In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The First 100 Days
• Obama's Leadership Team
• A "Chicago Tea Party"
• Alan Keyes Tells It Like It Is
• Good News Corner
Greetings!
In This Issue
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The Daily Brief - Tuesday, February 24, 2009
"The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God." (Isaiah 52:10)
The Daily Brief
1. BAILOUT STRATEGY: Nationalizing the banks - NewsDay
The Obama administration plans to pump more money into troubled banks, even though the billions spent so far have seemed to do little. Some experts, including former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan and Democratic and Republican members of Congress, have suggested that the banks may have to be nationalized.
• Heavenly Father, we are entering a critical stage in our nation where the economy has gotten so bad that the banks may have to be nationalized. Help us restore our confidence in our economy. Give us wisdom to only do those things that will actually strengthen the financial base of our nation. We ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
• "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 8:18)
2. Obama's Deficit Goals Count on Rosy Assumptions - Fox News
President Obama's ambitious goal of cutting the federal deficit in half relies on a perfect -- some might say improbable -- convergence of factors: a recovered economy, a tax boost for the rich and success in easing foreign entanglements.
• Lord, we rely on You for our provision. Man is not our provider. We pray for our economy to do a turnaround and begin to improve. Help give us God- fearing people to rule over us! We need to obey You in order to prosper!
• "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:9, 10)
3. Democrats Unveil Spending Bill for Rest of Fiscal '09 - Wall Street Journal
House leaders released a $410 billion spending plan for the rest of fiscal 2009, with increases proposed for long-neglected Democratic priorities ranging from health care to education to public housing.
• Lord, put a stop to this reckless spending! We cannot burden our children with costs that can be postponed for later. We pray that You will do it quickly! Abundantly bless your children in this famine!
• "In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked." (Proverbs 15:6)
4. Report urges boost for US family planning program - AP; CNSNews.com
Publicly funded family planning under Title X prevents nearly 2 million unintended pregnancies and more than 800,000 abortions in the United States each year, saving billions of dollars, according to new research intended to counter conservative objections to expanding the program. The data is in a report being released Tuesday by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive-health think tank whose research is generally respected even by experts and activists who don't share its advocacy of abortion rights. The report also endorses pending congressional legislation that would increase funding for Title X family planning. Some advocacy groups hope to more than double the current funding to $700 million a year.
Some conservatives, however, dislike Title X because one of its big recipients is the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a major provider of abortions as well as family planning services. Title X funds cannot be used for abortions, but critics contend the federal money frees up other Planned Parenthood funds for its abortion services. Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council also expressed concern about the concept of public funding of contraception for unmarried people.
• Lord, we pray that You will intervene and block this pro-abortion rights Administration from carrying out any plans to expand abortion rights and services. We pray for people to rise up against these wicked plans.
• "This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place." (Jeremiah 22:3)
5. Bill calls human embryo 'person' - Washington Times
The North Dakota Legislature is taking center stage in the abortion debate as it moves to define a fertilized human egg as a person -- an effort viewed largely as a vehicle to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 decision legalizing abortion.
• Thank You, Lord for these courageous people who are standing up for You creations. Human embryos grow to be only humans and they have sanctity and an inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as our Constitution declares!
• "For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted."
(Psalm 9:12) "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine . . ." (Ezekiel 18:4)
6. Pentagon says F-22 fate to hang for while longer - Reuters
A high-stakes decision on the fate of Lockheed Martin Corp's premier F-22 fighter jet will be made known only with the release of the fiscal 2010 budget likely in April, not by March 1 as had been sought by Congress.
• We pray Lord that the plans this Administration has to cut back on our defense and the military will be blocked. We pray that You will convince them that we need a strong defense system - not a weaker defense!
• "Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit . . . Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted . . ." (Psalm 80:12, 14)
7. Raging Wildfires Put Southern Australia on High Alert - Fox News
Officials warned Tuesday the wildfires that devastated southern Australia this month could flare anew when high winds and hot temperatures sweep the region later this week, and raised the death toll from the blazes to 210.
• We join our brothers and sisters in Christ in Australia and around the world, asking our Lord to contain and put out these fires. If there be any who have committed arson, we ask that they be found. We pray, too, for the safety of the citizens of this country who may be in the path of more devastation. In Your Name, Lord, amen.
• [Pray that there be NO WIND to fan the flames.] "For He commands even the wind and the water, and they obey Him . . ." (Luke 8:25) [Pray that the arsonists be found and brought to justice.] "For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light." (Mark 4:22)
8. Obama Hits Hope Theme - AP
President walks fine line between honesty about economic crisis, optimism for future.
