In This Issue· The Daily Brief
· The Middle East in Focus
· Ask Senate Committee to Grill AG Nominee
· GOP Surrenders on Cabinet Nominees
· Prayers for Israel (Part 2)
· How to Help Israeli Refugees
· A Commentary: Finding Peace in the Storm
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
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The Daily Brief Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD: and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12)
The Daily Brief
1. Bush Declares State of Emergency for Inauguration - MSNBC
Move allows D.C. to claim more federal funding amid fears over crowd sizePresident George W. Bush on Tuesday declared an emergency in the District of Columbia that will let the nation's capital tap deeper into federal coffers for Barack Obama's inauguration. Bush said that an emergency exists and ordered federal aid to supplement the $15 million in federal funds already appropriated for the event.White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty requested the emergency declaration on Jan. 7 because he decided that the crowds expected for the nation's 56th presidential inauguration would exceed the city's ability to protect the public.
· Please begin praying over this city, your nation's capital, now and continue through all of next week. All bridges leading into the city will be closed at 4 a.m. on Inauguration Day. Hence, there may be some people, who in coming to the parade, will be violently disappointed if they cannot enter the city - remember what Giant football fans did to the automobiles of the Phillies fans last weekend. Such a spirit of violence has taken over so many. Please continue, too, to offer intercession for the peace of this city; and for strength and wisdom for our law enforcement personnel who are charged with maintaining order here. Pray!
· "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them." (Proverbs 28:4)
2. US deficit narrows sharply, Chinese imports in record plunge - Breitbart
A sharp decline in the US November trade deficit reflected a record drop in imports from China and a sharp contraction in global commerce, according to government data.
· Lord, we praise You that this country has begun to recognize the danger of relying on China for imports and allowing them to control the American dollar. We pray for forgiveness that we relied on economic policy to keep us safe from nations that might harm us instead of turning to You for protection.
· "Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be your shame And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation." (Isaiah 30:3)
3. US trade deficit at five-year low - BBC
The US trade deficit dropped to its lowest level in more than five years in November as the economic slowdown led to lower demand for imports.
· Lord, we pray that this administration and the coming administration will be discerning when dealing with other nations. We pray that our hearts will be open as well and we will deal fairly with other nations and require for them to deal fairly with the US as these trade policies shape other nations' view of the US and affects our witness throughout the world.
· "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters." (Matthew 12:30)
4. Obama Budget Chief: Heavy Deficits for a Decade - NewsMax
President-elect Barack Obama's pick to run the White House budget office says the U.S. will likely have bruising budget deficits over the next decade.
· As the new Congress begins to plan for a new president, we pray that they and the executive branch will be aware of the cost of what they are planning. May their minds be opened to the potential dangers that will come of their decisions in the years and to the generations that come.
· "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' (Luke 14:28-30)
5. Bin Laden Calls For 'Holy War' Over Israel Offensive - WorthyNews.com
A new audio message released Wednesday, January 15, allegedly from the al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden, has called for all Muslims to launch a holy war to stop the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, according to Islamist websites.
· Pray that this message from terrorists falls on deaf ears. Ask the Lord to bring terrible winter weather in the mountains where Bin Laden and his terrorist cohorts are located -- weather so severe that no communication with the outside world can be made. Pray also that the tribal leaders in that area become so disgusted with Bin Laden and his associates that cooperation between the two groups dies, and that those tribal leaders will then work to betray bin Laden, exposing his location to the allies.
· "Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men." (Psalm140:1)
6. Group Warns Of More Attacks Against US Churches, Christians - WorthyNews.com
A national security organization in the United States has warned American Christians of more violent incidents against them and said churches are in most cases not prepared to deal with attacks."Risks are only going up for the Christian community. The US State Department now classifies faith-based organizations as one of the top five 'at risk' groups in the world today," following an apparently bloody year for Christians, said Jeffery Hawkins, executive director of the Christian Security Network (CSN) in comments monitored by Worthy News Tuesday, January 13. (Read more)
· Pray that pastors and administrators in American churches will take heed to these warnings, and will then respond quickly and appropriately. Pray that they, and their security personnel, will be alert to anything unusual on their own propety; and that their congregations will be aware of the tenor of the times. Speak to your own pastor about these potential attacks, and do not let anyone brush off your warnings.
· "A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished." (Proverbs 27:12)
7. Senator Says Former FBI Agent Who Vanished in 2007 Is in Secret Iran Prison - FOX News
A U.S. senator revealed Tuesday that he believes a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran nearly two years ago is being held in a secret prison there - much to the surprise of the ex-agent's wife. Sen. Bill Nelson's comments on the disappearance of Robert Levinson came during Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's secretary of state confirmation hearing in Washington. Levinson's wife met with government officials in Iran in December 2007, but said there was no word on her husband's fate. Levinson, 60, was last seen on March 8, 2007, on Kish Island, a tourist haven in the Persian Gulf, where he was doing investigative work for a private security firm. His credit cards and passport have not been used since his disappearance.
