Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
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chpp@patriot.net
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XVIII, Number 15a
May 9 - 13, 2011
DOMESTIC ISSUES"I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me." (Psalm 45:5)
1. MILLIONS BOW THE KNEE ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
2. TOMORROW: VIRGINIA APPELLATE COURT TO WEIGH OBAMACARE
3. OBAMACARE IS CHALLENGED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS
4. HOUSE PASSES PERMANENT BAN ON ABORTION FUNDING
5. SENATORS INTRODUCE PERMANENT BAN ON ABORTION FUNDING
6. H.R. 1249; S. 23 -- TO PROMOTE THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE
7. U.N. DEBATED WHETHER "MOTHER EARTH" DESERVES HUMAN RIGHTS STATUS
8. FLOODING HITS MEMPHIS; NEW ORLEANS PREPARES
9. HOUSE CHAPLAIN DANIEL COUGHLIN RETIRES
10. SENATOR REID DROPS "UNDER GOD" FROM PLEDGE
11. CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION ON KING JAMES BIBLE
12. CONGRESSMAN SAYS STOP FUNDING PAKISTAN
13. ON BIN LADEN: WHITE HOUSE NOT DOING ITSELF ANY FAVORS
1. MILLIONS BOW THE KNEE ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Some gathered at a community arts theater in Pennsylvania. Others met on the lawn at a City Hall in Washington state. In Kentucky, students circled a county courthouse. Focus on the Family hosted a special chapel service for the community.
They were among the millions of Americans who came together today for the 60th annual National Day of Prayer (NDP).
An Indiana woman posted this on Facebook: "Thank you, God, for the honor and privilege to be able pray openly to You on our courthouse lawn. I pray that we were a shining light for the community, and that You were honored and praised."
Joni Eareckson Tada, the honorary chairman of the NDP Task Force, gave the keynote address at the national observance in Washington, D.C. "These are such uncertain times," she said.
"Americans are anxious and on edge. Americans are nervous. Americans are restless. Americans are uncharacteristically pessimistic.
"There's no reason to be pessimistic. Now, as never before, is a time to be optimistic. When God's people come together to seek Almighty God, there is every reason to hope. . . God is on His throne, and Jesus is at His right hand."
U.S. Rep. Allen West also spoke at the D.C. observance. "I implore this nation and all of you here to lift your eyes unto the hills, where we shall find our strength," the Florida Republican said. "Mount up with wings like eagles. Run and never grow weary. Walk and never faint. "And never forget, that before you stand strong, you must first kneel in prayer." (CITIZENLINK)
- Give thanks unto the LORD for the mighty outpouring of support shown across our nation for the National Day of Prayer. A nation that seeks His face, repents, and prays is a nation that will survive. Praise God!
- "Righteousness exalts a nation . . ." (Proverbs 14:34)
2. TOMORROW: VIRGINIA APPELLATE COURT TO WEIGH OBAMACARE
Obama's health care overhaul will get its first oral arguments in federal appeals court Tuesday when a three-judge panel hears two Virginia cases - one that upheld the law and another that struck down its key provision. Nine lawsuits challenging the law are pending on appeal, but the Virginia cases before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are the first to reach the oral argument stage. Thirteen cases have been dismissed with no appeal filed, and nine are pending in district courts, according to federal officials.
In the most prominent of the two Virginia cases, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson struck down the health care law's key provision: a requirement that individuals buy health insurance or pay a penalty starting in 2014. Thirty-one lawsuits challenging the law have been filed nationally, and Hudson - a 2002 appointee of President George W. Bush - was the first judge to strike down any of its provisions. Hudson left the rest of the law intact. "An individual's personal decision to purchase - or decline to purchase - health insurance from a private provider is beyond the historical reach of the Commerce Clause," Hudson wrote in the Dec. 13 opinion, which the U.S. Justice Department promptly appealed.
U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon in Lynchburg reached the opposite conclusion in a lawsuit filed by Liberty University, the conservative Christian school founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Two weeks before Hudson's ruling, the 1997 appointee of President Bill Clinton ruled that the mandate is a proper exercise of congressional authority under the Commerce Clause.
Court officials expect a packed house for the back-to-back hearings. Courtroom doors will be opened two hours early, and a closed-circuit television feed of the proceedings will be shown in a second courtroom. Also, for the first time, the court will make an audio recording of the hearings available on its website later in the day.
The appeals court in Richmond will hear the Liberty case at 9:30 a.m., then the lawsuit filed by Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli. The hearings are scheduled to last 40 minutes each, and rulings are expected in a few weeks. Neither side will know which three justices from the 14-member bench will hear the cases before Tuesday morning. (The Associated Press) Read more.
- Lift up a prayer before the Throne of Grace fot Matt Staver, who is arguing the case challenging the legality of the President's health care plan. Ask our Lord to unleash a host of His mighty angels to surround and to safeguard this legal team. Lift up the three judges who will be chosen from the 4th Circuit to hear these arguments, that they be given the mind of Christ and that they rule in the fear of the Lord. This decision will have a great impact upon all 50 states and therefore demands our earnest intercession. Pray!
- "For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest On the land allotted to the righteous." (Psalm 125:3)
3. OBAMACARE IS CHALLENGED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS
HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE ACTION TO DEFUND PARTS OF THE OBAMACARE INFRASTRUCTURE
One of the most infamous pieces of legislation ever passed by any Congress, ObamaCare, passed in March of this past year by the Democratically-controlled Congress--which is still opposed by a large majority of the American people--is being dismantled by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives one piece at a time.
The Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, Congressman Tom Price, a medical doctor from Georgia, reports in the press release below the latest effort by the Republicans to satisfy the will of the American people to defund ObamaCare and finally to get rid of it once and for all and return to debating legitimate healthcare reform legislation. (Christian Coalition of America) Read more.
- Father, sometimes change comes all at once, and sometimes in little pieces. Father, we ask that in this case the sum of the pieces would be greater than the whole, and that you would give us a health care system that would honor and glorify you more than any we've ever seen in this country or in the world. Give us the faith to believe and ask for such utterly unthinkable boldness in proclaiming your glory to the world. You are the God who gives life and health and breath.
- "I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments." (Psalm 119:131)
4. HOUSE PASSES PERMANENT BAN ON ABORTION FUNDING
On Wednesday the House of Representatives attempted to codify what is widely known as the "Hyde Amendment" with a bill to permanently ban any federal funding of abortion. Democrats, led by radical minority leader Nancy Pelosi, called the bill a "war on women."
"This is the will of the American people and it ought to be the law of the land," said House Speaker John Boehner (R.-Ohio) noting that polls show 70% of Americans are against public funding for abortions. HR-3 passed 251 to 175, with 235 Republicans and 16 Democrats voting in favor. The bill must now pass in the Senate which is controlled by Democrat Harry Reid who champions funding for the destruction of the unborn.
- Father, sometimes we are amazed at the debate we see, hear and read in Congress. How many members claimed there was currently no federal funding of abortion, and therefore this ban was not necessary? This bill would have made the very annual law we already have into permanent statute instead of the continual renewal that has been required every year for decades. This law also went much further in that it provided conscience protections for those in the medical profession. Father, we know our medical community is disintegrating as a result of not having protections for rights of conscience. If we think the life debate has been difficult now, we could face a picture much darker yet over the next decade or two or three. We ask you to go before those millions yet unborn, protect them from destruction, and protect them from a world in which health is more about death and politics than healing and your people.
- "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." (Romans 14:5)
5. SENATORS INTRODUCE PERMANENT BAN ON ABORTION FUNDING
There is a group of pro-life Senators such as Republican Senators Orrin Hatch (UT), Tom Coburn (OK), Roy Blunt (MO), Marco Rubio (FL), and Kelly Ayotte (NH)--the only pro-life woman in the U.S. Senate--who are trying to keep the issue alive in the United States Senate and to remind the Senators that some 45 million unborn babies have been murdered since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.
To read the press release issued below by the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Orrin Hatch, go here.
- Father, we thank you for the humility of senators willing to follow the lead of the House and introduce a companion bill, S. 877, to the House version. May it pass. And may those who stand in its way be removed out of the way.
- "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."
(Proverbs 15:33)
6. H.R. 1249; S. 23 -- TO PROMOTE THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE
Many important inventors have attested that they would not have had the incentive to labor for years creating their invention were it not that our system offers hope that its profits would enable them to achieve the American dream. Our patent system, which protects the property right of the inventor, is why the United States has produced most of the world's great inventions and dominates the world in innovation. All other countries award patents under an alien system called "first-to-file," i.e., the first person to file a paper with a government office. Foreign and powerful financial interests are now haranguing us to make us believe that the new dogma of globalism demands that we "harmonize" our patent system with the rest of the world by changing from first-to-invent to first-to-file.
A bill to do this (S.23) already passed the Senate after a quickie hearing that did not include a single inventor, small business person, venture capital person, or constitutional authority. It's now being pushed without any publicity in the House as H.R.1249. Why would we abandon the proven best system that has worked successfully for more than two centuries and replace it with a proven inferior system? The Constitution plainly states that the property right belongs to "inventors," not to someone handing a piece of paper to a government bureaucrat. Seven scholarly law review articles have examined this issue and concluded that first-to-file is unconstitutional. No scholarly review proves otherwise. (Eagle Forum) Read more.
- Father, we thank you that you have made us in your image to be like our Creator Father and create. We ask you to preserve America's system of rewarding innovation and may our system and the work it produces bring glory to Your Name. We ask for rejection or veto of this bill, and instead a fix to the bureaus that approve patents and those applications. Remove the work of those who would obscure the history of inventions.
- "In the beginning was the Word." (John 1:1)
7. U.N. DEBATED WHETHER "MOTHER EARTH" DESERVES HUMAN RIGHTS STATUS
United Nations diplomats set aside pressing issues of international peace and security last month to devote an entire day debating the rights of "Mother Earth."
A bloc of mostly socialist governments lead by Bolivia have put the issue on the General Assembly agenda to discuss the creation of a U.N. treaty that would grant the same rights found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to Mother Nature. Treaty supporters want the establishment of legal systems to maintain balance between human rights and what they perceive as the inalienable rights of other members of the Earth community -- plants, animals, and terrain. Communities and environmental activists would be given more legal power to monitor and control industries and development to ensure harmony between humans and nature. Though the United States and other Western governments are supportive of sustainable development, some see the upcoming event, "Harmony with Nature," as political grandstanding -- an attempt to blame environmental degradation and climate change on capitalism.
"The concept 'Mother Earth' is not universally accepted," said a spokesman from the British Mission to the U.N. about Bolivia's proposal. "In general, our view is that we should focus on tackling important sustainable development issues through existing channels and processes." The General Assembly two years ago passed a Bolivia-led resolution proclaiming April 22 as "International Mother Earth Day." The measure was endorsed by all 192 member states. But Bolivian President Evo Morales envisioned much more, vowing in a speech to U.N. delegates that a global movement had begun to lay "out a Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth." (FoxNews.com)
- Father, we pray for South America. We've seen a lurch to the Left on that continent in the last decade, and it was not in a philosophically Western or Biblical direction. We also know that United Nations conferences and documents are not without great consequence, especially in the developing world. We see how some countries can say just about anything to grab for more power, and nothing is to extreme in these last days. Thus, we simply ask that Your word be understood, preached and proclaimed for all the world to hear. May we know that You are the God who sustains the world and all your people and creatures in it.
