In This Issue• On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 11a
• One More Bill to Watch
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
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On Capitol Hill This Week - Volume XVI, Number 11a
March 16 - 20, 2009
March 16 - 20, 2009
* * DOMESTIC ISSUES * *
"I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it that men should fear before Him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
1. OBAMA SIGNS LAW BANNNING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ESC RESEARCH!!
2. WASHINGTON PLANS FOR BIG BANK FAILURE
3. SENATE MOVES TOWARD RATIFICATION OF LOST TREATY
4. WHITE HOUSE TO CHALLENGE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT (DOMA)
5. PRE-BORN PERSONHOOD EFFORTS MOVE ACROSS NATION
6. NEW FCC RULING CREATES FREE SPEECH EMERGENCY
7. NEW RNC CHAIRMAN: ABORTION IS A WOMAN'S "CHOICE"
8. U.S. INTELLIGENCE PICK PULLS OUT AFTER SCRUTINY
9. ELIGIBILITY BILL HITS CONGRESS
10. PRESIDENT DRAMATICALLY SHIFTS TONE ABOUT U.S. ECONOMY
11. OBAMAS STILL LOOKING FOR A CHURCH HOME
1. OBAMA SIGNS LAW BANNNING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ESC RESEARCH!!
On Wednesday, only two days after he lifted President Bush's executive order banning federal funding of stem cell research that requires the destruction of human embryos, President Barack Obama signed a law that explicilty bans federal funding of any "research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death."
The provision was buried in the 465-page omnibus appropriations bill that Obama signed Wednesday. Known as the Dickey-Wicker amendment, it has been included in the annual appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services every fiscal year since 1996.The amendment says, in part: "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for-(1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or (2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death."
Found in Section 509 of Title V of the omnibus bill (at page 280 of the 465-page document), the federal funding ban not only prohibits the government from providing tax dollars to support research that kills or risks injury to a human embryo, it also mandates that the government use an all-inclusive definition of "human embryo" that encompasses any nascent human life from the moment that life comes into being, even if created in a laboratory through cloning, in vitro fertilization or any other means. Thanks to the Dickey-Wicker language in Section 509 of the omnibus bill, the "extent permitted by law" will continue to forbid federal funding of research that even puts embryos at risk. [Read more] (CNSNews.com)
• This news has come to us from two reliable sources: CNSNews and World Net Daily. Were it not for these sources, we would find this report hard to believe. Instead, maybe we need to believe in a God of miracles, who has heard our prayers that the lives of these precious human embryos would not be destroyed; and that the heart of the king would turn towards preserving life.
Whether the preservation of the Dickey-Wicker Amendment was intentional on the part of this president, or "merely" done by oversight, tonight we have cause to rejoice at the mercy of God. Praise God!
• "With God, nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37)
2. WASHINGTON PLANS FOR BIG BANK FAILURE
A bill introduced in Congress would give Sheila Bair, chief of the FDIC, the agency that stands behind Americans' bank deposits, temporary authority to borrow as much as $500 billion from the government to shore up the deposit insurance fund. The bill -- the Depositor Protection Act of 2009, backed by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn. and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho -- wouldn't change the status of individual bank accounts, which through the end of this year are insured up to $250,000.
But the Dodd-Crapo bill acknowledges what the financial markets have been signaling for the past month -- that the government must take the lead in a costly cleanup of the mess in the financial sector. Dodd said he introduced the legislation at the behest of other regulators, notably Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. chief Sheila Bair, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. All three recently wrote Dodd to support an emergency expansion of the FDIC's capacity to borrow from the Treasury. . .
The five biggest U.S. bank holding companies - Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500), Citi, JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500), Wells Fargo and Wachovia, which is now owned by Wells - had domestic deposits of between $271 billion and $701 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2008, according to the most recent data available from the FDIC. With credit costs, which reflect expenses tied to bad mortgage and credit card loans, on the way to doubling the levels reached in the 1991 recession, Whalen expects the cost of fixing troubled banks to hit $1 trillion. [Read more] (CNNMoney.com)
• Pray over your personal finances which Jesus promised to increase and protect if we are faithful in our trust in Him. Ask the Lord to sweep clean all the machinations and the perpetrators that have brought our economy down and to restore righteousness to our nation. Continue to pray for a close relationship between the USA and Israel so that the Lord can bless us. Only the Lord can lead us out of this financial entanglement.
