In This Issue• Today's Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• More News from Massachusetts
• Nationwide Conference Call Tomorrow
• Victory in New Jersey
• 85,000 More Jobs Gone
• Brit Hume in the News
• The Good News Corner
Greetings!
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The Daily Brief - Friday, January 8, 2010
"So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm." (Joel 2:13)
Today's Daily Brief
1. Suspect Linked to St. Louis Workplace Shooting Reportedly Dead - Fox News
A long-time employee at a St. Louis manufacturing plant is reportedly among three dead after he allegedly opened fire upon arriving at work Thursday morning. Timothy Hendron, 51, an active employee at ABB power company in the north side of St. Louis, reportedly entered the ABB power plant campus at about 6:30 a.m. with a large assault rifle and a handgun. Police say the incident began in the parking lot and soon moved into a nearby building.
- Father we pray that You will be with the families and victims of this deadly shooting. Lord, as we have loosed the spirit of murder within our borders by various sins, we stand in repentance. We pray for a renewal of minds, a restoration of Christian faith, and a fresh Wind of Your Holy Spirit across the nation.
- "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting." (Acts 2:2)
2. C-SPAN Challenges Congress to Open Health Care Talks to TV Coverage - Fox News
The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves. C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network. Lamb urged Congress in his letter to fling open the doors in the final stretch of the negotiations. "President Obama, Senate and House leaders, many of your rank-and-file members, and the nation's editorial pages have all talked about the value of transparent discussions on reforming the nation's health care system," he wrote. "Now that the process moves to the critical stage of reconciliation between the chambers, we respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American."
- We pray that the leaders of our government will be accountable to the people and open to share their processes. May those we elect be faithful in their promises and help us to not be tricked by empty promises.
- "He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made." (Psalm 7:15)
3. Obama: 'The buck stops with me' - AP
President Barack Obama suggested Thursday he would not fire anyone for the attempted Christmas airline attack, saying it appears the security lapses that led to the near-disaster were not the fault of a single individual or institution. "Ultimately the buck stops with me," said the commander in chief. He declared anew that the government had the information to prevent the botched attack but failed to piece it together.
- The president accepting responsibility is a positive step in changing the environment that allowed for the bomber to get onto the plane. We pray that all those who failed in their duty will take ownership of their failings and that there will not be blamed passed onto others. Help this near-miss to awaken people throughout Washington to the need for prayerful reliance on Your strength and wisdom.
- "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
4. 2 Men Arrested in NYC Terror Investigation - Fox News
Two men linked to an alleged Al Qaeda associate accused of a plot to attack New York City with homemade bombs were arrested Friday after one of the men caused a traffic accident while under surveillance.
- Thank You for the focus and alertness of those who are tasked with our safety. Once again, You have allowed these plots to come to light before they kill innocents.
- "Now therefore, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field." (Judges 9:32)
5. Christmas Day Terror Suspect Pleads Not Guilty - AP
A Nigerian man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he tried to blow up a packed U.S. Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab said little during a federal court hearing that lasted less than five minutes. The 23-year-old, who wore a white T-shirt, tennis shoes and light olive pants, said "yes" in English when asked if understood the charges against him.
- Lord, we praise You for the capture of this man and we pray for the safety of all those in the judicial system who will be exposed to harm during all the phases of this trial.
- "If your sons sinned against Him, Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression." (Job 8:4)
6. U.S. to push foreign governments to use full-body scanners at airports - Washington Post
The United States will urge governments around the world to deploy controversial whole-body-imaging scanners at airports to detect explosives and other objects hidden beneath people's clothing, President Obama said Thursday.
- Lord, help us to remember that our safety ultimately rests in You, not in any measures we may take or force others to take. Help us to support the people who are responsible for vigilance with our prayers, and help us not to overly rely on machinery.
- "That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us." (Luke 1:71)
7. Iran: World's Largest Journalist Prison - Media Line
Iran has become the country with the largest number of imprisoned journalists following the sentencing of two journalists to prison terms of at least six years each, bringing the total number of journalists currently detained in the Islamic Republic to 42.
