Today's Daily Brief
1. Obama, Huckabee Build Momentum in US Presidential Contests - VOA
Illinois Senator Barack Obama swept up more delegates Saturday in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning the day's two caucuses and one primary. On the Republican side, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee won two victories. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has replaced her campaign manager amid losses.
· We thank You, Lord for this time in our nation. We pray that only those that You want will win these elections and that our nation will return to its righteous foundation as a nation that honors our God!
· Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. (Psalms 7:9) Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (Psalms 33:12)
2. Huckabee Challenges Washington Caucus Results - Fox News
Mike Huckabee is challenging the results of the Washington state Republican caucuses, his campaign announced Sunday, after accusing the state party chairman of calling the election for John McCain after only 87percent of the votes were counted.
· Lord, we pray that all authorities involved in this election will obey the law in all matters and without any "backdoor dealings." We pray for all votes to be counted, and for the person You desire to win for President to excel!
· I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5: 22)
3. U.S. to Seek Death Penalty Against Six 9/11 Detainees - AP
Pentagon plans to charge prisoners at Guantanamo Bay for Sept. 11 attacks.
· Heavenly Father, You watch over mankind to see if there is anyone who is good. You are a just God and there is only righteousness in You. We pray for these trials that nothing will be left undiscovered or unresolved!
· Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me. (Psalm 35:23,24)
4. Senate to debate new wiretap rules - Washington Times
The Senate will resume debate today on a measure to update the nation's wiretapping rules after several failed attempts to rewrite the controversial law.
· Please pray that Congress finds a solution to this bill, a solution that pleases the Lord. The bill concerns FISA and the fact that telephone companies involved in spying after 9/11 are being refused immunity by the Democrats. Several lawsuits have been filed against the telephone companies, punishment for their part in helping President Bush spy on terrorists. Pray for a break in the Senate impasse.
· "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good; and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." (Proverbs 16:20)
5. Illegals Begin Leaving Arizona as New Law Approaches - Fox News
For the first time, Mexican officials in Arizona admit there is hard evidence illegal immigrants are preparing to leave the state because a new employer sanctions law is making it difficult, if not impossible, for them to keep a job.
· Thank You, Lord for helping us with this problem of aliens who enter the U.S. illegally. Bless those immigrants who have come here legally obeying the law. Help our leaders come to an understanding of how important it is to have a well-thought-out legal and controlled immigration policy for our nation.
· By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' says the Lord. 'For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.' (2 Kings 19:33, 34)
6. Senior Taliban Member Captured and Critically Wounded in Pakistan Raid - AP
Pakistani security forces capture top figure Mansoor Dadullah in the Taliban militia fighting U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
· We thank You, Lord, for helping us gain this victory. We ask You to place a hedge of protection around the American, coalition forces, and Christians in Afghanistan and Iraq. Bless them!
· Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Job 1:10)
7. California Rep. Tom Lantos, 80, Dies - AP Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, has died of cancer, his spokeswoman said Monday. Lantos, who referred to himself as "an American by choice," was born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary, and was 16 when Adolf Hitler occupied Hungary in 1944. He survived by escaping twice from a forced labor camp and coming under the protection of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who used his official status and visa-issuing powers to save thousands of Hungarian Jews. Lantos' mother and much of his family perished in the Holocaust.
"It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a member of Congress," Lantos said upon announcing his retirement last month. "I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country."
· Rep. Tom Lantos was a STRONG supporter of Israel and a tireless advocate of human rights on Capitol Hill. He will be missed by many here . . . please offer a prayer for his family and his friends, who now mourn his passing.