• "But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12: 31)
3. SENATE MOVES TOWARD RATIFICATION OF LOST TREATY
LOST -- the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, also called the Law of the Sea Treaty -- regulates all things oceanic, from fishing rights, navigation lanes and environmental concerns to what lies beneath: the seabed's oil and mineral wealth that companies hope to explore and exploit in coming years.
The U.N. began working on LOST during the Nixon administration in 1973, and 157 nations have signed on to the treaty since it was concluded in 1982. Yet, President Reagan shelved it, and it has never even been brought to a full vote before the Senate. But swelling approval in the Senate and the combined support of the White House, State Department and U.S. Navy mean LOST may be ready to unfurl its sails again. Treaty critics say passage will create a massive U.N. bureaucracy with different tribunals and authorities, that could claim powers over American waterways through entities such as the Law of the Sea Tribunal in Germany, a panel of 21 U.N. judges who would have say over pollution levels in American rivers.
LOST apportions "Exclusive Economic Zones" that stretch 200 miles from a country's coast and establishes the International Seabed Authority to administer the communal territory farther out. The treaty's proponents say it clears up a murky legal area that has prevented companies from taking advantage of the deep seas' wealth. (Fox News)
• Always follow the money. What LOST will really do is give more money to governments who sign onto this treaty, and lessen America's sovereignty over her waterways and maritime borders. Military benefits that promise safe "fly-over zones" and safe passage through all seaways, are secondary.
So, we pray Lord, that any deception in this Treaty be revealed and that those who would vote for its passage reconsider the huge loss of maritime freedom and underwater resources to America if ratified by the Senate. If this treaty hasn't found ratification in over 30-years, why does it need approval, now? Please protect America from her enemies, within and without her borders. Lord, we pray for America's leadership that they would turn to You for Wisdom, because Wisdom was with You when you created the seas. May they not be LOST when voting for this treaty. In Jesus' Name we cry out to You for help. Amen.
• "When He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside Him as a master craftsman, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men." (Proverbs 8: 29-31 NKJV)
4. WHITE HOUSE TO CHALLENGE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT (DOMA)
In 2004, a younger Barack Obama sat down with a reporter from the Windy City Times and made no secret of his disgust over laws that protect traditional marriage. "When Members of Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, they were not interested in strengthening family values or protecting civil liberties. They were only interested in perpetuating division . . . Despite my own feelings about an abhorrent law, the realities of modern politics persist."
If the latest reports are any indication, those "realities" are about to face their biggest test yet. Two federal appeals court judges in California have launched a fierce strike on DOMA, ordering the federal government in two separate cases to disregard its own law and provide health benefits for the same-sex partners of federal employees. . . Although the President's tone may have drastically changed since 2004, his agenda has not. Even the White House website hints at where the administration will lean. "Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status . . ."
At its heart, the debate over what constitutes marriage should be a matter of congressional and voter review - not judicial fiat. Laws like DOMA cannot be subject to the whims of two liberal judges, else--like marriage-- those laws would soon hold no meaning.(Family Research Council; edited)
• Heavenly Father, in You lies the truth that there is only marriage between one man and one woman. May those who seek to change the definition of Your institution of marriage have their hearts softened by Your Holy Spirit to acknowledge this truth. Marriage and family is the way that the earth was populated by Your divine plan. And, Father, may they and all lost souls, be saved unto Your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray these things for Your Honor and Glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
• "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1: 27-28 NKJV)
5. PRE-BORN PERSONHOOD EFFORTS MOVE ACROSS NATION
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-TX) has introduced H.R. 881, the Right to Life Act, on the federal level, propelling a nationwide personhood movement forward.
DENVER, CO - Personhood USA reports that seven different states have started efforts for the personhood of pre-born children. In addition, five states have introduced bills affirming the personhood rights of pre- born humans from the moment of fertilization including: Maryland / HB925 Delegate Don Dwyer; North Dakota / HR 1572 Rep. Dan Ruby; Montana / SB 406 Sen. Daniel W McGee (passed, see below!); South Carolina / H.3526 Rep. Liston Barfield; Alabama / SB-335 Sen. Hank Erwin. Oregon has begun a personhood amendment petition drive, and Mississippi's personhood amendment petition drive was expected to launch within weeks.