- Lord You came to set the captives free, so we ask that You will find a way to stop Iran from attempting to silence the media from speaking about their evil.
- "He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;" (Isaiah 61:1)
8. Yemen: Nigerian may have met radical cleric - AP
The Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a U.S. passenger plane on Christmas may have met with a radical American-Yemeni cleric linked to al-Qaida and the alleged Fort Hood shooter to prepare for the failed attack, Yemen's deputy prime minister said Thursday.
- Lord Jesus, we ask that You send Your Holy Spirit to move over this cleric and all other radical clerics and Imams, to bring true conversion of their hearts. Let no more young minds be corrupted by their influence or words. We bind the spirits of hatred and deception that issue forth from their mouths and command silence. Every time they try to speak, let Your Spirit stop them from their evil.
- "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you." (Acts:13:10-11a)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Moreover the word of LORD [YHWH] came unto me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see? I said, "I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said LORD..."You have seen well - for I will hasten [watch over] My word to perform it." (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
1. U.S. Seeks a New Path to Peace in Middle East - Wall Street Journal
The Obama administration is taking new steps to restart Arab-Israeli peace talks that broke down last year, and U.S. officials said they hope formal negotiations could resume by February or March.
2. 'PM on Schalit: No more flexibility' - Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has indicated to Hamas that he will show no more flexibility in negotiations to free Gilad Schalit, sources close to the premier were quoted by local media as saying Thursday.
3. 'Israel to compensate UN for Gaza war damages' - Ha'aretz
Israel has agreed in principle to reimburse losses the United Nations suffered during Israel's three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip last winter,a UN spokesman said on Thursday.
4. Report: Al Qaida targeting Palestinian camps - World Tribune
Al Qaida is reportedly targeting Palestinian refugee camps for indoctrination and recruitment.
5. IAF strikes Gaza targets - Ynet News
Israeli Air Force jets struck several targets in central and southern Gaza Strip Thursday night, Palestinian sources reported. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The IDF confirmed a strike was mounted.
6. Ahmadinejad: Iran and Syria will create a new world order - Haaretz
Iran and Syria plan to create a new world order, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday. "Iran and Syria have a joint mission to create a new world order on the basis of justice, humanity and belief in God," Ahmadinejad told visiting Syrian Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash. Syria is Iran's main ally in the Middle East and both countries consider Israel to be their political arch-foe.
7. US preparing forces for possibility of conflict with Iran - Jerusalem Post
The US does not want to see confrontation with Iran but is still preparing its military for that possibility, America's top uniformed officer said Thursday.
8. US chief of staff: Iran strike could destabilize Middle East - Ynet News
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff warned Thursday that a strike on Iran could be "very, very destabilizing" and have unintended consequences for the Middle East, adding that diplomacy was crucial.
9. 'Syria will back Hizbullah if Israel attacks' - Jerusalem Post
If Israel were to attack Hizbullah in Lebanon, Syria would respond and not sit idly by, the Qatari Al Watan newspaper quoted unnamed Syrian sources as saying in a report published Wednesday.
More News from Massachusetts
Tonight we have more news for you about the election to be held on Tuesday, January 19, in the State of Massachusetts, where voters will choose the man or woman who will fill the seat vacated by Senator Ted Kennedy.
There are three candidates running for this office:
1. Attorney General Martha Coakley (Democrat)
2. State Senator Scott Brown (Republican)
3. Businessman Joseph L. Kennedy (Independent)
[Note: Mr. Kennedy is not related to former Senator Ted Kennedy or his family]
These three candidates have widely different views on issues we are concerned about: abortion on demand, universal health care, gay marriage, etc.
For detailed information about this race, please visit the website for the Massachusetts Family Institute.
Nationwide Conference Call Tomorrow
Massachusetts Election Included in PrayerSurgeNow
PrayerSurgeNow invites Director of Massachusetts Family Institute, Kris Mineau, to update listeners on the Senate race in his state, and to share prayer requests on the call.
A special message from Dai Sup Han, Founder of the PrayerSurgeNow weekly conference call.
