In This Issue• The Daily Brief • The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot
• Terror Alert #1
• Terror Alert #2
• Terror Alert #3
• Terror Alert #4
• "Turning the Tide"
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Tuesday, July 13, 2010
"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." ((2 Samuel 22:31)
The Daily Brief
1. CNN Fires Editor Over Support for Hizbollah Founder - London Telegraph
CNN has fired a senior editor for Middle East news after she published a Twitter message that said she respected a Lebanese Shia cleric branded a terrorist by the United States.
• Heavenly Father, we pray that these supporters of terrorists and their groups will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We pray they will be confounded in their efforts to spread hatred and destruction.
• It is joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. (Proverbs 21:15)
2. Feds Issue Revised Deep-water Drilling Ban - USA Today
The federal government on Monday issued a revised moratorium on deep-sea offshore drilling, imposed on the heels of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike the previous moratorium, which was struck down in federal court, the new one isn't based on water depth and applies to any deep-water floating facility with drilling activities. It will last through Nov. 30.
"The longer the moratorium and the uncertainty that surrounds it continue, the more rigs we see leaving the Gulf of Mexico, perhaps for good."
• Heavenly Father, while we hold up deep-sea offshore drilling, other nations are taking fuel that would rightfully go to our nation. We pray that officials will make decisions on these problems with wisdom and not politics.
• Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me. (Psalms 86:6, 7)
3. Republicans Sound Warning Over Expiration of Bush Tax Cuts - Fox News
With the economy still sputtering, Republicans are drawing renewed attention to the looming expiration of Bush-era tax cuts and warning that the rollback will "clobber" everyone from small business owners to middle-class families. Democrats have pledged to shield middle-class taxpayers from the Dec. 31 expiration though no action has been taken yet.
Democratic leaders reportedly have suggested holding off taking up extending the cuts until after the November election and a report released by President Obama's debt commission.
• Lord, we pray for the American families who are struggling financially while the officials wrangle about these issues. We pray they will extend the Bush cuts and incorporate other measures that will help the economy and families.
• "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. (Psalms 91:14)
4. The Bush Tax Cuts and the Deficit Myth - Wall Street Journal
Obama and congressional Democrats are blaming their trillion-dollar budget deficits on the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. Letting these tax cuts expire is their answer. Yet the data flatly contradict this "tax cuts caused the deficits" narrative. Entitlements and other obligations are driving the deficits. The Bush tax cuts are a convenient scapegoat for past and future budget woes.
The fact is that rapidly increasing spending will cause 100% of rising long-term deficits.
• Lord, give us new officials which include the Byrd office who are frugal, focused, and have workable solutions to our economic problems. We pray these tax cuts will be extended and made permanent.
• For the Lord your God is a merciful God, He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. (Deuteronomy 4:31)
5. No Extension of Unemployment Benefits in Sight for the Long-term Jobless - The Washington Post
Nearly 46 percent of the country's 14.6 million unemployed people have been out of work for more than six months, and forecasters project that the situation will not improve anytime soon. Currently, the Labor Department says there are nearly five unemployed people for every job opening.
With the federal extensions now up for renewal, Congress has shown decreasing enthusiasm for them amid increasing concern about the ballooning deficit.
• Lord, we pray for all the families impacted by unemployment. Help them secure jobs and money to provide for their needs. We pray for wisdom and discernment about which programs to quit supporting.
• Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. (Psalms 57:1)
6. Financial Regulation Bill Nears Finish Line with Support from Snowe, Brown - Washington Post
When the Senate passed an earlier version of the bill in May, Brown was one of four Republicans to support it, along with Snowe, Collins and Charles E. Grassley of Iowa. (As with Brown, top Democrats also made concessions along the way in an effort to keep Snowe and Collins on board.)
The landmark legislation now seems likely to land on the president's desk within days, giving Democrats an opportunity to proclaim during the coming election season that they acted to rein in the recklessness of Wall Street.
• Lord, block any laws and regulations that are detrimental to our nation. Let there be strong opposition to laws that are hurtful. We pray wisdom for officials to make the best decisions for us.
• For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:32-33)
7. BP Installs Sealing Cap on Errant Well - Wall Street Journal
BP PLC said Monday night it had installed a new sealing cap that could halt the oil spewing from its broken well in the Gulf of Mexico, raising the possibility that a nearly three-month long environmental crisis could soon be contained. Federal and independent scientists have estimated that between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels of oil have flowed into the Gulf from the broken well each day since the crisis began. The oil has fouled the shores of at least four coastal states and has damped tourism and seafood industries in the area.