- "He sustains all things by his powerful word." (Hebrews 1:3)
8. FLOODING HITS MEMPHIS; NEW ORLEANS PREPARES
Memphis residents prepare for Mississippi River to crest just inches short of record levels, as officials open floodgates to relieve pressure on levees outside New Orleans.
- This situation now seems to be totally out of control, but we serve a God who is IN CONTROL. Seek Him in prayer tonight on behalf of all of those who may be affected by these floods. Ask Him to protect each one from harm, and to make a way that all may be restored quickly.
- "'Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you." (Jer. 32:17)
9. HOUSE CHAPLAIN DANIEL COUGHLIN RETIRES
Speaker Boehner to Nominate Reverend Patrick J. Conroy for House Chaplain
WASHINGTON, DC - House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today announced, in consultation with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), that he intends to nominate Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, S.J. to serve as the 60th chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives. Father Conroy would succeed Father Daniel P. Coughlin, who retired last month after more than 11 years of service.
Father Conroy currently teaches theology at Jesuit High School in Portland, OR. Previously, he served as a chaplain at Georgetown University for a total of 10 years ending in 2003. A native of Washington state, Conroy entered the Society of Jesus in 1973 and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1983. (Office of the Speaker of the House)
Father Conroy's nomination will be submitted to the full House later this month.
- Ask our Lord to grant His wisdom to the members of the full Chamber of the House of Representatives as they vote upon this nomination. May they choose one who reflects the views of the majority of the membership. Amen.
- "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
10. SENATOR REID DROPS "UNDER GOD" FROM PLEDGE
In the Pledge of Allegiance the words "under God" appear in this context: "One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". When quoting the Pledge on the Senate floor Reid stated, "one nation indivisible" and left out "under God." This tendency to "forget" about God seems to be a frequent problem with the President also. "In God We Trust" is the national motto, although President Obama has falsely stated in several speeches that the motto is "E Pluribus Unum". He also regularly leaves the phrase "endowed by our Creator" out of the Declaration of Independence when quoting it. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
- Father, we know this is not limited to one side of the aisle, nor is it limited to elected officials. It is the tendency of all of us to forget you, even after you have done great things for us. We ask for your reminder, and to remind our leaders of who You are and what You have done. Remind us anew of your will for the United States of America.
- "Beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." (Deuteronomy 6:12)
11. CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION ON KING JAMES BIBLE
In this year of the 400th anniversary of the publishing of the King James Bible, Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) has introduced H. Con. Res. 38, which recognizes the contribution which the King James Version of the Bible has made to American law, language, history and culture. The Resolution notes that "the teachings of the Scriptures, particularly read from the King James Scriptures, have inspired concepts of civil government contained in our founding document, and subsequent laws."
The Resolution also notes that the King James Bible is the most printed and widely distributed work in history. President Andrew Jackson called it "the rock upon which our republic rests." The Resolution ends with these words: "Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that Congress expresses its gratitude for the influence it (the KJV) has bestowed upon the United States." The Religious Freedom Coalition delivered a letter to Congressman Robert Aderholt, thanking him for introducing this Resolution. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
- Father, we thank you for your Word, for the Hebrew people who kept it, for the men who translated it into Greek and English, for those who publish it, preach it, and for the men and women working to translate it into the rest of the 6,000 languages around the world.
- "He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations." (Psalm 105:8)
12. CONGRESSMAN SAYS STOP FUNDING PAKISTAN
Congressman Allen West (R-FL) has spearheaded the drive to stop funding for Pakistan in light of the United States locating Usama Bin Laden in a mansion in the same city as Pakistan's elite military academy. West also commented on Pakistan's efforts to persuade the Afghan government to abandon the USA in favor of a treaty with China.
PRO-BIN LADEN DEMONSTRATIONS IN PAKISTAN
Only about one hundred Muslims demonstrated outside the US embassy in London on Friday over the killing of Osama bin Laden, but in Pakistan thousands took to the streets and images of President Obama were burned. This weekend Christians are staying in their homes and guarding their churches in Pakistan as the death of Bin Laden will undoubtedly be used by Muslims as an excuse to attack them once again. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
- Father, we thank you for the leadership of military members of Congress like Allen West, and we thank you for bringing to light ramifications of our spending, and where it goes and who it helps after it leaves our treasury. We ask that you would be with those who decide, guide and write the spending for our dollars around the world, and that it would not go to duplicitous efforts as Pakistan increasingly seems to be. Further, we ask that we would be free of entangling alliances with Pakistan, Afghanistan and China, and that they would remain or become free and sovereign states themselves. We ask for protection for the saints in London and Pakistan in the midst of disruptions.
- "The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders." (Joshua 9:18)
13. ON BIN LADEN: WHITE HOUSE NOT DOING ITSELF ANY FAVORS
Obama scored a major victory for America and for himself with the track down and killing of Osama Bin Laden. Then he proceeded to confuse it by telling various versions of that victory. First there was a major fire fight at the mansion of Osama bin Laden lasting 40 minutes in which Bin Laden was killed resisting. The minute I heard this version I knew it was fiction. Any time the SEALs are involved in a 40 minute battle, something has gone horribly wrong. The actual fire fight took less than 2 minutes and the remaining 38 minutes were used to carry off computers, bodies and clean up the general mess of a crashed helicopter. Although that is what happened, this version has still not been told. In the second version the White House said that Bin Laden was unarmed but using a woman to shield himself, refusing to surrender with no time given for the fire fight. The last version had only one of Bin Laden's defenders fighting back and Bin Laden acting cowardly. REALITY: None of the versions, now numbering around six or seven, were ever needed. All Obama needed to say was, "We killed him." Thanks to the various versions of events from the White House the UN now wants to investigate the "assassination" to determine if "justice" was done. (RFC)
- Father, You know what happened, and maybe that's all we need to know. Help us bury the past and move on. May we not dig holes that become traps for ourselves, and may the United Nations recognize the obvious justice that was done.