· "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Mark 5:4)
8. Explosives Found in Capitol Hill Gunman's Truck - AP The Middle East in Focus 1. IAF chief: Qassam fire necessitates wide scale Gaza operation - Ynet News 2. Hamas: 2,000 foreign fighters entered Gaza during breach of border - World Tribune 3. IDF should wipe out parts of Gaza - Jerusalem Post 4. "Post" report on Jerusalem talks sparks fury - Jerusalem Post
Explosives have been found in the impounded pickup truck driven by the man discovered carrying a loaded shotgun on Capitol Hill last month, U.S. Capitol police told FOX News.
The truck was impounded at the Government Printing Office garage on Capitol Hill, not far from where the incident unfolded. Police executed a search warrant Friday.
· Offer continued praise that this bizarre incident last month finally ended with no one being harmed. Pray that, if the gunman, Michael Gorbey, had any accomplices, his network would be discovered and apprehended, as well.
· "Every hidden thing revealed . . . " (Mark 4:22)
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 97:10)
"The situation in Gaza is complex and very troubling. The attack on Sderot yesterday, the injuries of the youths and the continuous Qassam (rocket) fire is very troubling and obliges the consideration of the continuing operations in the Gaza Strip," Air Force Commander, Brig. Gen. Eliezer Shkedi said on Sunday during a visit to the Druze village of Julis in the Western Galilee.
The Hamas regime said 2,000 fighters transited to the Gaza Strip from neighboring states in recent days.
Israel will escalate its ground and air operations in the Gaza Strip this week and may begin targeting members of the Hamas political leadership in the wake of intensified Kassam rocket attacks against Sderot, senior defense officials said Sunday.
Politicians on the Right called upon Shas to leave the government immediately on Sunday after The Jerusalem Post revealed that secret talks were taking place with the Palestinians in which Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had made concessions on Jerusalem.
Prayers for the Persecuted Church 1.Gaza Believers in Fear; Continue to Proclaim Jesus - BPNews 2. New Draft Law Proposing Death Penalty for Apostasy in Iran - Persecution.net 3. Jordan Had 27 Christian Expulsions in 2007 - Compass Direct News 4. China's Persecution of Christians Worsens - Christian Post [All of the above were reported last Friday by Intercessors for America.]
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." (2 Sam. 22:31)
Hundreds of people crowded around a small stage on the sidewalk in Bethlehem. Traffic slowed not only to dodge those dancing in the street but so passengers could listen to the musicians publicly proclaiming God's love for the nations. A visiting Gaza woman nervously looked around, checking the crowd for troublemakers at the outdoor praise and worship concert by Bethlehem Bible College students. "We couldn't do something like this in Gaza. People are always watching," she whispered, afraid someone might hear. "Ever since our dear brother was killed for his faith, Gaza Christians live in fear."
The Iranian Parliament is reviewing a bill for Islamic penal code that legislates the death penalty for apostasy, according to a February 5 report from the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. The draft law, which defines an apostate as "any Muslim who clearly announces that he/she has left Islam and declares blasphemy," is clearly aimed to deter conversion from Islam. The proposal contravenes Article 18 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (of which Iran is a signatory) that states, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief."
Jordan has increased pressure on foreign Christians living in the kingdom, expelling many long-time residents over the past 13 months in what local churches see as an attack on their legitimacy. Authorities deported or refused residence permits to at least 27 expatriate Christian families and individuals in 2007, a number of them working with local churches or studying at a Christian seminary.
In all but one case, officials refused to provide written explanations for the decisions. But many of those expelled told Compass that they had been questioned by intelligence officers regarding evangelism of Muslims. "They said that I am a threat to Jordanian security and I am making the society unstable," said Hannu Lahtinen, a Finnish pastor deported in December. "They have a thousand ways to say you are preaching the Gospel."
China stepped up its crackdown on Christians last year compared to 2006, with an overall increase in reported persecutions of believers, according to the China Aid annual report released Wednesday. There were four main targets of persecution: house church leaders, house churches in urban areas, Christian publications, and foreign Christians and missionaries living and working in China.