"In just 11 days, the people of MA will elect a new senator who will replace Ted Kennedy. I believe this will be one of the most important elections in the history of our nation. God still has a plan & a purpose for the state founded by the Pilgrims & many of our founders."
"Kris Mineau, Massachusetts Family Institute, is willing to share with us (10am Eastern/7am Pacific) key prayer points towards God's victory on 1/19."
Kris has written the following statement (excerpt):
For the first time in over 50 years, we have a viable conservative running, Scott Brown, who, as a state senator, stood against same-sex marriage and the radical agenda of Planned Parenthood. Conversely, his opponent, State Attorney General Martha Coakley, is rabidly pro-abortion and pro-homosexual. She is even more liberal on these issues than Ted Kennedy was.
Even more remarkable is the fact that if Scott Brown wins, he will be the 41st vote in the Senate to block the Health Care Bill, so this election has BIG national consequences. Scott's background info is attached and you can go to his website to learn more (http://www.brownforussenate.com/ ). I have known him personally and worked with him on a number of legislative issues over the last 7 years. He is the real deal and I highly endorse him!
SUMMARY:
Please consider participating in Prayer Surge NOW! Joint Prayer Meeting Across America scheduled for tomorrow morning. In addition to a time of deep intercession for Israel, Middle East, North Korea & US troops, we will stand in the gap with Sandra Cano and plead to God for the LIFE and against abortion.
We will also cover the State of Massachusetts in prayer, beginning at 10:00 a.m..
PrayerSurgeNow conference call begins at 7:30 a.m. EST and will run through 11:00 a.m.
Please use 712-432-9998 to connect with us. Access Code is 526338#
Together in Christ,
Dai Sup Han
www.prayersurgenow.blogspot.com
Victory in New Jersey
New Jersey Senate says no to 'gay' marriage
Defeat of bill by vote of 20-14 likely ends chance of legalization anytime soon.
Gays are vowing to fight back through the courts after the state Senate voted down a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
Minutes after the bill was defeated 20-14 on Thursday, gay rights advocates announced they would file a lawsuit seeking to get the state's top court to order New Jersey to recognize same-sex matrimony.
The Senate vote also was the latest setback for gay rights supporters nationally. In November, Maine voters overturned a law that would have allowed gay marriage in that state. The law never went into effect. And last month, the state Senate in New York defeated a similar law. In California, a federal trial will begin next week on that state's gay marriage ban. (CNSNews.com)
- As the people of God turn to Him in repentance, the tide is turning against the rule of iniquity in our land. Thank You, God!
- ". . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
85,000 More Jobs Gone
For weeks, increasing numbers of forecasters have been predicting that the December employment report would show net job gains. Alas, those hopes were dashed this morning when the Department of Labor reported that the economy lost another 85,000 jobs.
In President Obama's first year in office, more than 4.1 million Americans have lost their jobs, and the unemployment rate has gone from 7.7% to 10%. Many analysts believe these numbers may be underestimating the real figures and, of course, there are millions of "underemployed" Americans.
While per month job losses are improving, the improvement has come at a cost of trillions of dollars of additional deficit spending. (Remember, Obama and the Democrats promised us that if we passed the $800 billion stimulus bill, unemployment would not exceed 8%.) Congressional Democrats and the president are facing a gigantic problem. Beginning with the upcoming State of the Union address, they want to emphasize deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility. But with unemployment still so high, their socialist instincts tell them to endorse more "stimulus" spending.
The real solution is right in front of their faces, but Obama's leftwing ideology blinds him to the solution. To spur economic growth, Obama should promote tax cuts - not tax hikes. The Bush tax cuts should be made permanent, not repealed. Capital gains taxes should be eliminated and marginal tax rates should be lowered. Obama should drop job-killers like cap and trade and socialized medicine. He should start promoting American free enterprise instead of constantly demonizing American industry and profit.
But none of these ideas are likely from the crew in the White House, which is modeling its plans after FDR. (Or is it Hugo Chavez and Chairman Mao?) With the billions being spent, I believe the odds are we will get job growth in the months ahead. But I also believe that growth will lag behind previous recoveries and leave us "underwater" for many months to come.