• Pray that our citizens not be taken in by smooth- sounding words, but instead be able to weigh all the facts with dispassionate wisdom. Pray against the spirits of deception and delusion from operating against us. Pray for all in authority to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to 1 Timothy 2: 3,4.
• "The deceived and the deceiver belong to Him." (Job 12:16)
9. Jindal: Obama's Economic Plan Irresponsible - AP
Republican leaders are calling President Barack Obama's handling of the economy irresponsible and wrongheaded, saying it will increase taxes and government debt.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who may challenge Obama in 2012, said Tuesday that the Obama-backed stimulus package will "grow the government, increase our taxes down the line, and saddle future generations with debt."
• As above, pray that the American people will be able to discern reason over rhetoric, by the grace of God. Pray!
• "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you." (Matthew 18:19 NLT)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"LORD has prepared His throne in the heaven; His kingdom rules over all." (Psalms 103:19)
1. Mofaz: Kadima should join Likud gov't - Jerusalem Post
Despite the announced intention of Kadima chair Tzipi Livni to lead her party into the opposition, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who is number two on the party list, said on Tuesday that he believed it would be best if Kadima joined Likud in a national unity government.
• Pray for God to cause the right combination of people in the Government that would best suit His purpose and plans at this point.
• " . . . and the government shall be upon his shoulder: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
2. U.S. Plans to Pledge $900 Million for Gaza - Reuters
The United States plans to pledge more than $900 million to help rebuild Gaza after Israel's offensive against Hamas and strengthen the Palestinian Authority, a U.S. official said on Monday. The money will be channeled through UN and other bodies and will not be distributed via the militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to make the announcement next week at a Gaza donors conference in Egypt.
• Lord, we pray that this money will not get to the terrorists groups in Gaza. We do not have money to do this. We pray that there will be wisdom on where our money is used. Let there be much frugality.
• "For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you." (Deuteronomy 23:14)
3. IDF foils 'large-scale terror attack' - Jerusalem Post
IDF soldiers foiled a large-scale attack at the Kissufim border crossing against troops or a southern Israeli community, security officials said on Monday.
4. U.S. presses Israel for concessions to a weakened Palestinian Authority - World Tribune
The United States has been pressuring Israel to offer additional goodwill gestures to the Palestinian Authority to bolster its support in the West Bank.
5. Officials fear US may cut military aid - Jerusalem Post
The Defense Ministry is concerned that US President Barack Obama will cut military aid to Israel in an effort to pressure the new government to take action against illegal outposts and settlement construction, defense officials said.
6. Ancient seals unearthed in Jerusalem dig - Jerusalem Post
A routine archeological excavation ahead of private construction in an Arab neighborhood on the outskirts of Jerusalem has uncovered a series of seal impressions from the reign of the biblical King Hezekiah 2,700 years ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday.
The First 100 Days
The First 100 Days: DAY 36
"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)
1. Napolitano Avoids Mentioning 'Terrorism' in Remarks to Congress
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is steering away from words like "terrorism" for her first testimony to Congress since taking office.
2. Officials: White House to Name Special Envoy for Darfur
Officials say the Obama administration plans to name a special envoy for Sudan's Darfur region, after actor George Clooney met with the president and urged him to create the post.
3. Obama Says Country Will Rebuild, Recover in Wake of Recession
President Obama discusses the economic challenges facing the nation in his address to a joint session of Congress.
4. Excerpts From Obama's Prepared Remarks to Congress
President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.
5. Obama's Public Speaking Reputation Open to Debate
While some admire President Obama's speaking skills, others mock them, saying he's only comfortable with teleprompters.
6. SPECIAL: Obama Appoints Anti-Israel Aide - Unity Coalition for Israel
A flurry of reports over the weekend said that the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, considered a sharp critic of Israel, is to be named to a top intelligence post in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.
Chas W. Freeman Jr., who was U.S. ambassador in Riyadh from 1989-1992, is set to be named chairman of the National Intelligence Council, which has a strong influence on the content of the intelligence briefings presented to the President (and puts together the National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, which in 2007 dissuaded the Bush regime from attacking Iran). The Council chairman is also often called on to give direct briefings to the President.
Typical of Freeman's viewpoints is a statement he made in a speech before the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs in 2007, in which he more or less blames international terrorist acts on Israel: "American identification with Israeli policy has also become total. Those in the region and beyond it who detest Israeli behavior, which is to say almost everyone, now naturally extend their loathing to Americans. This has had the effect of universalizing anti-Americanism, legitimizing radical Islamism, and gaining Iran a foothold among Sunni as well as Shiite Arabs. For its part, Israel no longer even pretends to seek peace with the Palestinians; it strives instead to pacify them. Palestinian retaliation against this policy is as likely to be directed against Israel's American backers as against Israel itself. Under the circumstances, such retaliation - whatever form it takes - will have the support or at least the sympathy of most people in the region and many outside it. This makes the long-term escalation of terrorism against the United States a certainty, not a matter of conjecture."
