In This Issue · The Daily Brief
· The Middle East in Focus
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The Daily Brief Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009
"God our Savior . . . wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (I Timothy 2:3a,4)
The Daily Brief
1. Al Qaeda Hit by Black Death Fear as Medieval Plague Kills 40 Terrorists at Training Camp - Daily Mail Reporter
Al Qaeda terrorists have been left fearing the Black Death plague, after it wiped out at least 40 insurgents at an Algerian training camp, which was reported today. The horror disease, which killed 25 million people in medieval Europe, is understood to have been found in a militant's body dumped at a roadside.Terror group AQLIM (al Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb) was forced to turn its shelter in the Yakouren forests into mass graves and flee, it has been claimed.
· Lord, the terrorists that have plotted evil against innocent people are now suffering what they sowed. While our desire is conversion of their souls, we know that Your Word states that what a man sows, that he shall also reap.
· He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil. . . There the workers of iniquity have fallen; They have been cast down and are not able to rise. (Psalms 36:4, 12)
2. Bush Cuts Sentences of Ramos, Compean - WorldNetDaily
President Bush commuted the prison sentences of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean today. Two years ago, Ramos and Compean began serving sentences of 11 and 12- years respectively, for a 2005 incident in which they fired on a drug smuggler as he fled back into Mexico after bringing 750 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. near Fabens, Texas.The burden of the sentences fell heavily on the families of the agents. Ramos wife, Monica, reported just this month that there was an attempted hit on her life, and that of her children, when someone broke into their El Paso home and filled it with gas, trashing photographs and pummeling their dog. The attackers, while she was away, stole various items, ripped cherished wedding pictures and family photographs and even left the gas turned on. "It was very intentional in that somebody was trying to hurt us," she said on a radio program.
· Lord, we thank You for the release of these agents. We pray for protection and justice for those that protect our nation. We pray that whoever assaulted this family will be caught and punished.
· "He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18, 19)
3. Future of abstinence-only funding is in limbo - AP
With the exit of the Bush administration, critics of abstinence-only sex education will be making an aggressive push to cut off federal funding for what they consider an ineffective, sometimes harmful program. Obama is considered an advocate of comprehensive sex education, which - unlike abstinence-only curriculum - includes advice to young people about using contraceptives if they do engage in sexual activity. However, Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., said the 2008 elections not only put Obama in the White House but also increased the ranks of senators and representatives who share her opposition to funding abstinence education.
· Lord, You reward righteousness and godliness. We pray for our nation to turn away from lasciviousness and be transformed into a holy people. Let our nation desire purity in all its ways.
· Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 6: 18, 19)
4. Illegal Immigrants and Families Making $61K Could Qualify for Federal Help Under SCHIP - CNSNews.com
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the federal program designed to extend health coverage to the nation's poorest children, would allow legal immigrants and middle class children - those from families making over $61,000 per year - access to a program originally intended for the poorest of the poor. However, a Social Security number is the only proof of citizenship required under SCHIP and new enrollees are no longer required to offer proof of identification when enrolling. This provision would allow someone who has stolen a Social Security number to receive SCHIP funds, so long as the theft is not discovered by the Social Security Administration - the agency responsible for tracking and issuing Social Security numbers.
· Father God, You have said that whoever sets a crooked scale is hateful to You. You require that your children will be honest and diligent. We pray this plan to tip the scales will not succeed.
· The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace. (Isaiah 59:8)
5. Bailouts Bad for Economy, Bad for Recovery - onenewsnow.com
A Christian financial expert says the second taxpayer bailout of Bank of America will only postpone future pain in the financial markets. Just hours after Bank of America persuaded the Bush administration to give it an additional $20 billion in bailout aid, the Charlotte-based bank reported a $2.39 billion fourth-quarter loss. Bank of America has now received a total of $45 billion in federal aid, despite making risky moves to acquire two losing companies that were heavily involved in subprime mortgage lending -- Countrywide and Merrill Lynch.
· Lord, we pray for this new Administration to see the danger of overspending, and that You will slow down this plunge toward unstoppable debt. Give our leaders wisdom and restraint.
· But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (1 Timothy 6:9)
6. Hero of the Hudson: Pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 saved every passenger with miracle landing - Daily News
To friends and family, he's just "Sully." To the rest of the world, Chesley Sullenberger is now a miracle worker with a pilot's license. The former Air Force fighter pilot remained cool, calm and collected both before and after successfully ditching his US Airways flight into the Hudson River. "He did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river and then making sure everybody got out," said an admiring Bloomberg, who is a licensed pilot.It's a happy ending. Angels were holding up that plane." Vallie's Mother in law, Chris Collin's said "God's grace was with her and all of the 154 other people."
· Thank You, Lord, for the miracle landing of this airplane. You had everything in place - the pilot was an experienced glider pilot and the ferries were close by to rescue them. Praise You, Lord!
· How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. . . Oh, continue Your loving-kindness to those who know You. (Psalms 36:7, 10)
7. Kennedy Suffers Seizure at Inaugural lunch-Byrd Fine After Early Departure - Fox News.
Sen. Ted Kennedy was taken to a hospital after suffering seizures during President Obama's celebratory inaugural luncheon while Sen. Robert Byrd left early on Tuesday of his own accord, said his spokesman.
Lord, we pray for Senator Kennedy and Senator Byrd for health, and that You will bring Your light and love into their hearts.
God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. ( John 3:17 NLT)
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: "In that day shall LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people, and for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate." (Isaiah 28:5-6)
1. Iran looks to quickly rearm Hamas - ICEJ News
Iran has launched a probe to determine why the battle plan it designed for Hamas in Gaza failed during the IDF's recent offensive, and is looking to rearm the terrorist militia quickly, according to Israeli intelligence assessments.
2. IDF continues withdrawal despite cross-border shooting - ICEJ News
Palestinian militants opened fire on Israeli soldiers guarding the Gaza border on Tuesday as the IDF scurried to pull all troops out of the Strip before the inauguration of new US President Barack Obama. No injuries or damage was reported in the first violation of the shaky armistice that ended three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Jerusalem, believing Hamas not to be responsible for the incident, has refrained from retaliating.
3. Livni links Shalit release to Hamas demands on opening crossings - ICEJ News
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Tuesday tied the reopening of the Gaza border crossings to the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, who has been held captive by Hamas for almost three years now. "If Hamas thinks it wants to get something beyond humanitarian assistance, which we will give regardless, we have someone who is very important to us, and, for me; one thing is contingent upon the other." Livni stressed that additional aid and the release of Shalit are "mutually dependent" and that it is "impossible to separate them."
