in California. Since Jan. 1, the price of regular gasoline in the Golden State is up 61 cents a gallon.

For the nation as a whole, some economists now anticipate the price of gasoline at the pump will exceed $4 a gallon by Memorial Day, the official start of the summer driving season.

"If oil prices stay where they are at the end of February [close to $107 a barrel], it means gasoline prices in April and May will be about $4.25 a gallon nationwide," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester, Pa. "If we stayed there for the year, it would shave about 0.5 [percent] off of gross domestic product growth." Assuming that nothing else prevents the moderate recovery which is dangerously based upon borrowing our future heritage with credit from foreign loans.

How much would that hurt the economy?

Mr. Zandi says this could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs. "It basically means we don't make any progress on reducing unemployment this year," he says.

But the future could also be better - a scenario embraced by Zandi and the stock market. Under this economic projection, which holds that a war between Israel and Iran can be avoided, the price of oil begins to recede as fears of conflict abate. As Asian countries, under the pressure of a US-led boycott of Iranian oil, begin to reduce their purchases from Iran, Saudi Arabia will pick up the slack, Zandi assumes. "That will bring the price of oil down below $100 a barrel, and if that happens, we will be OK."

Nationally, the average for a gallon of regular gasoline was up another 6.9 cents since last week, to $3.767. That was 26.7 cents a gallon higher than the old record for March 5, also set last year.

The three states that typically lead the nation in gasoline prices are all above $4 a gallon, the AAA said. Hawaii is averaging $4.379 a gallon, and Alaska is at $4.171. Outside of those states, the West Coast, Midwest and Northeast states are feeling the most pain.

But even if gasoline prices were to level off at current levels, there could still be an adverse impact on the economy. For example, since the beginning of the year, the price of gasoline in North Carolina has increased about 31 cents a gallon. Because the average household drives 88 miles per month, this is an additional monthly outlay of $27.28 since the start of the year.

"That is the equivalent to a meal out for us," says Seth Gross, owner of Bull City Burger and Brewery in Durham, N.C., where a burger costs $6.25.

But Mr. Gross may be hard-pressed to maintain his menu prices if fuel prices don't back off.

Probably the most affected by the run-up in gasoline prices are the very poor, says Mr. Christopher. "A lot of Americans live paycheck to paycheck," he says. "And these prices are hitting them hard." (Contributors: ABC News, LA Times, Gas Buddy, CS Monitor) 

Back to top 

Pray that the hidden agenda of Karl Marx and Saul Alinsky ideological anti-capitalism styled groups be fully exposed and understood by the American populous. Pray that wrong interpretations of our American heritage and founding ideals not be trampled upon or distorted by those who would confuse our citizens with deceptive rhetoric. Pray for God's will and wisdom to be granted to all of our national leaders.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." (Isaiah 42:16)

Breitbart.com has received exclusive tape of an Occupy Strategy Session at New York University, billed as a group talk on "The Abolition of Capitalism." One of the headline speakers at this session was Stephen Lerner, former leader and International Board Member of the SEIU and frequent Obama White House visitor. Lerner argued in favor of people not paying their mortgages and "occupying" their homes; he spoke in favor of invading annual shareholders meetings to shut them down. But his big goal was to get workers to shut down their workplaces. That's where the SEIU agenda and the Occupy agenda truly meet: once workers begin to occupy.

Not only does Lerner maintain the clout of being a former SEIU executive, but his influential position seems to have gained him access to the Obama White House on more than one occasion. According to White House visitor logs, "Stephen Lerner" has visited the White House four times over the past two years.

As we brought you earlier, reported The Blaze, Tuesday, newly surfaced audio has captured disturbing evidence of radical leftists plotting to deliberately wage war on American capitalism in order to redistribute the nation's wealth. Leading the group of leftist organizers is (reportedly former) SEIU director of financial reform efforts and international executive board member.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is calling for protesters to flood lower Manhattan in September, where they are to set up tents and barricades while resisting any police or National Guard attempt to dispel the crowd, KleinOnline has learned.

"If we hang in there, 20,000-strong, week after week against every police and National Guard effort to expel us from Wall Street, it would be impossible ... to ignore us," reads a call to arms posted on the website of Adbusters Magazine, which has been behind Occupy since the movement's inception.

"Our government would be forced to choose publicly between the will of the people and the lucre of the corporations," added the announcement.

After largely breaking for the winter, Occupy is calling for the encampment to begin Sept. 17.

"On September 17, we want to see 20,000 people flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall Street for a few months," reads the Adbusters announcement.

"Once there, we shall incessantly repeat one simple demand in a plurality of voices...We demand that Barack Obama ordain a Presidential Commission tasked with ending the influence money has over our representatives in Washington."

