In This Issue• On Capitol Hill This Week: Vol. XVI, No. 21a
• UNCRC: Ten things you need to know
• Publishing Note
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
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On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XVI, Number 21a
July 6 - 10, 2009
July 6 - 10, 2009
DOMESTIC ISSUES
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way." (2 Thess. 3:16)
[Correction: our last edition of "On Capitol Hill This Week," posted on Monday, June 22nd, was cited as Number 19. That issue was, in fact, Number 20. Thank you.]
1. WHITE HOUSE HOSTS FIRST GAY PRIDE CELEBRATION
2. AL FRANKEN WINS MINNESOTA SENATE SEAT
3. CONGRESS THIS WEEK: AN OVERVIEW
4. TWO HATE CRIMES BILLS TO WATCH!
5. CONGRESS TO MOVE ON FEDERAL HEALTH PLAN
6. S. 787: CLEAN WATER RESTORATION ACT (CWRA)
7. BACHMANN: CENSUS COULD SEND PEOPLE TO CAMPS
8. BOXER SEEKS TO RATIFY U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
9. CONGRESS FIGHTS BACK: HOUSE BILL WOULD ENSURE PARENTS' RIGHTS
10. U.S. MIGHT BYPASS SENATE RATIFICATION TO IMPLEMENT ARMS TREATY
11. H.RES.397: THE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE RESOLUTION
1. WHITE HOUSE HOSTS FIRST GAY PRIDE CELEBRATION
More than 200 prominent lesbian / gay / bisexual / transgender (LGBT) activists feted in East Room.
The President and First Lady entered the first-ever June Gay Pride Month celebration convened in the U.S. White House to thunderous applause. Obama told the group he is committed to "equality" for their community. "We seek an America in which no one feels the pain of discrimination based on who you are or who you love," Obama stated. "We have made progress. And we will make more," he said, closing his speech with a promise to champion their cause in the days to come. (ABC News)
• Repent and cry out for mercy regarding this first-ever public affirmation of homosexual lifestyle in the White House.
• "To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment - - this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 149:9)
[Reported by: Intercessors for America]
2. AL FRANKEN WINS MINNESOTA SENATE SEAT
The last contested race in the U.S. Senate has been decided. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously ruled that former comedian Al Franken will be the state's new senator. This gives the Democrats 60 seats in the Senate. Just a few election cycles ago, Republicans controlled everything: the House, the Senate, and the White House. Now, not only have the Republican numbers been decimated, but with Al Franken in the Senate, the Democrats have a filibuster-proof super majority. This means, as long as they stay together, the Democrats can pass anything and everything they wish.
The Associated Press has noted that Franken's victory over Republican Norm Coleman gives Democrats 60 Senate seats, the critical number needed to overcome Republican filibusters. When Franken is seated, which will be tomorrow, his party will have a majority not reached on either side of the aisle in some three decades.
Coleman conceded the election hours after a unanimous state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Franken -- who moved into politics with books poking fun at conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh -- should be certified the winner. In doing so, Coleman pulled the plug on a bitter election that was decided by 312 votes out of almost 2.9 million cast. Sen. Norm Coleman has since conceded and will not challenge in federal court. (GOPUSA)
• Pray that, rather than simply following party lines, the Democrats in the Senate will seek God's wisdom in every vote they cast. Contact your representative and senators as frequently as possible about various bills that you know are too ludicrous to be part of the wisdom of the American people. Pray always for God's guiding light to be in the House and the Senate. Pray for the soul of the new Senator Franken, that he will come to know and understand the salvation of Jesus Christ.
• "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are in the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)
3. CONGRESS THIS WEEK: AN OVERVIEW
[Prayer requests from friends of Congressman Mike Pence]
Congress is back in session starting Tuesday. The big push will be for nationalized healthcare. Please pray for Republicans to make the case for healthcare reform that preserves our system of private insurance and makes it more affordable. Mike will also be bringing his amendments this month to ban the Fairness Doctrine and to end federal funding of Planned Parenthood. These will be big battles. Please pray that Mike will be able to get an up or down vote on these issues on the floor. Also the Senate will be trying to pass this massive energy bill that the House just passed. Please pray for it to be blocked so Congress can pass an all-of-the-above strategy like the one Mike developed for House Republicans.