- "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVIII, No. 15b-1
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. OSAMA BIN LADEN REMOVED FROM THE LIVING
2. U.S. OFFICIALS UNVEIL VIDEOS OF BIN LADEN
3. OBAMA AND CONGRESS QUESTION PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES
4. NETANYAHU: WITH BIN LADEN DEAD, IRAN IS NOW WORLD'S GREATEST THREAT
5. EGYPT: 12 DEAD IN MUSLIM ATTACK ON CHURCH
6. EGYPT'S MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TO VIE IN SEPTEMBER ELECTION
7. JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER ORDERS HALT AT SECOND NUCLEAR PLANT
1. OSAMA BIN LADEN REMOVED FROM THE LIVING
Al Qaeda Vows Revenge
The mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 destruction in the U.S. was removed from the land of the living in a raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, which was approximately 1000 ft. from a Pakistani military training center in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The U.S. intelligence community is exploring information obtained during the raid on bin Laden's compound in an attempt to learn al Qaeda intentions and the identity and whereabouts of key al Qaeda players. During that raid on the bin Laden compound, several computers and various media were seized. A Senior U.S. Official told CNN that 10 hard drives, 5 computers and more than 100 storage devices which includes discs, DVDs and thumb drives were taken from the compound.
The source said that core al Qaeda out of the Pakistani tribal areas is "still the most dangerous element out there, the most significant for a spectacular attack on the homeland." A top priority continues to be the dismantlement of al Qaeda's core. U.S. officials are turning their focus to the elimination of Ayman al-Zawahri, bin Laden's second in command, and other senior operative planners who pose a threat to western interests.
The self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 terror plot told interrogators at Guantanamo Bay that Al Qaeda has a nuclear bomb somewhere in Europe and would detonate it if Osama bin Laden was ever captured or killed, Fox News reported, citing WikiLeaks' cables. Khalid Sheikh Mohamed, one of the top prisoners at the facility, called the plan a "nuclear hellstorm." The WikiLeaks cables about Guantanamo, obtained and detailed last month by several news organizations, illustrated how intelligence agencies employ information obtained by the 780 prisoners. Although some of the information is proved to be erroneous, still some appears to be actionable. A prisoner described as the 20th 9/11 hijacker said the terror group is seeking to recruit staff at Heathrow Airport in London and plotted major chemical and biological attacks against the U.S. (Intercessors for America)
- Pray against any attacks of retaliation from groups that are sympathetic toward bin Laden. We pray that there will be extra vigilance on everyone's part to catch anything that would be a threat in Europe. Pray that no group or nation will be able to use nuclear weapons. Thank the Lord for this successful accomplishment to invade bin Laden's fortress and get important sources of information. Pray that there will be much information gained from these sources so that we can defeat our enemies.
- "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)
2. U.S. OFFICIALS UNVEIL VIDEOS OF BIN LADEN
Keenly conscious of his image, a graying Osama bin Laden no doubt never expected this video -- showing him hunched over, draped in a blanket and using a television clicker -- to hit the world's airwaves as it did Saturday.Filmed by a confidant, the al Qaeda leader contrasts with the younger version of himself on a TV screen a few feet away. That man has a more youthful beard, a hand held up in resolve and a photo of the burning World Trade Center.
U.S. officials, who Saturday released five videos, emphasized the recordings and other materials seized at bin Laden's Pakistan compound show the terrorist still had a firm hand at the tiller, managing strategic and tactical control of his organization, even as he stayed out of sight in Abbottabad. (CNN) Read more. (Article and video)
- Although this documentation does not directly attest to the demise of Osama bin Laden, it does demonstrate that this once-powerful leader was, indeed, declining in strength. Intercede that all in the grip of the lie of Islam and of al Qaeda would awaken to the fact that we are all here on earth but for a brief time, and that eternity lies ahead. May each one experience a miracle of divine intervention, leading to truth and to salvation, for at the Cross, our Lord Jesus paid the price for us all. Amen.
- "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many." (Hebrews 9:27,28)
3. OBAMA AND CONGRESS QUESTION PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES
Pressure is building on Capitol Hill to find out whether Pakistani officials knew about Osama bin Laden's location on the outskirts of a military town and withheld that information from Americans for years. Pakistan's leader denied suggestions his country's security forces may have sheltered Osama bin Laden before he was killed by American forces, even as Britain said Tuesday it would be demanding answers from Islamabad as to how the al Qaeda chief was able to live undetected in a large house in a garrison town.
In Washington, incredulous lawmakers are pressing Pakistan for answers to two simple questions: What did its army and intelligence agents know of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts and when did they know it? "I think this tells us once again that, unfortunately, Pakistan at times is playing a double game," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a Senate Armed Services Committee member who indicated that Congress could put limits on funds for Pakistan. (Intercessors for America)
At the White House, Obama has called on Pakistan to investigate the network that sustained Osama Bin Laden in his hideout where he was killed last week. Obama told CBS show 60 Minutes the government in Islamabad had to find out if any of its officials knew of the al-Qaeda leader's whereabouts.
