Today's Daily Brief
1. NATO Leaders Agree to Endorse U.S. Missile Shield Plans-AP
President Bush won NATO's endorsement Thursday, for his plan to build a missile defense system in Europe, over Russian objections. The proposal also advanced with Czech officials announcing an agreement to install a missile tracking site for the system in their country.
· Lord, we thank you for this vote for the missile defense shield. However, we declare that You alone are the source of protection, and we place our total trust in You against any missile attacks toward ourselves or our allies.
· "But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever." (Psalm 44:7 NKJV)
2. NATO Summit Set to Reject Bush Drive for Early Membership by Georgia, Ukraine, Macedonia - AP
France and Germany appeared certain Thursday to thwart a drive by U.S. President George W. Bush to place the strategically important Black Sea states of Ukraine and Georgia on track for NATO membership at a tense alliance summit.
· Lord, as Russia appears to be behind this rejection of new additions to NATO, we pray that all dangerous hidden agendas be revealed.
·"Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken and we have escaped." (Psalm 124:7 NKJV)
3. Global Food Crisis Expected to Produce Social Unrest- CNSNews.com
The World Bank estimates that 33 countries around the world face potential social unrest because of the acute hike in food and energy prices.
· Lord, as we have seen this begin to happen in many countries already, we pray that Your hand would feed and care for those who trust and rely upon You. We ask a move of Your Holy Spirit upon the nations of the world, to change hearts and convert souls.
·"Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; O Lord, revive me according to Your justice." (Psalm 119:149 NKJV)
4. $15B Housing Fix Gets Fast-Tracked By Senate - CNNMoney.com
With unusual speed, leading Senate Democrats and Republicans have negotiated a bipartisan, $15 billion housing relief package that the Senate will start debating Thursday, and will likely vote on by next week.
· Father, we ask for wisdom for our leaders, that any economic package for this market be rooted in truth and not "pretend money." We ask that government recognize its limitations and take steps to correct the cause rather than throw money at the symptoms.
· "But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:33 NKJV)
5. People and the Economy - Reuters, NewsMax.com
A) Jobless Claims Jump to Highest Since 2005
The number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits soared by 38,000 last week, posting the highest reading since September 2005 and reinforcing fears that the U.S. economy has stalled, government data on Thursday showed.
B) Food Stamp Users to Reach All-Time High
The number of Americans receiving food stamps will reach an all-time high of 28 million in the coming year, the Congressional Budget Office projects. The spike in recipients in many states is a result mainly of the recent economic slowdown, along with rising prices for basic goods.
· Lord, we pray for Your touch over the hearts and lives of those who are struggling in this economic turmoil. You are the Deliverer and the Salvation of our lives.
·"O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink." (Psalm 69:13,14 NKJV)
6. ATA Discontinues Flights, Files For Bankruptcy - AP The Middle East in Focus 1. Israel readies largest exercise ever to prepare for Iran-Syria missile war - World Tribune 2. Hamas TV: Palestinian kid kills "President Bush", White House is Mosque - Israel Insider 3. War Is Talk of Syria, Israel - NY Sun 4. Al-Qaida No. 2 vows to strike Jews worldwide - Ha'aretz
ATA Airlines shut down operations and stranded thousands of travelers Thursday, when an unexpected loss of key charter flights and soaring fuel costs forced the carrier into bankruptcy.
· Father, with this second air carrier to fold in the last week, we ask that You will "reshuffle" the airlines to cover every need, and stabilize the industry. We pray for the carriers that remain to operate with wisdom, and for the jobs they represent. May Your mercy surround those who are now out of work.
·"You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drips with abundance." (Psalm 65:11 NKJV)
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Praise LORD [YHWH]. Praise the name of LORD; praise Him, O you servants of LORD. You that stand in the house of LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise LORD, for LORD is good. Sing praises unto His name, for it is pleasant. For LORD has chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure." (Psalm 135:1-4)
Israel plans to conduct its largest exercise ever to set contingencies for massive missile attacks by Iran and Syria.
A child stabs President George W. Bush to death and the White House becomes a grand mosque in a children's puppet show broadcast on the official television channel of Hamas, the ruling Palestinian Authority party.
Reports that Syria has stepped up its military presence near Israel's northern border have sparked increasing speculation on both sides that war may be imminent.
Al-Qaida's second-in-command on Wednesday vowed to attack Jews both within and outside Israel, and predicted that a United States withdrawal from Iraq would cause Islamic militant power to grow and threaten Jerusalem.
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer." (Psalm 66:19)
1. Ethiopia: Suspected Instigator of Church Attacks Released - Compass Direct News
Ethiopian judicial authorities have released a prominent local official accused of instigating deadly church assaults that left one Christian dead and 17 wounded last month. Local Christians confirmed over the weekend that Hussein Beriso, house speaker of the Nensebo District Council, has been released on bail by a court in southern Ethiopia's Oromo region. But 20 other Muslim suspects arrested over the machete attacks against two churches in Nensebo Chebi village on March 2 remain jailed, a local source said.