• When Israel was threatened, Rahab stood upon a wall in her home and hung a red cord -- the Scarlet Thread of the Blood of the Lamb -- from her balcony, A CORD THAT SIGNALED PROTECTION FOR HER AND HER HOUSEHOLD. May we also, today, as watchmen on the wall for Congress, place the Scarlet Cord of the Blood of the Lamb over each and every item that will come up for a vote this month? Let not anything pass out of this session of Congress that is not in alignment with the truth of the Word of God. Amen.
• "Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations." (Isaiah 51:4)
4. TWO HATE CRIMES BILLS TO WATCH -- ONE IN THE SENATE; ONE IN THE HOUSE
In the Senate: S. 909
In the House: H.R. 1966
FAIRNESS DOCTRINE WOVEN INTO EACH ONE
Federal hate crimes legislation, which in reality would criminalize "thought crimes," has cleared the House and now faces the Senate as S.909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (officially, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act). S.909 is a direct violation of the First Amendment. It allows the federal government to prosecute people involved in "hate speech" transmitted over television, radio, and the internet.
The House version of the bill states:
"Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce [radio, TV, internet] any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. (HR 1966, SEC 3, Sec. 881a)"
In other words, if a talk show host engages in "hostile" speech against a person or persons of the above mentioned federally protected group that talk show host will face federal prosecution and the prospect of a two year prison term.
The Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act (HR 1966) would similarly criminalize free speech on the Internet if it can be deemed in any way to have been "harmful" to an individual. This represents the end of political blogging and free speech on the world wide web.
If both bills are not opposed and thrown out then the First Amendment will become nothing more than a relic of a bygone age. (CHPP; Fox News) Read more.
• Keep your eyes focused on the news for both of these bills, since a Senate vote on its version is imminent in the Judiciary Committee. Contact your senators that you do not want them to vote for S 909 and remind the senator that the bill is a violation of the First Amendment. Please recall that Matt Shepard was not killed because of his homosexuality but because he was robbed. Like Roe vs. Wade, this bill is another one built on a lie. Pray for truth to prevail in our Congress.
• "These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace." (Zechariah8: 16)
5. CONGRESS TO MOVE ON FEDERAL HEALTH PLAN
President Obama and the Democratic leadership are putting health care legislation on a fast track, hoping to seize control of 17 percent of the national economy during the next 6-8 weeks. Their haste is akin to the way the multi-trillion dollar stimulus package was passed -- before the American people or Congress had time to analyze or resist it. Conservative experts believe rank-and-file Americans are beginning to oppose what appears to be a socialistic agenda.
Even more troubling than the prospect of a government controlled, cradle-to-grave health care, is the provision of universal abortion coverage -- our tax dollars paying for the killing of the unborn in the name of "health care." This poison pill makes the plan evil beyond any consideration. Congress must explicitly exclude abortion. Conscience protections for health care workers, overturned by President Obama, must be included in any omnibus health care legislation.
The Senate has two competing bills. The House version, 852 pages long, is even more radical. Created by Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Charlie Rangel (D-NY), it is said to contain President Obama's wish list. "Family planning" would be mandatory. Planned Parenthood would gain even more federal cash.
Meanwhile, President Obama is saying that health care reform is the key to the nation's economic recovery. Fortunately, indicators say fewer Americans are buying it. (FRC Prayer Targets)
• May God stir the American people to say "NO!" to any socialistic takeover of a free medical system that funds the murder of the unborn and restricts the freedom of medical professionals and health care providers to object. May He intervene to help!
Lord, stir Americans to reject government health control! May Americans refuse taxpayer-funded abortion in the name of "health care." May we demand conscience protections for patients and health care providers. Contact your representatives and senators to alert them to the fact that a federal health plan is unnecessary.
• "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)
6. S. 787: CLEAN WATER RESTORATION ACT (CWRA)
The Senate bill S.787, otherwise known as the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA), would replace language in the regulatory act currently using "navigable waters" with "waters of the United States." What this means is that "the government would essentially be able to regulate everything from standing water in floodplains to creeks that run behind business and residences," according to an Environmental Leader report. This represents a complete takeover of private land and waterways by the federal government, a total assault on private property rights and a complete federalization of America's land and water.
