In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot
• Kids . . and Condoms?
• More Corruption in Afghanistan?
• Rcent Security Lapses at U.S. Military Bases
• News from Chicago
• Oil and Prayer Do Mix!
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
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The Daily Brief - Thursday, June 24, 2010
"I AM with you always, even unto the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
The Daily Brief
1. G20 countries face split on issue of stimulus spending versus tackling soaring deficits - AP
World leaders who addressed a severe economic crisis with an unprecedented show of strength last year were gathering Thursday to again confront the state of their economies. But they were finding it harder to maintain solidarity with changed challenges and new faces.
Britain, Japan and, unexpectedly, Australia were sending new leaders to the G-20 summit of major industrial and developing economies. As leaders began arriving, Australia's ruling Labor Party ousted Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Julia Gillard was elected Thursday, becoming Australia's first female leader. Wayne Swan, her new deputy and the country's finance minister, was scheduled to replace Rudd for the Canadian meetings.
- Lord, as You shake the nations and replace leaders, we ask for a new fresh move of Your Spirit at the G20 summit in Toronto this weekend. We ask for a visitation, and a fear of You, to be placed at those meetings.
- "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him Who speaks from heaven." (Hebrews 12:25)
2. Magnitude-5.0 Earthquake Rattles Eastern Canada - AP
A magnitude-5.0 earthquake struck at the Ontario-Quebec border region of Canada on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and homes and businesses were shaken from Canada's capital in Ottawa on south to an arc of U.S. states.
- "I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will halt the arrogance of the proud, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place" (Isaiah 13:11,13a)
3. Obama Accepts General McChrystal Resignation - AP
[sic] Obama has accepted the resignation of the Honorable General Stanley McChrystal as the U.S. commander in Afghanistan and is replacing him with General David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, The Associated Press (AP) news agency reports citing senior officials.
- Lord, one of the sins that can cause a nation to fall is division between its military and civilian leadership. There must be strength both in reality and in appearance, or our enemies have an opening through which evil can strike. We ask for Your intervention in this rift, so that General Petraeus will be able to accomplish freedom and stability for Afghanistan, and bring cohesion and strength to our troops.
- "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
4. A) Iran's Bushehr NPP to go into operation in September - RIA Novosti
The Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran will go into operation in mid-September, ISNA news agency quoted on Wednesday, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization as saying.
B) Iran: We've enriched uranium to 20% purity - Ha'aretz
Iran has enriched 17 kg of uranium to 20 percent purity, a top official said on Wednesday, underscoring Tehran's determination to push ahead with its nuclear program despite new international sanctions.
- Lord, we place the railings of the madmen who rule Iran before you - and as Nehemiah before us - we ask that You remember Your promises to Israel and all of Your people.
- "I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and fury and great wrath" (Jeremiah 21:5)
5. New-Home Sales Plunge 33 Pct With Tax Credits Gone - ABC News
Sales of new homes collapsed in May, sinking 33 percent to the lowest level on record as potential buyers stopped shopping for homes once they could no longer receive government tax credits.
- Father, we pray that people will see from this situation that dependence upon the government for money never works in the long term. We ask for a wise and stable solution for the housing market.
- "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase." (Proverbs 13:11)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Show me your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths." (Psalm 25:4)
1. Report: IAF helicopters unload equipment 'meant for attacking a Muslim state' at Saudi airport - Ha'aretz
Helicopters landed at a Saudi airport and unloaded equipment intended for attacking targets in a Muslim state, semi-official news agency reports.
2. Balkan summit condemns Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla - Ha'aretz
Turkey and 12 other southeastern European countries on Wednesday denounced the recent Israeli raid on an aid flotilla headed to Gaza, which left eight Turks and one Turkish American dead.
3. Netanyahu to human rights activists: Sail to Tehran, not Gaza - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called on human rights activists who participate in Gaza-bound flotillas to sail to Tehran instead, where he says real human rights violations exist.
4. Experts: Ofek 9 will detect Iranian activity - Ynet News
The chairman of the Israel Space Agency (ISA) says the new Ofek 9 spy satellite will be able to detect any material transferred by the Iranians.
The Daily Jot
The prophetic fulfillment of deception falls upon those seeking the doctrines of men
The world is very confused. We can see that the opposite of common sense is being employed in almost every instance. A general is forced to resign because the Commander in Chief has such a tender ego. The world economy is about to buckle beneath debt because intelligent men and women cannot figure out they are spending more than they are receiving or are capable of receiving. Dictators are taking control of private enterprise and expecting profitable results. All the confusion has led to people just not knowing what to think or how to make a decision. They do not understand the truth and therefore they are not free to make correct decisions.
