In This Issue• On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 8a
• Special Alert: The States and Marriage
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
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On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XVI, Number 8a
February 23 - 27, 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)
* * * DOMESTIC ISSUES * * *
1. OBAMA PREPARES TO ADDRESS THE NATION ON TUESDAY NIGHT
2. DEMS. VS. DEMS IN THE NEW CONGRESS
3. STIMULUS BILL: U.S. TO COMPARE MEDICAL TREATMENTS
4. THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE: DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ
5. H.R. 45: BLAIR HOLT LICENSING . . . ACT OF 2009
6. THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT (Parts One and Two)
7. FRANKEN LOSES IN COURT; MINNESOTA SENATE SEAT UNCERTAIN
8. SENATE HAS YET TO CONFIRM DAVID OGDEN AS DEPUTY A. G.
9. HOLDER: "AMERICA HAS BEEN A NATION OF COWARDS"
10. REPORT: OBAMA ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITHOUT NOTIFYING PUBLIC
11. GOVERNMENT CANNOT SHUT DOWN TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS IN U.S.
12. RE-EVALUATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY ORDERED
13. COURT ORDER RELEASING TERRORISTS DETAINEES HAS BEEN REVERSED
1. OBAMA PREPARES TO ADDRESS THE NATION ON TUESDAY NIGHT
President Will Speak Before a Joint Session of Congress
A month into his presidency, Obama will have a huge audience when he addresses the joint session of Congress, televised live at 6 p.m. PST Tuesday. It's likely to be his biggest since roughly 59 million people watched his inauguration last month.
This gives him another chance to make his case for the rush of actions he's already taken - a $787 billion economic-stimulus package and a $75 billion plan to rescue beleaguered homeowners from foreclosure - and for what's yet to come for banks, health care and more.
"This is huge for him," said Leila Brammer, a scholar of presidential communications at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. "It's big for any first-year president, but particularly for Obama. He came in with great momentum. Then he had a few stumbles. This is the time to recapture that momentum." (Seattle Times)
• Pray for all of the members of the House and the Senate, as they witness the president's speech tomorrow night in the House chamber. May each one discern what he or she is hearing, in truth, and then follow through on legislative policy in the days ahead, accordingly. Pray, too, that the public will exercise discernment as they also listen to this speech.
• May the righteous in these chambers serve as "the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do . . . " (I Chronicles 12:32)
2. DEMS. VS. DEMS IN THE NEW CONGRESS
Forget the Republican filibuster and the race to 60. The real fight in the next Congress is Democrats vs. themselves. With nearly complete control of Washington for the first time in three decades, Democrats are entering a treacherous power zone in which many of their priorities could easily be undone by the geographic, demographic and ideological factions that compete for supremacy within the party.
Unless Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can whip their caucuses into unity, numerous fault lines will be revealed: Southern Democrats vs. Northern liberals on labor law; California greens vs. Rust Belt Democrats on global warming; socialized medicine adherents vs. go-slow health care reformers; anti-war liberals vs. cautious centrists on national security. And don't forget the anti-bailout crowd vs. the powerful Michigan Democrats in both chambers when it comes to money for Detroit.
Republicans insist they will fight for their issues when they can, but they also might simply take a front-row seat to see if Democrats implode. "When you're playing with live ammunition and you have to actually live with the consequences of the policy, it's much, much tougher," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). "Do Democrats really want to hamstring U.S. manufacturers with new climate change regulations in the current economic climate?" (Politico.com)
• Apparently, in the massive "stimulus bill" just passed, the leadership of the majority party in both the House and the Senate was able to overcome these divisions, bringing a strong victory for the administration. Lift up the information given here in prayer. May those who have dissenting opinions in the days ahead find the courage to voice their wisdom during each legislative debate in 2009. May they honor GOD and not man.
• "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom." (Psalm 111:10 NLT)
3. STIMULUS BILL: U.S. TO COMPARE MEDICAL TREATMENTS
The $787 billion economic stimulus bill approved by Congress will, for the first time, provide substantial amounts of money for the federal government to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for the same illness.
Under the legislation, researchers will receive $1.1 billion to compare drugs, medical devices, surgery and other ways of treating specific conditions. The bill creates a council of up to 15 federal employees to coordinate the research and to advise President Obama and Congress on how to spend the money. (New York Times)
• Be careful when reading any news from the mainstream media; filter everything you see and hear today through the lens of the Holy Spirit. Pray that this provision, which has now been passed as part of the stimulus bill, would be used only for good purposes and not for evil. Pray!
• "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! " (Isaiah 5:20 NKJV)
4. THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE: DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ
After repeatedly dodging questions for weeks, the White House finally issued a statement yesterday regarding the Orwellian "Fairness Doctrine." According to a White House spokesman, President Obama "does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated." Don't believe it.