HELENA, MT - Montana became the first state to pass a Personhood Amendment in U.S. history on February 26, 2009. Amendment SB 406, introduced by Sen. Dan McGee passed in its third reading on the Senate floor by a 26-24 vote.
The common thread among all of these efforts is the goal to fill what is becoming known as the "Blackmun Hole" in Roe v. Wade. This is where Justice Blackmun implied in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that if the case were established that the pre-born was a person, the argument for abortion collapses. In Roe v Wade, it is acknowledged that the "fetus" is fully human, but did not grant the rights of "persons" until birth. (Christian Newswire 2/18/09) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
• Dear Lord, Man has to ask, "What is personhood?" We know that You say in Your Word, that man is made in Your Image. We pray that Your truth will be known. We also pray that the earthly term, "Person," will be legislatively and judicially granted to pre-born human beings, so that they will receive the particular set of human defined characteristics that grants certain rights such as the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We pray that worldwide, they will be protected by God-given and constitutionally protected rights. Please have Your Holy Spirit intercede on the behalf of Your precious unborn children everywhere. In the protective Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
• "Then God said, 'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." (Genesis 1: 26 NKJV)
6. NEW FCC RULING CREATES FREE SPEECH EMERGENCY
The New "Fairness" Doctrine: The Durbin Censorship Doctrine
A growing fear that liberals in Washington were set to re-instate the "Fairness" Doctrine to silence talk radio - - the only media venue not under their complete control -- led grassroots citizens, key members of Congress and organizations like the Media Research Center to take strong and unrelenting action against such a move, forcing the Leftist Washington establishment to back away from it's reinstatement.
However, undaunted in their zeal to silence conservative opposition, liberal leaders in Washington voted on and passed "The Durbin Amendment", which actually poses a much greater danger to our free speech rights than the "Fairness Doctrine" because it expands the FCC censorship threat in ways never imagined.
The Durbin Censorship Doctrine: requires the FCC to "take actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership" and reinforces in law existing expansive FCC regulatory powers to silence conservative speech. (Media Research Center)
• Friends of ours in broadcasting have indicated that this FCC regulation will force them to have more localism and diversity first, and then harass the stations to get more liberal talk show hosts to balance Rush, etc. So, this battle is not over. Wage war in the heavenlies on behalf of our free speech rights in our nation, and sign the petition to protest this action by going to the link for the Media Research Institute here.
• "For it is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." (Zech. 4:6)
7. NEW RNC CHAIRMAN: ABORTION IS A WOMAN'S "CHOICE"
In a recent GQ magazine interview, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele told that he supports abortion rights. "I think that's an individual choice (to have an abortion). Yeah absolutely," he said.
Steele later issued a statement "clarifying" his comments regarding abortion saying he is "pro-life." Steele also disputed the view that being homosexual is a lifestyle choice. "I don't think I've ever really subscribed to that view that you can turn it on and off like a water tap. . . You just can't simply say, oh, like, 'Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being gay.' It's like saying 'Tomorrow morning I'm gonna stop being black,'" explained Steele.
Steele said an amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman is a state issue and is "mucking around with the Constitution." (American Family Association)
• Wow, Lord, how grievous are the assaults on Your sanctity of life and marriage. We purposefully come before Your throne and ask You to reveal the truth about this interview, the interviewer and publisher. Reading Mr. Steele's biography, his remarks appear out of context with issues that he has supported. We also humbly ask that you would expose others who have claimed to be conservatives for who they really are, opportunists seeking their own fame and agenda. Please have mercy and justice upon Mr. Steele who had his identity stolen by hackers during his Maryland Lt. Governor's race, and now appears to have had his identity in You compromised. Thank you in advance for Your revelation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
• "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1 NKJV)
8. U.S. INTELLIGENCE PICK PULLS OUT AFTER SCRUTINY
Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Charles Freeman, named to head the National Intelligence Council which produces formal U.S. intelligence assessments of security issues, withdrew yesterday, Tuesday, amid congressional objections over his past criticism of Israel and ties to China and Saudi Arabia. All seven Republican members of the Senate intelligence committee Monday criticized the choice of a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia for a senior intelligence position, concerned about his views on Israel and his past relationships with Saudi and Chinese interests. Not surprisingly, some 17 U.S. ambassadors defended Freeman's appointment.
