In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot
• Bibi Before Congress (Part One)
• Bibi Before Congress (Part Two)
• Bibi Before Congress (Part Three)
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The Daily Brief - Wednesday, May 25, 2011
For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. (Isaiah 62:1)
The Daily Brief
1. NATO air strikes rock Tripoli again, France upbeat - Reuters
NATO has carried out its heaviest air strikes against Libya's capital in more than two months of bombing, amid upbeat comments from France and the Uhited States on progress toward ending Muammar Gaddafi's rule.
- God, Qaddafi has but a few days to bring destruction upon these people. May he be healed and saved and forgiven of all his trespasses by calling out in repentance for all the evil he has done. For the Word of God is a burning fire and He will require an answer from this man. In Jesus Name.
- "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I test the emotions, even to give and repay every man according to his own ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
2. Libya: British attack helicopters to be deployed - UK Telegraph
British attack helicopters will be deployed in Libya within days in a significant expansion of the military mission against Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
- God, diminish the strength and power of those who walk in darkness and who spread discontent among the people, causing needless blood to be spilled. We call for enough to be enough. There have been no changes for good on the horizon, so we plead for God's warring angels to get into the battle and destroy the enemy whose souls are continually bent on loving wickedness and forsaking goodness. In Jesus Name.
- "Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed to do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts." (II Chronicles 19:7)
3. Palestinian PM stricken in Texas - AP
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad suffered a heart attack while visiting Texas over the weekend, and was recovering Monday at Seton Medical Center in Austin.
Fayyad, who was born in 1952, was in Austin to attend the graduation of his son, Khaled, at the University of Texas at Austin when he felt strong chest pains Sunday, said the prime minister's spokesman, Jamal Zakout.
A hospital official said Fayyad was in good condition.
- Father, we pray for this Prime Minister. We pray for his healing and salvation while here in the states. Bring your laborers across his path to give him the Good News of the gospel. Open his eyes that he may turn from darkness and receive Your light.
- "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined." (Isaiah 9:2)
4. Senate Prepares Patriot Act Redux - NewsMax
Many parts of the Patriot Act are set to be renewed after the Senate gave its blessing Monday, but debate is sure to follow, according to Human Events.
- Father, we ask for Your perfect will to be done in the final language of this very important bill. We ask that this bill be used to protect our people from the dangers of terrorism on our shores, while still safeguarding our rights to privacy. We ask this in Your name, amen.
- "And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in His name, says the Lord." (Zechariah 10:12)
5. Joplin tornado deaths up to 122, eighth deadliest on record - Reuters
A monster tornado that ripped through the small southwest Missouri city of Joplin on Sunday killed at least 122 people and injured around 750. authorities said on Tuesday.
- God, for this to be the eighth deadliest record denotes the need for deep repentance in the hearts and souls of this people. You are sounding an alarm for a spiritual awakening to take place. Comfort the people. Bring them into the presence of the Lord for guidance and solace. Pierce the darkness with the light of Christ and bring a revival to this city. In Jesus Name.
- "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, says your God." (Isaiah 40:1)
6. Tornado kills two near Oklahoma City, officials say - CNN
A deadly string of tornadoes and thunderstorms rampaged Tuesday through central Oklahoma, killing at least two people, injuring many others and destroying homes and vehicles, officials said.
- God, comfort those who were traumatized and those losing family members by this deadly string of tornadoes and thunderstorms. There is strength in the Lord and we ask for hope and peace to be imparted to these precious people. In Jesus Name.
- "For God commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble." (Psalm 107:25, 26)
7. At least 4 killed in Oklahoma City tornadoes - CBS News
A series of tornadoes rolled through Oklahoma City and its suburbs at rush hour Tuesday, killing at least four people and critically injuring at least three children, authorities said.
- God, may the people cry out to You in their trouble and experience Your faithfulness in their distress. Lead them forth by the right way that they hear the comforting words that God is in control and He will carry then through. Touch them, Lord. In Jesus Name.
- "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Psalm 107:20)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
For Zion's Sake. I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth (Isaiah 62:6,7))
1. Palestinian Statehood Vote Looms Over U.S.-Israel Rift - Wall Street Journal
Though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly clashed with President Barack Obama on Friday and held firm in his stance Monday night, the Israeli leader still needs American help on a looming test: a proposed United Nations vote on a resolution to recognize Palestinian statehood.