The latest poll by Rasmussen is case in point. The poll indicated that conservatives see the government as a threat to rights while liberals view it as a protector of rights, but there were large amounts of undecideds. The survey found that "nearly half, 48% of American adults see the government today as a threat to rights. Thirty-seven percent (37%) hold the opposite view. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. Additionally, most Americans (52%) say it is more important for the government to protect individual rights than to promote economic growth. Just 31% say promoting economic growth is more important. But again a sizable number (17%) of adults aren't sure which is more important."
Part of the problem is that people do not discern truth. They are confused by the facts, which do not always indicate what is true. Former Soviet KGB agent Yuri Bezmenov, who defected from the Soviet Union in 1970, conducted an interview in 1984 about Soviet infiltration methods and the plan to take over America. Bezmenov said that by 1970 the Soviet Union already had infiltrated the United States by using a brainwashing strategy called "ideological subversion" designed to change the perception of reality of every American so "no one is able to come to sensible conclusions" to defend themselves, their families, their community, and their country.
Truth by worldly standards is a hard pill to swallow. In John 8:32, Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." No doctrines of man can deliver truth. The truth is found in Jesus. Its plain and simple. But even the church, where truth should prevail, is confused with doctrines of divination, self indulgence and false prophecies. Jesus warned in Matthew 24:11, "And many false prophets shall arise and deceive many." These will deceive many because many will listen to the doctrines of men rather than be standard bearers of the word of God. Make no mistake, if you are seeking the latest doctrine of man rather than the word of God, you will be confused and deceived--just look at the Rasmussen poll.
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
Kids . . and Condoms?
With Liberty and Prophylactics for All!
A tiny town on Cape Cod has taken one thing off its back-to-school list: parental involvement. To the astonishment of most every media outlet in America, the Provincetown school board voted unanimously to pass out condoms to all students--starting with first graders. Under Massachusetts law, individual school districts are allowed to make their own policies about sex education. But in the first grade? Six-year-olds are usually worried about catching cooties--not Chlamydia!
As if that weren't outrageous enough, school leaders won't allow parents to opt-out. The rule specifically states that Provincetown will not honor requests from moms and dads who want to keep their kids out of the distribution program. In fact, some board members argued that the new policy didn't go far enough. Committee member Shannon Patrick actually complained that students can't have private access to the stash of condoms. "I don't like that students can't be discreet about this," she told reporters. "They have to go and ask for it. I'd rather them not have the conversation." I suppose she would prefer baskets of free birth control at the elementary school doors?
Regardless of how liberal the community may be, it boggles my mind that these activists are getting away with openly defying a family's authority. In district after district, schools are creeping in and substituting their judgment for that of parents'. It's all part of the Left's broader strategy to sexualize children and break down inhibitions so that they become the next generation of Planned Parenthood clients. Beth Singer, the Provincetown superintendent tried to argue, "They are children. They often act without information--on assumption, things they've heard. I think information is always important for kids."
She's right. Information is important--from parents. In most schools, kids can't even take a Tylenol without their mom's or dad's permission, but now it's okay to encourage six-year-olds to have sex without ever calling home? On matters that directly affect a child's health, it is imperative that families are central in the decision-making process.
Even parents who are supportive of condoms for older children should be warned that research shows they aren't effective. Greater access to contraception doesn't reduce teen pregnancies or abortion. David Paton, who has authored four major studies in this area, went so far as to say that "It is clear that providing more family planning... has actually led to an increase [in contraception rates]... It appears that if people have access to family planning advice, they think they automatically have a lower risk of pregnancy."
Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of "health care" that this administration envisioned for every school in America when it passed ObamaCare. School-based clinics, free birth control pills, millions of dollars for Planned Parenthood--it's all in there. And when those fail, as even liberals expect them to, taxpayers will give free abortions to every woman who wants one. What a difference an administration makes. Under President Bush, kids learned about the real ABCs: abstinence, be faithful, and (as a last resort) contraception. (Family Research Council)
More Corruption in Afghanistan?
Lawmakers accuse military of disregarding warnings on payoffs in Afghanistan
At a hearing, a lack of oversight is blamed for the protection racket in which private security contractors transporting supplies to troops are forced to pay warlords for safe passage. Legislators admonished military officials Tuesday for disregarding warnings that U.S. taxpayers have been bankrolling a mafia-style scheme in which private security contractors transporting supplies to troops in Afghanistan are forced to pay warlords for safe passage.