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) focused on Freeman's ties to the China National Offshore Oil Company and China's purchase of oil from Sudan throughout the Darfur genocide, as well as his use of the term "race riot" to describe a protest in Tibet.
Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), a member of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel of the House Appropriations Committee, said Freeman is "entitled to be a strident critic of Israel and be a strident defender of China. He is not entitled to hold those opinions and make judgments on intelligence matters."
Charles W. Freeman Jr. was picked by Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair to lead the National Intelligence Council. Freeman was president of the Middle East Policy Council, a Washington think tank that received funding from Saudi Arabia. (Reuters / Washington Post / WSJ / JTA) [Reported by: IFA]
• Offer praise that this man, who would have been assigned to analyze the most sensitive intelligence data given to the President daily, has chosen to stand down. Praise God -- once again, we have been spared a disaster. May God direct the heart of this king in wisdom as he seeks the next person who will fill this vital post for our nation.
• "Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them." (Daniel 2:19-21)
9. ELIGIBILITY BILL HITS CONGRESS
Freshman U.S. Representative Bill Posey, R-Fla, last week introduced H.R. 1503, to the U.S. Congress that would require presidential candidates to provide a birth certificate and other documents to prove their eligibility to occupy the Oval Office. The resolution has been referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
According to the Library of Congress' bill-tracking website, H.R. 1503 would "require the principal campaign committee of a candidate for election to the Office of President to include with the committee's statement of organization a copy of the candidate's birth certificate, together with such other documentation as may be necessary to establish that the candidate meets the qualifications for eligibility to the Office of President under the Constitution." (WorldNetDaily)
• God of Justice, we ask that Constitutional eligibility requirements will be met and fulfilled by all elected officials, no matter what office they hold, and no matter what level of government; throughout these United States. We ask that current officeholders will have to retroactively meet these requirements, too; and that they will not escape Constitutional requirements thinking that they are above the law. Please ask Your Holy Spirit to intercede for passage of H.R. 1503 and to impress upon the hearts of Congress that they too must uphold honesty which is found in Your Commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Steal." In Jesus' Sovereign Name we pray. Amen.
• "You shall not steal." (Exodus 20: 15 NKJV)
10. PRESIDENT DRAMATICALLY SHIFTS TONE ABOUT U.S. ECONOMY
In less than two months in office, Obama has gone from saying "we are in the midst of a crisis" to expressing confidence in the U.S. economy
Should Americans be worried about a recessionary "crisis," or should they have "absolute confidence" investing in the economy? Listening to President Obama, you'd have to believe both.
In less than two months in office, Obama has gone from declaring in his inaugural address that "we are in the midst of a crisis" to affirming Saturday the "soundness of investments in the United States" -- the latest example of an apparent change in tone that has caught the attention of political strategists.
On Saturday, in response to concerns from the Chinese and other foreign investors, Obama sought to rally national and international confidence. "I think that not just the Chinese government but every investor can have absolute confidence in the soundness of investments in the United States, and that is not just in U.S. issues, Treasury notes, but also in the private sector and the commerce and the industry that has made us the most dynamic economy in the world," Obama said. (Fox News) [Read more]
• Could it be that, after two months in office, this young president is now finding his "sea legs," and beginning to view our economy from a more balanced perspective? As we all navigate the stormy seas these days of international finance, may God grant all of us, including our president, His wisdom to make the best decisions possible for our own families and, in the end, for our nation.
• "May the Lord bless the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:17)
11. OBAMAS STILL LOOKING FOR A CHURCH HOME
Nearly a year after a painful break from his Chicago church, President Barack Obama and his family are considering joining several churches of various denominations in the nation's capital but have yet to settle on one, and aides said that they're unlikely to decide before Easter.
