In This Issue· The Daily Brief
· The Middle East in Focus
· Pray for the Persecuted Church
· The White House in Transition
· A Note of Thanks . . .
· Merry Christmas!
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief Friday, December 19, 2008
"And the government shall rest upon His shoulder." (Isaiah 9:6)
The Daily Brief
1. Illinois governor: 'I have done nothing wrong' - CNN
Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich vowed Friday to fight federal corruption charges and stay on the job, despite calls for his resignation amid allegations that he attempted to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat. "I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong," Blagojevich said in a brief news conference in Chicago. "I'm not going to quit a job that people have hired me to do."
- You have been faithful to bring out all manner of evil and deceit and we pray that You will continue to do so. May those who are wickedly using their positions be stripped of their power.
- They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, and viciousness. (Romans 1:29)
2. Conservatives win court case in Va. church dispute - Fox News
2. Conservatives win court case in Va. church dispute - Fox News
Nearly a dozen conservative church congregations in Virginia have won a lawsuit in which they sought to split from the U.S. Episcopal Church in a dispute over theology and homosexuality. The final rulings came Friday from a Fairfax County judge who said the departing congregations are allowed under Virginia law to keep their church buildings and other property as they leave the Episcopal Church and realign under the authority of conservative Anglican bishops from Africa.
- Lord, we praise You that there are some in the justice system who are giving credence to decisions made through faith. We pray that if other churches need to disassociate with their denominational leadership that they will do so Biblically and without fear of monetary repercussions.
- But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1)
3. U.S. Fails to Withstand Mock Cyberattack - Fox News
3. U.S. Fails to Withstand Mock Cyberattack - Fox News
We're not ready. That's the disheartening conclusion reached by the organizers of a mock cyberattack on the United States, reports Reuters. Details were sketchy, but participants told the news agency that the exercise exposed serious security gaps in leadership, preparedness and communications.
- Lord, we pray for focus for those who are charged with protecting innocents and for creativity for them to be able to be proactive in their security.
- But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:9)
4. Donors list raises fears over Hillary Clinton role as Secretary of State - London Times
4. Donors list raises fears over Hillary Clinton role as Secretary of State - London Times
Bill Clinton has raised millions of dollars from governments and politicians in the Middle East and Asia, raising fresh concerns about the impartiality of his wife's role as Secretary of State.
- Recently there have been incidents of people buying influence with the government. Lord, may there be no decisions made by politicians that will be a result of tainted money that comes to them from enemies of the people.
- 'It shall come about on that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves. (Jeremiah 30:8)
5. Blagojevich Pardons 22 People - Fox News
While facing his own legal cloud, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich decided to pardon 22 other people.
- We pray that any evil moves made by this man as he is being investigated will be stopped and that he will only be able to act in ways that help his state.
- You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
6. Stimulus Package Heads Toward $850 Billion - Wall Street Journal
6. Stimulus Package Heads Toward $850 Billion - Wall Street Journal
President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is crafting a stimulus package to send to Congress worth between $675 billion and $775 billion over two years, according to officials familiar with the package, and it expects a final price tag to be even larger.
- In this time of a change in how government relates to business, we pray that the government will be discerning in how it chooses to use the money that it takes from the populace.
- The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives. (Psalm 37:21)
7. Plans Being Drawn to Close Guantanamo Prison - Washington Post
7. Plans Being Drawn to Close Guantanamo Prison - Washington Post
The Pentagon is drawing up plans to shut the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for any order from President-elect Barack Obama, who has promised to close the controversial facility after he assumes office Jan. 20, a defense official said yesterday.
- However the military decides to deal with these prisoners, we pray that there will not be a threat to the US.
- The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:9)
8. Coalition asks UN to decriminalize homosexuality - AFP
8. Coalition asks UN to decriminalize homosexuality - AFP
Sixty-six countries Thursday called on the United Nations to urge members to decriminalize homosexuality, a position rejected by several Arab countries and the Vatican.
- Lord, in these days there has been a movement away from Your law and into a law based on personal whims. We rely on You to continue to quicken our hearts so that we will know when the temptation is to stray from Your path.
- Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. (Romans 1:24)
9. Russia to abandon missile plans if US drops shield - AFP
Moscow is ready to abandon plans for a wholesale renewal of its nuclear missile arsenal if Washington stops deployment of a controversial missile shield, a top Russian general said on Friday.
- May those in authority in this country be alert to the threats of Russia and be wary of any offers until there is verification.
- "It will come about on that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," declares the Lord GOD, "that My fury will mount up in My anger." (Ezekiel 38:18)
10. Opposition leader threatens to halt Zimbabwe unity talks - CNN
The man who would be Zimbabwe's prime minister under a power-sharing pact said Friday his party will withdraw from efforts to implement the unity government unless 42 abducted members of his party are freed by New Year's Day.
- May the people of Zimbabwe be blessed with peace in their hearts and may there be a stabilization of their nation.