At a hearing, Rep. John F. Tierney (D-Mass.) blamed a lack of military oversight for the protection payments, which are costing millions of dollars. A congressional report released Monday by Tierney's subcommittee on national security and foreign affairs revealed that the protection racket may be damaging U.S. troops' efforts to build a legitimate Afghan government by funneling money to the insurgency. Several trucking company supervisors said they suspected that the men they hired for protection then paid the Taliban not to attack, according to the report. (LA Times)
Recent Security Lapses at U.S. Military Bases
No Links Seen in Spate of Base Breaches
Officials note an uptick in security incidents at military bases across the United States, but said a link can't be found among the incidents or to terrorism. The latest security incident resulted in a lockdown Monday of a Naval Air Engineering Station in Lakehurst, N.J., after a delivery truck driver told a guard at the gate he had a legal firearm, CNN reported. The base was on lockdown for about an hour and the driver was eventually allowed to leave.
The New Jersey incident followed by several days the fatal shooting at Fort Gillem, Ga., of one soldier allegedly by another soldier, and the arrest of two men at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on suspicion of trying to bring unauthorized weapons onto the base. While the incidents occurred close together, the FBI, local police and the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigative Command told CNN they can't find a connection among the incidents themselves or a thread tying the attempted breaches to terrorism. (UPI) Read more.
News from Chicago
State police revoke appointment of Muslim chaplain
Officials from the Illinois State Police have revoked the appointment of a prominent Chicago-area cleric to be its first Muslim chaplain. In a statement, state police officials said Sheikh Kifah Mustapha, the associate director of the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, could not serve as a volunteer chaplain "due to information revealed during the background investigation."
Last December, Mustapha was one of seven religious leaders trained in Springfield to become volunteer state police chaplains. State police said they discovered after all seven volunteers completed the training that detailed background checks had not been performed. But shortly after Mustapha's appointment, Steve Emerson, executive director of the Washington-based Investigative Project on Terrorism, criticized Illinois law enforcement for ignoring Mustapha's history as an "unindicted co-conspirator" in the case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, once the nation's largest Muslim charity. (WGN - Chicago) Read more.
Oil and Prayer Do Mix!
Last week, the Louisiana Senate passed a resolution calling for a Day of Prayer for the Gulf disaster and those impacted by it. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) has said the crisis will put 84,000 Louisianans out of work. Similar prayer calls are being organized for the other Gulf States. John Stemberger, President of the Florida Family Policy Council, is working on a coordinated effort, and is asking believers and churches across America to unite in prayer for the Gulf this Sunday, June 27th.
And on July 4th, I'm urging Christians, pastors, and churches across America to join us in observing the second Call2Fall, and to make this 4th of July a time, not just to celebrate, but to cry out to God for our nation. Pastors in all 50 states are uniting in prayer by taking a minimum of five minutes during their Sund ay services to lead people in repentant prayer for America. Please let your pastor know by pointing him to www.Call2Fall.com where he can follow the directions for churches. (Family Research Council)
The Good News Corner
Religious Liberty Sees Victories in Louisiana and Massachusetts
The Louisiana Legislature has passed in its final hours of session the "Preservation of Religious Freedom Act." The bill, passed in the final hours of the session, declares that the "free exercise of religion is a fundamental right of the highest order in this state" and that states and local governments must not burden an individual's exercise of religion.
The bill now heads to Gov. Bobby Jindal's desk.
Calvary Chapel in the City in Boston won a victory last week against the City of Boston, which had denied religious groups access to community rooms. Calvary Chapel was seeking access to hold Vacation Bible School.
"We feel strongly that Christians are not second-class citizens," said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). "They should not be denied access to a public meeting room because of their religious views."
On the eve of ADF filing a federal lawsuit, the city backed down and allowed the church access to the meeting room. The city also changed its policy in accordance with the 2001 Supreme Court ruling in Good News v. Milford Central School, which addressed equal access to public facilities.
ADF regularly receives calls about people of faith being denied access to public facilities.
"The law is crystal clear," Oster said. "The Supreme Court has said time and again that cities cannot discriminate against religious views when you are talking about who can access a public meeting room." (CitizenLink)
Worship with Us Today!
The Paynes: Angels Step Back . . . Here I Come!!
Yes, LORD!!
Here I come!!!