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani is to make a statement in parliament about the US special forces raid which led to the death of Osama Bin Laden last week. The address comes amid questions about how the al-Qaeda leader was able to live apparently undetected in the town of Abbottabad near the capital. (BBC)
- As the questions continue to be asked about whether the Pakistani officials had a hand in hiding bin Laden, ask that truth be revealed and accountability set in place. The Word of God says that, if we ask, we will receive. Amen.
- "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." (I Peter 3:12)
4. NETANYAHU: WITH BIN LADEN DEAD, IRAN IS NOW WORLD'S GREATEST THREAT
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei poses the greatest worldwide threat after the death of Osama bin Laden, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with CNN on Thursday. Claiming that Khamenei posed an even greater threat than Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Netanyahu told CNN that the Supreme Leader "runs the country and he is infused with fanaticism. "If the Iranian regime gets atomic bombs, it will change history," the premier said, adding that the "future of the world -- the future of the Middle East -- is certainly at stake." (Haaretz) Read more.
- Pray that the world's leaders will take heed to the wise words of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Iran's nuclear weapons are not only a threat to Israel, but to all the nations of the Middle East and the world. Pray!
- "Go, set a watchman; let him declare what he seeth." (Isaiah 21:6)
5. EGYPT: 12 DEAD IN MUSLIM ATTACK ON CHURCH
Twelve people were killed Saturday when Muslims attacked a church in Cairo, in the second incident of its kind since March. The attack set off violent clashes that ended in hundreds of injuries and almost 200 arrests. The incident began when a Muslim mob attacked the St. Menas church after hearing rumors that a Christian woman married to a Muslim man had been kidnapped and was being held in the church. There does not appear to have been truth to the rumors.
The mob threw firebombs at the church, chanting, "With our blood and our souls we will defend you, Islam." The crowds attacked nearby homes and shops with firebombs as well. Many in the mob carried knives and machetes, and witnesses said they heard gunfire, which apparently came from rooftops.
Clashes broke out as Christians attempted to defend the church. In total, at least six Muslims and three Christians were killed, and more than 230 people were injured, 11 of them critically. (Israel National News) Read more.
- Continue praying for Truth in the inmost parts in the Obama Administration who continue to quietly support the White House Agenda regarding the Muslim Brotherhood -- an agenda that shouts 'crucify' those who believe in our Messiah. Pray the Lord will place angelic protection around the Coptic Christians in Egypt.
- "By abolishing in His flesh the enmity (caused by) the Law with its decrees and ordinances that He from the two might create in Himself one new man, so making peace." (Eph 2:15-16 AMP)
6. EGYPT'S MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TO VIE IN SEPTEMBER ELECTION
The Muslim Brotherhood has announced it will create a political party to vie in Egypt's September parliamentary elections. The party, which will call itself the Freedom and Justice party, will officially be independent from the Brotherhood, but "will coordinate with it" according to a spokesman for the group. The distinction appears to be nothing more than a legal technicality. Since the downfall of Hosni Mubarak became inevitable, observers have wondered openly whether the new political situation in Egypt would open the door to Islamist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was among the first to voice concern, warning that Israel's relationship with the post-Mubarak regime is unlikely to be as productive as relations were with the Mubarak government, even though that relationship became synonymous with the term "cold peace."
Last week, Egypt's army chief-of-staff warned Israel not to interfere with plans to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip-a move Israel sees as undermining security. The Israelis are also concerned about multiple overtures to Hamas extended by the new Egyptian regime.
Under Mubarak, the Brotherhood was officially banned, but it was able to run candidates as individuals who were known to represent it. The official state newspaper reported on Saturday [April 30] that Hosni Mubarak will be tried for corruption and complicity to murder. The latter charge stems from accusations that he ordered troops to fire on protestors in the demonstrations that ultimate brought about his downfall. The charge carries the death penalty. (By The Media Line, BRIDGES FOR PEACE, May 1, 2011)
- Pray that the Lord will intervene to protect Egypt, Israel and the world from the growing threat of this radical, anti-Israel, anti-American organization.
- "Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword." (Psalm 17:13)
7. JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER ORDERS HALT AT SECOND NUCLEAR PLANT
Japan's prime minister has told a power company to halt operations at another nuclear plant due to fears an earthquake could trigger a new crisis. Naoto Kan said three reactors at Hamaoka plant should be suspended until new safety measures were put in place. The Hamaoka plant, which lies 200km (120 miles) south of Tokyo, is in Shizuoka prefecture, an area that seismologists say is overdue an earthquake.
Mr Kan's government is under pressure to review its energy policy after Japan suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March. Meanwhile, engineers are still struggling to contain damage at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan.
