Thursday, January 3, 2008
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. " (Rev. 22:13)
1. Down to the Wire- Candidates Pitch Closing Arguments in Iowa - Fox News
Candidates are scrambling to make their closing arguments in the last 24 hours, together packing in dozens of appearances in Iowa and blanketing the airwaves with advertisements.
· Father we continually cover the election process with Your truth and intervention. You alone choose world leaders, so we ask that tonight's caucus accomplish Your perfect will. · " He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding." (Daniel 2:21)
2. New Jersey Lawmakers May Apologize for Slavery - AP
New Jersey could become the first Northern state to apologize for slavery under a measure due for a legislative committee hearing this week.
· Father we know that many groups in America are deserving of legislative apologies. We pray for the true Spirit of repentance to spread throughout our nation, for all people groups, for all of the sins both past and present. · "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)
3. Fed Fears Worsening Credit Market - Newsmax.com; Fox News
Federal Reserve policymakers at their December meeting worried about the potential for a vicious cycle to develop in which credit problems could worsen. That could hurt economic growth and force the Fed to act more aggressively in cutting rates, according to meeting minutes made public Wednesday.
[In related news] No dollars, just rupees please. In a sign of how the once mighty U.S. dollar has fallen, India's tourism minister said Thursday that U.S. dollars will no longer be accepted at the country's heritage tourist sites, like the famed Taj Mahal. For years the dollar was worth about 50 rupees and tourists visiting most sites in India were charged either $5 or 250 rupees. But with the dollar at a nine- year low against the rupee - falling 11 percent in 2007 alone and now hovering at around 39 rupees - that deal has become a losing proposition for the tourism industry.
· Lord we again come before You for mercy on our economy in America. We ask that You heal our dollar from its fall, and grant protection to the many people dependent upon the US monies that flow abroad into Your works. May Your people prosper in spite of the problems of US credit and other markets. · "I will abundantly bless her provision, I will satisfy her poor with bread." (Psalm 132:15)
4. Deep Freeze Threatens Deep South, Flurries in Florida - Fox News
A blast of cold air that brought flurries to the Sunshine State on Thursday seems to have spared citrus crops from the major damage that growers had feared. Citrus industry officials believe the state's groves escaped major damage, because it didn't get as cold as forecast.
· We praise You, Lord, for your mercy over the citrus crops! · "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me." (Psalm 55:16)
5. Car Bomb Explodes in Turkey, Kills 4, Wounds 68 - AP
A car bomb apparently targeting military personnel killed four people and wounded 68 others Thursday in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, officials said.
· Lord as Turkish President Gul arrives in Washington to speak with President Bush on January 8, we pray that Your Holy Spirit will bring truth to his heart. We ask that You intervene in Turkey as well as the Kurdish area of Iraq to bring Your Spirit of peace. · "I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace." (Psalm 85:8)
6. Musharref Denies Government Killed Bhutto - AP
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Thursday there were problems with Pakistan's investigation into Benazir Bhutto's killing and conceded that uncertainty remained over the exact cause of the former prime minister's death.
· Father we pray that if any extremist forces are behind the violence in Pakistan, You will root them out and reveal the truth to the nation of Pakistan and the world. May Your power reveal the attempts to destabilize the country, and keep both the people and their arsenals of nuclear weapons safe from the plans of the enemy. · "Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You. . ." (Psalm 139:12a)
7. Report: Khamenei Would Approve Iran-U.S. Relations if Deemed Beneficial - AP
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that he would approve the restoration of relations between his country and its archenemy the United States if those relations were to serve the interests of the Islamic country. Father we ask that these statements made by the Iranian Ayatollah not be used to deceive the nations. We pray for Your truth to openly reveal all plans against the West. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." Ephesians 5:6
The Middle East in Focus 1. Olmert, Bush and Abbas to hold three-way summit in Jerusalem - Ha'aretz 2. Jerusalem to stress to Bush PA's terror ties - Jerusalem Post 3. Israel-Egypt relations in crisis: Cairo lets Hamas men into Gaza unchecked - Israel Insider 4. Bush to Visit Five Other Mideast Nations - Chicago Tribune 5. Bush changes itinerary of Israel trip to fit in visit to Capernaum - Ha'aretz 6. Israelis Prepare for Bush Visit - Ha'aretz Prayers for the Persecuted Church 1. Turkey: Police Arrest Suspect Plotting to Kill Pastor 2. Pakistan Christians Losing Hope As Ballot Is Postponed After Assassination 3. New Year's Day Attacks On Christians In India 4. Update from Kenya (on site report)
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth. " (Psalm 57:11)
The leaders of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United States are expected to hold a joint meeting during President George W. Bush's visit here next week, in an effort to accelerate negotiations on the conflict's core issues - borders, refugees, and Jerusalem.
The involvement of a number of Palestinian security officials in the murder of Israelis in terrorist attacks will be raised when Prime Minster Ehud Olmert meets US President George W. Bush next week, according to Israeli diplomatic officials.