"In a letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Barbara Boxer and ranking member James Inhofe, the American Farm Bureau Federation said that the proposed law would "extend to all water - anywhere from farm ponds, to storm water retention basins, to roadside ditches, to desert washes, to streets and gutters, even to a puddle of rainwater," stated the letter. "For the first time in the 36-year history of the act, activities that have no impact on actual rivers and lakes would be subject to full federal regulation."
If this bill becomes law, it will empower the federal government to seize private property on a whim, using similar powers that Communist China employed during Chairman Mao's "great leap forward," where landowners had their property violently confiscated and stolen by the government. If this bill passes the Senate, private property rights in the United States are effectively null and void and the federal government would legally have the power to bulldoze families from their homes as routinely happens in Communist China. (Environmental Leader)
• Here is another Congressional bill that needs to be stopped. One wonders why so many of our elected officials are willing to betray our nation with bills that violate our Constitution and/or our American ideals. Pray that our right to own our own homes and a piece of property will be maintained and that this bill dies before it is ever brought to the floor for a vote.
• "The hope of the righteous will be gladness, But the expectation of the wicked will perish." (Proverbs 12:28)
7. REP. BACHMANN: CENSUS COULD SEND PEOPLE TO CAMPS
Rep. Michele Bachmann, (R-Minn.), says Americans should refuse to comply with the Obama administration's 2010 census because the data could be used for nefarious purposes, including the imprisonment of Americans in internment camps. Appearing on Fox News, Bachmann said it was the census that allowed the internment of the Japanese during World War II. She also boasted about breaking the law in refusing to complete the census form she received.
"If we look at American history -- between 1942 and 1947 -- the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt," Bachmann said. "That's how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps. I'm not saying that's what the administration is planning to do. But I am saying that private, personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up."
Bachmann said she was shocked that the census would ask for people's telephone numbers. Although not required by law, the numbers are used only to contact recipients who have incomplete forms. Bachmann also doesn't like the fact the census asks about one's age, race, and the type of home one lives in. According to the Census Bureau, questions on race have been asked since 1790; home language since 1890; rent since 1880; and income since 1940. The Census Bureau has asked what kind of heating fuel heats Americans' homes since 1940. (Newsmax) Read more
• Praise the Lord that we have an ever-alert representative in the House. When many of the questions were added in the 20th century, science was the goal. Now we have trouble trusting our federal officials. Pray for the protection of Rep. Bachmann, both physically and spiritually. She deserves our prayers.
• "The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble." (Proverbs 12:13)
8. BOXER SEEKS TO RATIFY U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Sen. Barbara Boxer is pushing the Obama administration to move forward with ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a controversial treaty that has never gained much support in the U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer is urging the U.S. to ratify a United Nations measure meant to expand the rights of children, a move critics are calling a gross assault on parental rights that could rob the U.S. of sovereignty.
The California Democrat is pushing the Obama administration to review the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, a nearly 20-year-old international agreement that has been foundering on American shores since it was signed by the Clinton administration in 1995 but never ratified. Critics say the treaty, which creates "the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion" and outlaws the "arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy," intrudes on the family and strips parents of the power to raise their children without government interference.
The U.N. itself admits that there is no way for it to enforce its own laws and protect children. "When it comes to signatories who violate the convention and/or its optional protocols -- there is no means to oblige states to fulfill their legal obligations," said Giorgia Passarelli, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights, which oversees the child-rights body. Passarelli said that the committee has kept a constant spotlight on rights violators and fed into decisions made by the Security Council, especially involving child soldiers. But even then, she added, such pressure does not always prevail. (FoxNews.com)
• Once again, it looks as if the United Nations feels it has the right to dictate to Americans how we should act, this time towards our children. But the Bible says that we are to train up a child in the way he should go, according to God's laws, not man's government. Pray for God's mercy on America, and pray that this treaty continues to languish in Congress.
• "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth. Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights." (Psalm 119:142,143)
NOTE: Following this alert, please find below a listing of "Ten Things You Need to Know" about the UNCRC.
9. CONGRESS FIGHTS BACK: HOUSE BILL WOULD ENSURE PARENTS' RIGHTS
House Minority Leader Boehner's office reported that: "Recently the Administration has indicated that it would like the Senate to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. In light of increasing government expansion into the private sector and individuals' lives - the desire to cede parents' rights to raise and nurture their children to an international panel in Geneva should not come as surprise. If this U.N. treaty is made binding upon our country, the Congress' responsibility to ensure the U.S. upholds its international obligation would give the federal government the power to intervene in any child's life to advance its definition of "the best interests of the child" - including choices concerning their education and faith."