- Father, save Israel out of the hands of their enemies. Send holy angels from heaven to war against and defeat this plan to divide Jerusalem and relinquish more Land to satisfy the demands of those whose premise and foundation has forever been to wipe Israel and the Jewish people off the map. We take comfort that You are the mighty God who has always protected Israel and made it secure from extinction, both now and forever. In Jesus Name.
- "And I will make Israel unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you: for I am with you to save you and to deliver you, says the Lord. And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible." (Jeremiah 15:20-21)
2. Netanyahu: We won't negotiate with Palestinian version of al-Qaida - Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the US Congress on Tuesday that Israel is willing to return to negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, but not with Hamas.
- God, the spirit of David and the power and wisdom of God was upon Netanyahu to make his declarative speech outlining boundaries and limitations set in place that Israel is not on a suicide mission to agree with its enemies. The power of God is in the Land and its people, and the weakness of evil intent is not part of the negotiations. Rise up, O Lord, rise up great and mighty over Israel to destroy their enemies by scrambling their thoughts. Destroy their plans as they encounter the force of God who fights for Israel. In Jesus Name.
-"And David inquired of God, saying, shall I go up against the Philistines? and will You deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand." (I Chronicles 14:10)
3. Syrian site bombed by Israel was 'very likely' a reactor - Jerusalem Post
A Syrian site bombed by Israel in 2007 was "very likely" to have been a nuclear reactor which should have been declared, the UN atomic agency said in a report, an assertion which may lead to Damascus being referred to the UN Security Council.
- God, you have gone forth before Israel to smite the host of those who would destroy them. Bring Damascus to justice. Uncover that which has been hidden. Reveal to the Israeli intelligence community the secrets of their enemies, that nothing be undisclosed. In Jesus Name.
- "Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in His sight." (I Chronicles 19:13)
4. Settlers: We'll remember PM's readiness to cede W. Bank - Jerusalem Post
The thunderous applause Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu received in Washington did not drown out what settlers consider to be one of the most dangerous lines in his speech: his clear willingness to cede some West Bank settlements.
- O God, pull back the ungodly influence brought upon Netanyahu to give up Land for peace. Bring to mind the story in the book of Joshua chapter 9, where the Gibeonites deceived Joshua because they asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Give him godly discernment from past history that this only opens up doors for destroyers to walk in, dissimulate, and start massive upheaval and disruption of peaceful existence to the citizens living in the Land. Open up Netanyahu's heart to hear the voice of God who gave all of Israel to the Jewish people to have a homeland and not be dispersed among the nations. To cede settlements in the West Bank is to bring death to the innocent Israelis who live in and around this area. Hold Netanyahu steady that he will not be deceived. In Jesus Name.
-"And stay not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; do not allow them to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand." (Joshua 10:19)
5. Ahmadinejad: There's a US plot to save 'Zionist regime' - Jerusalem Post
The US is engaged in plots to save Israel and protect its own interests, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday, according to a PressTV report.
- Father, we ask that America will join forces as an intensely strong ally to Israel so that the blessings of obedience to God will come upon both nations. Surround this declaration with the angels and the blood of Jesus to bring it forth. In Jesus Name.
-"And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth." (Deuteronomy 28:1)
6. ARAB RIOTS EXPECTED ON JUNE 7 - INN
Security forces are gearing up for a second round of Arab riots, commemorating "Naksa day," on June 7. "Naksa day" (lit. Setback day) marks the day on which the IDF reunited Jerusalem after 19 years of Jordanian rule in the eastern part of the city. The "Naksa" also refers to Israel's defeat of multiple Arab armies to retake control of Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Various websites have called for a mass Arab march on Israel with the goal of taking over the country and replacing it with a Muslim Arab country, "Palestine." One site said Nakba day events, which included a march on the northern border quickly thwarted by the IDF, "proved that we can free Palestine by an unarmed mass march, as long as we are willing to pay any price, even one million martyrs."
- Pray against this vicious plan on the part of those who hate and wish to destroy Israel. May it lose all momentum.
- "This far and no farther, and here shall your proud waves stop!" (Job 38:11)
The Daily Jot
The prophetic truth of Netanyahu and White House support of Islam
If anything, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the US Congress clearly exposed the side supported by the man who occupies the Oval Office. Unfortunately for Americans and Israel, it's the side of reducing the nation of Israel to an indefensible and weak entity that can be easily overrun by the Islamists. Make no mistake, the Islamic world is united--Shiite and Sunni--in one thing, the destruction of Israel and America. The only way that one can side with the Islamists in the Middle East is to deny that good and evil exists and juxtapose evil for good in that denial. Netanyahu left no doubt where he stood and where the American president stands.