Israeli defense officials slammed Egypt on Wednesday after it allowed more than 2000 Palestinian pilgrims returning from Mecca to cross into Gaza through the Hamas-controlled Rafah border crossing, contrary to an agreement between the two countries reached last week.
Bush plans to leave for an eight-day tour of the Middle East -- starting in Israel and carrying him through Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- to promote the peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders that were announced at a summit of Middle East leaders in Annapolis in November.
This morning, Bush spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai by secure videoconference. "The president will raise with Middle East leaders next week the importance of supporting Afghanistan,'' Perino said.
Church officials in Capernaum are preparing for the visit, which might also include a stop at the nearby Church of the Beatitudes. Seven years ago, Pope John Paul II visited the church and gave a sermon there.
Officials at the Prime Minister's Office are preparing for Bush's visit to Israel, and have established a special task force dedicated only to his vist. The task force will be headed by Amnon Ben-Ami, deputy director of the PMO. At least 8,000 police officers will provide security for the visit.
Tonight we are introducing our new, daily prayer point: Prayers for the Persecuted Church. Please join us in praying in the Spirit over the neediest among us, worldwide, who are suffering for the cause of Christ.
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)
Turkish police authorities over the weekend arrested a young suspect allegedly plotting to assassinate a Christian pastor in Antalya during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf announced Wednesday, January 2, that Britain will assist in an investigation into the assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who Pakistani Christians described as "the only hope" to end religious persecution.
There were new reports of attacks by suspected Hindu militants against Christians in India on New Year's Day, shortly after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised to protect the country's minority Christians in a letter to the widow of an Australian missionary killed nine years ago.
[Note: this report is from a different group out of Kenya than that which was reported yesterday.]
"(Things are) deteriorating rapidly. Fortunately all (this church's) Missionaries were able to get out of Eldoret safely to Nairobi. Five got immediate flights to Brussels and should arrive in the US (soon). The last one, Pastor T, heads up the work there and asked to stay in Nairobi to see if things settled down. He did not want to leave his congregation. Depending on what goes down today, will determine if he will catch a flight out today. There is supposed to be a big protest today by the incumbent, Odinga, and his followers. They were told by the Kenyan military if the demonstration is held, they will be met with lethal force. It looks like Odinga supporters are approaching everyone on the street and talking to them in their native dialect. If the person does not speak their dialect, they are immediately killed. They hung 5 police officers yesterday and decapitated another."
Islam, Oil and the World Markets
Prophecy of Jeremiah in Play as Islam Uses Terror, Instability to Buy Control of Worldwide Babylon
The War of Islamic Aggression is planning a surprise attack on all non-Islamic nations. In fact, the strategy is already in play and the West has taken the bait. The surprise will be when the West wakes up to the fact that Islam has taken over the world by controlling the oil, the finances, the debt and economic power of non- suspecting nations like the United States. Islam has used terrorism to increase world instability, which has raised oil prices. The windfall from the oil price increases has been used to buy financial institutions, bail out major credit institutions, and increase holdings over government debt in enemy nations-the United States being the prime target.
2007 saw some mighty obvious signs of this strategy. The purchase of a controlling interest in the London Stock Exchange by Islamic governments in Dubai and Qatar was just one leg in the strategy. But the purchase of the NASDAQ by Dubai was even more clever. When Dubai bought roughly 20% of the NASDAQ exchange, it sweetened the deal by affording NASDAQ a piece of ownership in the Sweden stock exchange, OMX. United Arab Emirates seized an opportunity to bail out Citigroup to the tune of $7.5 billion and Citigroup will pay junk bond rates of 11% interest for the privilege. You see, Islam doesn't charge interest on its own people, but the infidels get charged usury.
Moreover, the price of oil has hit record highs of over $100 per barrel-not because of supply limitations, experts say there is more oil on the market than ever- but because of world instability. And world instability is caused by Islam's terrorist operations. The Bhutto assassination, terrorist attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in other countries all add up to major world unrest. As world instability increases, prices of precious commodities increase. In the first trading day of the New Year, oil, platinum and gold reached record highs on international exchanges. Gold is often considered a hedge against instability because it is the basis of financial instruments.
Instability directly attributed to Islam benefits Islam. As oil prices rise, Islam has windfall to buy assets. For example, the U.S. Treasury Department reports that OPEC members increased their holdings of U.S. Treasuries 12% through July to $123.8 billion. The U.S. Department of Energy estimated in October that OPEC's share of U.S. debt is growing is based on the 31% rise in oil since December 2006, which raised OPEC revenue about 4 percent to $630 billion in 2007 and 9% to $688 billion in 2008. Jeremiah 51:14 says, "Surely I will fill you with men as with locusts; and they shall lift up a battle cry against you." Don't be surprised. The prophecy of Jeremiah is happening before your very eyes.
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