Obama's views are not as straightforward as the White House suggests. On the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov you can find the following statement regarding media ownership:
"Encourage diversity in the ownership of broadcast media, promote the development of new media outlets for expression of diverse viewpoints, and clarify the public interest obligations of broadcasters who occupy the nation's spectrum."
Don't be fooled, my friends. The Obama White House won't call it "The Fairness Doctrine," but some reincarnation of it is coming soon. And it is being done in order to shut down the one medium of information that the Left does not yet control. Beyond efforts to "hush Rush," it is a clear threat to religious liberty as well. Seeing how the militant homosexual movement has reacted to the passage of Proposition 8 in California, does anyone doubt that it would hesitate to demand equal time to "balance," say, Dr. Dobson's daily Focus on the Family broadcasts? . . .
The Fairness Doctrine was the creation of bureaucratic regulation at the FCC, not legislation. And it could just as easily be reinstituted without a vote in Congress. Created in 1949, it took almost four decades to rollback, and today liberals like Nancy Pelosi and Bill Clinton are calling for its return. Just one more example of the many ways in which elections have consequences. (Gary Bauer; End-of- Day)
• If there were ever a time to be "wise as serpents, and gentle as doves," that time is now. Let's all take heed of Gary Bauer's wise counsel regarding the possible resurfacing ot "the Fairness Doctrine" in another guise, and let's be quick to pray, and to take action, when it does. Pray!
• "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16 NKJV)
5. H.R. 45: BLAIR HOLT LICENSING . . . ACT OF 2009
[Full Title] H.R. 45: BLAIR HOLT LICENSING AND RECORD OF SALE ACT OF 2009
H.R. 45 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Bobby Rush [D-IL] on January 6. 2009. This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee.
On Feb 9, 2009: The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. H.R. 45 "Provides for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes." To learn more about this bill, go here.
• Whenever any bill appears in Congress that impinges upon the Second Amendment to the Consitution -- our "right to bear arms" -- it deserves our prayerful attention. So far, this bill has no cosponsors. Pray that H.R. 45 will die in committee; it does nothing to protect this right.
• "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7)
6a. THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT - Part One
Does a ballot cast in private or a card signed in pub¬lic better reveal a worker's true preference about whether to join a union? A private vote is the obvious answer, but organized labor has nonetheless made the misleadingly named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA, H.R. 800) its highest legislative priority.
Recently, unions have switched the focus of their organizing operations from private balloting to publicly signed cards. These so-called card-check campaigns make it much easier for unions to orga¬nize workers, but most companies strongly resist the idea of denying their employees a vote. Unions now want the government to take away workers' right to vote and certify unions after only a card-check campaign. The Employee Free Choice Act would do this and more. The Employee Free Choice Act would strip workers of their fundamental rights and leave them more vulnerable to pressure than before. (The Heritage Foundation) [ Read more]
• This is the conservative opinion of this bill. For the other side of the story, read below . . .
6b. THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT - Part Two
Laboring Over Labor Unions
Opponents call it "card check" and say it oversimplifies the unionizing process and takes away the secret ballot. Advocates call it the Employee Free Choice Act and say it will open up new doors for labor protections.
This legislation - which would make it much easier for shops to unionize - is the big payback for Big Labor. The measure already passed the House this year and should easily pass the House next year. But the 100-member Senate needs 60 votes to break a filibuster, and the pro-business and pro-labor factions on both sides believe the Senate is stuck at 59.
The legislation is a tough call for new Southern Democratic senators such as Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mark Warner of Virginia, along with moderate Southerners such as Blanche L. Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, all of whom hail from less union-friendly Southern states.
The critical question is whether Reid and labor advocates can convince these moderates to back the cloture motion to stop a filibuster, then let them vote against the final bill, which requires only a simple majority to pass.
"We don't know if we have 60 yet. We're at 59 [for cloture] right now," said Josh Goldstein, a spokesman for American Rights at Work, a pro-labor group. "The issue has become front and center, and the worse the economy gets, the more support we get. [Business groups are] trying to make this a volatile issue for senators." (Politico.com)
• We find it interesting that, for all the apparent controversy surrounding this bill, whose defeat may be critical to securing the rights of union employees to cast a secret ballot inside the voting booth -- this bill cannot be found in the Library of Congress list of current legislation! Is this a "stealth maneuver" somewhere? Who can tell, because in this political climate, apparently "anything goes." Pray for TRANSPARENCY in any and all debate surrounding this bill; and pray that the public be alerted to the dangers in its language, if there are any.