The delay reflects how the economic crisis has crowded out some personal considerations since Obama's inauguration in January, but it also underscores the complexities of this personal decision by a public man. Past presidents have grappled with how and where to worship, but Obama's pick is especially guaranteed to provoke interest and scrutiny.
"The Obamas are committed Christians, and they are certainly looking forward to a place to worship in their time in Washington," said Joshua DuBois, the director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and one of a handful of aides assisting the family's search. "What has become clear is that it's no easy task."
DuBois declined to say which churches or exactly how many the Obamas are seriously considering. He said that multiple denominations are being considered, as are historically black and mixed-race congregations. The Obamas and a tight group of friends and advisers are vetting churches, but White House aides declined to discuss what the vetting process involves. (Read more) [McClatchy]
• Before some of us begin picking up stones and throwing them, think back to the days before YOU were born again? What kind of fruit fell off YOUR tree? And did not God, in His Amazing Grace and Mercy, reach down from heaven, forgive our sin, and make us into a new creature??
Let's join forces in prayer that the very Spirit of the Most High God would indeed lead our "king" in the way he should go . . . and cause him to find a spiritual home that teaches the Word of God without compromise -- one that sets captives FREE. Praise God -- if we ask, He will answer!
• "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)
One More Bill to Watch
H.R. 1207: Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009
In recent congressional hearings, when the head of the Federal Reserve, Benjamin Bernanke, was asked to identify exactly where all of the "bail out" money had been allocated, he refused to reveal the answer. Now, in response, Rep. Ron Paul [R-TX] and 31 others have signed onto a bill, H.R. 1207, that would require accountability of the Federal Reserve Board.
Named the "Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009," the summary of this bill reads: "To amend title 31, United States Code, to reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the United States and the manner in which such audits are reported, and for other purposes."
H.R. 1207 has been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
• Pray for support to build rapidly for the passage of this bill, both out of committee and then for quick action on the House floor. Ask the Lord, too, to move upon the heart of one of our senators to bring forth a companion bill in the Senate. The public has a right and a "need to know" where our tax money is being allocated; passage of this legislation would reestablish at least this level of trust in our government.
• "Thy people shall volunteer freely in the day of Thy power." (Psalm 110:3 NAS)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
ANCIENT OF DAYS (Ahteek Yomeen)
As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze." (Daniel 7:9)
From before time was, You Are. Father, to know that You are the Ancient of Days gives me great peace and assurance for the days ahead. Thank You for this shalom, this peace. Amen.
(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)
* * INTERNATIONAL ISSUES * *
"I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it that men should fear before Him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 11b
1. WHITE HOUSE OBJECTS TO UN CALLING U.S. "DEADBEAT"
2. MUSLIM STATES SEEK TO CRIMINALIZE "DEFAMATION OF ISLAM" AT DURBAN II
3. REPORT REVEALS EASE TO OBTAIN FAKE PASSPORT
4. CHINA "WORRIED" OVER SAFETY OF U.S. DEBT
5. CHINA DEMANDS END OF U.S. NAVY SURVEILLANCE OFF THEIR COAST
6. U.K. DEPORTS CHRISTIANS UNDER NEW IMMIGRATION RULES
7. OBAMA URGES OTHER NATIONS TO TAKE ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACTION
8. IS A NEW WORLD ORDER THE GOAL OF G20 SUMMIT?
9. INTERCESSORS FOR ISRAEL: PRAYERS FOR BIBI NETANYAHU
10. INTERCESSORS FOR ISRAEL: PRAYERS FOR THE COALTION TO BE FORMED
1. WHITE HOUSE OBJECTS TO UN CALLING U.S. "DEADBEAT"
The White House objected Thursday to U.N. Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon's description of the United States as a "deadbeat" donor to the world body. Ban used the phrase Wednesday during a private meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol, one day after he met with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Ban's "word choice was unfortunate," given that the U.S. is the largest contributor to the United Nations. The United States pays 22 percent of the organization's nearly $5 billion operating budget but is perennially late paying its dues. Asked whether Ban should retract his comment, Gibbs said some recognition by Ban of the U.S. role would be appropriate. "I think given the contribution that the American taxpayer makes, I do think it would be appropriate to acknowledge that role," Gibbs told reporters at his daily briefing. (AP)
• Pray for Ban Ki-moon's salvation in Jesus Christ, for it was stated before he took office that he had become a Christian. Some humility is needed as well as appreciation. Again, was this remark a test of President Obama's response? Praise the Lord that Robert Gibbs gave the right answer.