Pro-family forces in America are fighting back. There is now a bill, authored by Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R - MI) and co-sponsored by Rep. John Boehner (R - OH) which will establish a Parents' Rights Constitutional Amendment (H. J. Res. 42.) The entire leadership of the Republicans in the House of Representatives are also co-sponsors. It now has 100 co-sponsors and gaining more every day as Members of the House find out about this commonsense pro-family legislation.
Congressman Hoekstra also said that his Parents' Rights Amendment " . . .would state explicitly in the U.S. Constitution that parents have a fundamental right to raise their children as they see fit while protecting against abuse and neglect. Threats to the parent-child relationship include potential Senate ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child."
Unbelievably, the United States is one of only two nations which has not ratified the treaty. Every other nation has capitulated to the United Nations' anti-family agenda. America needs to continue to make a strong stand and take leadership on this important issue. Congressman Pete Hoekstra and Leader John Boehner are to be highly commended for taking this stand for families in America, and indeed, the entire world. Americans need to ensure that this important constitutional amendment does indeed pass Congress so that the states can ratify this Parents' rights amendment. (Christian Coalition of America)
• Who is kidding whom here? First Americans are to give to the federal government most rights and then give the raising of children to a panel of people at the UN, many from nations that do not even respect the rights of children. Is Sen. Barbara Boxer so lacking in assurance in herself and American laws that she would give the rearing of her children to a UN treaty? Has she no inner wisdom? Pray for this woman and others like her in the Congress. Their houses are obviously built on "sinking sand."
• "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." (Deuteronomy 6:7)
10. U.S. MIGHT BYPASS SENATE RATIFICATION TO IMPLEMENT ARMS TREATY
With the clock running out on a new US-Russian arms treaty before the previous Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, expires on December 5, a senior White House official said Sunday said that the difficulty of the task might mean temporarily bypassing the Senate's constitutional role in ratifying treaties by enforcing certain aspects of a new deal on an executive levels and a "provisional basis" until the Senate ratifies the treaty.
"The most ideal situation would be to finish it in time that it could be submitted to the Senate so that it can be ratified," said White House Coordinator for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Security and Arms Control Gary Samore. "If we're not able to do that, we'll have to look at arrangements to continue some of the inspection provisions, keep them enforced in a provisional basis, while the Senate considers the treaty."
The fact that the administration is preparing for such an extraordinary measure shows just how much pressure the two administrations are under to arrive at an agreement before the 18-year-old treaty expires. While resident Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are expected to announce progress tomorrow on a nuclear arms reduction treaty - nicknamed "New START" -- to take effect in just five short months, many sticking points that remain unresolved. (ABC) Read more.
• Once again, the administration is choosing expediency over the rule of law. The Founding Fathers purposely designed this process of passing treaties in the Senate so that time WOULD be needed to carefully weigh each measure before it became law. Implementing the SALT treaty without the full consent of the Senate sets a dangerous precedent. Ask the Lord to stay the hand of those who now govern our nation, and not to rush into an agreement for which we would pay a heavy price later on. December 5th is seven months off yet; time remains to do this job right.
• "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." (Prov. 21:5 NLT)
11. H.RES.397: THE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE RESOLUTION
On May 7, Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA) introduced H. Res. 397: The Spiritual Heritage Resolution on the floor of the House of Representatives. This resolution first reviews a vast array of historical data, confirming that our nation is, indeed, a Judeo-Christian nation. In conclusion, this bill then reads as follows:
Whereas the first week in May each year would be an appropriate week to designate as 'America's Spiritual Heritage Week': Now, therefore, be it resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
(1) affirms the rich spiritual and diverse religious history of our Nation's founding and subsequent history, including up to the current day;
(2) recognizes that the religious foundations of faith on which America was built are critical underpinnings of our Nation's most valuable institutions and form the inseparable foundation for America's representative processes, legal systems, and societal structures;
(3) rejects, in the strongest possible terms, any effort to remove, obscure, or purposely omit such history from our Nation's public buildings and educational resources; and
(4) expresses support for designation of a 'America's Spiritual Heritage Week' every year for the appreciation of and education on America's history of religious faith.