• "For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light." (Luke 8:17)
7. FRANKEN LOSES IN COURT; MINNESOTA SENATE SEAT UNCERTAIN
This past Tuesday the Election Contest Court dealt Al Franken a major blow. This special Minnesota court ruled in favor of Norm Coleman's request to review almost 4800 Absentee ballots that Franken and his Democrat ally, Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, blocked from counting in the sham "recount". Harry Reid still wants to seat Al Franken in the Senate now, before all votes have been counted in Minnesota.
Many Republican Senators have angrily denounced the efforts of Democrats to force Franken in the Senate before Minnesota's finishes its election contest. Franken has now gone to the Minnesota Supreme Court to ask that Minnesota law be ignored and he be seated in the Senate now. (National Republican Lawyers Association)
• No matter what, this republic still functions on the basis of HONESTY -- including honest counting of votes. Ask the Lord to place His shield around the vote count for the Senate seat In Minnesota; and ask Him to "stay the hand" of Senator Reid, and others, until all the votes are in, and the actual will of the people of the State of Minnesota has been determined.
• "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes ' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil." (Matthew 5:37)
8. SENATE HAS YET TO CONFIRM DAVID OGDEN AS DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
The Senate Judiciary Committee has a little more time to consider President Obama's choice for Second-in- Command at the Department of Justice, David Ogden. Former federal prosecutor, and now Alliance Defense Fund attorney Pat Trueman believes that despite Ogden's radical record, "This was not an accidental appointment." Some experts believe Ogden was nominated to defend President Obama's "Science- based Sex Education" plan, (which is based upon Alfred Kinsey's discredited research). Thousands of calls opposing Ogden have flooded the Senate. (FRC Prayer Targets)
• May liberal Committee Democrats realize that Ogden is too radical, even for them!
• "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; . . ." (Ex. 18:21)
9. HOLDER: "AMERICA HAS BEEN A NATION OF COWARDS"
Attorney General Eric Holder has made more headlines with one speech than most government officials make with a hundred. To a roomful of Justice Department staff, Holder touched on the sensitive topic of racial reconciliation yesterday and ruffled many feathers in the process. "Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot," he said, "in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards."
Today his remarks have been plastered on newspapers and become the subject du jour on the talk shows. Many people, including conservatives, have recoiled at Holder's observation, which ironically, only seems to prove his point. "Though there remain many unresolved racial issues in this nation, we, average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race." I think the Attorney General is correct, Americans have cowered to political correctness and as a result we avoid topics like race. The solution to racial reconciliation, however, is not to be found in a more aggressive Department of Justice but in a more aggressive church where we unite around ideals rooted not in skin color but in Jesus Christ.
As Bishop Harry Jackson and I write in Personal Faith, Public Policy, blacks should not work with whites, or visa versa, out of obligation to right past wrongs or to advance personal or political agendas. We should work together because we're brothers and sisters in Christ, and He's called us to be unified around a biblical agenda that advances all of society. (FRC)
• Lord, we pray that there will be reconciliation in this nation so that everyone can recognize their equality before God. We pray also that the media will publicize the work that is being done in this nation to lessen any divides that may persist and that we will all see ourselves as sinners who need to be saved by You.
• "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
10. REPORT: OBAMA ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDERS WITHOUT NOTIFYING PUBLIC
President Obama issued a slew of executive orders and other official decisions without making any announcements to the press, Politico.com reports. According to an article published Tuesday night, the president has since taking office issued three executive orders, one memorandum, one presidential notice and a proclamation without any attention from the White House press corps. That's because the White House press office never announced them and never posted any reference to them on its Web site. A spokesman called the omission a "simple oversight," and said the information has since been posted to the WhiteHouse.gov site. Some of the decisions were minor, such as a proclamation for American Heart Month. But others expanded the size of key bodies, including the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council. Two others canceled orders relating to regulatory review from the Bush administration, according to the report. Politico.com found the decisions in the Federal Register, the government's official policy record.
• Offer a prayer that this "oversight" not occur again. Perhaps the Obama administration is still on a learning curve in their new position, but policy is policy, and protocol is protocol. Pray!
• "For the eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer." (I Peter 3:12 NAS)
11. GOVERNMENT CANNOT SHUT DOWN TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS IN U.S.
A non-profit Christian organization dedicated to protecting the traditions of the American family and defending the nation against radical Islam has released a documentary that exposes 35 terrorist training compounds being operated on American soil. Ryan Mauro, a terrorism analyst for CAN, says the video exposes the terrorist training activities at 35 compounds in the U.S. . . . "You see them setting off explosives, training how to kill guards, highjack cars, all forms of terrorist attacks," Mauro says of the film. "And he actually says on this video if you want training in these tactics [to] contact any of my Muslim in America compounds in the United States."