• "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you[Ban Ki-moon] the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him." (Ephesians 1:17)
2. MUSLIM STATES SEEK TO CRIMINALIZE "DEFAMATION OF ISLAM" AT DURBAN II
Long-term campaign to protect Islam from insult could sanction beheadings
Islamic states circulated a new resolution at the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday that seeks to criminalize "defamation of Islam" as a human rights violation. The non-binding resolution, titled "Combating Defamation of Religions," would ban anything deemed insulting to Islamic sensitivities as a "serious affront to human dignity" and a blatant violation of religious freedom. Virtually assured of passage due to the dominance of Muslim countries on the UNHRC, the resolution would then likely become part of the declaration being prepared for the Durban II conference on racism in late April.
The motion, originally introduced by Pakistan, is scheduled for a March 26-27 vote. The passage of the submission is "a foregone conclusion," Neuer concluded, as key Western nations like the US have no seat in the Council. The resolution makes no mention of human rights violations in Muslim countries, notably Iran's persecution of Baha'is, Saudi Arabia's banning of all religious practice aside from Islam, and the persecution of Christian communities in Egypt, Pakistan and Iraq.
Critics warn that if such resolutions are passed enough times, they become a norm of international law. The Organization of the Islamic Conference, numbering 56 countries, has been campaigning in UN forums since 1990 for special protections for the Islamic faith in international law that would ban blasphemy of Islam and condemn Islamophobia. Such provisions would, in effect, give legal sanction to domestic blasphemy laws in Muslim countries, a loosely defined crime that often carries such brutal punishment as beheading or amputation of limbs. (ICEJ)
• Take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and come against the spirit of intimidation that is behind all of this activity. Ask God to forgive the people of Islam in their blindness, for they know not what they do. As our two-edged sword breaks the single-edge sword of islam, thank God that He has come to set these captives free. Pray!
• "Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!" (Psalm 95:1)
3. REPORT REVEALS EASE TO OBTAIN FAKE PASSPORT
A Congressional investigator used counterfeit identification to obtain a U.S. passport and then used the fraudulent passport to get an airline boarding pass and go through an airport security checkpoint - revealing significant loopholes in security eight years after the September 11th terrorist attacks - a government report says.
The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said its undercover investigator conducted four tests of the passport issuance system and "easily" obtained passports on all four occasions. Individuals with "even minimal counterfeiting capabilities" can obtain genuine U.S. passports, which can be used to travel overseas, open bank accounts and to prove U.S. citizenship, the GAO report says. (CNN)
• Cover the security gates at your local airport. If you are traveling, observe the agents who are supposed to protect entrance onto the planes. Why are the agents being so careless? If you are waiting to pick up a passenger, again be observant.
• "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me. You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies." (Psalm 138: 7)
4. CHINA "WORRIED" OVER SAFETY OF U.S. DEBT
China, the U.S. government's largest creditor, is "worried" about its holdings of Treasuries and wants assurances that the investment is safe, Premier Wen Jiabao said. "We have lent a huge amount of money to the United States," Wen said at a press briefing in Beijing today after the annual meeting of the legislature. "Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets. To be honest, I am a little bit worried. I request the U.S. to maintain its good credit, to honor its promises and to guarantee the safety of China's assets."
China should seek to "fend off risks" as it diversifies its $1.95 trillion in foreign-exchange reserves and will safeguard its own interests, Wen said. Chinese investors held $696 billion of U.S. Treasuries as of Dec. 31, an increase of 46 percent from the prior year. "China is worried that the U.S. may solve its problems with the fiscal deficit and banks by printing money, which will stoke inflation," said Zhao Qingming, a Beijing-based analyst at China Construction Bank Corp., the country's second-biggest lender. "If the U.S. can make sure this won't happen, then China will continue to invest."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged China, while visiting officials in Beijing on Feb. 22, to continue buying U.S. debt, which she called a "safe investment." She didn't press China on its foreign- exchange policy, backing away from January comments by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that the Chinese government manipulates its currency to boost exports. [Read more.] (New York Times)
• What will China do with all the debt that it has bought from the USA? Ask the Lord to provide His strategies to the USA so that we can place our trust in Him and not in the largesse of the Chinese. As communists and shrewd entrepreneurs, the Chinese do not have our interests in mind. Besides it has 5 billion people to provide for. Continue to pray for salvation in Jesus Christ for the Chinese people.