There were a total of 60 cases of known house church persecutions by the government, up from 46 cases in 2006. The number of people persecuted was 788, up from 665 the previous year, and the number of people arrested and detained increased 6.6 percent, from 650 to 693. China Aid Association noted that the number of persecution incidents is likely to be much higher because of censorship in communications. (Christian Post 2/7/08)
The Election: Some Convincing to Do
After Mitt Romney's surprise exit from the presidential race last week, pundits were ready to fast forward to the fall's election, declaring John McCain the GOP standard bearer. As the results flooded in from this weekend's primaries in Kansas, Louisiana, and Washington, it appears voters hit the pause button. Mike Huckabee's caucus victory in Kansas and his popular vote victory in Louisiana--and the slimmest of defeats in Washington--made it clear that Senator McCain, despite his growing list of endorsements, still faces a significant challenge in forging an enthusiastic conservative coalition. Even President Bush recognizes that McCain has "got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a strong conservative."
If he hopes to reassure social conservatives and shore up the base, I have some suggestions. First, Senator McCain should announce that he now supports President Bush's policy on denying funds for experiments involving human embryos. He should declare that he's alarmed about the breakdown of the family and that he intends to name a White House czar whose role it will be to fashion policies to empower families to tend to their own needs and raise their children in intact homes. McCain could vow to name a distinguished group of conservative scholars and lawyers to advice him on judicial selection with the goal of securing a judiciary that will not act as a lawmaking body. Then, he could make it clear that his vote on Planned Parenthood funding was no fluke. Domestic and foreign agencies engaged in the abortion trade should not receive U.S. tax dollars, and he should leave no doubt that he will veto any bill that offers them funding.
These are just a few ideas. The bottom line is that values voters are a stubborn lot. They refuse to fall in line with candidates who give short shift to their core issues, and the most recent primaries have demonstrated as much. For the GOP to truly unite its base, someone has to give--and I think it's pretty clear by this past weekend's outcome that it won't be social conservatives. (Tony Perkins; Family Research Council) Indecency Bill Stalled in Senate S. 1780, the Protecting Children from Indecent Programming Act (H. R. 3559 in the House) will give the FCC teeth to help clean up profanity and nudity on TV, closing loopholes that Broadcasters use to continue airing profanity. Four networks sued the FCC for the right to air profanity at any time of day and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in their favor. While the FCC has appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Congress needs to act in the interim. FRC worked hard to enact the law that is now under fire. This bill will allow the FCC to sanction broadcasters for allowing the use of even a single foul word, a practice that is growing even during daytime and primetime programming when children are sure to be watching. · May both Houses speedily consider and pass this bill and may the FCC effectively enforce it.
· "Let God arise, let HJis enemies be scattered:let them also that hate Him flee before Him." (Psalm 68:1)
Support Weakens for Christian-Muslim Accord
The president and two other administrators of prestigious Wheaton College have asked that their names be removed from a controversial statement staking out so-called common ground between Christians and Muslims. President Duane Litfin made the announcement in Friday's edition of The Record student newspaper, saying he'd "moved too quickly" in endorsing the flawed document. Provost Stanton Jones and Chaplain Stephen Kellough followed suit in having their names removed.
The Christian response to the October initiative from 138 Muslim scholars and leaders - A Common Word between Us and You - was led by scholars at Yale Divinity School. It prompted strong criticism from prominent evangelical leaders, including Dr. Albert Mohler and Dr. John Piper, who objected to its apology for the Crusades and other "sins of Christians," and its theological problems, like leaving the deity of Christ open for discussion.
Upon further review, Litfin said, he found the statement was "not carefully enough crafted to avoid encouraging that basic premise of civil religion, i.e., that we are all worshiping the same God, climbing the same mountain, just taking different paths. It appears to me that the statement could have been written so to avoid this problem while still reaching out a gracious hand to these Muslim leaders. "To speak unqualifiedly of 'our common love for God,' as if the Quran's Allah and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ are one and the same, and as if what it means to 'love God' in these two faiths means the same thing, is to say more than I am willing to grant. I do not criticize others who do not share these qualms. But as for me, I needed to back away."
