In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot
• "Health Care" Fraud Repealed
• Next: De-funding Abortions
• Florida Keys to Success
• President Hu Visits Washington
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
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chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, January 20, 2011
"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)
The Daily Brief
1. GOP Vows to Press Repeal in Senate - Fox News
Mitch McConnell promises there will be a Senate vote after the House approved a bill to repeal the health care law, despite Harry Reid's vow to keep the health care repeal out of the Senate.
- Father, the world says this is impossible, but You are the God of the impossible, and nothing is too hard for You. We ask for a way to remove the healthcare law in the Senate despite what the opposition may say. We pray that You will intervene to help them create new healthcare legislation that actually helps America without overspending, or socialist control.
-"For with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37)
2. Loughner indicted; charges include attempted assassination - AP
A federal grand jury in Tucson has indicted Jared Lee Loughner in the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and the attempted murder of two of her aides, Ron Barber and Pam Simon. U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke says the charges represent the initial indictment in the Jan. 8 shooting at a Tucson grocery store that killed six people and injured 13, including Giffords, Barber and Simon.
Read more:
- Lord, we ask that justice be served in this case, and that the truth be exposed for all to see. We pray for Mr. Loughner's soul, that you would release him from the demonically controlled prison in his mind. We pray that the American people, the media, and our leaders be freed from deception; that they may gain true wisdom rather than cause foolish legislation, or partisan political battles and blame each other for things over which they have no control.
- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because the Lord has anointed Me - to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." (Isaiah 61:1)
3. Tucson Video Shows Judge Saving Other Victim - Wall Street Journal
Arizona federal Judge John Roll appears to have died while saving the life of another man during the shooting rampage here on Jan. 8, according to an investigator who has viewed surveillance video from the crime scene. As the shooting starts, the video shows Judge Roll pushing another man, Rob Barber, onto the ground, Mr. Nanos said. "It looks to us as though he is pushing against Ron Barber to move him out of the way." Both men fall to the ground; both are shot. The judge was shot in the back and died. "It's pretty evident to me that Judge Roll was a hero - if Judge Roll had not pushed Mr. Barber his wounds might have been fatal," Mr. Nanos said. "Judge Roll's actions are of a man trying to save another man's life."
Read more.
- Lord, we thank you for Judge Roll's courage and sacrifice. May all who see and hear of his actions find the strength to stand against evil. We pray for his family, that they will find Your comfort and peace in the midst of this tragedy.
- "to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (Isaiah 61:3)
4. Obama: $45B deals show China's rise can help US - AP
Obama is looking to assure Americans that they should not fear China's economic rise, using Chinese President Hu Jintao's high-profile state visit to announce job-creating business deals worth billions of dollars to U.S. companies.
- Lord, we ask that any detrimental agreements made with China be reversed. We pray Your covering of protection for American businesses and citizens.
-"All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the spirit." (Proverbs 16:2)
5. Russia recognizes Palestinian state - UPI
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will affirm Soviet Union's 1988 recognition of a Palestinian state during his visit to Jericho.
Medvedev will announce that Russia recognizes a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders during a visit to Jericho and Ramallah, Israel. Medvedev is to meet with Chief Terrorist PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
- Father, as we see the world's nations ally themselves against Your people, we stand firm on the promise that You will rise up and protect them.
-"And I will set My glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgments that I have executed and My hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day forward." (Ezekiel 39:21-22)
6. Russians Aren't So Hot to Cut Small Nukes - Wired.com
You thought last year's ratification of a treaty with Russia to cut nuclear weapons was difficult? Just try getting a follow-up through the Kremlin - and the Senate, or even the Pentagon. Obama's nuke-free-world vision looks further out of focus.
The New START treaty sets a limit of 1,550 warheads and 800 launchers for the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals. Except those caps are for the major bombs, the ones that can incinerate cities halfway around the world. The treaty wasn't designed to curb the smaller, artillery-shell-ready nukes that each side possesses for possible use in a land war. Russian officials sound like they're fine with keeping it that way.
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said nyet Thursday to early U.S. signals for negotiating away so-called tactical nuclear weapons. Before any accord on cutting tactical nukes, Lavrov announced, the New START levels of strategic weapons has to be reached, which will take years.
Read more.
- Lord, we praise You that even Russia sees flaws in the START treaty, although from a different perspective than the U.S. We ask that You grant wisdom to our leaders to see dangerous wording and plans which are not advantageous, so that the treaty will be reversed.
-"The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive; he shall be called blessed in the land; and You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies." (Psalm 41:2)
7. Arab League Chief Says Tunisia's Unrest May Spread - VOA
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa has warned Middle East leaders that the region is being "broken" by poverty, unemployment and a general slide in economic conditions.
- Thank You, Lord that it is always You who directs the course of world events. We pray against any "unrest" that may be perpetrated by the enemy. We praise You as the one and only God of justice, mercy, truth, and help for those who live in areas ruled by repressive forms of government.