• "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11: 36)
5. CHINA DEMANDS END OF U.S. NAVY SURVEILLANCE OFF THEIR COAST
China's Defense Ministry has demanded that the US Navy end surveillance missions off the country's southern coast following a weekend confrontation between an American vessel and Chinese ships. In its first public comment on the Sunday episode, the ministry repeated earlier statements from the Foreign Ministry that the unarmed US ship was operating illegally inside China's exclusive economic zone when it was challenged by three Chinese government ships and two Chinese-flagged trawlers.
"The Chinese side's carrying out of routine enforcement and safeguarding measures within its exclusive economic zone was entirely appropriate and legal," ministry spokesman Huang Xueping said in a statement faxed overnight to reporters. "We demand the United States respect our legal interests and security concerns, and take effective measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents," Huang said. (AP)
• This verbal attack from China is very interesting, since the US ship was in international waters, according to various media. If that fact is true, then China is testing the military power under President Obama. The navy responded correctly by not creating a fracas, but has the president called the Chinese ambassador in for a verbal dressing down? Pray for continued wisdom on the part of the USA to this naval intimidation by the Chinese. Rebuke the spirit of violence trying to create problems.
• "He [the Lord] rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves." (Psalm 66: 7)
6. U.K. DEPORTS CHRISTIANS UNDER NEW IMMIGRATION RULES
A prominent Christian musician and a team of college- age missionaries were recently deported from the United Kingdom under new immigration rules that require religious workers to be sponsored by a licensed organization and obtain visas to enter the country.
Christian leaders inside the U.K. said few ministries are fully aware of the complex new Home Office regulations, which were quietly introduced late last year. The rules require that religious workers be sponsored by an organization that has registered with the government, and applicants must pay a fee to obtain a work visa.
Daniel Webster, parliamentary officer for theLondon- based Evangelical Alliance, said the regulations were introduced in response to illegal immigration and the increased threat of terrorism. But the complicated rules have left many ministers confused. "The recent cases highlight just how complex these cases are and the urgent need for churches and ministries to be kept up to date," Webster said. "The Evangelical Alliance is working on a full analysis to help churches better understand the law so that this does not happen again."
Although no one Charisma spoke with was willing to attribute the deportations to an anti-Christian bias, some leaders are concerned that ministries may be disproportionately affected by the new rules. "I think what a lot of us thinks is that there definitely is a sub-agenda here," Manners said. "It's not aimed at Christians, but the ones it's going to affect are going to be Christians because they're going to be honest. If Don Francisco had said he was a singer, he probably would have gotten through, but because he said 'gospel singer,' they got him." [Read more] (Charisma Magazine)
• Gracious Lord who taught us hospitality, we humbly ask You to intervene in the travel plans of all who wish to serve You in the United Kingdom. We pray that those who have already suffered harm because of the U.K. Home Office immigration policy will be restored, and that their passports or travel status will not be compromised. Thank You Lord for bringing this to our attention, and if there is an unwritten bias against Christian immigration into the U.K., may this bias be erased for Your glory, lest the United Kingdom come under Your judgment. We pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.
• "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven." (Matthew 10: 33 NKJV)
[Note: Readers are encouraged to go the link and read this article in its entirety. Thank you!]
7. OBAMA URGES OTHER NATIONS TO TAKE ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACTION
Just ahead of a major global economic summit, US President Barack Obama called Wednesday for international allies to develop more aggressive steps to jump-start their own economies.
Obama told reporters after a White House meeting with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that efforts to pull the US economy out of recession will falter without global coordination. "We can do a really good job here at home, with a whole host of policies, but if you continue to see deterioration in the world economy, that's going to set us back," Obama said.