The Spiritual Heritage Resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and has the support of 69 cosponsors.
• Offer praise for this bold and positive initiative in the House of Representatives. God IS good, and there are still "righteous" on the Hill - like Rep. Forbes -- who covet our prayers. Call your own member of Congress and encourage him or her to "sign on" to H.Res.397 as a cosponsor. Pray for passage of this important bill, before America's true heritage is lost in history. Pray!
• "Thus says the LORD: " Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls." (Jer. 6:16)
IMPORTANT NOTE: In introducing his bill, Rep. Forbes gave an impassioned speech on the House floor on Wednesday, May 6. You can both view his speech on YouTube and study the text of his remarks by going here.
UNCRC: Ten things you need to know
Ten things you need to know about the content of the UNCRC:
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
1. Parents would no longer be able to administer reasonable spankings to their children.
2. A murderer aged 17 years and 11 months and 29 days at the time of his crime could no longer be sentenced to life in prison.
3. Children would have the ability to choose their own religion while parents would only have the authority to give their children advice about religion.
4. The best interest of the child principle would give the government the ability to override every decision made by every parent if a government worker disagreed with the parent's decision.
5. A child's "right to be heard" would allow him or her to seek governmental review of every parental decision with which the child disagreed.
6. According to existing interpretation, it would be illegal for a nation to spend more on national defense than it does on children's welfare.
7. Children would acquire a legally enforceable right to leisure.
8. Christian schools that refuse to teach "alternative worldviews" and teach that Christianity is the only true religion "fly in the face of article 29" of the treaty.
9. Allowing parents to opt their children out of sex education has been held to be out of compliance with the CRC.
10. Children would have the right to reproductive health information and services, including abortions, without parental knowledge or consent. (Source: Parentalrights.org)
On Capitol Hill This Week: Vol. XVI, No. 21b
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. U.S. AND RUSSIA TO REDUCE ARSENALS
2. OBAMA SPENDING THREE DAYS IN RUSSIA
3. N. KOREA THREATENS U.S.; LAUNCHES 7 MISSILES OVER WEEKEND
4. IRAQ TAKES CONTROL OF CITIES AND TOWNS AS U.S. WITHDRAWS
5. IRAQI CHRISTIANS LAUNCH RADIO STATION
6. ISRAEL: BARAK, MITCHELL REMAIN DISPUTED ON SETTLEMENTS
7. PA OFFICIAL: HAMAS PLANNED TO ASSASSINATE SENIOR OFFICIALS
8. BIDEN: ISRAEL HAS RIGHT TO DEAL WITH NUCLEAR IRAN
9. AXELROD CLAIMS IRAN HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS
10. REPORT: SAUDIS GIVE NOD TO ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN
11. IRANIAN CLERICS DECLARE AHMADINEJED RE-ELECTION ILLEGITIMATE
12. OBAMA HEADS TO G8 SUMMIT IN ITALY THIS WEEK
1. U.S. AND RUSSIA TO REDUCE ARSENALS
President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reached a preliminary agreement Monday to cut the American and Russian nuclear arsenals by as much as a third while exploring options for cooperation on missile defense. The agreement lays out a clear yet difficult path to replace a landmark arms-control treaty that will expire in December. The pact was the most significant among those signed at a summit designed to show that "resetting" relations between the two nations could bridge longstanding differences.
The deal instructs negotiators to draft a new accord that would maintain the critical verification mechanisms of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and reduce the number of deployed nuclear warheads in each country to between 1,500 and 1,675, down from the previous ceiling of 2,200. The two leaders also signed agreements allowing the transit of U.S. military personnel and weapons through Russia to Afghanistan, restoring military-to-military ties and pledging cooperation to limit the spread of nuclear materials. (Washington Post)
• A treaty is a treaty is a treaty. Pray that the Obama administration will work with the Senate so that the full approval of the American people is achieved for these new accords. Come against any deception and/or "tricks" in the language used by either party in drafting these documents; and pray for increasingly cordial relations to be established between the U.S. and Russia - even as we maintain a watchful guard over this new development. Finally, pray that the church in Russia remain strong and free to preach the gospel "to the ends of the earth," while there is yet time. Pray!