- No, in heart you work unrighteousness; On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands. (Psalm 58:2)
The Middle East in Focus
The Middle East in Focus
The Middle East in Focus This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE: "And the government shall rest upon His shoulder." (Isaiah 9:6)
1. Bush, Rice to host Palestinian leader Abbas in goodbye visit - Ha'aretz
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to dine with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ahead of his farewell meeting with President George W. Bush on Friday after the UN Security Council's endorsement this week of the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
2. Poll: Kadima and Likud neck and neck - Jerusalem Post
2. Poll: Kadima and Likud neck and neck - Jerusalem Post
A new poll published Friday puts Kadima and Likud neck and neck. The poll, conducted by Ma'ariv and coming hot on the heels of the Kadima primary, predicted that the parties of Tzipi Livni and Binyamin Netanyahu would each win 30 seats.
3. Barak to Haaretz: The truce with Gaza was not a mistake - Ha'aretz
3. Barak to Haaretz: The truce with Gaza was not a mistake - Ha'aretz
As a six-month truce with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip comes to an end with a slew of breaches on either side, Defense Minister and Labor leader Ehud Barak remains optimistic that a deal can be reached for calm with the ruling Hamas faction.
4. 3 Kassams hit western Negev after cease-fire officially ends - Jerusalem Post
4. 3 Kassams hit western Negev after cease-fire officially ends - Jerusalem Post
Palestinian terrorists fired three Kassam rockets at the western Negev on Friday morning, slightly over an hour after the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza factions officially ended.
5. Olmert: Peace with Syria feasible - Ynet News
5. Olmert: Peace with Syria feasible - Ynet News
A peace accord with Syria is "feasible" and can give Israel "substantial advantages," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday, during a speech at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies.
Pray for the Persecuted Church
Prayers for the Persecuted Church "I tell you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me." (Matthew 25:40)
1. India Christians Fear Christmas Violence In Orissa; Celebrations Cancelled
Fearing violence, many Christians in India's volatile state of Orissa will for the first time in their history not celebrate Christmas but instead mourn victims of recent anti-Christian attacks, which killed dozens, and those who died in shootings in Mumbai, a priest told BosNewsLife, Saturday, December 13.
2. India Militants Attack Christians In Karnataka; Church Bombers Sentenced
Pray for the Persecuted Church
Prayers for the Persecuted Church "I tell you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me." (Matthew 25:40)
1. India Christians Fear Christmas Violence In Orissa; Celebrations Cancelled
Fearing violence, many Christians in India's volatile state of Orissa will for the first time in their history not celebrate Christmas but instead mourn victims of recent anti-Christian attacks, which killed dozens, and those who died in shootings in Mumbai, a priest told BosNewsLife, Saturday, December 13.
2. India Militants Attack Christians In Karnataka; Church Bombers Sentenced
A nation-wide alliance of Christian leaders, churches, mission agencies, and other Christian institutions in India has condemned widespread anti-Christian violence in the Indian state of Karnataka, which injured dozens, but "welcomed" the sentencing of those involved in church bombings.
3. Christian "Disappearing" in China
3. Christian "Disappearing" in China
Four Christians remained missing Friday, December 12, more than a month after they were detained in China's Hubei province amid a police crackdown on believers, including missionaries, in the region, a house church network said.
4. Massive Arrests Of Christians In China
4. Massive Arrests Of Christians In China
Over a dozen Christians will spend Christmas behind bars in China after police raided a Christian leaders gathering in Henan province, while in the capital Beijing two officials of the banned Chinese House Church Alliance were detained, an advocacy group and Chinese Christians confirmed Thursday, December 18.
5. Vietnam: Authorities Destroy New Church Building
5. Vietnam: Authorities Destroy New Church Building
Local government officials in Dak Lak Province this morning made good on their threat to destroy a new wooden church building erected in September by Hmong Christians in Cu Hat village.
6. Indonesia Muslims Burn Churches, Homes Over Blasphemy
6. Indonesia Muslims Burn Churches, Homes Over Blasphemy
A tense calm returned to a village in Indonesia's Central Maluku province, where angry Muslims torched churches, dozens of homes and other properties after a Christian teacher allegedly made comments insulting Islam, rights investigators said Wednesday, December 17.
7. Pakistan Police Raid Christian Slum; Women Injured
7. Pakistan Police Raid Christian Slum; Women Injured
Pakistani police ransacked run-down homes of Christians living in a slum of Pakistan's 10th largest city and "severely tortured Christian women" leaving several of them "critically injured", local residents told BosNewsLife.
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM CHPP:
As we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth next week, let us remember the millions of believers around the world who will not have the freedom to do so, or who will do so under intense scrutiny. May our Lord dispatch His holy angels to surround and safeguard each and every family, worldwide, next week who will celebrate His birth. Amen.
[All articles cited above came from Worthy News.]