Obama's Leadership Team
Out of Left Field, Into Leadership
The majority of Americans may approve of the job President Obama is doing, but many are skeptical of the vacancies he is filling around him. In CNN's latest poll, nearly 40 percent of the country believes Obama "is doing a poor job selecting the top officials in his administration." With Congress back in session after a week-long siesta, some of the President's worst nominees will be taking their turn in the hot seat of Senate confirmation. After a brief delay, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on porn advocate David Ogden, Obama's controversial pick for Deputy Attorney General.
For more ammunition on Ogden, don't miss Cathy Ruse's eye-opening piece, "A Man Who Thinks Child Porn Is Free Speech Is Not Fit for Justice," published today in Human Events. It details some of Ogden's worst clients, including Stephen Knox, who was charged with possession of child pornography. In Knox's defense, Ogden argued that the videos (which included footage of children's genitalia) were an "art form." He claimed that the images merited protection under the First Amendment--leaving little doubt that he would act on those instincts as America's Deputy Attorney General. Another potential member of the Justice team, Dawn Johnsen, is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday. As Obama's choice for Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, Dawn's resume includes a stint at NARAL, the radical pro-abortion organization, in which she served as the legal director.
Meanwhile, little has been made of the President's Secretary of Labor-designate Hilda Solis (D-Calif.). Among other things, the current congresswoman has a history of communist ties and now serves as a member of the Progressive Caucus, "the socialist wing of the Democratic Party in the House." Since her election in 2001, Solis has consistently scored 0% on FRC Action's Vote Scorecard. As Labor Secretary, she would continue to champion the Employee Free Choice Act, a pro-union bill which would give the federal government "the power to dictate the terms of a contract and to set wages, benefits, hours and work rules." The full Senate will vote on Solis, the fourth of Obama's nominees to owe back taxes, tomorrow. (Family Research Council)
A "Chicago Tea Party"
Not a Tingle, But A Cramp
If you're frustrated by what the liberal Democrats are doing to our country, you're not alone. Perhaps you saw the "Trader's Tea Party," the instant YouTube hit of CNBC's Rick Santelli express his outrage at Obama's mortgage bailout plan. According to a new Rasmussen poll, 76% of Americans are unwilling to pay higher taxes to help pay for someone else's mortgage, and only 49% of Democrats support Obama's plan to bailout bad mortgages.
Maybe you've noticed that the stock market is down. Well, that would be an understatement. Yesterday, the markets fell to a ten-year low. While they have recovered some today, the turbulence of recent weeks is no surprise given the big spending, high tax, anti- growth policies of this administration. Now even liberals are starting to get angry.
During the presidential campaign the media were in the tank for Obama. No one better displayed that fact than MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who said that just listening to Obama gave him a tingle "going up my leg." After the election, Matthews declared that it was his job -- as a journalist -- to make sure the Obama Administration succeeded. But now it seems Chris Matthews has got a cramp in his leg.
On Hardball last night, Matthews said he was "angry" with Obama's performance so far, and he and his guests savaged the administration's performance and lashed into Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. You can watch a clip of the show here. (Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; 2/24/09)
Good News Corner
Sitting On Top of Riches
by Bill Bright
During the Depression, a man named Ira Yates was living in poverty, unaware that he was one of the richest men in the world.
He owned a large sheep ranch, and due to his poverty, he was in danger of losing it, because he could not afford to pay the interest on his bank loan and his property tax.
One day an oil company gained Mr. Yates' permission to drill a wildcat test well, believing there was a rich reservoir of oil on the property. Soon they discovered the one of the largest oil pools in the world.
Although he was a billionaire, Mr. Yates had lived for years in poverty. The day he purchased the land he received with it all the oil and mineral rights. It was all his, but he didn't know the oil was there, and thus he lived in great need.
I do not know of a better illustration for the Christian. Like Mr. Yates, many Christians are ignorant of their rights and resources and as a result are living in spiritual poverty.
Actually, there are two great tragedies in history:
(1) that many have rejected God's Son and all the incalculable riches that accompany our adoption by God through Him; and
(2) many have chosen to trust in Christ for their eternal salvation but live a life of spiritual poverty, ignorant of their inheritance, in this life and beyond.
If you are a believer, don't be like Ira Yates and sit in ignorance on top of your riches in Christ, while living in spiritual poverty!
Scripture: "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom." (Luke 12:32)
Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:3, 18; 3:8; Philippians 4:19; James 4:2-3
Prayer: "Thank you, Father, for the glorious riches we have in Christ, free to us but paid for with His own precious blood. He is worthy of all praise."
