Today's Daily Brief
1. McCain Clinches GOP Nomination, Clinton Wins Three States - Fox News
John McCain swept all four states voting Tuesday and clinched the GOP nomination, leading Mike Huckabee to drop out of the race. With his victories, McCain reached the 1,191 delegates needed to ensure he becomes his party's nominee. Huckabee's campaign issued a statement offering its support in helping unite the GOP ahead of the November general election.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton scored commanding victories in Ohio and Rhode Island Tuesday, and squeaked out a narrow victory in Texas, breaking rival Barack Obama's 12-contest winning streak and breathing new life into her Democratic presidential campaign. Obama won the lead-off Vermont primary Tuesday. That leaves the Democrats to continue their battle.
· We thank You, Lord for bringing peace to the Republican nomination process for the next President of the United States. Please continue protecting and preparing Senator McCain and his wife, Cindy, for the rigors of the presidential race until this November's election. We also thank You for the Huckabees' run for the presidency, and ask that they will be used by You in a mighty way to help bring this nation back to You, our True Founder and Lord! And may we also pray Lord, that any of the candidates who need a personal relationship with Your Son, Jesus, will establish one now for Your glory. Amen.
· "For He is good, for His mercy endures forever." (2 Chronicles 5: 13b NKJV)
2. Bush Endorses McCain for President - Associated Press
President Bush endorsed Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain on Wednesday, two bitter rivals from the 2000 presidential race joining together now in hopes of preventing Democrats from winning the White House this fall.
Bush gave McCain a big welcome at the White House, greeting him at the North Portico entrance usually reserved for visiting foreign dignitaries. McCain said he looked forward to campaigning with Bush at his side and said the president could be helpful in states such as Texas. Bush pledged to do whatever he could - even getting out of the way when that would help. Republicans won't officially nominate McCain until early September at the GOP's national convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
· Oh Lord, only You know our present, past and future. We humbly thank You for allowing America to have a president who has honored You these past seven years. We want to ask You for a new president who will do the same. May both President Bush and Senator McCain, their wives, family and friends have a personal relationship with You; may they seek to help and protect Your nation, Israel, and encourage America to return to You as their only True Hope and Lord. In Your Name We Pray. Amen.
· "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 'that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.'" (Deuteronomy 6: 1-2 NKJV)
3. Chavez Says Venezuela Doesn't Seek War - Associated Press
President Hugo Chavez charged Wednesday that Colombia and its allies in Washington are responsible for the intensifying crisis in this region -- and said perpetual conflict with the United States is inevitable. "We are the path to peace," Chavez said in a televised speech, his first since Colombia alleged that documents found in a leftist rebel's computer show the Venezuelan leader has been supporting Colombian guerrillas for years.
Chavez, who ordered 10 battalions of troops to reinforce Venezuela's border with Colombia, after Colombian troops entered Ecuador on Saturday, to attack a rebel hideout, spoke as diplomats struggled to defuse the crisis. The United States was the only nation in the Organization of American States (OAS) to offer Colombia unqualified support. Many other countries worried openly about the attack inside Ecuador, despite Colombia's complaints that Venezuela and Ecuador have both provided refuge to leftist Colombian guerrillas.
· Powerful Lord, You said that You hate lying tongues. May You have mercy on Venezuela's citizens and Mr. Chavez's soul as it appears that time is beginning to run out for him as the President of Venezuela. May he turn to You for salvation before it is too late, as even the world does not tolerate liars for long. We also pray that Colombia and all of South America be saved unto You! Amen.
· "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6: 16-19 NKJV)
4. Ahmadinejad: We Won't Discuss Our Nuclear Program With Anyone - Ynet News, CNN and ABC News
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Iran would not hold negotiations with regard to its nuclear program with anyone, according to a report by the IRNA news agency. Meanwhile, China and Russia scuttled a Western attempt to introduce a resolution on Iran's nuclear defiance at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, diplomats said. And, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin has also counseled Iran to study the incentives the world's key powers are offering -- including improved relations with the United States -- and suspend uranium enrichment as the U.N. Security Council is demanding.
· What are they hiding? Dear Lord, we ask You to reveal the hidden things that these three nations are trying to conceal to profit themselves at other's expense including Israel. Thank You in advance for what You will do. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
· Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God." (1 Corinthians 4: 5 NKJV)
5. Ex-Sailor Convicted in Terror Case - Associated Press
Jurors convicted Wednesday former Navy sailor, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information on the second day of deliberations in the four-year investigation that spanned two continents. The American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall faces up to 25 years in federal prison when he is sentenced May 23.
Abu-Jihaad, who was a signalman aboard the USS Benfold, was accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001. The leak came amid increased wariness on the part of U.S. Navy commanders whose ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole. "Fortunately there wasn't an attack based on the information Abu-Jihaad passed," said FBI Agent in Charge Kimberly K. Mertz.
· Gracious Lord, we want to Thank You again for keeping America safe and in the protection of Your loving and mighty hands. May this confused soul and the others involved with this trial come to know You as their True Savior and renounce all other false gods. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
· As the Spirit of God said to Israel, so may they hear, too: "The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." (2 Chronicles 15: 2b NKJV)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Is. 55:8-9)
1. Abbas conditions resumption of talks on ceasefire - Ynet News
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday conditioned a resumption of peace talks with Israel on reaching a ceasefire in fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
2. Rice Pushing Palestinians to Resume Peace Talks With Israel - Fox News
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Palestinian peace negotiators on Wednesday, hoping to persuade them to resume talks despite a spike of violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
3. Cabinet decides to maintain Gaza ops until rockets stop - Jerusalem Post Prayers for the Persecuted Church 1. China Arrests Dozens Of Christians, Including Children - Worthy News 2. Nigeria Church Looted And Demolished In Kano State - Worthy News 3. UN calls for Iraqi action after archbishop seized - Reuters
The government will act in an "ongoing and consistent" manner in order to put an end to rocket attacks and other terrorist activity from the Gaza Strip, the Security Cabinet decided Wednesday in a special meeting to debate the response to ongoing rocket attacks on Ashkelon and the western Negev.
Pray for the Persecuted Church
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)
A group of 70 Christians remained detained Tuesday, March 4, in China's Henan Province, some two weeks after security forces raided a Bible training meeting, while some three children in Xinjiang Province were also arrested for their involvement in Christian activities, fellow believers said.
Christians in several areas of Nigeria's Kano State remained anxious Tuesday, March 4, after a government-backed mob armed with machetes reportedly set fire to a church building, before looting and dismantling the property, while a bishop narrowly escaped death, rights watchers said.
The U.N. envoy to Iraq called on the government to do more to protect minorities after gunmen abducted a Chaldean Catholic archbishop in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Paulos Faraj Rahho, the Chaldean archbishop of Mosul, was seized on Friday after gunmen attacked his car in the eastern al-Nour district of the city. The kidnappers had fired on his car, killing his driver and two guards.
"It is appalling that these attacks on communities that have lived peacefully together in north Iraq for centuries are continuing," said U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in a statement.