The White House in Transition
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (I Timothy 2:1-4)
1. Obama Gives Final Cabinet Spots to Solis, LaHood - Fox News
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM CHPP:
As we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth next week, let us remember the millions of believers around the world who will not have the freedom to do so, or who will do so under intense scrutiny. May our Lord dispatch His holy angels to surround and safeguard each and every family, worldwide, next week who will celebrate His birth. Amen.
[All articles cited above came from Worthy News.]
The White House in Transition
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (I Timothy 2:1-4)
1. Obama Gives Final Cabinet Spots to Solis, LaHood - Fox News
President-elect Barack Obama nominated the final members of his Cabinet on Friday, selecting a California congresswoman to be secretary of labor and a Republican from his home state of Illinois to be secretary of transportation.Rep. Hilda Solis, the four-term congresswoman tapped to head the Labor Department, is known to be strongly pro-union but is viewed skeptically by some business groups. Rep. Ray LaHood was picked for the Department of Transportation. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is the only other Republican named to Obama's Cabinet. Obama also picked former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk to be U.S. trade representative and venture capitalist Karen Mills to lead the Small Business Administration.
2. Report: Obama Team Planning Iranian Outreach Post - Fox News
2. Report: Obama Team Planning Iranian Outreach Post - Fox News
Barack Obama is planning to create a new administration post meant to reach out to Iran, The Washington Times reported Friday. Such a move would support the president-elect's pledge during the campaign to engage the rogue nation. The Times quoted a State Department official who said Obama's team discussed naming a senior Iranian outreach coordinator in early meetings with Hillary Clinton, Obama's pick for secretary of state. Iranian specialists also said the position was in the works. Obama's team has made no official announcement on the creation of such a post.
3. Obama Tells Gay Community to Respect Choice of Warren at Inauguration - Fox News
3. Obama Tells Gay Community to Respect Choice of Warren at Inauguration - Fox News
President-elect Barack Obama made no apologies Thursday for asking evangelical pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, a move that infuriated gays angry at Warren's support for California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage. Obama said he and Warren don't agree on everything, but he's collected a group of people to appear at his inauguration who share a variety of viewpoints. Repeating a line from his campaign, Obama said, "We have to disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."Obama noted that he was invited to speak at Warren's Saddleback Church despite Warren knowing that Obama supports gay and lesbian rights, and Dr. Joseph Lowery will give the benediction at the inaugural ceremony. Lowery holds "deeply contrasting views" with Warren on gay rights issues, Obama said. (Read more.)
4. Franken Takes Lead in Minnesota Recount for the First Time - Fox News
4. Franken Takes Lead in Minnesota Recount for the First Time - Fox News
Democrat Al Franken has taken the lead over Sen. Norm Coleman in the Minnesota Senate race recount, but that could change as a board reviews challenges.
A Note of Thanks . . .
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Capitol Hill Prayer Partners, we wish to thank ALL of you for having remained SO FAITHFUL throughout this past year in your level of giving to our work.
You are clearly a people of FAITH, for despite all appearances to the contrary in the global markets, you have remained FAITHFUL in sending in offerings so that our work here can go forward.
We will continue to depend solely upon the freewill offerings of our friends in order to continue our work, because it is written: "He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it." (I Thess. 5:24) AMEN!
We also wish to thank you for sharing this ministry with others, as our Lord brings them to you. In this way, our prayer army continues to grow, and to prosper.
May our Lord bless all of you RICHLY in this new year as you have blessed us. We praise God for you!
Merry Christmas!
(A Publishing Notice from CHPP)
The Daily Brief will not be published next week, in honor of Christmas week. Our next regular edition of the Daily Brief will be published on Monday, December 29, 2008.
We take this time to wish all of our wonderful Prayer Partners a joyous Christmas holiday, and a blessed New Year. Please watch for our annual Christmas message, to be published this weekend, too. Thank you!
A Note of Thanks . . .
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Capitol Hill Prayer Partners, we wish to thank ALL of you for having remained SO FAITHFUL throughout this past year in your level of giving to our work.
You are clearly a people of FAITH, for despite all appearances to the contrary in the global markets, you have remained FAITHFUL in sending in offerings so that our work here can go forward.
We will continue to depend solely upon the freewill offerings of our friends in order to continue our work, because it is written: "He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it." (I Thess. 5:24) AMEN!
We also wish to thank you for sharing this ministry with others, as our Lord brings them to you. In this way, our prayer army continues to grow, and to prosper.
May our Lord bless all of you RICHLY in this new year as you have blessed us. We praise God for you!
Merry Christmas!
(A Publishing Notice from CHPP)
The Daily Brief will not be published next week, in honor of Christmas week. Our next regular edition of the Daily Brief will be published on Monday, December 29, 2008.
We take this time to wish all of our wonderful Prayer Partners a joyous Christmas holiday, and a blessed New Year. Please watch for our annual Christmas message, to be published this weekend, too. Thank you!