· Pray that the State Department will be able to twist some Iranian "arms" to free Agent Levinson. There is no reason for this man to be held in an Iranian prison and subjected to who-knows-what treatment. Pray for comfort for his wife and for a strong measure of hope. Ask our Lord to reveal exactly where Levinson is located.
· "Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace! And do not be still, O God!" (Psalm 83:1)
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: "I will defend my house against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch." (Zech. 9:8)
1. Rockets From Lebanon Hit Israel; Gaza Battle Rages - Jerusalem Post
Suspected militants fired several rockets into Israel from neighboring Lebanon Wednesday, January 14, the second such attack in a week, residents and Israeli officials said.
2. IDF strikes 60 targets in Gaza; 6 troops injured - Ynet News
The Israel Defense Forces attacked about 60 different targets in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday night, including Hamas' police headquarters, several terrorist cells and arms smuggling tunnels.
3. UN envoy: Hamas uses Gazans as human shields - Ynet News
Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev filed a complaint Tuesday night with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council over the cynical use of Palestinian civilians by Hamas.
4. Obama team takes new tack on Iran amid Mideast peace push - AFP
The Obama administration vowed Tuesday to take a new tack toward ending Iran's nuclear quest and its backing of radical groups, while promising to "make every effort" for Arab-Israeli peace.
5. Iran Calls On Nations to Shun, Isolate Israel - NewsMax
Iran's foreign minister has called on all countries to cut diplomatic ties with Israel to show their support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
6. Hamas Mulls 10-Day Gaza Cease-Fire Proposal - FOX News
Egypt, Hamas negotiating deal as militants send rockets crashing into Israel from Lebanon.
· Based on past behavior, Hamas is promising a cease-fire to rebuild its missile supplies and other munitions so that again Israel can be attacked. Apparently, Israel has weakened Hamas severely and the citizens of Gaza are disgusted with the damage caused by Hamas, using schools and mosques as hiding places to launch missiles. Pray for the complete destruction of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
· "Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You." (Psalm 55: 23b)
7. Israel may attack Iran within days as US prepares for Obama presidency - Newsmax
Informed sources in Washington tell Newsmax that Israel indeed will launch a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities soon - possibly in just days as President George W. Bush prepares to leave office. The reason: The time clock has begun to run out. Iran is close to acquiring a nuclear device under the control of its radical president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said in June that Iran would have a nuclear weapon in as little as six months. That six-month period has passed. Reports of Israel's decision to imminently launch strikes, although unconfirmed, would seem to contradict the Bush stance outlined in a front-page New York Times story last week, which asserted that Bush rejected a plea from Israel last year to help it raid Iran's main nuclear complex.
· Pray for divine wisdom for Israel as she does what she must. Pray also for the USA - that we will stand with Israel as we must. War is not what anyone wants, but Iran's unreasonable hatred of Israel cannot continue to dictate what the rest of the world does. Ahmadinejad is not the one with power in Iran; the Ayatollahs are, and they act in the name of Allah. Only the Lord can calm the problems here.
· "The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you [Assyria/Iran], has laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back." (Isaiah 37:22)
Ask Senate Committee to Grill AG Nominee
'There are a number of items in Mr. Holder's background which raise a question.'
Would-be Attorney General Eric Holder will face questioning Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hopefully, some of the questions will deal with pro-family issues. Holder served as President Clinton's deputy attorney general, and now President- elect Barack Obama has nominated him to be the nation's top lawyer.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, is leading the fight against Holder. "It is very important the attorney general be independent," he told CitizenLink, "and there are a number of items in Mr. Holder's background which raise a question about that." Specter said Holder will need to address issues key to the family like obscenity prosecution and human trafficking. (CitizenLink)
GOP Surrenders on Cabinet Nominees
Yesterday's confirmation hearings for Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Education-designate Arne Duncan looked more like a love fest than the vetting that is associated with confirmations. For the second day, Republicans completely failed to pressure the liberal nominees on any of the important social and family issues they'll face in their respective departments.
Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton: At Clinton's hearing, no mention was made of the dangerous CEDAW treaty (the U.N.'s so-called Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women). Although the U.S. has never ratified it, Clinton would likely pursue CEDAW, flinging open the doors even wider to international abortion policy. Nor has the U.S. ratified the U.N.'s so-called Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC), which doesn't recognize a child's right to be born or acknowledge the child's right to be a child--that is, the right not to be bombarded by sexualized imagery.
