In This Issue• Today's Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Lebanese Threat to Israel
• THE MANHATTAN PROJECT
• The Senate Vote
• Jihadist Propaganda
• The Good News Corner
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The Daily Brief - Monday, November 23, 2009
"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15)
Today's Daily Brief
1. Senate Moves Forward With Health Care Reform - CitizenLink
Democrats got the 60 votes they needed Saturday night to begin debate on the multi-trillion-dollar health care bill, mainly because several lawmakers who had been sitting on the fence stood to gain from the move.
- As the Senate stands down this week for Thanksgiving recess, let us all "regroup" and seek our Lord for His will in prayer over the debates that will begin on November 30th over this bill, now scheduled to last three weeks. The Word of the Lord was spoken during the debate on Saturday by Senator Sam Brownback, who quoted Dt. 30:15. Thank the Lord that His word does not return void, but will accomplish the work He desires to do in the hearts of the 100 members of the United States Senate in the days ahead. Amen.
- "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)
2. EU names Belgian PM Van Rompuy as first president - Reuters
EU leaders have agreed to appoint Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as EU president and Britain's Catherine Ashton as its foreign affairs chief. The new job was made possible because of the recent ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
To learn more about Mr. Van Rompuy, go here.
- It is rather amazing when a name that is a total "unknown" to most of the world's people is suddenly catapulted into such a prominent position. We note that the leaders of the EU -- not its people -- have appointed Mr. Van Rompuy to this position, so this is not an example of "democracy in action." Lift up this new world leader in prayer, that he be granted "wisdom from above" in his new role, one step at a time.
- "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (I Tim. 2:1-4)
3. Wave of Debt Payments Facing U.S. Government - NY Times
The United States government is financing its more than trillion-dollar-a-year borrowing with i.o.u.'s on terms that seem too good to be true.
- Repent for allowing this nation to become so involved in debt, for surely such a burden is not one of God's blessings. Unfortunately we have an administration that is utterly incapable of discerning that our nation has been led like captives into debt. Pray for this administration's sins against God.
- "The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender." ( Proverbs 22:7)
4. CBO: By 2019, Taxpayers Will Pay $196 Billion A Year for Obamacare, But 24 Million People Will Remain Uninsured - CNS News
Under the health care bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday, the assessment is that by 2019 taxpayers will be paying $196 billion per year to subsidize other people's health insurance coverage, but there still will be 24 million uninsured people in America, according to the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation.
- Christians must start praying for more miracles in healing to occur under the authority of Jesus Christ, for this tax burden cannot be sustained nor should it even be a planned law. We must also take care of our sick and infirm. Pray for Sen. Reid, for already he looks bent over by the pressure being placed on him for this destructive bill. Pray that he will repent for the deception that he proposes in this bill. Praise the Lord that He is exposing evil.
- "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew10:8)
5. California Was Among States With Record Unemployment - Bloomberg
Joblessness rose in 29 U.S. states last month compared with 22 in September, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Michigan had the highest jobless rate at 15.1 percent, followed by Nevada at 13 percent and Rhode Island at 12.9 percent.
-- Pray for encouragement of American citizens who are either small business owners or those who are without jobs, relying on unemployment benefits to sustain their families. Now is a time for evangelism for those who relied only on their own wits to make money, never thinking to thank the Lord for His benefits. Pray for this administration to stop their building of debt. Repent for our wastefulness of God's many blessings on this nation.
- "Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases," (Psalm 103:1-3)
6. Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time- Out - Spiegel
Global warming appears to have stalled. Climatologists are puzzled as to why average global temperatures have stopped rising over the last 10 years. Some attribute the trend to a lack of sunspots, while others explain it through ocean currents.
- Man does not know all the workings of the Lord. Pray that Christians are not deceived by the environmentalists crying for great attention on the climate. In the 1960's the movers behind the NWO determined that focus on the environment would help them dominate the world, but they did not recognize that God has His own plans. Pray that we who believe in the Lord will be good stewards of the earth.
- "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." (Genesis 2:15)
7. United Nations Green Religion squeezing Jesus out of the House of God - Canada Free Press
The church bells are a call to action on global warming
If the United Nations has its way, Jesus won't be found in church anymore. With the approval of pious priests and ministers, Jesus is being squeezed out of the House of God to make way for global warming/climate change proselytizing.
Church bells around the world, which call Christians worldwide into church on Sundays, will join the din of drums and gongs to sound a UN ordered message 350 times on December 13 during the Copenhagen climate change summit. The church bells are a call to action on global warming.