(Gary Bauer; End-of-Day; Jan. 8, 2010)
Brit Hume in the News
Brit Hume's Firestorm With American Pastors
On the January 3rd edition of Fox News Sunday, retiring news correspondent and political analyst Brit Hume commented on the tragic story of the adultery of Tiger Woods. His surprising comments resulted in a firestorm. For example, Baptist pastor Welton Gaddy wrote in the Washington Post, "Having served as a Christian minister for 50 years, I am delighted to see my faith discussed in public. However, I am not pleased to see my faith used in a utilitarian manner whether the issue is personal forgiveness or national politics." Gaddy parroted almost every national newsman and religious commentator on staff at newspapers, and radio and television stations--that Hume should not have evangelized on a TV news program.
Here is what Hume said, "Tiger Woods will recover as a golfer. Whether he can recover as a person, I think is a very open question. Its a tragic situation with him. I think he has lost his family. Its not clear to me whether he will be able to have a relationship with his children. But the Tiger Woods that emerges once the news value dies out of this scandal; the extent to which he can recover, it seems to me, depends on his faith. He's said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be: Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."
On Monday, Hume was interviewed by Bill O'Reilly. Here is what Hume told O'Reilly:
"My sense about Tiger is, is that he needs something that Christianity especially provides and gives and offers. And that is redemption and forgiveness...I think that Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something that Tiger Woods badly needs...If Tiger Woods would make a true conversion, we would know it. It would show through in his being. And he would know it above all, and he would feel the extraordinary blessing that that would be. And it would shine because he is so prominent. It would be a shining light and I think it would be a magnificent thing to witness."
Given the state of our nation and the condition of organized religion in America, it is no surprise that Hume is being attacked by many Christian pastors and religious commentators--people who, against the very word of God, do not recognize that every Christian is called as Mark 16:15 says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Jesus didn't say preach it except when you are working or are a government employee. There were no exceptions. In fact, the Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 6:19-20, "...that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel...that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Hats off to Brit Hume for his obedience!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
The Good News Corner
A Historic Christian Blind Side
Greetings in the Name of Him who is Truth! There was a wonderful movie with a strong Christian message in 2009. It was called "Blind Side." This was the true story of Michael Oher who plays for the National Football League's Baltimore Ravens. Oher was a very big young black man whose mother was a drug addict, he didn't know who his father was, hadn't seen his other siblings in years and the school system had essentially rejected him. He was trying to find his way when a well-off white woman Leigh Anne Tuohy took him under her wings, brought him into her family and eventually she and her entrepreneur husband Sean adopted Michael. They saw to his education, his acceptance in college and helped guide him to become a successful man.
$208.5 million later, "Blind Side" is historic. Sandra Bullock, who played Leigh Anne Tuohy, is the first female actress to lead a movie over the $200 million mark. Now that says a lot. . . .
Bullock says she learned something in doing the movie. In her words," . . .one of my biggest questions was how people use their faith in their religion as a banner and then they don't do the right thing... But they go, 'I'm a good Christian, and I go to church, and this is the way you should live your life,' and I told Leigh Anne...'One of my largest concerns stepping into this was that whole banner-hold.' . . . It scared me because I've had experiences that haven't been great. I don't buy a lot of people who use that as their shield.' And she was so open and honest and forthright, and I said, 'Wow, I've finally met someone who practices but doesn't preach.'. . . so I finally met people who walk the walk, and it makes me happy, really happy."
There is a strong message in all of this. First, it is a message to Hollywood. Americans don't need nudity, foul language and counter culture misadventures to enjoy a movie. Whether it is a movie in the theatre or on the stage of life, people are watching. We as Christians need to take heart what Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." People like Sandra Bullock are more likely to recognize Christians by their actions than they are by their words. And they can smell a hypocrite from a long distance, downwind or not. Leading by example is what Christ did. Its what Leigh Anne Tuohy did. And its what we all should strive to do--our actions can have a lasting impact on people and nations.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