A shutdown may result in power disruptions to major manufacturers including Toyota Motor. "This news is triggering uncertainty not just about Chubu Electric, but the whole utility sector," said Yoshinori Nagano, a senior strategist at Daiwa Asset Management. "Investors are concerned that on the back of this news, other reactors currently under inspection may not resume operations soon." Chubu stock fell as much as 14% at one point on Monday, pulling down other electricity and gas shares. (BBC) Read more
- Pray for all the people of Japan, from the Emperor down to the tiniest baby, that the spirit of sorrow would be totally broken off, as well as the spirit of fear. Pray that Jesus will open their eyes and ears that they may see and hear His vision of a new season and a new day for Japan as they break through into the Kingdom of God. Declare that only the Living God is able to lead them through repentence and into His marvellous Light. "
- "When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! But the wind shall take them all, a breath shall carry them away. But he who takes refuge in Me shall posess the land." (Is 57:13)
"Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near! says the Lord; I create the fruit of his lips and, and I will heal him." (Is 57:19)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVIII, No. 15b-2
FOCUS ON SYRIA
1. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP: OVER 800 DEAD IN SYRIA UPRISING
2. SYRIAN ARMY SURROUNDS DAMASCUS SUBURB
3. BOY KILLED IN SYRIA UNREST; AT LEAST 200 SAID DETAINED IN MASS ARRESTS
4. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part One)
5. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part Two)
6. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part Three)
1. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP: OVER 800 DEAD IN SYRIA UPRISING
A human rights watch group reports that over 800 people have died in the Syria uprising as Syrian tanks rolled into a Mediterranean coastal town on Saturday in an escalating crackdown by President Bashar Assad. Human rights watch group Sawasiah tells Sky News that the deaths have occurred over the past seven weeks. This also included Friday's clashes that left at least 30 dead nationwide, activists and an eyewitness said. (Fox News) Read more
2. SYRIAN ARMY SURROUNDS DAMASCUS SUBURB
Heavy shooting has been heard in a western suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, after the army cordoned off the area, human rights activists say. Security forces are also continuing their efforts to crush anti-government protests in the central city of Homs, Deraa and the coastal town of Baniyas. On Sunday, there were reports from Homs of gunfire, arrests and deaths, including that of a 12-year-old boy. (BBC)
3. BOY KILLED IN SYRIA UNREST; AT LEAST 200 SAID DETAINED IN MASS ARRESTS
Syrian security forces began a wave of mass arrests at three different locations in the early hours of Sunday, witnesses said, as Syrian President Bashar Assad expanded a campaign to crush the country's seven-week, nationwide uprising. A 12-year-old boy was killed Sunday as gunfire and shelling erupted in the central Syrian city of Homs, a flashpoint in the widespread seven-week-old uprising against Assad's autocratic regime, an activist said. (BBC)
4. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part One)
- This situation in Syria is far more serious than Americans have been led to believe. If Assad gets help from Iran, then Iran has a foothold right on the border with Israel at the Golan Heights. Pray that the Obama administration sees this Syrian situation for what it truly is. What really needs to happen is for Assad to step down, seek refuge in some other country, and let the Syrian people have their own land.
- Remember, too, that Syria has a long Christian history because the Apostle Paul received his teachings there from the Lord. The Lord stopped Paul; He can stop Assad from doing anything that will endanger Israel. God will have to intervene in this situation until He is ready to move against Syria. Remember Isaiah 17:1. Please pray for the protection of all believers now living in Syria. Pray!
- "Do not keep silent, O God; Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God!" (Psalm 83:1) (Capitol Hill Prayer Partners)
5. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part Two)
- Please pray for the residents of Syria: for their protection, for their voice to be heard, and for their desire for liberty. What Americans have trouble understanding is that in the Middle Eastern countries, assimilation does not occur. People from other countries do not become citizens of, for example, Syria but must remain citizens of their home countries. They have no grounds on which to protest. Despotic rulers then have grounds for harshly putting down riots/ cries for liberty. Sever Assad from the spirit of murder that he inherited from his father who killed thousands of Syrians when gaining power. Never cease to pray for our own friend who lives in Syria and his family. [Name withheld upon request.]
- "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance." (Psalm 33: 12) [Obviously, Syria is not such a nation, but many of its people belong to God.] (Capitol Hill Prayer Partners)
6. PRAY FOR SYRIA (Part Three)
PRAY FOR:
- the Lord to continue His work in Syria, accomplishing His plans and purposes. Pray for the door to be open to the Gospel during this time of unrest and insecurity. (Jeremiah 29:11; I Corinthians 16:9)
- the people of Syria to be protected. Ask the Lord to bring a peaceful resolution to the current dispute and a smooth transition of power. (Psalm 68:1)
- the leadership void to be filled with godly men and women who fear the Lord and walk in integrity and righteousness. Pray for Christians to be called upon to take government positions and for them to carry out their duties as representatives of Christ. (Proverbs 16:12,15; Daniel 2:21)
- Christians in Syria to be strong and courageous. Pray for the Lord to give them boldness and use them to proclaim Jesus Christ. (Joshua 1:7; Ephesians 6:19)
- the salvation of President al-Assad and other key members of the government. Pray for them to be responsive to the needs and desires of the people and not lust after power. ( I Timothy 2:1-4)
- the spirits striving to seize control of this nation to be exposed and defeated. Pray for terrorist organizations, other governments (such as Iran) and groups like the Muslim Brotherhood to be kept from gaining a foothold in Syria. Ask the Lord to reveal all secret plots. (Matthew 16:19; Mark 4:22)
- a great harvest of souls in Syria. Pray for the Kingdom of God to come to the Middle East in such a powerful way that the deep wounds of Ishmael (one of Abraham's sons) will be healed. (John 4:35) [Source: WI\N Emergency Prayer Alert, 4/25/11]
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVIII, No. 15b-3
FOCUS ON ISRAEL
1. ISRAEL CELEBRATES 63 YEARS SINCE ITS INDEPENDENCE
2. OBAMA TO HOST NETANYAHU AT WHITE HOUSE ON MAY 20TH
3. HELEN THOMAS TO ADDRESS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS DURING NETANYAHU VISIT
4. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU CONGRATULATES U.S. ON DEATH OF BIN LADEN
5. HAMAS CONDEMNS U.S. ASSASSINATION OF OSAMA BIN LADEN
6. U.S. GIVES FIRST INTERNATIONAL AID TO PALESTINIANS SINCE RECONCILIATION
7. DEMOCRATIC SENATORS TO OBAMA: CUT P.A. AID
8. BEN GURION AIRPORT REELING FROM FUEL HITCH
9. POLL: EAST JERUSALEM RESIDENTS PREFER ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP
1. ISRAEL CELEBRATES 63 YEARS SINCE ITS INDEPENDENCE
Israel Independence Day greetings from President Peres
On the day of the proclamation of the State of Israel, it was stated that this newly founded nation would be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel. We abide by the Jewish code of moral values instilled in us. We are still facing evil forces, especially those that emanate from Iran. This call, by a regime that is a danger to the entire world, should be met by an uncompromising mobilization of the international community. We are determined, together with our supporters everywhere, to fight anti-Semitism and delegitimization.