Netanyahu pointed out that peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan have been vital. Yet the American president's new announced policy is to destabilize these nations in favor of democratic "reform." Already, the overthrown government of Egypt, now under the power of the terrorist sponsoring Muslim Brotherhood, has made diplomatic overtures to Hamas and Hezbollah. Netanyahu reiterated the obvious: that a nuclear Iran would be "the greatest danger facing humanity." Yet this Administration in 2009 told the Jewish people that America's enthusiasm in deterring Iran's nuclear program is conditioned upon Israel's progress in establishing a Palestinian state.
But the widest and deepest chasm between this White House and Israel is in the details of conditions required for peace, where there is disagreement on every major issue. Netanyahu said that peace is not about establishing a Palestinian state, but rather about the existence of Israel. He said that the Islamic leadership must recognize the right of Israel to exist. He said there can be no so-called Palestinian refugees resettling in Israel; that Jerusalem must never again be divided and remain the "united capital of Israel"; that a Palestinian state must be demilitarized; and that Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, what he called "the Palestinian version of al Qaeda."
Netanyahu spoke a prophetic truth: "In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers...This is the land of our forefathers, the Land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw a vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history can deny the four thousand year old bond, between the Jewish people and the Jewish land." The Biblical reference is Genesis 12:2,3 where the Lord says to Abram: "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee."
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Bibi Before Congress (Part One)
By Gary Bauer
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress today. He got a rousing reception from members of both political parties as he delivered a passionate defense of the American/Israeli alliance, described the failure of the peace process and boldly outlined his vision of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu spoke with just a few notes and without the assistance of a teleprompter. Here are some excerpts of his remarks:
THE ARAB UPRISINGS: "Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel's Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one-half of one-percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel. This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East. Israel is what is right about the Middle East."
IRAN AND PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH: "Obama has said that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Yet the Ayatollah regime briefly suspended its nuclear program only once, in 2003, when it feared the possibility of military action. That same year, Muammar Qadaffi gave up his nuclear weapons program, and for the same reason. The more Iran believes that all options are on the table, the less the chance of confrontation.
"As for Israel, if history has taught the Jewish people anything, it is that we must take calls for our destruction seriously. We are a nation that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. When we say never again, we mean never again. Israel always reserves the right to defend itself."
THE LAND OF ISRAEL: "In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers. We are not the British in India. We are not the Belgians in the Congo. This is the land of our forefathers, the Land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw a vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history can deny the four thousand year-old bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish land."
A FUTURE PALESTINIAN STATE: "We will be very generous on the size of a future Palestinian state. But Israel will not return to the indefensible lines of 1967. Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they so choose, to a Palestinian state. This means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside the borders of Israel.
As for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected freedom of worship for all faiths in the city. Jerusalem must never again be divided. Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel."
[To read the full text of P.M. Netanyahu's address to the Joint Session of Congress,
go here.]
Netanyahu concluded by graciously thanking the United States for its "unwavering support for Israel." "Thank you for ensuring that the flame of freedom burns bright throughout the world," he said. "May God bless all of you. And may God forever bless the United States of America."
There was a tremendous reaction to Netanyahu's address. Members of Congress interrupted Netanyahu 29 times with standing ovations. (For anyone keeping score, Obama got 25 standing ovations during his State of the Union Address.) One headline on the Fox Nation website read: "Netanyahu Delivers Epic Pro-American Speech to Congress." Rush Limbaugh was effusive with praise, saying he wished Netanyahu could run for president of the United States!
If you have children or grandchildren in college, I strongly encourage you to share today's report with them. I know they will benefit from this "reality check." Given the rise of anti-Semitism and anti-American rhetoric on our college campuses, it will surely stand in stark contrast to the misinformation and propaganda our young adults are being taught about Israel and our own nation at our institutions of higher learning.
Bibi Before Congress (Part Two)
Analysis: Applause heard in White House, around world
By Herb Keinon, The Jerusalem Post
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The overall importance of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyanhu's speech to a special joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday was not in the substance - he did not break any radical new ground - but rather in the overwhelmingly warm ovation he received.