Geithner outlined an ambitious agenda, including a tenfold increase in the size of emergency money the International Monetary Fund uses to help countries in trouble to as much as $500 billion. (AP)
• If this advice to the other nations is not of the Lord, ask Him to remove it and let it not be heard nor considered. Frankly does the president have enough financial expertise to advise other nations? Of course, if the nations fail, then all responsibility will not be his. Where is this $500 billion coming from? The USA has always been very generous with help, monetary or otherwise, to many nations. It is the Lord, not the USA, who provides finances to the nations.
• "For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." (Psalm 50: 10)
8. IS A NEW WORLD ORDER THE GOAL OF G20 SUMMIT?
Will leaders pass a "Global New Deal" in London April 2?
On April 2, 2009, world leaders from the G20 countries - representing 85% of the world's economic output - will meet in London. Will leaders pass a "Global New Deal" in London April 2? They will meet against the backdrop of the worst international banking crisis in generations. Confidence in the international banking system has fallen. Major institutions have failed. Countries around the world have entered recession, with falling trade and rising unemployment. At the Summit, countries will come together to "enhance global coordination in order to help restore global economic growth."
World leaders are told they must make three commitments:
1. to take whatever action is necessary to stabilize financial markets and enable families and businesses to get through the recession.
2. to reform and strengthen the global financial and economic system to restore confidence and trust.
3. to put the global economy on track for sustainable growth.
On his recent visit with President Obama and in his address to Congress, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown lobbied hard to get the U.S. to commit to initiating a "Global New Deal." (Intercessors for America)
• Pray for the Lord to restrain the hand of the Evil One and to thwart any premature establishment of a New World Order. This weekend, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner met with other world finance ministers at a summit in England in anticipation of the April 2 summit. Prepare for the G20 Global Summit by lifting up all of these meetings in prayer, asking only for those plans, approved by the Lord and in agreement and alignment with His will for the peoples of the world to emerge; and that the plans and purposes of man would fail. Stand in agreement that the resources needed to preach the Gospel to all nations would be released.
• "Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said,' Let us go up at once and take possession [in intercession], for we are well able to overcome it." (Num. 13: 30)
9. INTERCESSORS FOR ISRAEL: PRAYERS FOR BIBI NETANYAHU
o Netanyahu has the potential to be the greatest Prime Minister Israel even had. His Macro management is excellent, he has an incredible world view, but his micro management is poor. He is known as a man who panics. Ask God to touch him and give him the management skills that he needs to lead the government and the nation.
o "We believe that Netanyahu has been called for such a time as this, give him wisdom between compromising and completely letting go. Help him to sort out the government. Help him to hold to principles that cannot be bent."
• "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held- To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: ''I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me." (Isa 45:1-5)
10. INTERCESSORS FOR ISRAEL: PRAYERS FOR THE COALTION TO BE FORMED
o Netanyahu is running out of time by Thursday next week. He can have another two weeks, but then if he does not form a government Livni will get a chance. If she cannot form a government we will go to new elections. Meanwhile we continue with our incompetent government.
o There is a lot of grumbling amongst the Likud members that the best ministries are going to people outside of the Likud.
o Pray that this government will be a government of excellence and not just politicians that are looking for themselves.
o Pray that the government will be form by Wednesday and by Thursday that they will be able to present for confirmation all the candidates for each ministry and position.
o "Give us a government with men and women with a passion and a calling to do your will. Give Netanyahu's negotiators red lines, this far and no longer."
o "Father give them the way forwards to unify with one heart for such a time as this. May the government ministers cooperate with each other; understand the difficult time we are in and that there is an imperative need to unite. Help father the Shas party to understand that they cannot expect so much money from the government to continue with their Yeshivas and their life style that they lead."
o "Give us Abba a government that understands Psalm 15, which will come under your plum line for a righteous government."
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
ANCIENT OF DAYS (Ahteek Yomeen)
As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze." (Daniel 7:9)
From before time was, You Are. Father, to know that You are the Ancient of Days gives me great peace and assurance for the days ahead. Thank You for this shalom, this peace. Amen.
(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)