Not a single leader pressed Hillary on the infamous "Red Cable," which was sent to every U.S. Embassy by her husband's administration back in 1994, ordering all U.S. ambassadors and consuls to press their host countries to legalize abortion-on- demand. Hillary told Newsweek that year that abortion was "wrong." You heard no echo of that in the ostrich- like performance of the "loyal opposition" on Capitol Hill yesterday. In fact, the only question that mildly approached our issues was posed by Clinton's own party on the subject of transgender partner benefits!
Secretary of Education-designate Arne Duncan:When Arne Duncan appeared before senators, Tennessee's Lamar Alexander (R) went out of his way to praise Duncan, gushing, "I think you're the best." No one thought to press the Chicago schools chief on his proposal to create a special "gay" high school.
Secretary of Treasury-designate Timothy Geithner: The only delay for the Obama Express came when the Senate Finance Committee learned that Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner had failed to pay income taxes for several years in the nineties. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) dismissed this as a mere "hiccup" on the road to confirmation. This for the man whose agency runs the IRS! Don't try this at home: telling the tax man you had the "hiccups" and failed to pay $48,000 in taxes. If Geithner can't control his own tax dollars, how can he be trusted with billions of ours? (Family Research Council)
Prayers for Israel (Part 2)"
Submitted by: Arrows from Zion
(Continued from last week's Daily Brief; Part One was published on Thursday, January 8, 2009)
· Pray for Christians to discern what is truth from what is deception regarding the war of Israel upon Hamas in Gaza and for none to hold Israel to a standard of pacifism that no nation would be uphold.
· Pray that Israel's efforts allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza would be joined with supply from the international community. Pray that full amenities to the Gazan general population would be restored as a testimony to the integrity Israel in waging this war against Hamas.
· Pray for the believers in Gaza - the small but dedicated group - for their safety in the extreme hardship of this hour. · Pray for the Hamas uprisings in the West Bank and in Israel proper to be put down quickly, as the IDF did in the town of Qualquila - a major Hamas stronghold.
· Pray for the many Messianic ministries, already struggling with financial need, to receive adequate funds for providing refugee to believers in the strike zone in the south. Christian contributions not given to indigenous Israeli ministries NEVER help the believers of Israel. · Pray that not one soldier whose heart is inclined towards Yeshua, who would eventually receive the Living Word, would have their life snuffed out before being saved.
· Pray for Palestinian Christians - some of whom we were already praying for because of Muslim threats against them - would be protected in this time in both Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas has also been shooting Fatah activists in Gaza to keep them from helping Israel. Some 75 have been reportedly shot in the legs or had their hands broken. These are brutal, terrorist thugs. Keep yourselves from falling for their whining claims that they are innocent victims.
How to Help Israeli Refugees
We have been asked for a list of places people can donate to help the people in southern Israel affected by the rocket attacks and the war. After consulting with believers in the Land of Israel, the following are recommended the following for your giving:
1. For Zion's Sake www.forzion.com
For Zion's Sake - War Fund www.forzion.com/war-fund.php
2. Vision for Israel www.visionforisrael.org
Online Donations: www.visionforisrael.org/index-4.html
Vision for Israel
P.O. Box 7265Jerusalem
91073 ISRAELPhone (972) 2.5704010
3. International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem
www.icej.org
Statement and Appeal regarding the Gaza conflict
http://www.icej.org/article.php?id=6500
Donate: https://www.icej.org/donate.php
A Commentary: Finding Peace in the Storm
(Phillipians 4:6-7) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Sara, dive deeper! As the war continues in Israel, I'm finding believers throughout the land filled with peace in spite of the conflict. How is that possible, one may wonder? Could it be these believers are going deep? When a storm swarms across the ocean surface, the fish know where the water is still -- deep down under. While, on the surface, the winds and the waves rage, fathoms below lies water completely at peace. Perhaps we should learn something from fish.
In a shallow relationship with God we will find ourselves being tossed to and fro by stormy waves of circumstance. James describes such a person as "double-minded" and unstable. In his trials, he cannot exercise faith because he hasn't gone deep with the Lord.
However, when we seek that deeper relationship with Him, we can enter another perspective on what's happening at the surface. Seeking and abiding in the depths of Yeshua, our Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace) will bring a peace that passes understanding, even in the midst of great storms. The double minded man has not yet sought or found this place -- since not everyone is willing to spend the time or effort for a deep relationship, however it is available for all who truly desire and take the time for it.
Sara, are you distressed or worried? It's time to press in . . . seek that deeper relationship with Yeshua and let Him lead you to the still water. He so wants to fill you with a "shalom" that passes all understanding!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Currently in the Negev Desert, Israel
[George Whitten is the Senior Editor of Worthy News. You can find his daily delightful teachings by visiting the website at: www.worthynews.com]