But Mauro says, incredibly, the U.S. government does not have the authority to shut the camps down. "The big problem here is that his group is not listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department," he points out. "So the authorities don't have the legal authority to go and shut these places down." Mauro adds that CAN wants citizens who see the film to lobby Congress to pass legislation that would allow authorities to at least investigate these domestic terrorist training camps. A trailer for the film can be viewed at CAN's website.(OneNewsNow)[Read more]
• Forgive us, Lord, for allowing the enemy of our nation to establish himself inside our borders. We have been tolerant when we should have been wise. Call forth Your army, Lord, to drive out these interlopers. Pray that the "legal counsel" being given to terrorists among us would backfire on their own heads, bringing them to justice.
• "Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, may ruin overtake them by surprise - may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin." (Psalm 35:7,8)
12. RE-EVALUATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY ORDERED
The homeland security secretary, Janet Napolitano, is re-evaluating the largest federal program for testing the country's ability to respond to terrorist attacks, one of several Bush administration initiatives she has ordered to come under review.
As governor of Arizona, Napolitano sent a searing two- page letter to her predecessor as secretary, Michael Chertoff, complaining that a $25 million national exercise in October 2007, which she and 23,000 other federal, state, and local emergency workers participated in, was too expensive, too long in planning and "too removed from a real-world scenario."
Now, in her first weeks as head of the Homeland Security Department, Napolitano has ordered a review of that program and several others, including cybersecurity, a strategy for protecting the border with Canada, and the vulnerability of power plants and other critical infrastructure. (NYTimes.com 2/17/09)
• Pray that wisdom and strategic understanding be granted to Secretary Janet Napolitano and all working on the re-evaluation and cost-effectiveness of Homeland Security, our nation's first-response capabilities, cybersecurity, the vulnerability of energy plants and infrastructures, and how best to secure and monitor our U.S. ports and borders. [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
• "I guide you in the way of wisdom, and lead you along straight paths." (Proverbs 4:11)
13. COURT ORDER RELEASING TERRORISTS DETAINEES HAS BEEN REVERSED
"Ever since national States have come into being, the right of the people to enjoy the hospitality of a State of which they are not citizens has been a matter of political determination by each State" - a matter "wholly outside the concern and competence of the Judiciary." Invoking those words of Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter to explain a principle that was already black-letter law when he wrote them some 57 years ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has reversed a federal district judge's lawless order that 17 alien jihadists be released into the United States.
The detainees, Muslim radicals known as Uighurs because they come from the Xinjiang Uighur region of China, are a cause célèbre among antiwar activists. They were captured by Coalition forces after the American invasion of Afghanistan. Their presence there was not an accident: They had sought and received instruction in the paramilitary camps of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. ETIM is an al- Qaeda affiliate that has been formally designated as a terrorist organization under U.S. law.
Nevertheless, under enormous political pressure to close the holding facility at Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. military has resorted to irresponsible rationalizations in its haste to clear detainees for release. In the Uighurs' case, despite their jihadist ideology, their terrorist training, the fact that at least some of them fought against Coalition forces, and their joining other terrorist detainees in rioting at Gitmo, the military took the position that they were a threat to China rather than to the United States. (National Review Online)
• This rather complicated explanation points to the difficulty facing the problem of what to do with the Gitmo detainees. However, when judges overstep their authority and rule for the enemy of the USA instead of our protection, the time has come for common sense to prevail. Praise the Lord that more righteous judges will cover these cases. Pray for the safety of the USA against terrorists and for the removal of foolish judges from their authority.
• ". . . when the earth experiences Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26( NAS)
Special Alert: The States and Marriage
The State of Our Unions - Family Research Council
During our rally in Maine last week, the urgency of these state marriage battles really hit home with the crowd. One local legislator who supports traditional marriage was brutally honest when he said, "Look, I already have a stack of letters in my office from supporters of gay marriage. You're behind." As we speak, a dozen or so states are on high alert for legislation that could radically alter the family. Unless you and your church family engage, we stand to lose a lot of important ground. For an update on where the biggest storms are brewing or how you can make a difference in passing a marriage protection amendment, see the list below. For more information, a marriage map, and important phone numbers, visit www.frc.org.
Connecticut: SB 899 would "codify" the court ruling that legalized same-sex "marriage" in the state. If the bill passes, it will legitimize same- sex "marriage" through the legislature. Delaware: Although they will be introduced as "domestic partnership" bills, HB 5 and HB 10 (expected at the end of March) would confer all the benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. The movement for a marriage protection amendment has already begun. Legislation that would define marriage in the state constitution will be introduced in the Senate on March 17 and could be voted on as early as March 27.
Hawaii: HB 444 and SB 458 are one vote away from creating civil unions in Hawaii. State Sen. Robert Bunda (D) is the only undecided member of the legislature, and he is under enormous pressure to side with the homosexual lobby.