• "Let no man deceive you . . ." (Eph. 5:6a)
2. OBAMA SPENDING THREE DAYS IN RUSSIA
Tells Vladimir Putin to "Lose the Cold War Attitude"
President Obama has scolded the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for failing to move on from Cold War dynamics. His remarks come on the eve of a much-anticipated trip to Moscow next week in which he aims to "hit the reset button" on relations with Russia.
Mr Obama was asked why he would meet Mr Putin at all on his three-day visit, in which he and Mr Medvedev will issue a joint pledge to cut their nuclear arsenals in half. Mr Obama said that the former President "still has a lot of sway" and needed to hear what he had to say - an acknowledgement of his continued influence, while simultaneously sending Mr Putin a message that he regards him as yesterday's man. "It's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, Putin understands that the old Cold War approach to US-Russian relations is outdated; that it's time to move forward in a different direction," he said. (London Times; July 3, 2009)
• History will ultimately judge the results of Obama's actions in Russia, but for now, pray that he will leave only blessings in his stead as he departs Russia later today. Lift up a prayer for stability to be maintained between Putin and Medvedev, and against any backlash coming against the U.S. from Vladimir Putin.
• "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: . . " (Eccl. 3:1)
3. NORTH KOREA THREATENS U.S.; LAUNCHES 7 MISSILES OVER WEEKEND
North Korea accused Washington of seeking to "provoke a second Korean War" as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast. U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard. "If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will . . . wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," a dispatch from the official Korean Central News Agency said. The warning came on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. (AP)
• Father, it seems at times that the world can be a "hotbed" of unrest. We ask for a major "scaling down" of this tension and a cooperation between the nations for the disarming necessary to promote unilateral talks and resolutions, without the threat of nuclear war.
• Please pray for the Defense Department to know exactly what is needed to avert an incident, keeping the American people safe as well as other countries. Thank the Lord that, that in every scheme that our enemy plans, He has promised to bring about good.
As the remnant of remains on its knees and prays, ask the Lord for guidance now for the US and the UN, that they would not be moved by threats alone, but by prudence and wisdom given from above, that this hazardous and dangerous situation would come to naught. Ask the Father for more hearts and lives to turn to Him in the days and months coming, that the work of the wicked is turned on its head as a result of intercession, prayer and praise.
• "Then they took an oath before the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams' horns. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around." (II Chronicles 15:14-15)
4. IRAQ TAKES CONTROL OF CITIES AND TOWNS AS U.S. WITHDRAWS
Iraqi forces officially assumed control of Baghdad and other cites across the country, following the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from urban areas. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, accompanied by Defense Minister Jawad Boulani, reviewed Iraqi troops from the army, navy and air force as a military band played music to celebrate the official U.S. withdrawal from Iraqi towns and cities. Mr. Maliki then laid a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier as an army bugler played to commemorate Iraqi troops that have died in the service of their country.
Iraqi soldiers and police staged a long parade in full dress uniform in Baghdad to commemorate the U.S. pullout and to mark the day the government is calling "National Sovereignty Day." Most Iraqis were joyful and jubilant, and few people went to work on the declared national holiday. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the day a "great victory" for the Iraqi people and said the U.S. pullout was "historic." The prime minister also noted all U.S. forces are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011, urging his countrymen to look forward with confidence to that moment.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani also spoke on Iraqi TV, urging his countrymen to cooperate with the country's political and military leaders to achieve stability. He says destabilizing the situation in Iraq will not profit any one. The key element in achieving stability, he argues, is the support and cooperation of the public with the political leadership and the armed forces. (Voice of America) Read more
• Pray for low violence during the U.S. drawback of troops.
• "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven . . " (Eccl. 3:1)
5. IRAQI CHRISTIANS LAUNCH RADIO STATION
Last month, for example, the Kurdish government of Iraq in May gave permission for a Christian radio station that The Joshua Fund helped finance to officially begin broadcast operations. The establishment of such a station owned and operated by Iraqi followers of Jesus Christ is really an historic development in the history of Christianity in the land once called Babylonia, and we are deeply grateful for your prayerful and financial support in making this happen.