In January, KleinOnline reported that a coalition of U.S. radical groups, including the Occupy Movement, are preparing protests to start in September, including the targeting of the Democratic National Convention that takes place that month in Charlotte, N.C.

The Occupy movement is likely to escalate months before the Sept. 3-6 event. A slew of extremist organizations, some tied to Obama, are preparing protests to coincide with major NATO and G-8 summits slated for Chicago in May.

Foreshadowing possible violent confrontations, some of the same radical trainers behind the infamous 1999 Seattle riots against the World Trade Organization have been mobilizing new protest efforts geared towards world summits.

The plans for the Democratic convention are posted on a central website, ProtestDNC.org. More than three dozen organizations, including labor, anti-war and so-called civil rights and immigrants rights groups are joining together to initiate a coalition.

The group calls for:

• Good jobs for all! Economic justice now - Make the banks and corporations pay for their crisis!
• Money for education, health care, housing and all human needs, not for war and incarceration!
• Justice for immigrants and all oppressed peoples! Stop the raids and deportations!

The protest coalition is complaining that the city of Charlotte has already denied their requests for permits to march. The city told the coalition that the DNC itself has reserved major parks in Charlotte during the convention.

The protest website warns the radical groups will take to the streets regardless of whether permits are issued.

"Organizations including Occupy movements across the country are already planning to mobilize to be in the streets of Charlotte during the DNC," it states.

Along with Occupy, other groups endorsing the scheduled DNC protests include the Revolutionary Students Union, the Students for a Democratic Society and Workers World Party.

One endorsing group, which calls itself the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, is also a main organizer of the protests being scheduled for Chicago's NATO and G-8 summits in May.

The anti-FBI Committee is led by Tom Burke. It has been seeking to lead activism against the FBI's reported ongoing terror probes of Chicago and Minnesota anti-war groups.

Burke, a former school custodian-turned-stay-at-home-father, belongs to the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, a group mentioned in subpoenas and search warrants issued in the same FBI terror probe.

WND previously reported Obama has ties to the Chicago anti-war activists and groups being probed by the FBI, including Hatem Abudayyeh, the executive director of the Arab American Action Network, or AAAN.

While serving as a paid director of the nonprofit Chicago Woods Fund, Barrack Hussein Obama provided two grants to the AAAN.

Barrack Hussein Obama served at the Woods Fund alongside Weather Underground terrorist-group founder Bill Ayers.

AAAN was founded by a longtime Barrack Hussein Obama associate, Columbia University Professor Rashid Khalidi. Khalidi's wife, Mona, is president of the Arab American Action Network.

Meanwhile, Occupy itself has zeroed in on the upcoming NATO and G8 summits.

The anti-Wall Street movement reportedly even opened a headquarters in Chicago within walking distance of the locations at which the summits are scheduled to take place.

Chicago will be the first American city other than Washington to host a NATO gathering.

Such meetings have drawn mass protests that turned violent.

The 1999 WTO event in Seattle devolved into widespread rioting in which more than 40,000 protesters, some using violent tactics, descended on the city, prompting police to use tear gas and rubber bullets. The clash became known as "The Battle of Seattle."

The G-8 summit has similarly drawn violent protests.

A 2001 riot at a G-8 meeting in Genoa, Italy, left one person dead and hundreds injured. Also, in the run-up to a G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh in 2009, police reportedly fired pepper spray at marchers who threw rocks and garbage.

Preparing for such outbreaks, the Chicago Sun-Times last July quoted Superintendent of Police Garry McCarthy saying he was training 13,000 officers under his command for mass arrests of protesters.

"We have to train for mass arrests," McCarthy said. "We have to train 13,000 police officers in arrest procedures and containment procedures. At the same time, we will not stop patrolling the city."

In response, radical groups held a press conference last August in downtown Chicago demanding permits to march during the world summits in May.

Joe Iosbaker of the United National Antiwar Committee, one of the groups planning protests, warned, "The wars and economic policies of the NATO and G8 nations are not just and will be met by protest."

Iosbaker is a University of Illinois-Chicago office worker and a union steward for his SEIU local whose home was raided by the FBI last September reportedly as part of the same terror probe investigating material support for jihadist groups by Chicago groups.

Barrack Hussein Obama is also tied to Iosobaker.

World Net Daily reported Iosbaker and his wife, Stephanie Weiner, worked as leaders of the Chicago New Party, a controversial 1990s political party that sought to elect members to public office with the aim of moving the Democratic Party far leftward to ultimately form a new party with a socialist agenda.

Barrack Hussein Obama actively sought and received the New Party's endorsement while running for the Illinois state Senate in 1996 as a Democrat. The New Party's own newsletters listed Barrack Hussein Obama as a member.

Another group planning to protest at the May summits is Code Pink, which also helped to lead the 1999 WTO riots. Code Pink's co-founder, Jodie Evans, was a fundraiser and financial bundler for Barrack Hussein Obama's campaign.  