Indiana: This is the last week for legislative hearings, and the marriage protection amendment (SJR 15, HJR 7, and HJR8) risks being blocked by the House--again!
Maine: Sen. Dennis Damon's same- sex "marriage" bill (LR 1069) is expected to be debated at the end of February. The best chance we have to beat the bill is in the Senate, where three supporters of traditional marriage are said to be wavering.
Maryland: A marriage protection amendment is in play in both the House (HB 913) and Senate (SB 647), while a bill that would establish civil unions (SB 565) has been released to the Senate for first reading.
New Hampshire: Two competing bills, one in favor of same-sex "marriage" (HB 436) and one which would knock out the civil union law and define marriage as the union of a man and woman (HB 453), are being considered in the House.
New Mexico: A domestic partnership bill (SB 12) passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is headed to the Senate floor for a vote tomorrow. If it passes, it will be reported to the House where would likely pass. The legislation would equate to marriage without being called "marriage."
Rhode Island: A marriage protection bill (SB 0136) will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 26.
South Carolina: SB 0042, which would legalize civil unions, was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
Vermont: Reps. Mark Larson and David Zuckerman introduced H 178 to change the state's civil union law to same-sex "marriage." We expect action on this threat next week in both the House and Senate.
West Virginia: Republican leaders put a marriage protection amendment on the 60-day legislative calendar but lawmakers will need tremendous grassroots pressure to move on a bill that has stalled for two years in a row.
• Pray that the citizens of each of these states would be as "the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. . . " (I Chronicles 12:32) May each man and woman be graced with strength, wisdom and favor as he or she acts to uphold traditional marriage in these 12 states of our Union. Amen.
• "Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power . . . " (Psalm 110:3 NAS)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LORD MY GOD (Adoni Ehlohi)
" Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. (Zech. 14:5 NIV)
To know You personally and to see You in everything makes life the greatest adventure ever. What a blessing it is to know You, and to know that You know me, and love me, just as i am. LORD MY GOD, thank You for loving me.
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:30)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XVI, Number 8b
• On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 8b
• In Congress This Week
• A Unique Training Opportunity
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
* * * INTERNATIONAL ISSUES * * *
"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)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 8b
1. NORTH KOREA "DEPLOYING MORE MISSILES"
2. CLINTON URGES CHINA TO CONTINUE INVESTMENT IN U.S. ECONOMY
3. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ENDORSED AS ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER
4. MORE PRAYERS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
5. HAMAS TV PUPPET INCITES VIOLENCE
6. IRAN PLANS "PALESTINE" CONFERENCE
7. SURVEY: EU ANTI-SEMITISM LEVELS CAUSE CONCERN
8. DECLARATION TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM SIGNED IN LONDON
9. POPE TO VISIT ISRAEL IN MAY
10. UNCRC WOULD THREATEN AMERICAN FAMILIES
1. NORTH KOREA "DEPLOYING MORE MISSILES"
North Korea has recently completed the deployment of new medium-range missiles capable of reaching more parts of Asia, South Korea says. The communist nation also bolstered its special forces and its navy, a Ministry of Defense white paper said. North Korea and its 1.19 million troops constituted a 'direct and serious threat', the report said.
The white paper comes amid speculation that Pyongyang could be planning to test-fire a new long- range missile. It also comes amid heightened tension between the two Koreas, over South Korean leader Lee Myung-bak's decision to link economic aid to progress on denuclearisation.
Observers believe Pyongyang could test-fire its Taepodong-2 missile in a bid to improve its bargaining power with the new US administration over the stalled aid-for-disarmament deal. The industry journal, Jane's Defense Weekly, is reporting that its analysis of satellite imagery suggests a test launch could take place within the next few days. (BBC News)
• Lord as we look to You for our protection, we pray that N. Korea will calm down and not continue to threaten other nations with their missiles. We pray for cooperation between the nations to reduce violence.
• "He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." (Proverbs 17:27, 28)
2. CLINTON URGES CHINA TO CONTINUE INVESTMENT IN U.S. ECONOMY
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging China to continue investing in United States Treasury bonds and said Sunday that country's continued investment in the U.S. is a recognition that the two countries depend on each other. "I certainly do think that the Chinese government and central bank are making a smart decision by continuing to invest in treasury bonds," she said during an interview with the show "One on One." "It's a safe investment. The United States has a well- deserved financial reputation."
In order to boost the economy, the U.S has to incur more debt, she said. "It would not be in China's interest if we were unable to get our economy moving," Clinton said. "So by continuing to support American Treasury instruments, the Chinese are recognizing our interconnection. We are truly going to rise or fall together. We are in the same boat and, thankfully, we are rowing in the same direction.