That station - which can be heard throughout the Kurdish region and thus by more than two million people - is broadcasting Christian music, original and previously-produced educational programs, original and previously-produced cultural programs, Bible reading programs and radio dramas based on the Bible. All of this is in the Kurdish and Arabic languages.
"Growing up under the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, we never thought we would see the day when we who love Jesus could run a radio station in Iraq," the station manager told a TJF staffer. "We are excited to see how the Lord will use us to bless the Iraqi people, and particularly the Kurdish people. Please be praying for us that the Lord's favor would be with us and we would make a real impact in people's lives here." (Joel Rosenberg Weblog 6/22/09)
• The gospel of Jesus is reaching two million from the Kurdish border with Iran. Offer thanksgiving for this new Middle East radio outreach. Pray for the protection or Kurdish Iraqi Christians.
• "So I sought for a man [or woman] among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it . . ." (Ezekiel 22:33) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
6. ISRAEL: BARAK, MITCHELL REMAIN DISPUTED ON SETTLEMENTS
Defense Minister Ehud Barak and US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell failed to reach an agreement regarding the Israeli construction in the settlements during their meeting in Washington on June 29. Mitchell is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in about two weeks.
A joint statement published following the meeting said that Barak and Mitchell "discussed the full range of issues related to Middle East peace and security, and the contributions Israelis, Palestinians, their neighbors and the international community should make to this effort."
Barak's entourage received the impression that the Americans understand that any demand for freezing settlement building must not be separate from an inclusive, regional peace process. Therefore, the United States will also be looking for goodwill gestures from the Arab states. (By Yitzhak Benhorin, Ynetnews, July 1, 2009)
• Other US presidential administrations have made agreements with Israel over settlements that allow for building for natural growth within the settlements. Pray that the Obama administration will follow suit.
• "There He makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwelling place, and sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease." (Psalm 107:36-38) [Reported by: Bridges for Peace]
7. PA OFFICIAL: HAMAS PLANNED TO ASSASSINATE SENIOR OFFICIALS
The Palestinian Authority [PA] has recently arrested a Hamas cell that admitted to planning to assassinate senior Palestinian officials by July 7, the date set by Egypt for the signing of an agreement between Fatah and the Islamist group, the head of the Palestinian Presidency said on June 29.
According to Tayeb Abdul-Rahim, the order to attack Palestinian officials and institutions in the northern West Bank [Judea and Samaria] was given by Hamas's leadership abroad and by its armed wing in Gaza, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
He said the uncovering of the Hamas cell proves that the Islamist group is looking to undermine the reconciliation talks with Fatah. "The PA is certain that Hamas is not prepared to reach an agreement in Cairo. We will not let them carry out their secret plans," said Abdul-Rahim in reference to Hamas's leadership abroad. (By Ali Waked, Ynetnews, June 29, 2009) [Read more]
• This kind of disunity and in-house animosity hurts the people these governments seek to lead. Pray that God will provide for the poor who are forced to live in a land of such unrest.
• "Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless." (Psalm 108:12)
8. BIDEN: ISRAEL HAS RIGHT TO DEAL WITH NUCLEAR IRAN
Israel has a sovereign right to decide what is in its best interest in dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions whether the United States agrees or not, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said in an interview on Sunday. In an interview on ABC's "This Week" program, Biden said Israel can determine for itself how best to deal with the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.
"We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination, that they're existentially threatened," Biden said. (Reuters)
• Offer praise that the Vice-President has made this statement in public. Yes, Israel most certainly DOES have a right to defend itself -- whenever and wherever it deems it necessary to do so. Praise God!
• " . . . there is a time for war . . ." (Eccl. 3:8)
9. AXELROD CLAIMS IRAN HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Top Obama adviser's statement contradicts official U.S., Israeli estimates
In an apparent mistake, President Obama's senior adviser David Axelrod stated during an interview yesterday there are nuclear weapons in Iran which are a threat to the entire world.
No country has ever claimed Iran currently has a nuclear arsenal. A 2007 U.S. intelligence estimate previously claimed Iran halted its nuclear weapons-related work in 2003, although that report was highly criticized. Other American agencies have stated Iran could obtain nukes by 2013 or later. (WorldNet Daily) Read more
• Lord, whether this man made a foolish blunder or spoke a truth that has been hidden from the American people, we ask that You undertake to correct the problem either way. It seems that many of our current administration are in the habit of "misspeaking" about situations or people. If this is simply a mistake, we ask that You not allow it to create more problems in the Middle East. If it is a truth revealed we ask that the plans of the governments involved be subjected to Your will alone.