-"For You have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor as in the day of Midian." (Isaiah 9:4)
8.(Correction) Missiles off target in major Taiwan drill - AFP
Taiwan held a major missile drill Tuesday just days after rival China unveiled an aircraft that uses stealth technology, but several misses spoiled the exercise.
- Continue to lift up our good friend and ally, the nation of Taiwan, in prayer for its protection and well-being. Pray that the Taiwanese officials will be able to pinpoint the source of these "misses" and that successful launches will follow soon.
- "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
Who is like unto You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11)
1. PA draft resolution: Declare settlements illegal - Ynet News
The Palestinians are making headway at the UN, while Israel's Foreign Service is on strike.
2. Russia, Jordan vow to achieve an independent Palestinian state - Ha'aretz
The leaders of Jordan and Russia on Wednesday vowed to work together to achieve an independent Palestinian state and boosted cooperation in the energy sector.
The Daily Jot
The altar call that stirred the world
Robert Bentley is a 67 year old deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. On Monday at a Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, Bentley told the congregation, "So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother." These remarks set off a firestorm of criticism by the ACLU, by politicians, by Jewish leaders, by Islamic leaders and by non-Christians. People say they were insulted, offended and immediate calls were made for Bentley to step down. Bentley made his remarks to a church gathering after being sworn in as governor of Alabama. He later apologized.
Bentley was only saying that you are not his brother or sister in the Lord unless you are a Christian. The second part of what he said was that he wants you to be his brother. This remark is in line with Christian love and charity as Peter said in 2 Peter 3:9 that the Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Thessalonians 2:10 says that those perish "because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." At 67, Bentley doesn't have to be governor of Alabama. He has seen and accomplished much. But he is just telling the truth to a congregation, giving what amounts to an altar call to stir the heart of man. It was met with hatred and offense.
Noah Webster: "In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed...No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people [1828, in the preface to his American Dictionary of the English Language]."...Peter says in 2 Peter 2:12, "But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption." With all the talk of civility lately it sure didn't last long when the call to Christianity is sounded. Bentley is not the one who should apologize.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
"Health Care" Fraud Repealed
Hallelujah! This afternoon, the House of Representatives repealed the horribly miss-labeled "Health Care" bill. Although the overall repeal is considered "unlikely" in the Senate, this vote served its purpose - to draw a line in the sand - and it has served that purpose well. It can only help send a message of support for all the lawsuits that have been filed by almost half the states against the bill. It is clearly unconstitutional on the face. When asked about the constitutionality of the health care bill, Nancy Pelosi could only ask, rhetorically and angrily, "are you serious?" Former Democratic Presidential Candidate and Party Chairman said matter-of-fact that he didn't care if it was constitutional or not. Well, November 2 proved what the nation thought, and today's repeal in the House is a great step in the right direction. Read more here:
(Mark Williamson; Federal Intercessors)
Next: De-funding Abortions
Abortion on deck in health care debate
House Republicans will follow their health care law repeal vote with a more targeted attack: legislation to take down provisions that they contend allow for taxpayer funding of abortion.
Anti-abortion legislators will introduce the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act as H.R. 3 on Thursday. The bill intends to prevent federal funding for abortion procedures by codifying the Hyde Amendment, which has long barred federal agencies from paying for abortions.
The legislation is supported by the chairman of an Energy Committee health panel, Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.), and the co-chairs of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.). It also comes in tandem with the Protect Life Act, another measure meant to prevent taxpayer funding of abortion.
NARAL, a leading abortion-rights group blasted the move Wednesday night.
"These anti-choice politicians are out of touch with Americans' values and priorities," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL. "These same lawmakers voted to repeal a health-care law that provides prenatal care and the promise of no-cost birth control to women. Now, they want to make it even harder for women to purchase private health insurance that includes abortion coverage with their own money. Their hypocrisy is astounding. It seems that they're fine with government intrusion, as long as it involves interfering in women's personal, private decisions."
Supporters of abortion rights have long argued that the health reform law does not allow for taxpayer funding of abortion and has the necessary safeguards to prevent public funds from being spent on the procedure. Obama signed an executive order at the end of the health reform debate last year, ordering that no federal funds be spent on abortion. It was a crucial move in the health reform debate that won over many anti-abortion Democrats, including former Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.).
Pitts, Smith and Lipinski will hold a press conference on the legislation Thursday morning, preceding House Speaker John Boehner's media availability to outline the Republican's overall approach to repealing the health reform law. (Source: POLITICO) Read more.
- Pray that, like the bill to Repeal Obamacare, this bill, too, would easily pass this Congress, but will also be considered in the Senate. It is time to end tax-payer funding of abortions in our land, for the shedding of innocent blood brings with it a curse.