"Our economies are so intertwined, the Chinese know that to start exporting again to their biggest market, namely the United States the United States has to take some very drastic measures with this stimulus package, which means we have to incur more debt." With the export-heavy Chinese economy reeling from the U.S. downturn, Clinton has sought in meetings with President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao to reassure Beijing that its massive holdings of U.S. Treasury notes and other government debt would remain a solid investment. (Fox News)
• Lord, help us to find a way to relate to other nations without turning our financial health over to them. We know that You warn against out becoming indebted to others. We pray that our government will begin to work toward self-reliance and not to sink this nation deeper into debt. We praise You that You will provide for our needs if we only will turn to You.
• And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? (Luke 16:11-12)
3. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ENDORSED AS ISRAEL PRIME MINISTER
Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel's Right-wing Likud party, has won the endorsement of Israel's 'kingmaker' in a crucial step towards becoming prime minister. Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, formally recommended that President Shimon Peres send for Mr Netanyahu and make him prime minister. Consequently, Israel may soon have a hardline, Right- wing government that may prove an exceptionally difficult partner for America's new administration. (London Telegraph)
• We pray that the Israeli government will focus on security of its nation and people. We thank You that the elections went smoothly and we pray the politicians there and in the US will turn to You for guidance in making strategic decisions.
• "And he said to them, 'Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men.'" (Acts 5:35)
4. MORE PRAYERS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
[These prayers are offered by Intercessors for Israel.]
• Lord, we are still believing You for a government through whom You can glorify Yourself.
• "LORD has prepared His throne in the heaven; His kingdom rules over all." (Psalms 103:19)
• We thank You that Bibi Netanyahu has been asked to form the next government and be the next prime minister.
• Give Netanyahu and his negotiating team the wisdom of Solomon.
• Raise up a new government quickly. (Isaiah 43:19a)
• Create a government out of this political turmoil that will be much closer to Your will than any other one since the recreation of the State of Israel.
• Give us leaders who will not make excuses for needing to defend Israel and it's citizens.
• Hedge in Peres today so that he must make a decision in line with Your choice.
• Since Kadima divided Your land, we ask that the results of the coalition negotiations will be a divided Kadima (Joel 3:1-2).
• In all coalition negotiations, "Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail." (Psalms 9:19)
• Set up a government that makes Your priorities its priorities - the return of the Jews and security for them when they come home. Your land not being divided and righteousness in all areas of government and society. The ability to resist the pressure from the world and live as a nation alone.
5. HAMAS TV PUPPET INCITES VIOLENCE
The Palestinian Media Watch reported on February 17 that a new puppet has appeared on Hamas children's television. The producers have already had the Mickey Mouse-look alike, a bee, and a rabbit, but now the fourth has appeared - a bear named Nassur, who appeared on Friday, promising to be a Jihad fighter and declaring war on all the Zionists.
Nassur announces: "I will join the ranks of the Ezzedin Al-Qassam Brigade and will be a jihad fighter with them. I will carry a rifle. Do you know why? To defend the children of Palestine, the children who were killed; the children who were wounded; the orphaned children. That's why; from this moment, I declare war on the criminal Zionists. Not only me, me and you. Are you ready?" (Bridges For Peace)
• Intercede against this brainwashing tactic designed to inflict hate and bias in the hearts of children. Jesus had much to say about harming children, and the world hates abuse of children, for they are the inheritance of the Lord. Only Jesus can deliver these children from the hate instilled in them.
• "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
6. IRAN PLANS "PALESTINE" CONFERENCE
Iran plans to hold a conference in support of Gaza at the beginning of March, and has sent out invitations to several regional leaders. The conference will be held in the capital Tehran March 4-5, and will be attended by senior Iranian officials and parliament speakers from several countries. Iran has invited officials from Bahrain, Lebanon, Nigeria, Oman, Sudan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Palestinians in the Diaspora. Iran is also inviting "leaders of Palestinian groups," the official news agency IRNA reported.
Palestinian representatives are more likely to include members of what is known as resistance groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, rather than representatives of the Palestinian Authority [PA]. Nimr Hammad, an adviser to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas [Abu Mazen], said PA officials had not received a formal invitation to attend the conference. "I think they decided to do something at the same time that Egypt is organizing a conference for rebuilding Gaza on March 2," he told The Media Line. "There's a contradiction between what the Iranians are planning and the conference organized by Egypt with the participation of the European Union, the United States, Japan, and other countries." Nimr said the PA would be represented at the conference in Cairo.
Experts say Iran provides Hamas with ammunition, weapons, military training, as well as political backing. Evidence to back these claims includes testimonies of Palestinian terrorists who were seized by the Israelis and admitted to receiving training and other assistance from Iran, and insignia on weaponry fired from Gaza that can be traced back to Iran. (Bridges For Peace)
• This conference appears to be an attempt to pressure Israel and strengthen Hamas. Pray that the Iran plan will be thwarted and their attempts to incite more violence will be denied. Pray that many of the "would-be" attendees to Iran will find reasons to not attend and that Iran's manipulative plans are foiled once again by the Lord.
