The Daily Brief
1. Veterans' Burials Nonstop at National Cemeteries As WWII vets pass, memories preserved - AP
Once 16 million strong, U.S. veterans of World War II are dying at a rate of more than 1,000 a day and now number about 2.5 million, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates. As their ranks shrink, the National World War II Museum is one of several organizations rushing to preserve the personal accounts of veterans. Other such efforts are sponsored by the Library of Congress and the U.S. Latino and Latina WWII Oral History Project.
· Praise the Lord for all the lost lives of men and women willing to sacrifice for the love of America! Pray that this generation also has the same determination to fight for the freedom of America, and the vision of our Founding Fathers. Pray for repentance and revival in America, so that the Word of God is imbued in the hearts of Americans.
· "The memory of the just is blessed: but the the name of the wicked shall rot." (Proverbs 10:7)
2. 'Gay' day squashed on campus - WorldNetDaily
Nationwide outrage against public school participation in the "gay"-friendly 2008 Day of Silence resulted in hundreds of students boycotting the observance and some administrators canceling pro-homosexual activities. Parent and community protests against school involvement made all the difference, Linda Harvey, president of Mission America, told WND. "The Day of Silence Walk Out was extremely successful," she said. "In many high schools, hundreds of students stayed home. Here at Mission America, we had thousands of e-mails from both parents and schools, and more than 300 schools were taken off our initial list of those we believed would be sponsoring this pro-homosexual event."
· Praise the Lord that He heard our cries against this "Gay"day, making its observance a failure. Surely God is good; we need to listen to Him rather than the media. Pray for those children who attend schools where the observance was touted as a "good" thing, that the minds of the students and teachers are freed of false concepts and that the Word of God can enter in. With God all things are possible.
· "Thou are my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word." (Psalm 119:114)
3. Fingerprint Registered in Housing Bill
Most states already require fingerprinting of anyone involved in real estate/banking/teaching/alcohol/ childcare etc. In some states, for example, the prints are run against the interstate database called AFIS (Automated fingerprint identification system) as well as a CCH (Criminal History) to see if they have any prior arrests or were previously fingerprinted. The CCH files are federal and state, the AFIS is a mix of different states and is national. Another database is overkill on something already in place specifically to catch bad guys.
· While the states are doing an excellent job with federal fingerprinting files, are the federal agencies doing likewise with each other; we keep hearing echoes of jealousy between the agencies. Pray against more bureaucracy and pray for more cooperation.
· "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Lord and stay upon his God." (Isaiah 50:10)
4. Congressman Broun to introduce constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages - WAGT-TV; Atlanta, GA
Georgia Congressman Paul Broun, announced Tuesday, that he will be introducing a constitutional amendment to prevent same-sex marriage in response to a recent decision by the California Supreme Court that recognizes same-sex marriages. The recent 4-3 decision by the California Supreme Court redefines marriage to include legal unions. Some conservative legal scholars view the recent decision as activist in which the policy preferences of four justices overturned the democratically expressed will of California's voters.
· Praise the Lord that Congressman Broun has the determination to stand by his convictions of right to introduce this constitutional bill. The media may try to pillory him, but build a shield of prayers around him. Pray for other congressmen to join Broun.
· "Hearken unto Me , ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law: fear ye not the reproach of men; neither be ye afraid of their revilings." (Isaiah 51:7)
5. Iowa town measures the loss after deadly tornado - AP
The damage in this town of about 1,000, was staggering: 222 homes destroyed, 21 businesses destroyed and more than 400 homes damaged. Among the buildings destroyed were the city hall, the high school and the town's sole grocery store and gas station.
· Please pray for the residents of this town in Iowa - that they will not lose heart as they try to rebuild their lives and their town. Pray that wise counsel will make decisions about the end of the school year for the high school students. Pray for the help of friends and neighbors. When will America fall on its knees and ask the Lord about all these devastating tornadoes?
· " Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly." (Joel 2:14)
6. U.S.'s Hill to visit Beijing and Moscow next week - Reuters
The top U.S. negotiator with North Korea visits China and Russia next week to brief their officials on multilateral efforts to get North Korea to give up its atomic programs, the U.S. State Department said on Friday. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, will visit Beijing from Tuesday through Thursday, and Moscow from Thursday through Saturday, State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters. A diplomatic source said on Thursday, Hill was expected to meet senior North Korean diplomat Kim Kye-gwan, Pyongyang's lead nuclear negotiator, in Beijing next week in what may be a sign that North Korea is closer to making a declaration of its atomic programs.
· Pray for Mr. Hill as he visits in Beijing and then in Moscow. Ask the Lord to give Hill the right words to use to open up North Korea to focus not on nuclear advancement but on its people. While in Russia, let Hill make no secret deals with the Russians that may bring harm to America in the future. Pray that whether or not Mr. Hill has any faith in God that he will walk through these negotiations surrounded by shields of prayers.
· "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." (Psalm 118:8)
7. Al-Qaida Bomb-Maker Revives WMD Program - Newsmax The Middle East in Focus 1. IDF considering buffer zone for Gaza - Jerusalem Post 2. Military Intelligence: Syria seeks peace but bolsters Hizbullah - Ynet News 3. 'Rocket interception system to be tested next month' - Ynet News 4. Israelis to receive new non-conventional warfare kits - JNW 5. Former IDF chief suffering battle fatigue?- JNW Prayers for the Persecuted Church 1. Christian Karen Rebel Leader Dies In Burma - Worthy News 2. Indonesia Muslims "Burn" Christian Village; Four Killed, 56 Injured - Worthy News 3. Iran: Police Arrest 12 Christian Converts - Worthy News 4. China Continues Crackdown On House Churches As Nation Mourns Quake Victims - Worthy News
A dangerous al-Qaida bomb-maker, whom the Pakistan military reported was killed two years ago, is in fact alive and well and working to develop chemical, biological, and radiological weapons - and perhaps nuclear weapons as well. That's the chilling word from Beirut-based Ed Blanche, who writes in The Middle East magazine that Egyptian-born chemical engineer Midhat Mursi al Sayyid Umar - known as Osama bin Laden's "sorcerer" - is working in secret laboratories in Pakistan's northwestern tribal area.
· Pray that this demon-driven man Umar loses his powers of "sorcery" and can no longer function in the development of WMD. Praise the Lord that Umar's existence has been exposed; now we can pray for his salvation in Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to expose his whereabouts to our military, even making the tribal leaders in that area of Pakistan annoyed with Umar, so that his location is revealed. The destruction of these secret laboratories is also needed.
· "Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is." (Deuteronomy 10:14)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you." (Psalm 20:1)
In an effort to minimize chances of successful terrorist attacks against Israel, the IDF is drawing up plans to move the Gaza crossings away from Israel's border, defense officials said Monday.
The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier-General Yossi Baidatz, attended the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting on Monday, and said that Syria was interested in advancing the peace process with Israel.
Defense Ministry Director-General Pinchas Buchris told heads of Gaza vicinity local councils on Monday evening that the first tests in the 'Iron Dome' system will begin next month.
While Israel was digesting news of sudden "progress' being made on the road towards peace with Syria, local media learned that the nation is soon be issued with newly refurbished kits for protection against non-conventional war. Gas-masks and other protective ...
The former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces appeared to be suffering a form of battle fatigue at the weekend when he declared that Israel has no real need of the Golan Heights. Dan Halutz, who resigned in ...
Pray for the Persecuted Church
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you." (Psalm 20:1)
The leader of a rebel group fighting for autonomy and more religious rights of Burma's predominantly Christian Karen community has died, a Christian humanitarian group confirmed Friday May 23.
Nearly all Christian families in a village on Indonesia's Seram island, in the religiously volatile Maluku province, were homeless Wednesday, May 21, after a Muslim mob burned their houses and other properties as well as killing four believers and injuring dozens others, investigators told BosNewsLife.
Police in the southern Iran city of Shiraz this month cracked down against known Muslim converts to Christianity, arresting members of three Christian families and confiscating their books and computers.
As China mourned Monday, May 19, some 34,000 people killed in a massive earthquake, Chinese security forces, operating outside the international media attention, continued a crackdown on underground house churches, Christians said.