Update: As a result of all the past violence at the G8 gatherings, it has just been announced this week that the G8 meetings have been moved to Camp David, Maryland rather than having them hosted in Chicago as planned. 

(Contributor: Breitbart News, The Blaze, White House Visitors Log, Chicago Sun Times, ProtestDNC, LaborUnionReport.com, World Net Daily - Aaron Kline with Brenda J. Elliott)

Pray that there is a clear understanding as to where Iran is in its development of a nuclear bomb. Pray that Iran will not succeed in its plans to build a bomb. Pray that the Lord will give wisdom to those commissioned by the authority of the Lord to deal with this issue. Continue to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek thy good." (Psalm 122:6-9)

Germany's Die Welt newspaper reported Sunday that Iran held at least one nuclear weapons test in North Korea in 2010.

International efforts to neutralize the production of Iran's nuclear weapons have failed, said Hans Ruhle, analyst and former official, in the article of the German newspaper Die Welt.

Iran has done nuclear tests in the territory of allied forces, but Iranian physicists specializing in nuclear weapons are now so close to their aim as they have never been before, the analyst notes. Grounds for his version is the survey of Swedish physicist Lars-Erik de Geer. Lars-Erik de Geer analyzed data "showing the presence of radioisotopes that betrayed a uranium bomb explosion."

In 2010, the said Swedish physicist performed analysis of amount of radioactive isotopes in the atmosphere by taking air samples in Russia, Japan, and South Korea. As a result, he found out that in 2010 there were two nuclear tests done in the territory of North Korea.

The analyst is sure - if these tests were included in the North Korean nuclear program they wouldn't hide this fact. Meanwhile, the American report of 2003 calling the Iranian program peaceful allowed it to continue development of nuclear weapons in close cooperation with North Korea, collecting the necessary amount of uranium until 2010.

For the time being, this theory is not yet officially confirmed, besides also his colleagues emphasize that these arguments are not enough to make conclusions.

The paper's report is based on "Western intelligence agencies sources," and says that the test, in fact, refutes U.S. intelligence assessments suggesting there is no "hard evidence" that Iran is building nuclear weapons.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has recently declared that its nuclear negotiations with Iran have failed.

The statement followed Tehran's decision to bar IAEA inspectors from what is believed to be key military sites in the Islamic Republic.

Iran vehemently claims that its nuclear program is meant to serve civil, peaceful purposes only.

The Die Welt noted that evidence of the 2010 nuclear tests in North Korea was published in early February in Nature Magazine. (Contributors: BNN-News, Ynet News)

Ask the Lord to protect the American public from this merciless cadre of laws. Pray that this archaic and oppressive system of dealing with issues of life be revealed in the media and public eye for what it truly is. Ask the Lord to deliver those caught in its grip, so that they might taste the freedom of God's righteous ways with His forgiveness through trusting and believing in Him.

"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;" (Romans 4:7)

A Kansas-based pro-family organization is encouraging people of faith to support a legislative effort to keep Sharia law out of The Sunflower State.

A radical Islamic organization known as the Islamic Circle of North America has lately been running paid radio commercials and billboards in Kansas City to promote its "National Sharia Campaign." It offers a hotline and a website for people who want to know more about Sharia law and the cult of Islam as a whole.

After heated debates in two dozen states over banning the cult inspired Sharia law, the law code of the Moslem, a national Islamic group is beginning a multi-million dollar effort to explain how cult laws of Sharia applies to the lives of American Moslems.

The Islamic Circle of North America, a New York-based group, is spending $3 million on its Defending Religious Freedom campaign, which kicks off Monday and explains the Sharia law and its oppressive mandates upon its followers.

Theft example: "In accordance with the Koran and several hadith, theft is punished by imprisonment or amputation of hands or feet, depending on the number of times it was committed and depending on the item of theft." -Wikipedia

These Moslem law promoters' effort to convince Americans that Sharia is a way to legally govern their lives includes billboards, TV and radio ads in 25 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, in addition to town hall meetings and seminars on university campuses led by the Moslem cult activists.

Their campaign is a response to efforts to ban Sharia law over the last two years in state legislatures and on ballot initiatives, said Naeem Baig, vice president of public affairs for Islamic Circle of North America.

Fortunately so far Tennessee, Louisiana and Arizona have passed laws banning judges from consulting Sharia, or more generally, foreign or religious laws.

Oklahoma voters approved a ban on the Sharia cult law in 2010. Legislatures in South Carolina and Florida are considering anti-Sharia protection bills.

"Judges aren't really having any trouble at at all" when religious laws and secular laws conflict, Stern said. Judges have refused the requests of Orthodox Jews to enforce laws on religious divorce, for example. In a case from 2007, a Moslem man in Maryland cited religious law when he wanted to give almost nothing to his wife upon divorce. The court refused to recognize the religious law and said the couple had to divide their "marital property," including the husband's pension of $1 million and the couples' properties valued at more than $1 million.