- "The way of the wicked He turns upside down." (Ps 146:9d)
Florida Keys to Success
. . . the message that Republicans send tonight is just the beginning of a coast-to-coast rebellion--the likes of which this country has never seen. Six more states have joined the massive lawsuit in Florida to topple the President's policy, meaning that states who oppose the law now outnumber the ones who support it. ". . . [M]ore than half the states consider the health care law unconstitutional and are willing to fight it in court," said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
In the history of our nation, there has never been a bipartisan uprising like this one. Not ever. But, as Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Hollen alluded to, there hasn't been a threat like this either. "The Constitution places limits on the power of the federal government, and these limits must be defended or they will disappear." Hollen understands that unless this law is overturned, America will have no more states. They'll simply become administrative units of the all-powerful federal government. Of course, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has promised to ignore the House's repeal. But beware, Mr. Majority Leader. If the Senate won't act, the states will! (Family Research Council)
President Hu Visits Washington
Obama And Hu Together Again
Chinese President Hu Jintao is at the White House today as part of his official state visit to America. There has been a lot of media attention focused on this visit -- the eighth meeting between Hu and Obama. Tonight, Hu will be treated to a formal state dinner at the White House. Administration officials and the media are hyping the U.S.-Chinese relationship, and many pundits are suggesting that the Chinese hold all the cards. That is simply not true, and we should question many of these assumptions. Consider the following:
• It's true that China owns a lot of our debt, but according to CBS News, China's holdings amount to less than 7% of our total national debt. In addition, we are China's biggest market. If the Chinese couldn't sell their products here, they would have massive economic problems and civil unrest. It is a two-way street and we have more leverage than we realize.
• American elites keep emphasizing that the economic relationship between the U.S. and China is the most important factor, and that there is no reason for our nations to be at loggerheads. The reality is that it is virtually inevitable that our nations will be at loggerheads. The Chinese are signaling every day that they intend to make the Pacific into a Chinese lake. They are ramping up military spending on weapons designed solely to challenge U.S. military superiority.
We have tremendous interests and many allies in the Pacific -- Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia -- and any president who abandons the region to the Chinese would be seriously injuring America's national interests.
• Many elites tell us that China's tremendous growth will make it the world's superpower in the years ahead. Their faith in Beijing's communist government exposes their own bias for centralized power.
I think it is inevitable that China, just like the Soviet Union, will have a major crisis in the years ahead -- a banking collapse, a real estate bubble, a major pro-democracy uprising.
• The "talking heads" claim that China is on the cutting edge of environmentalism and leads the U.S. in its concern for the planet. The reality is that the Chinese are bringing new coal plants online every week. Last year, they had a 60-mile traffic jam that lasted more than a week. Pollution and smog are horrendous. In fact, China is one of the biggest polluters in the world and lags far behind us in energy efficiency.
The bottom line is that we have no need to kowtow in this relationship. We need to make it clear that we are not leaving the Pacific. And we must continue to speak up for human rights. Obama naively said today that we have nothing to fear from a rising China. Our military leadership would strongly disagree.
The Good News Corner
A New Prayer Strategy for Capitol Hill
PRAYING BLESSINGS FOR OUR LEADERS
Pray blessings and speak "grace" to the House and the Senate! Republicans and Democrats! Blessing the entirety of the office holders, the processes, etc., though some desire evil, gives the Lord the "opening" to enter in to these affairs. I will share more on this later, but the command to "bless and curse not" is a powerful, spiritual "weapon" that undermines the enemy in a stunning way.
I've heard a story where a Pastor was "cursing" a palm-reading place, and the more he cursed it so that the evil being done in the establishment would dry up and the place would close, the more it seemed to flourish. His testimony was that he went to the Lord saying "this isn't working," to which the Lord answered "My Word says to bless and curse not." He began to bless the place (swallowing hard, so to speak, because he was fighting the sense that he was blessing evil), and within a couple of months or so, the place did in fact go out of business.
This is a new strategy, a new focus, a new level of faith (in a sense) to trust the Lord that He will not only bring about righteous outcomes, but touch people's lives in the process, if you see what I'm saying. I've been practicing this new strategy of blessing everything that moves; people, drivers, the ministry, the government, the leaders, my health, etc., and things are changing. I've been blessing each of you as well. I ask you, more than ever, to speak blessings forth; "bless" me, my health, the ministry, finances, open doors of Congressional ministry with members of BOTH parties. Bless each others' spirit, soul, and body, relationships, finances, etc. (all of Federal Intercessors although you don't know them personally). Bless the church, the Pastors, etc., even those who aren't living up to "expectations." And continue to bless Congresswoman Giffords and her healing! I bless you to be a blessing to this nation and its government!
Thanks - and Blessings!!!
Mark Williamson
Federal Intercessors
Source: Foundation Restoration Ministries / Federal Intercessors
1539 South Mason Road
Katy, Texas 77450
www.federalintercessors.net
Worship with Us Today!
"Love Never Fails" by Brandon Heath
" . . . and the greatest of these is love . . ."