Netanyahu could only dream of such a reception in Israel. Even his wife, Sara, received a standing ovation when she entered the hall.
The prime minister was applauded some 30 times, many of those accompanied by standing ovations.
The nearly four-minute ovation he received when he entered the historic chamber - including a brief period of rhythmic clapping that sounded more like the Mann Auditorium than Congress - was not only heard by Netanyahu, but also by US President Barack Obama, the Palestinians and the world at large.
With all the talk of the country's existential loneliness, and Israel's real sense of isolation, when Netanyahu spoke to the most important parliament in the world, it exuded nothing but warmth toward Israel.
Even the prime minister's comment that Jews are not interlopers in Judea and Samaria - not like the Belgians were in the Congo or the British in India - received raucous applause and standing ovation by most in the hall.
Granted, Congress is not the world, and it is the US president who in the final analysis sets American foreign policy. But Congress is not some insignificant little body that can be lightly dismissed - not by the president or the world - and it sets the limits to how far the president can push Israel.
With the resounding applause, on both sides of the aisle, to Netanyahu's comments on a unified Jerusalem, not returning to the 1967 lines, not negotiating with Hamas, not allowing the descendants of Palestinian refugees to enter Israel, Obama - currently tending to US business in Europe - received a clear signal from Congress that when it comes to Israel, his hands are not free.
Bibi Before Congress (Part Three)
ANALYSIS: NETANYAHU GOES TO WASHINGTON
By Joel C. Rosenberg
(Jerusalem, Israel, May 25, 2011) -- Will it work? That's the key question as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu finishes his high-profile trip to Washington, meeting with President Obama, addressing 10,000-plus pro-Israel activists at the AIPAC Policy Conference, addressing a Joint Session of Congress, and doing a flurry of major media interviews. Will his passionate case that Israel is America's best friend, the only solid and secure democracy in the Middle East, endangered by Iranian nukes, and in need of unwavering American friendship and support in tumultuous times fully convince the President, the Congress and the American people to stand with Israel through the darkest of times that are steadily approaching?
I would like to believe this will be the case, but Bible prophecy says otherwise. The Hebrew Prophets such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Joel tell us again and again that Israel will be all alone in the last days of history. All the nations will eventually turn against her. All the nations will work to divide the Land of Israel. Jerusalem, too, will be divided. The New Testament reconfirms this. Indeed, the Scriptures indicate that the only hope for Israel is for her to turn fully and completely to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As the "time of Jacob's troubles" approaches - as the Day of the Lord approaches - the Bible tells us that the nations will betray the Jewish people. Only the Lord will be faithful. The question is, when the dark times come will Israelis turn their hearts to the Lord?
The Prime Minister's speech to Congress was excellent in many ways. He rightly described the "epic battle" underway in the epicenter. He described a great shaking going on in the Middle East. He rightly warned that Iran and her nuclear program is the greatest threat, that Hamas is the new al Qaeda, and that in all of the Arab world, only Israeli Arabs have true safety, security, and fully protected human and civil rights. I've included some important excerpts from the speech below.
However, it should be noted that Netanyahu never cited the Bible, never called on the name of the Lord, and never called the Jewish people to trust fully and completely in the God of Israel, but rather promised to divide the land of Israel as a concession to the Palestinians, even while promising never to divide Jerusalem. These were mistakes. He wasn't the first Israeli Prime Minister to make them. But he is making them nonetheless. He was right to thank the U.S. for all our help and support of Israel over the years, and he was right to seek continued help and support from the American people and government. But neither he nor Israel should become dependent upon American help because the Bible tells us it won't be there for long.
The Bible is clear: only the Lord will save Israel. It is time for Israelis to consider this very carefully. For time is short. "The Day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near." (Joel 2:1)
Footnote from CHPP:
We can't figure this out, but . . . our computer keeps dropping a key paragraph in this article!
Please visit the following verse, cited by Joel Rosenberg, that tells us what happens when a nation tries to divide the land of Israel:
-- (Joel 3:2)
Then see what God requires of us:
-- (Joel 2:12-13)
And finally, study how the LORD will respond to our repentance:
-- (Joel 2:18, 27)
To read the rest of this column -- including key excerpts from Netanyahu's speech and links to the full text(s) -- please go to my blog at http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/ -- or the Hebrew blog found at www.joelrosenberg.co.il. Thanks.