"The leading council of Christian and Orthodox churches also invited places of worship for other faiths to join a symbolic "chain of chimes and prayers" stretching around the world from the international date line in the South Pacific." Read more
- The battle for "who reigns" on earth is now global; and our King reigns over all. Offer praise that He will reign victorious over all the plans, agendas, and purposes of men that do not line up with His will. Jesus IS Lord!
- "The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect." (Psalm 33:10)
8. Religious Leaders Call for Civil Disobedience if Laws Don't Respect Faith - NewsMax
A formidable coalition of 150 Catholic, Orthodox and evangelical leaders are calling on Christians in a new manifesto to reject secular authority -- and even engage in civil disobedience -- if laws force them to accept abortion, same-sex marriage and other ideas that betray their religious beliefs.
On Friday, these leaders released a 4,700-word document, titled "The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience," which calls on Christians to engage in civil disobedience to defend their doctrines.
READ MORE ABOUT THE MANHATTAN PROJECT, BELOW.
- Praise the Lord that the church is finally speaking out against the violations opposing God's laws in this nation. God's army must rise up as a sleeping giant, for too long have we allowed the secular world to dictate our behavior and to mock our beliefs. Pray that this coalition of 150 will grow under the Lord's direction.
- "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)
1. Iran begins war games to protect nuclear sites - Jerusalem Post
Iran on Sunday began large-scale air defense war games aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from attack, state TV reported, as an air force commander boasted the country could deter any military strike by Israel.
- Is Iran feeling intimidated by the world powers and Israel in its rebellion against international law? Iran mouths much braggadocio, but are its words idle? Pray that no country succumbs to its threats but that we have the courage to treat it warily like a hissing snake ready to strike. Keep praying for the liberty of Iran's peoples, for they suffer greatly under the regime of mullahs, for whom violence is a welcome weapon.
- "For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God." (Job 34:37)
2. Iraq says bombers came from Syria: spokesman - AFP
Iraq on Sunday for the first time said that the bombers who killed more than 150 people in Baghdad on October 25 came from neighboring Syria but steered well clear of accusing Damascus of collusion.
- Praise the Lord for Iraq's recognition and revelation that Syria is aiding Iran and the spreading of violent Islam. Syria has been playing the two-faced game far too long! Syria practices another type of Islam, neither Sunni, nor Shi'i, nor Wahhabi but Alaway, and its game has always been to deceive. Pray that our Congress and White House will now take a long look at Syria and end any trade business with this nation of lying leadership.
- "Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity." (Jeremiah 9:5)
3. Iran: We'll hit Tel Aviv if attacked - Ynet News
Iran's military said it will begin large-scale air defense drills on Sunday, and a cleric in the Revolutionary Guards warned that the Islamic Republic would fire missiles at "the heart of Tel Aviv" if attacked.
4. Israel warship to join NATO anti-terror force - Ha'aretz
Israeli and North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials say Israel will dispatch a warship to join a NATO naval force, marking an upgrade in ties.
5. Fox News: New Hamas list meets Israel's demands - Ynet News
The Fox News network reported Sunday that a new list of 70 prisoners handed over to Israel by Hamas meets the criteria for a prisoner exchange deal, thus removing the last obstacle for such a deal, which may be implemented within the next few days.
6. Hamas leaders head to Cairo to hammer out Shalit deal - Ha'aretz
Hamas delegates headed to Cairo on Monday to debate a final prisoner list presented by Israel for an exchange which would see the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit after more than three years.
7. Assad wants 'guarantee' of land return - Ynet News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during talks in France that he was willing to engage in negotiations with Syria without preconditions, the Syrian president's political advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, said Friday.
8. FM: Israel Beiteinu will reject interim state - Jerusalem Post
Israel Beiteinu will "staunchly oppose" the creation of "an interim Palestinian state," Foreign Minister and party leader Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday amid rumors that the government was pushing for an interim agreement.
Lebanese Threat to Israel
Arms Cache In Every S. Lebanon Village
The UN's 13,000-strong peacekeeper force in southern Lebanon -is doing a good job of preventing Hizbullah from operating out in open areas, but dares not enter the hundreds of villages which dot the area, and which have become the central bases of operation for the Shi'ite terrorist group, an army source told The Jerusalem Post.
UNIFIL's mandate is based on the enforcement of UN Resolution 1701, which bans Hizbullah from building up weapons caches south of the Litani River. But in reality, the arms ban is being partially enforced. Speaking by phone from southern Lebanon, UNIFIL's Deputy Spokesman, Andreas Tenenti, told the Post that the peacekeepers have not encountered any attempts by Hizbullah to re-arm itself in violation of Resolution 1701.
