Prudence and common sense appear to be absent in the Obama administration and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who during the current crisis with North Korea, falsely reassure the American people that Pyongyang cannot deliver on its threats to make a nuclear attack on the U.S. mainland.

North Korea could deliver a nuclear bomb in the hold of a freighter under a foreign flag to destroy a U.S. port city such as New York or Los Angeles. They could give a bomb to terrorist groups such as al Qaeda or Hezbollah to deliver by truck or plane across the porous U.S. border. They could use a false-flagged freighter to move a Scud or their medium-range Nodong missile close enough to make a nuclear strike on the U.S. mainland.

Pray that our national policy leaders have the wisdom of the Lord in dealing with irresponsible nation states like North Korea and Iran. Ask the Lord to make clear to our military leaders the way that they should precede in protecting our national interests.

"Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men." (Psalm 59:1-2)

A first-of-its-kind California law is going to court this week, when a panel of judges will hear testimony about whether mental health professionals have the right to talk with young clients about reducing their homosexual attractions or the state has the right to outlaw such "dangerous quackery."

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco will hear the case Wednesday, and its decision will have national implications because lawmakers in at least two states have expressed interest in crafting similar laws.

The California law, known as SB 1172, prohibits mental health professionals from providing "sexual-orientation change efforts," under any circumstances, to clients younger than 18. Violators are subject to professional discipline, such as loss of license.

Pray that the courts of California will bend their knee to the laws of God rather than to those who would excuse homosexual sin. A person who is caught up in this behavior and thinking should be helped with God's Word and His power of deliverance. Godly counsel is a righteous help to those who need to be helped and delivered from this sin.

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

The latest jobs numbers show hiring is down. Taxes are up, austerity reigns in Washington and consumers are skittish. Yet the stock market is defying gravity, marching ever higher in spite of it all.

Behind this seeming riddle lies a confluence of economic forces that is likely to continue to produce good times for the biggest American companies - and the stock market - even if growth, as expected, slows in the coming months.

By pumping hundreds of billions of dollars a month into the global economy, central banks like the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan have encouraged investors to put their money into stocks and other riskier investments, increasing their prices. Bullish traders now count on a supportive Fed chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, much as their predecessors did in the 1990s when Alan Greenspan held that job.