• Thank you Lord, that BP is coming to a conclusion to fixing this oil spill. We pray that our officials will learn how to deal with crisis situations in the future. Let them not deny responsibility for their inaction.
• He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation." (Psalms 91:15-16)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Who should not revere You, O King of the nations? This is Your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all the kingdoms, there is none like You." (Jeremiah 10:7)
1. Report: US threatens to cut Jordan's aid - Ynet News
The United States has threatened to cut financial aid to Jordan, if the Hashemite Kingdom continues to develop its nuclear program without coordinating with Israel, the Arab media reported on Monday.
2. Hizbullah tunnels under border - Jerusalem Post
Concerns are mounting in the defense establishment that Hizbullah may be digging tunnels from Lebanon to Israel to attack a border community or IDF outpost.
3. Clinton urges Turkey: Don't sever dialogue with Israel - Ha'aretz
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged her Turkish counterpart on Monday to continue dialogue with Israel, deeming the relationship between the two Middle Eastern countries crucial to the future of the region.
4. Hizbullah has target list ready - Jerusalem Post
A senior official with Hizbullah stated on Sunday that the group has a list of military targets inside Israel to hit in any future war.
The Daily Jot
Prophetic Isaiah 59 judgment may be falling on America
The moral condition of the United States may be prompting a prophetic Isaiah 59 judgment on Americans because as Isaiah 59:4 says, "None call for justice, nor any plead for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity." Attorney General Eric Holder's Justice Department appears to be turning against the citizens it vows to protect. One of Holder's first acts was to announce that the terrorists being held in Guantanamo Bay would be tried in US civilian courts. This would have afforded these terrorists the same Constitutional rights as American citizens. These terrorists were not American citizens and were out to kill Americans. Yet, Holder wanted to treat them as citizens.
In June, before even the facts surrounding the BP oil spill in the Gulf were investigated, Holder announced that he was initiating a criminal investigation against BP, saying, "If we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be extremely forceful in our response." The man who occupies the Oval Office then slapped a moratorium on Gulf oil drilling. Holder defended the action in federal court drawing criticism from the judge, who said "the Court is persuaded that it is only a matter of time before more business and jobs and livelihoods will be lost. The defendants (sic the White House) trivialize such losses." Holder lost. Americans continue to lose as oil rigs are abandoning the Gulf for friendlier political waters.
Then Holder's Justice Department dropped a voter intimidation case it had already won against New Black Panther Party member Samir Shabazz, a militant Islamist who intimidated white voters in Philadelphia during the last presidential election. Shabazz said that he hated white people and that the only way the Black man is to gain his freedom is by killing white babies. But Holder's Justice Department is going to investigate the involuntary manslaughter conviction of a white police officer who killed a black man who was resisting arrest. Holder wants to know if he can press federal charges against the officer for a racially motivated crime.
That's not all. The federal government has refused to secure the border with Mexico, turning a blind eye to raging drug wars endangering US citizens. Arizona passed a law to secure its borders. Holder is suing Arizona for interfering in America's foreign policy and anti-terrorism efforts. In addition, Holder told CBS's "Face the Nation" that he may also sue Arizona for racial profiling. Isaiah 59:14 says, "And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." Here "judgment" means "verdicts." Holder's decisions hold no justice according to America's laws, but in our fallen condition what are we to expect according to God's laws?
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
Terror Alert #1
Vacant Intel Jobs Raise Concerns Over Ability to Defuse New Terror Plots
Vacancies in the United States' intelligence leadership, including the director of national intelligence and his chief deputies, are raising alarms over a potential "train wreck" of vulnerability, intelligence sources and others on Capitol Hill tell Fox News. The goal of the national director is to maximize assets across the intelligence community. But the senior Republican on the House intelligence committee says that is not happening because the position, the nation's top intelligence official, is now subordinate to the White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan.