Lebanese army forces discovered on Wednesday morning four rockets mounted on launch pads in the Lebanese village of Houlo - from where a Katyusha rocket was fired at the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel on Tuesday evening. The rockets, which were reportedly ready for launch, were neutralized by Lebanese troops.
But Tenenti also expressed concern over the IDF's artillery shelling response to the rocket, saying, "I would add that harsh attacks [by the IDF] aimed at renewed hostilities undermine security and stability in southern Lebanon." Tenenti described the past three years as "one of the calmest periods in southern Lebanon in recent history. Besides a few sporadic incidents, the general situation in the South has been quiet." The calm is, however, deceptive, Israel believes.
Yoram Schweitzer, Director of the Program on Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, said "UNIFIL doesn't have means to go into the villages. They are a supervising force carrying out passive enforcement. If an incident occurs on the ground and Hizbullah seals off the area for four to five hours, UNIFIL will wait before moving in."
Schweitzer stressed that UNIFIL did not launch surprise raids or conduct search missions for weapons, "It's a double game being played by both UNIFIL and Hizbullah,.which wants to obtain arms quietly and dedicate its time to politics. When it rebuffs UNIFIL, it does so nicely. And UNIFIL will not actively initiate weapons searches. Neither side will cross the line," he added. (The Jerusalem Post )
- The UN is working its usual ineffective game, looking nice but accomplishing nothing. Pray for the continued surveillance of Israel on its border with Lebanon. Hizbullah does not represent the great majority of the Lebanese people, who live under their rule while trying to throw off its yoke of captivity. And, of course, the UN is dominated by many small Islamic countries. We need to thank the Lord for the small help that the UN provides, but the UN's presence seems not to be a benefit of the Lord.
- "And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones." (Psalm 83: 1-3)
THE MANHATTAN PROJECT (Reprinted from Friday's Daily Brief.)
Today, [Friday, November 20, 2009] dozens of religious and pro-family leaders are gathering in Washington, D.C., to announce the release of the Manhattan Declaration. Led by my good friend Chuck Colson and Princeton's Robbie George, these leaders are calling on Christians to stand up and defend the "inviolable and non-negotiable" values of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. In addition, the Declaration serves notice to public authorities that "We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar's. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's." (Gary Bauer, End-of-Day, Nov. 20, 2009)
Update: From Intercessors for America:
A huge answer to prayer! The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience - has grown by 1,000 signatures in one hour! To learn more about how to sign on to The Manhattan Declaration, go here.
The Senate Vote
Where Were The "Moderates"?
The Senate made history Saturday, voting 60-to-39 to begin debating the idea of socialized medicine in America. Let me rephrase that, just so there is no confusion: 60 United States Senators want to talk about putting the government in charge of your healthcare and socializing nearly 20% of our economy in the process. This really is unprecedented.
Just consider the words of Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who said, "This is a radical departure from the way we've responded to the market in America in the past. We have never before said, in a given business, we don't trust the companies in it, so we're going to have the government go into that business."
Prior to this vote, there was a lot of talk in the press about "conservative" and "moderate" Democrats who would decide the fate of this bill. The fact that every single Senate Democrat was willing to move this socialized medicine scheme to the Senate floor means that there really aren't any conservative or even moderate Democrats in the Senate who can be counted on. This was a vote that required the support of 60 senators. For those truly opposed to socialized medicine, this was the best chance to defeat it. But it gets worse.
Here's how Merriam Webster's dictionary describes a bribe: "Money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust." Louisiana's Mary Landrieu is often considered one of those "moderate" Senate Democrats, and she was one of the last to decide how she would vote Saturday. What tipped her hand? Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid offered $100 million in additional aid just for the citizens of Louisiana. It's being mocked on Capitol Hill as "The Louisiana Purchase." Landrieu is unrepentant. She went to the Senate floor and defended her vote, saying, "I am not going to be defensive and it is not a $100 million fix, it is a $300 million fix." (Gary Bauer, End-of-Day, Nov. 23, 2009)
Jihadist Propaganda
A lawyer for one of the 9/11 Islamofascist conspirators facing trial in a federal civilian court in New York confirmed over the weekend what we suspected. He disclosed that the Gitmo thugs will plead not guilty and then use the trial as a platform to express their jihadist philosophy and to attack American foreign policy.
I expect the defendants to demand that the U.S. withdraw from the Middle East and abandon Israel, our most reliable ally, or face more attacks. The trial will be used to recruit more jihadists and to spew anti-Semitic hatred. When it happens, we can thank President Obama and Attorney General Holder for another foolish decision informed by leftwing ideology instead of common sense. (Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; Monday, November 23, 2009)
The Good News Corner
"We Shall Behold Him " by Sandi Patty
Keep looking UP!!!