• "When my enemies turn back, they shall fall and perish at Your presence." (Psalm 9:3)
10. REPORT: SAUDIS GIVE NOD TO ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN
The head of Mossad, Israel's overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran's nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad's director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility.
The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials. "The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia," a diplomatic source said last week. Although the countries have no formal diplomatic relations, an Israeli defense source confirmed that Mossad maintained "working relations" with the Saudis.
John Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who recently visited the Gulf, said it was "entirely logical" for the Israelis to use Saudi airspace. Bolton, who has talked to several Arab leaders, added: "None of them would say anything about it publicly but they would certainly acquiesce in an overflight if the Israelis didn't trumpet it as a big success." (The Sunday Times)
• For anyone who is at all familiar with the history of Saudi-Iranian relations in the past few decades, this report should come as no surprise. Ever since the mullahs in Tehran deposed the Shah of Iran in 1978, the Saudi royal family has lived in fear of the same thing happening in their own country. So, yes, it makes perfect since for the Saudis to allow the Israelis to do what they would like to do, but lack the courage to do so.
Lift up this entire matter before the Lord, for only He can bring good out of this report. In the end, may many souls be saved through the Shed Blood of the Lamb, as those who are bound by Islam may soon have to face eternity. Pray!
• "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
11. IRANIAN CLERICS DECLARE AHMADINEJED RE-ELECTION ILLEGITIMATE
Crackdown on protestors continues
An influential group of Iranian clerics took sides late Saturday, calling June's re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and by extension his government, illegitimate. The Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qom, Iran's holiest city, questioned whether the Guardian Council, Iran's official electoral watchdog, had enough authority to validate the disputed election results, the Voice of America and the New York Times reported.
The group called on other clerics to oppose the election results and Ahmadinejad's government, even calling the estimated 20 people killed in the past three weeks' protests as "martyrs" comparable to the thousands who died during the 1979 Iranian revolution and the 1980-1988 war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
"This crack in the clerical establishment, and the fact they are siding with the people and [defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein] Mousavi, in my view is the most historic crack in the 30 years of the Islamic republic," Abbas Milani, head of the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford University, told the Times.
Qom, about 100 miles southwest of Tehran, is the spiritual heart of Iranian Shiite Islam and was the power base of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, later the leader of the revolution, before he was exiled by the shah in 1964. (Fox News) Read more • Pray for peace to be restored to Iran; and justice to be done for its people. Pray!
• " . . . if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)
12. OBAMA HEADS TO G8 SUMMIT IN ITALY THIS WEEK
Hopes to push through G8 climate deal
Barack Obama is hoping to restore momentum to the search for a global deal on climate change this year when he chairs a meeting of the major economies next week during the G8 summit in Italy. The American president is hoping that the 17-nation meeting - which will include G8 members and a range of other major economies who produce roughly 80% of world carbon emissions - will sign up to a pledge to prevent world temperatures increasing by more than 2C, the maximum thought permissible before climate change becomes irreversible.
In what could prove a pivotal meeting on Wednesday at the summit, Obama will use his prestige to pull together the developed and developing countries ahead of a make-or-break UN session in Copenhagen designed to set the future framework on climate change, post 2012. Obama and Brown are also hoping to use the G8 summit in Italy to prevent western economies backsliding on their previous commitments to Africa, with the British prime minister said to be spending the weekend priming himself on the aid record of G8 member states and planning to go into the meeting to fight. (The Guardian)
• Pray for the safety of Mr. Obama and his entire entourage throughout his journeys this week: today in Russia; July 8 - 10 in Italy; and ending in Ghana, Africa. Ask the Lord to direct his thoughts, so that His will, not man's, will be done. Amen.
• "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven . . ." (Matthew 6:10)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
ONE (Eh-khahd)
"And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; on thta day, the LORD shall be One and His name One." (Zechariah 14:9)
Hear O Israel, the Lord, our God, is ONE. He is Eh-khahd. How glorious is that word -- Eh-khahd. United . . . Only . . . Altogether . . . One. You are the United One. There is no one like You. How I praise Your name!
(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)