The bridges of kinship that link the Jewish state with the Jewish communities around the world are vital to us. You are full partners in our success. Looking back, we have much to be proud of. Looking forward, we still have much to achieve. Together we can accomplish anything and everything. Together we can prevail. And together we shall celebrate many more independence days to come. (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Read full statement here.
- Capitol Hill Prayer Partners wishes to extend our warmest congratulations to the Nation of Israel on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of its founding. We continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, even as we know that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob watches over the apple of His eye. Amen.
- "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch." (Isaiah 62:1)
2. OBAMA TO HOST NETANYAHU AT WHITE HOUSE ON MAY 20TH
Will also Address Congress Later This Month
Obama will host the Most Honorable Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a meeting on May 20, the White House said on Wednesday. "The leaders look forward to discussing the full range of issues of mutual interest to the United States and Israel," the White House said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Netanyahu acknowledged for the first time that he will deliver a speech to a joint session of the US Congress at the end of May in which he will lay out the principles of his government's diplomatic and security policies.
"I received an invitation to speak before a joint session of Congress from my friend Speaker of the House John Boehner, and I greatly appreciate this opportunity. It symbolizes the strong alliance between the American people, the American Congress and the American administration with Israel and the Jewish people." (Reuters).
- Please begin interceding now over the meeting that will take place at the White House on May 20th. Our very destiny as a nation rests upon our covenant with Zion. Pray that our president will NOT turn his back on Israel, but will instead lend his FULL SUPPORT to that nation when Prime Minister Netanyahu visits here this month. May the mistakes of the past -- fomented upon Israel's head of state during his last visit to the Oval Office -- not be repeated again, but will instead be washed away by the cleansing power of the Blood of the Lamb.
Pray, too, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will stand in the strength of the LORD against any and all forces that would seek to delegitimatize Israel in this hour. Amen.
- [Call forth a Davidic anointing upon the sitting "king" of Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu]
"I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.
(Psalm 89:20-23)
3. HELEN THOMAS TO ADDRESS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS DURING NETANYAHU VISIT
A series of protests against Israeli policy and its support by AIPAC are planned in May to coincide with the AIPAC conference in the U.S. capital and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech there. The protests, under the heading "Move over AIPAC," will include demonstrations opposite the building where Netanyahu will speak and Congress, and a series of lectures and meetings with critics of Israel, including veteran journalist Helen Thomas who lost her place in the White House press room after saying Jews should leave Palestine and go back to Poland, Germany and the United States. Thomas will give the keynote address at the Move Over AIPAC conference, and will receive an award from the women's pacifist organization Code Pink, one of the hundred left-wing American organizations behind the conference. (Haaretz)
- Helen Thomas seems not to have learned any lessons from being barred from the White House press sessions but continues in her same deceived way: condemning Israel. The title of the group of protestors joining her smacks of George Soros' work, but that is only a guess. Pray that someone will encounter her with the Gospel and explain to her that Jesus was a Jew. While we do not wish any harm to Ms. Thomas, ask the Lord to prevent her from speaking at this misconceived protest gathering Let her notes and speech be confusing and garbled. May the Lord show her mercy and bring her to salvation.
- "Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding." (Proverbs 9: 6)
4. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU CONGRATULATES U.S. ON DEATH OF BIN LADEN
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanayhu congratulated the Americans on the successful removal of bin Laden. In a statement posted on the Prime Minister's Office Web site and on Youtube, Netanayhu said, "This is an historic day for the United States of America and for all the countries engaged in the battle against terrorism. I want to congratulate President Obama and the American people. I want to congratulate America's soldiers and its intelligence personnel for a truly outstanding achievement.
"It took ten years to track Osama bin Laden down. It took ten years to bring a measure of justice to his victims. But the battle against terrorism is long and relentless and resolute. This is a day of victory-a victory for justice, for freedom and for our common civilization."
In a statement published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon linked bringing bin Laden to justice to the justice finally brought upon the Nazis, as remembered in Israel's Holocaust Memorial Day, which began Sunday evening [May 1]. (Bridges for Peace)
- Offer praise to the Lord that, once again, our best friend in the Middle East -- the nation of Israel -- is standing with us as together we fight evil in the world.
- "A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." (Proverbs 17:17 NLT)
5. HAMAS CONDEMNS U.S. ASSASSINATION OF OSAMA BIN LADEN
While voices around the world congratulated the US for killing arch-terrorist and Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas condemned the assassination. According to a news report posted on the Hamas military wing's Web site, Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister for the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, on Monday [May 2], referred to bin Laden as an Arab "holy warrior," mourned his death, and condemned the assassination of any Muslim holy warrior: "If these news [reports] are true, then this means that its part of the American policy based on the oppression and bloodshed in the Muslim and Arab world."
The statements came against the backdrop of an expected interim government deal between Hamas and Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party set to take place later this week.
In their coverage of the Palestinian response to bin Laden's death, The New York Times quoted a Hamas lawmaker as calling the US assassination of bin Laden "state terrorism," saying the US could have arrested and tried the Al-Qaeda leader. The Hamas lawmaker also highlighted differences between Hamas and Al-Qaeda, noting that Al-Qaeda targets the US as the enemy, but Hamas only fights against Israel.