"The other DNIs have always been very, very professional. They've never been political. Under this administration, John Brennan has politicized intelligence. That's the danger here," Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan said, adding that Brennan is not subject to congressional oversight as a presidential appointee. The job opened up when previous Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair was forced out last month after a series of apparent intelligence failures raised questions about the country's preparedness for detecting and stopping new terror plots. (Fox News)
Terror Alert #2
U.S. has not developed a plan to keep bomb materials from crossing border
Five years after Department of Homeland Security officials vowed to block the importation of radioactive materials that could be used to make a bomb, they still have not closed security gaps at U.S. borders, according to government auditors and researchers. The failure to develop a strategic plan has delayed the creation of a "global nuclear detection architecture" that would guide a variety of federal agencies that share responsibility for preventing terrorists from detonating a nuclear bomb in the United States, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, has found. Instead of formulating a plan, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, part of DHS, spent more than $200 million on an ill-fated project to develop and deploy thousands of new high-tech detectors for screening vehicles and cargo at ports, according to the GAO. In February, following one setback after another, officials abandoned full-scale deployment of the machines. (Washington Post)
Terror Alert #3
ACLU mounts first legal challenge to no-fly list
The American Civil Liberties Union plans to sue the U.S. government Wednesday on behalf of 10 citizens or legal permanent residents who have been placed on a no-fly list and, in some cases, stranded abroad. In the suit, the ACLU accuses the government of violating the plaintiffs' constitutional rights. The number of names placed on the list has increased significantly since the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound aircraft on Christmas Day, U.S. officials said. Some Americans have been barred from flying home from overseas because their names were listed.
The ACLU says Americans are being deprived of their rights as citizens and of due process. "It really is abominable that they would treat U.S. citizens this way," said Ben Wizner, a staff lawyer at the ACLU's National Security Project. "There is simply no legal basis for placing a U.S. citizen into involuntary exile. And to use a secret government list without any process to accomplish that goal is so un-American and so unconstitutional." (Washington Post)
Terror Alert #4
US officials: Al-Qaida operative tied to NY plot
U.S. counterterrorism officials have linked one of the nation's most wanted terrorists to last year's thwarted plot to bomb the New York City subway system, authorities said Wednesday. Current and former counterterrorism officials said top al-Qaida operative Adnan Shukrijumah met with one of the would-be suicide bombers in a plot that Attorney General Eric Holder called one of the most dangerous since the 9/11 terror attacks. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have named Shukrijumah in a draft terrorism indictment but on Wednesday the Justice Department was still discussing whether to cite his role. Some officials feared that the extra attention might hinder efforts to capture him. Shukrijumah's involvement shows how important the subway bombing plot was to al-Qaida's senior leadership. Intelligence officials believe Shukrijumah is one of the top candidates to become al-Qaida's next head of external operations, the man in charge of planning attacks worldwide. Current and former counterterrorism officials discussed the case on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about it. (AP)
"Turning the Tide"
A message by Dr. Charles Stanley
What happens when a nation violates the laws of God? In this powerful message, Dr. Stanley explains what happens when people govern themselves based on preference rather than the principles of God.
My friends, I'm very encouraged today. I just watched an incredible sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley that has renewed my hope - hope that we can change America! On Sunday, July 4th, Dr. Stanley delivered a powerful sermon called "Turning the Tide." It was not your usual Sunday sermon.
Dr. Stanley used the occasion of Independence Day to speak to his congregation about the many crises our country faces. Dr. Stanley tackled the budget crisis and the Gulf oil spill. He spoke bluntly about abortion, traditional marriage and the growing threat to religious liberty. He talked about the need to stand with Israel, and Dr. Stanley spoke out strongly against socialism. Like an Old Testament prophet, he left no stone unturned as he called the nation back to righteousness.
I know many pastors address moral issues, but not many will get out of their comfort zone and tackle socialism or the budget from the pulpit. Few will "connect the dots," as Stanley did, and speak to what it all means for America's future.
I encourage each of you to watch Dr. Stanley's July 4th sermon and share it with friends and family members. And please share it with your pastor and encourage him to speak up as boldly as Dr. Stanley has.
Pastors were instrumental in America's founding. The Church has long been a pillar of strength in our society. We need their leadership in turning the tide and once again making America a shining city upon a hill. (Gary Bauer)
Thank you, Dr. Stanley!!
The Good News Corner
UC-Irvine recommends one-year suspension of Muslim Student Union
In February, the University of California at Irvine (UC-Irvine) sponsored an event featuring Israeli ambassador Michael Oren. Nearly a dozen attendees, one after the other, stood up and disrupted his remarks, in spite of repeated warnings by event hosts.
In a pleasant surprise, UC-Irvine has recommended a one-year suspension of the Muslim Student Union (MSU), a militant Islamic campus group that coordinated the disruptive activities. We say it's surprising, because the dominance of political correctness on so many college campuses usually precludes such administrative action like this.
Not surprisingly, as noted in the article below, the national Muslim Student Association, a Muslim Brotherhood affiliated organization, has "condemned" the recommended suspension. Note how they complain that a suspension will violate the "free speech" rights of Muslims!
To view the protest by UC/Irvine's Muslim students when Ambassador Oren was speaking, go here.
To read the statement of protest by the Muslim Brotherhood, go here.
Worship with Us Today!
Andrae Crouch - To God Be The Glory
Yes, LORD!