• "Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence." (Psalm 27:12)
7. SURVEY: EU ANTI-SEMITISM LEVELS CAUSE CONCERN
A survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has found that nearly a third of Europeans blame Jews for the global economic meltdown and that a greater number think Jews have too much power in the business world. For the survey, 3,500 people, 500 each in Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, were interviewed and asked about their views on Jews.
In Spain, 74% of respondents said it was "probably true" that Jews hold too much sway over the global financial markets. Nearly 2/3 of those surveyed in Spain said Jews were more loyal to Israel than they were to their home countries. Britain consistently registered the lowest levels of anti-Jewish sentiment, and numbers there have fallen from a similar survey conducted in 2007. Austria also registered a slight drop in the level of anti-Semitism, while in other countries anti-Semitic sentiment either remained the same or deepened, the survey indicated.
Overall, about 40% of those questioned said Jews had too much power in the business world, including more than half of Hungarian, Spanish, and Polish respondents. And 44% said it is was "probably true" that Jews still talk too much about the Holocaust. (World Jewish Congress)
• Pray that the wicked bias of anti-Semitism will continue to be exposed. Praise God for the improved statistics recorded for Britain and Austria. Pray that other nations will "see the light" and stop isolating the Jewish people with this wickedness. Continue to soundly rebuke this evil spirit from gaining power in the USA, for we, as a nation, have been so blessed to provide a good home for the Jews.
• "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:3)
8. DECLARATION TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM SIGNED IN LONDON
A declaration was signed in London on Tuesday by 125 parliamentarians from 40 countries pledging to challenge anti-Semitism on behalf of all participating nations. The London Declaration states that the international community must "not be witness or [be] party to another gathering like Durban in 2001," in reference to the infamous UN "anti-racism" conference in which the focus on Israel, to the exclusion of all other issues, was widely perceived as anti-Semitic. The final day of the London Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism also noted the dramatic increase in anti-Semitism being disseminated in the media and attacks targeting Jewish persons and property. "There is a new sophisticated, globalizing, virulent and even lethal anti-Semitism, reminiscent of the atmospherics of the '30s and without parallel or precedent since the end of the Second World War," said former Canadian attorney-general and founding co-chair of the conference Irwin Cotler. (ICEJ News)
• This excellent news from London makes the heart to sing and to praise the Lord that in spite of the media there are many people throughout the world who recognize the significance of the Jews and Israel to the Lord. Give thanks and say "Yes" to the Lord that you will one of those who will stand against anti- Semitism whenever and wherever you encounter it. Pray His light into the darkness.
• "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you' and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12: 3)
9. POPE TO VISIT ISRAEL IN MAY
On February 15 Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert confirmed Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel in May. This will be the first visit to Israel since John Paul in 2000. A press statement from the Vatican described the visit as "courageous." They mentioned the continuing strife in the region, strains in the Jewish- Catholic relations and Israel's own political limbo.
Broadcasting on Vatican radio Rev. Frederico Lombardi said, "There are continuing tensions in a region prone to conflict, including a war that devastated the Gaza Strip and wounded its people. The peace process has hardly made any decisive steps." But Lombardi insisted the Pope must visit. "Indeed, perhaps for all these reasons he must go."
Prime Minister Olmert told the cabinet meeting President Shimon Peres will escort the pontiff throughout his tour of "various sites in Israel." (BFP)
• Pray that the tensions between the Vatican and Israel will not react negatively on the wider Jewish-Christian relationships. Rev. Lombardi's comments expressing sympathy for the inhabitants of Gaza without mentioning the violence of Hamas does not bode well for the Pope's understanding of the conflict. Lay the groundwork for the Pope's visit with much prayer.
• "You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust." (Psalm 102:13-14)
10. U.N. CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD WOULD THREATEN AMERICAN FAMILIES
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is a treaty that is extremely damaging to parental rights and the family structure, as well as our national sovereignty. The CRC was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1995, but opposition by members of the Senate kept the treaty from being ratified. Legislators found that it was incompatible with the rights of the parents to raise their children. But new Democrat majorities in Congress and a new administration in the White House make ratification of the CRC far more likely. President-elect Barack Obama has already expressed his support of the CRC and has said, "It is embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia," the only other UN nation not to ratify the CRC. If our government were to ratify the CRC, the UN would undermine parental authority through government control of our children.