- Pray that the Lord will protect Israel and the West against any backlash from terrorist groups precipitated by this military action.
- "Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You." (Psalm 33:20-22)
6. U.S. GIVES FIRST INTERNATIONAL AID TO PALESTINIANS SINCE RECONCILIATION
The first international aid to the Palestinians, since announcement of the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, is a US $10 million grant from the World Bank. The funding continues a program begun in 2009 that provides direct aid for needy families, so the issue of Hamas rule is sidestepped.
Meanwhile, the question of whether a unity government that includes Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization, can receive aid from the United States or other Western nations is being debated in the various capitals. In Washington, a clear picture of bi-partisan agreement that no U.S. aid will flow to any Palestinian entity that includes Hamas is growing.
The position has been articulated by the chairwoman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and both the chairwoman and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee.
Israel has frozen US $89 million in tax revenue it transmits to the Palestinian Authority [PA] monthly pursuant to terms of the Oslo Accords citing the agreement with Hamas and insisting it will release the money only when guarantees are given that none of it will reach Hamas.
On Sunday [May 1], PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he would turn to the international community to pressure Israel into releasing the funds. (Bridges for Peace)
- Pray that no aid dollars will fall into the hands of Hamas. Pray that the international community will support Israel in their refusal to release money that may be used to support terrorist activity.
- "It is a joy for the just to do justice, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity." (Proverbs 21:15)
7. DEMOCRATIC SENATORS TO OBAMA: CUT P.A. AID
Obama pressured by own party members: Following the recent Hamas-Fatah unity deal, 29 Democratic party senators sent a letter to President Barack Obama Friday, urging him to end American aid to the Palestinian Authority should Hamas join the PA government. Now, along with Republican party senators endorsing the move, there is a clear majority in support of cutting the massive aid offered by the Administration to the Palestinians.
The letter, initiated by Senators Robert Menendez from New Jersey and Bob Casey from Pennsylvania, has been signed by senior Senators, including Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Daniel Inouye, who heads the Senate's Appropriations Committee. In their letter to President Obama, the Democrat senators write that "the decision of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to form a unity government with Hamas - a designated terrorist group - threatens to derail the Middle East peace effort."
In their letter, the senators also remind Obama that Hamas condemned the recent killing of arch-terrorist Osama bin Laden and note that "this is emblematic of Hamas' policy." The United States should stand by its refusal to work with any Palestinian government that includes Hamas," the letter says. (Ynet News)
- We continue to rejoice that Congress has been unwavering in its support of Israel. Pray that Obama heeds their counsel.
- "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Prov. 11:14)
8. BEN GURION AIRPORT REELING FROM FUEL HITCH
Air traffic at Ben Gurion International Airport partially resumed Thursday night, after one of the most chaotic days ever noted by the country's gateway. Earlier, a contamination detected at the airport's fuel terminal forced it to ground all planes, bringing air traffic over Israel to a virtual standstill. The reason for the contamination has yet to be determined.
Dozens of tankers were sent to the Pi Glilot Fuel Depot and then hauled jet fuel to the airport, where planes began taking off, sometimes as little as five minutes apart. The IDF sent five fuel tankers to the airport as well, granting a request to that effect by Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz. Still, some of the planes were instructed to fly to international airports in Jordan, Greece and Cyprus, so they could refuel properly. Additional tankers have been sent to Eilat's airfield, where Israeli planes have been grounded since noon.
"All the right decisions were made, starting with grounding flights and setting up the situation room, to finding alternative fueling methods," the Israel Airport Authority said. Still, the problem - which has yet to be fully identified - is not expected to be resolved before next week, causing a bottleneck in Israel's skies. A Ben Gurion Airport official said delays are expected for all flights.
Despite extensive testing by the Israel Institute of Energy and Environment, the contaminating agent has yet to be identified. The institute has been able, however, to rule out the possibility of a biological agent. Samples of the contaminated fuel have been sent to a German laboratory for further analysis. (Reported by: Bridges for Peace)
- Pray that the Lord will protect all air traffic in and out of Israel from any malfunctions or catastrophes as well as all forms of public transportation in the country that rely on the same fuel source. Pray that the financial repercussions of this contamination remain at a minimum. Pray that Israel finds a source for a clean supply of fuel -- especially of the kind used for jet airliners. Pray!
- "The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." (Psalm 121:7-8)
9. POLL: EAST JERUSALEM RESIDENTS PREFER ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP
A recent survey conducted by Pechter Middle East Polls, in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations, ahead of the possible Palestinian bid for statehood in September, revealed that given a choice, the majority of East Jerusalem residents would prefer to remain Israelis.
The survey sampled 1,039 Palestinians living in all 19 neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, and was supervised by Dr. David Pollock. Perhaps the most striking result was regarding the residents' citizenship preference after a two-state solution is reached.
When asked if they preferred to become citizens of Palestine or remain citizens of Israel, only 30% chose Palestinian citizenship. Thirty five percent chose Israeli citizenship, and 35% declined to answer or said they didn't know. (Bridges for Peace)
- Pray that the city of Jerusalem remains the undivided capital of the Israeli state. Pray that the residents of East Jerusalem will get their wish and be allowed to remain Israelis.
- "Like birds flying about, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; passing over, He will preserve it." (Isaiah 31:5)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
JACOB'S KING (Mehlekh Yaacov)
"Present your case," says the LORD. "Set forth your arguments," says Jacob's King. (Isaiah 41:21)
What a call to prayer!
Father, I beseech You, O Holy One, grow me up into Messiah-likeness. As I wait for You to bring forth the desires of my heart, O Jacob's King, my number one prayer request is to reveal to my loved ones who You are.
May my family table be filled at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, O Jacob's King! Amen.
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