2. Christian Rights Groups Launch Prayer Campaign For China Ahead Of Olympics - BosNewsLife
Influential Christian organizations working with "persecuted" believers and churches around the world said Tuesday, April 1, that they have launched a global prayer campaign for China ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games amid concerns over "serious violations of religious freedom." The announcement came after torch ceremonies in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics were already interrupted in Greece by demonstrators angry over a reported Chinese crackdown in Tibet on activists protesting Chinese rule. (Read more.)
3. North Korean college students arrested with Christian literature - Mission Network News Mandated Sexual Mental Health Coverage Last month the House passed H.R. 1424 by a vote of 268 to 148, requiring businesses to provide health care for "substance-related disorder benefits" and treatment for: jet lag, sibling rivalry, caffeine "intoxication," cross-dressing "fetishism," pedophilia, necrophilia, gender identity disorders and much more. This bill will force employers to provide employees with psycho-sexual "conditions" the same level of treatment benefits as patients with medical diagnoses--at company expense! A conference committee will confer to negotiate the final bill. President Bush expressed grave concern over the House version. While FRC supports neither bill, the Senate bill does not mandate health care coverage for bizarre sexual behaviors. If any such bill is to be passed, it should contain a conscience clause to exempt business people who religiously object to mandatory "treatment" of sexual behaviors that Scripture call sins, whose only remedy is confession, repentance and faith. Those who understand abortion politics also know that this mandated sexual mental health coverage could lead to the funding of abortions for "mental health" reasons. American religious liberty and our cultural embrace of homosexuality and other Biblically forbidden behaviors are on a collision course. (Source: FRC Prayer Targets) · May God help us to stand in the defense of our faith! May He help us proactively to act to prevent the imposition of hedonistic lifestyles upon us - in utter disregard for our faith and/or religious freedom! May we remain vigilant and strong in faith, even as the numbers of such challenges seem to grow exponentially! May this mandated coverage for bizarre sexual behaviors be stricken from the bill, and/or a conscience provision added. · "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of these things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." (Eph. 5:11-13) More Taxpayer Dollars to Planned Parenthood? Last week we prayed about funding for PEPFAR and the push for Planned Parenthood (PP)-like groups and philosophy to make their way into the multi-billion dollar international anti-AIDS initiative. If abortion advocates in Congress have their way, America's largest domestic abortion clinic chain, which now receives about 1/3 of its $1 billion budget from the federal government, will receive even more in the coming year. Title X is up for renewal. Unfortunately, President Bush has not used the power of his office to stop PP from receiving Title X funds. President Reagan made certain that Title X funding was not used for abortion referrals and did not go to birth control programs that shared facilities with abortion clinics. President Clinton reversed the policy, allowed shared facilities and made abortion referrals mandatory. President Bush has not reversed the Clinton-era distortion and PP funding continues to grow. But the President now has a proposal on his desk to fix Title X. FRC is urging pro-life Americans to ask the President to end collocation and mandatory abortion referral. · May President Bush hold firmly to the original principles of PEPFAR, built upon the successful ABC plan: "A. Abstinence, B. Be Faithful, and, only then, C. Correct and Consistent Condom use." May the President also boldly act to implement the Reagan doctrine regarding federal tax dollars for Title X funding - NO abortion referrals, NO funds to groups sharing facilities with abortion clinics! (FRC Prayer Targets) · "Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers . . ." (Dt 6:17-18)
"Ten college students in one of the northern provinces of North Korea have been arrested by the National Security Agency," says Voice of the Martyrs' Todd Nettleton. "They apparently were caught reading the Bible and watching a Christian DVD. Because of that, they were all taken into custody. Their situation is very grim." The man who reported the case has since escaped to China to avoid arrest. Voice of the Martyrs issued a press release about the situation. The United Nations is voting on a resolution critical of human rights abuses in North Korea. Among those abuses is religious persecution targeting Christians and those involved in Christian work.
NDP 2008: "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield"
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER 2008
"Prayer! America's Strength and Shield":
Millions Will Gather to Honor God
On Thursday, May 1, America will observe the 57th annual National Day of Prayer. Please plan to participate in this vitally important event!
Proclamations from President George W. Bush and the governors of all 50 states will herald this landmark day, as the fervent prayers of millions of Americans in church events and public venues from coast to coast are offered before the Lord.
This year's theme, "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield," reflects the words of Psalm 28:7, which states: "The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped." We hope this powerful message will not only serve as a catalyst to draw God's people closer together as we intercede corporately on behalf of our country, but that it will encourage individuals to seek the Lord's guidance for their personal concerns as well.
I truly believe God is calling His people to be faithful for such a time as this. If you would like more information on how you might unite with your fellow believers and citizens to intercede on behalf of our great nation, I invite you to visit the National Day of Prayer Web site: nationaldayofprayer.org.
Blessings!
Shirley Dobson
Chairman
National Day of Prayer Task Force