"From a public relations perspective, I think this campaign may be a mistake," said Stern.

Billboards will go up in 25 cities, including New York, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington, D.C, Atlanta, Miami, New Jersey, Detroit and Hartford.

The Defending Religious Freedom campaign began quietly last month in San Francisco and Kansas City. It has already stirred local backlash.

Stop the Islamization of Nations, a group led by New York-based activist Pamela Geller, has purchased anti-Sharia billboards in Kansas City. Geller says on her blog, Atlas Shrugs, that her group will launch anti-Sharia billboards and radio ads in other cities.

After September 11, two wars in majority-Moslem countries abroad, and anti-Moslem awareness at home, Moslems have felt increasingly under attack by conservative and right-wing forces that identify Moslem Americans as a potential "enemy in our midst." Anti-Sharia bills have been introduced by Republican legislators in more than a dozen states, and conservative media have been a megaphone for anti-Moslem rhetoric. Since the death of Osama bin Laden, anti-Moslem sentiment has risen even more, with 25 percent agreeing that American Moslems make the country more dangerous, and 33 percent agreeing that "the government and media has shown more respect to Moslems than they deserve." (Contributors: One News Now, ICNA, Pamela Geller, Huffington Post, American Progress)

Pray that those who attack the innocence of a young girl would have their eyes opened to what they are saying, and repent. Pray for a sensitivity to and understanding of God's Word towards the sin of homosexuality and that God's Word would be honored in the places of government such as our court systems. Give thanks that this MD state hearing was publicized for all to reflect upon.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." (Mark 9:42 ESV)

"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25:40 ESV)

A 14-year-old homeschooler who testified before the Maryland state senate against a bill redefining marriage has been the subject of cyber bullying, vicious name-calling, and death threats.

Sarah Crank, 14, told the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee last month she believes children need a mother and a father. "I really feel bad for the kids who have two parents of the same gender," she told the senators. "Even though some kids think it's fine, they have no idea what kind of wonderful experiences they miss out on."

She continued, "People say that they were born that way, but I've met really nice adults who did change."

"Today's my 14th birthday, and it would be the best birthday present ever if you would vote 'no' on gay marriage," she said.

After audio of her uncharacteristically mature testimony was posted on YouTube, the story went viral on homosexual activist websites-and death threats quickly followed.

TFP Student Action, a Roman Catholic organization dedicated to traditional morality, recorded several of the most offensive threats in a press release. A commenter on the YouTube video wrote, "If I ever see this girl, I will kill her. That's a promise."

Other YouTube comments ranged from, "Her parents should be exterminated," to, "Kill this child and his [sic] parent, for my 11 birthday would be a wonderful gift, thanks."

A comment posted on LGBTNation.com said, ""And now everyone knows her name, so hopefully she will feel what its like to be harassed and bullied..."

Since TFP issued its press release, the comments have not moderated. Supporters of same-sex "marriage" continue to wish violence, sexual assault, or censorship upon the girl.  

(The actual profanity comments were removed by the IFA editorial staff, but are available for review at the source site LifeSiteNews.com.)

"I really applaud and admire Sarah's remarkable courage," John Ritchie, director of TFP Student Action, told LifeSiteNews.com. "Her testimony against counterfeit same-sex marriage in Maryland was truthful and articulate. She spoke for the overwhelming majority of Americans - including many teenagers - who want to protect true marriage from being dishonored, redefined, and distorted."

According to its website, TFP Student Action "networks with college students on more than 719 campuses," promoting chivalry and a Christian ethical conduct.

"The homosexual movement only talks about 'tolerance,' but never really practices any," Ritchie told LifeSiteNews.com. "Sin produces anger and disorder within souls," he said and "Vice clouds reason."

Ritchie had a different message for the Crank family. "I'm praying for you and your family, Sarah," he said. "Stand strong. God will win..."

The full text of Sarah's testimony follows:

   Hi, I'm Sarah Crank. Today's my 14th birthday, and it would be the best birthday present ever if you would vote "no" on gay marriage. I really feel bad for the kids who have two parents of the same gender. Even though some kids think it's fine, they have no idea what kind of wonderful experiences they miss out on. I don't want more kids to get confused about what's right and okay. I really don't want to grow up in a world where marriage isn't such a special thing anymore.

   It's rather scary to think that when I grow up the legislature or the court can change the definition of any word they want. If they could change the definition of marriage then they could change the definition of any word. People have the choice to be gay, but I don't want to be affected by their choice. People say that they were born that way, but I've met really nice adults who did change. So please vote "no" on gay marriage. Thank you.

(Contributors: TFP Student Action, Life Site News)

Back to top