Phyllis Schafly, the Founder of the Eagle Forum, tells FamilySecurityMatters.org: "Unlike our U.S. Constitution, which only mentions rights that can be enforced against the government, this UN treaty declares rights of the child against parents, the family, private institutions, and society as whole. Do we really want to give every child the legal right to say anything he wants to his parents at the dinner table? To watch television ("access to the media") instead of doing homework? To escape household chores because they interfere with his UN right to "rest and leisure"? To join a cult instead of attending his parents' church? To refuse to speak English in our public schools? I think not. The UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child should be rejected as contrary to American constitutional law and common sense." (Family Security Matters.org)
• This is another monster, spawned by the United Nations, whose intent (as above) is to disempower the authority of parents over their children, and empower the government to instead "dictate" how our young ones are to be raised. Over the past 15 years that Capitol Hill Prayer Partners has lifted up prayers for our nation, we have witnessed the demise of a number of related U.N. initiatives -- all designed to threaten either our national sovereignty or our authority to set standards of righteousness in the privacy of our own homes. It is time to raise up a WALL OF PRAYER, once again, in the face of this planned onslaught against parents. God is GOOD; as we join in united cries of intercession over this issue, His Word will not return to Him void. Amen.
• "All my enemies will be ashamed; they shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed." (Psalm 6:10)
In Congress This Week
www.citizenjoe.org
Budget '10: Congress will be a sideshow this week as DC's main events come courtesy of the White House. After squeaking a $787 billion stimulus package through Congress two weeks ago, then disappointing Wall Street with a much anticipated revamp of the TARP bailout bill last week, the administration won't be spared economic headaches this week when it presents the outline of a proposed budget for 2010. To prepare the nation for $1 trillion deficit sticker-shock, President Obama will start off the week with a "financial responsibility" summit on Monday and a congressional address on Tuesday, hoping to get across the point that fiscal sobriety will - someday - return to DC.
Budget '09: Meanwhile the House will be polishing off budget business from last year, voting on a bundle of nine (out of twelve) spending bills for the current fiscal year. Opting to avoid a budget tussle with President Bush, Congress put off passing all non- defense spending items last year, instead approving a "continuing resolution" to keep funding at 2008 levels through March 6.
Housing Help: Following up on a mortgage rescue plan proposed by the administration last week, the House will vote on a measure to let bankruptcy judges restructure (or "cram down") mortgages to levels families can handle. Lawmakers may also revise the "Hope for Homeowners" bill passed in '09, intended to encourage banks to voluntarily refinance up to 400,000 mortgages. So far that bill has only provided hope for 25 families.
A Unique Training Opportunity
The Watchmen on the Wall:
A note to our CHPP Prayer Partners:
We are well aware that the vast majority of our readers have a deep passion to stand by Israel in prayer, and in action, as our Lord gives us opportunity to do so.
In that spirit, we wish to share the information, below, from Eagles' Wings Ministries, for your careful review.
Around the world, the Watchmen on the Wall program is equipping Christians for effective articulation to people, and informed intercession to G-d, regarding Israel and its issues. Find out more about the Watchmen program by browsing this site, and get started today on your journey to become a Watchmen on the Wall.
The Watchmen on the Wall program involves a broad- based curriculum written by knowledgeable Christian leaders, full of relevant material and assignments. Training includes written materials, recorded teachings, and live seminars, which cover the history of the Jewish people, the history of Christian Anti- Semitism, media bias, a basic understanding of the current conflict, reasons for standing with Israel and instruction for becoming an articulate spokesperson for Israel.
Curriculum:
The Watchmen on the Wall curriculum consists of a manual and three teaching sets, available from the KAIROS Resource Center. The manual includes statistics, facts, and insights from knowledgeable Christian Leaders in the land, contains lists of additional resources for people who desire to delve deeper into a topic, and presents a series of study questions after each chapter to reinforce the teaching and to use for group study and discussions. The audio teaching sets contain a variety of themes that include not only foundational teaching, practical guides for prayer, plus facts and figures concerning political issues, but also exhortation and encouragement to help keep each Watchman strong and focused as they intercede.
Seminars:
The Watchmen Seminar is a one-and-a-half-day training program designed to fit into your schedule, where we bring our highly-qualified instructors and an Eagles' Wings worship leader to your location. The seminar is a powerful opportunity to become educated and activated on behalf of Israel, and is taught in correlation with our highly-acclaimed training manual and curriculum. During the seminar, you will learn a Biblical and historical foundation, relevant facts concerning present political issues, and important guidelines for taking a Biblical stand for Israel. You will also share in times of intimate worship and intercession.
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LORD MY GOD (Adoni Ehlohi)
" Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him."
(Zech. 14:5 NIV)
To know You personally and to see You in everything makes life the greatest adventure ever. What a blessing it is to know You, and to know that You know me, and love me, just as i am. LORD MY GOD, thank You for loving me.
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:30)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