Still on the list of Christian supporters of the declaration are Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE); Richard Cizik, NAE vice president; and various high-profile Christian leaders, including Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, David Neff (Christianity Today) and Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, and six Fuller scholars.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Read the Yale document and the updated list of signers.
You also can read the original Muslim statement.
Read previous CitizenLink reports.
(Source: CitizenLink; excerpt)
Prayer for the Primaries
Tuesday, February 12
(D)(R) Virginia
(D)(R) Maryland
(D)(R) District of Columbia
Saturday, February 16
(R) Guam Tuesday, February 19
(D) Hawaii Caucus
(D) (R) Wisconsin Primary
Saturday, February 23
(R) American Samoa
· Earnestly intercede against media and special interest manipulation during this primary season. Pray that moral, God-fearing, pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-family men and women be selected, supported, and find favor in local, state, and national campaigns. Intercede that the Lord reveal His choices, expose corruption, immorality, bribery, the occult, and hidden anti-biblical agendas.
(Source: Intercessors for America)
" . . . if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)
For a complete guide to the Republican primaries, go here:
For a complete guide to the Democratic primaries, go here:
Shari'a Law in UK
Islam's Radical Invasion of the West under the guise of Religion
The establishing of a parallel legal system under Sharia Law as is occurring in England is an advanced step of Islamic colonization using the cloak of religious freedom to establish settlements and eventually take over the country. The Bishop of Canterbury, Rowen Williams' recent comments that Sharia Law should someday have equal standing with Parliamentary law has exposed the depth of Islamic colonization in England. The London Daily Mail and other newspapers have reported that over 7,000 cases on marriage, divorce, finances and even criminal trials have been decided by the Islamic Council in Leyton. There are reports of at least two additional Sharia courts in operation in London.
This blatant disregard for the laws of Great Britain should stand as a warning to the rest of the world, especially the United States, that Islam is an invading political power intending to rule the world. Islam uses a western nation's freedom of religion laws to establish foothold settlements and grow Islamic communities which institute Islamic customs and laws under the guise of religion. Islam then populates the communities either through continued immigration, by birth rates or by conversions. These Islamic communities symbiotically utilize the legitimate government's services, laws and infrastructure while establishing Islamic centers which enforce Islamic culture and laws as the "settlements" are expanded.
This example in England is an advanced snapshot of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization's 1992 plan for the "settlement" and eventual overthrow of the United States government. The plan says, "This is in order for the Islamic Center to turn-in action not in words- into a seed for 'a small Islamic society' which is a reflection and a mirror to our central organizations. Thus the Islamic Center would turn into a place for study, family, battalion, course, seminar, visit, sport, school, social club, women gathering, kindergarten for male and female youngsters, the office of domestic political resolution, and the center for distributing our newspapers, magazines, books and our audio and visual tapes."
The "heart and the core" of the plan is then to unite all Muslim organizations in America to complete the "settlement process." Rather than being a peaceful religion protected by the Constitution, Islam is a Trojan Horse masquerading as a religion set on performing in its own words a "Civilization Jihad" to eliminate and destroy America. Resisting Islam in America should therefore not be constrained by religious freedom, but rather be unleashed as a duty of every American citizen in the name of national security. Jesus said in Matthew 24:4, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Do not be deceived by Islam's claim to be a peaceful religion, when in reality it is not a religion at all, but rather an invading force.
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
Links to Other Resources
Recommended links are now posted on our CHPP Blog. Click here to visit our blog for more information.
We particularly wish to cite Intercessors for America as the source to find all other ongoing prayer initiatives at this time.
For news at the state level (including court decisions re: gay rights), please see the links for the Family Research Council and for Citizen Link (Focus on the Family.) Thank you!!
