News for Prayer!• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Saudi Arabia: No Churches Allowed
• TSA Screening: Not Just Airports
• Congress Investigates AARP
• Leftists To "Occupy" Iowa Caucuses
• Iowa Caucus Prayer Guide Available Now
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
• The Middle East in Focus
• Saudi Arabia: No Churches Allowed
• TSA Screening: Not Just Airports
• Congress Investigates AARP
• Leftists To "Occupy" Iowa Caucuses
• Iowa Caucus Prayer Guide Available Now
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, December 29, 2011
"And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
The Daily Brief
1. Official: Iran stands ready to expand defensive ties with Iraq - CNN
Iran is prepared to expand military and security cooperation with neighboring Iraq, a top Iranian military official said -- a week after U.S. forces pulled out of Iraq.
- No surprise here, Lord. This could have been foreseen by our leaders, yet they turned a blind eye. Father, we pray that Your Holy Spirit will move across Iraq and Iran, pulling out the strongholds of the enemy in this region.
- "and your descendants shall possess the gate of your enemies." [Genesis 22:17]
2. Iran Says U.S. Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Zone Near Key Oil Route - NewsCore
An Iranian surveillance plane has shot video and photographed a U.S. aircraft carrier during Iran's ongoing navy drill near a strategic waterway in the Persian Gulf, the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.
- Pray that the leaders of both Israel and America will have the wisdom to do what is both sane and necessary in this situation.
- "Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; the tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually." [Psalm 74:23]
3. North Korea Declares Kim Jong Un 'Supreme Leader' as Memorial for Kim Jong Il Begins - AP
North Korea's power brokers declared Kim Jong Un the supreme leader at a massive public memorial for his father Kim Jong Il, cementing the Kim family's hold on power for another generation.
Read more:
- Lord, we pray that Your Holy Spirit will find a chink in the son's mindsets, and turn his heart toward both You and the people of North Korea to grant them freedom and hope.
- "Your hand will find all your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You." [Psalm 21:8]
4. DHS Creates Accounts Solely to Monitor Social Networks - ABC News
An online privacy group is suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security accusing it of not releasing records from the agency's covert surveillance of Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
The DHS creates accounts solely to monitor social media sites and establish a system of records of the information gathered. The agency does not post information, seek to connect with other users, accept invitations to connect or interact with others according to a statement on their website.
The agency scans social media sites for a list of words that include "dirty bomb," "hostage," "exercise," "task force," "explosion," "lockdown," "riot," "nuclear threat," "brown out," "meth lab," "cain and abel" and "brute forcing."
- Lord, make Your people aware of the information gathering processes of our government, and grant us wisdom and knowledge in our daily use of social networking sites. Grant us protection from undue intrusion into our lives.
- "For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle" [Psalm 27:5]
5. New Rules Could Complicate Race for GOP Delegates - Fox News
Look out for some wacky results in the race for delegates in the Republican presidential primaries and caucuses. There might even be a state or two where the second-place candidate gets the most delegates, starting with Tuesday's caucuses in Iowa. Read more.
- Father, the rules have been twisted to remove the rights of the American people. When we choose, we should have that choice be at the forefront. We pray that all Americans will have the wisdom to choose Your delegates in a way that does not delete their own vote, as they carefully study the rules for the primary elections in their own states. Amen.
- "Receive My instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that one may desire cannot be compared with her." [Proverbs 8:10-11]
6. Obama to ask for debt limit hike: Treasury official - Reuters
The White House plans to ask Congress by the end of the week for an increase in the government's debt ceiling to allow the United States to pay its bills on time, according to a senior Treasury Department official on Tuesday.
- When, O Lord, will we have truth and wisdom be the rule of America? Why can't we find balance amidst the continual requests for debt ceiling increase? Father, we need this issue to be handled in a proper manner so that the nation can pay its bills while working to curb runaway spending.
- "Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in." [Isaiah 26:2]
7. Iowa Pastors Urge GOP Candidates to Quit, Fearing Evangelical Split - Fox News
Two politically active pastors in Iowa's robust evangelical conservative movement said Wednesday that an effort has been under way to persuade either Rick Santorum or Michele Bachmann to consider quitting the Republican presidential race and endorsing the other to avoid splintering this influential voting bloc's influence in the state's caucuses.
- Lord we ask for unity within the Republican Presidential race, so that only one candidate will arise from the choices. We pray that every voter will make the right choice, and seek Your face for this election.
- "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." [Isaiah 55:6]
8. Nigeria Christians 'to defend churches from Boko Haram' - BBC
Nigerian Christians will have "no other option" but to defend themselves if attacks by Islamist militants continue, church leaders have said. The Christian Association of Nigeria said the Boko Haram group had declared war with its recent violence. More than 40 people were killed in attacks on churches in northern and central areas on Christmas Day.
- Lord, we thank You that this massacre has come to light in the mainline media. We pray that You will send Your angelic host to Nigeria to stand guard over the churches. We also pray for You to rout the enemy in this area, and bring their nefarious plans to nothing.
- "For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for behold, Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered." [ Psalm 92:9]
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
" I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (Numbers 24:17)
1. Thousands protest ultra-Orthodox extremism - Jerusalem Post
Tensions ran high in Beit Shemesh Tuesday night as people gathered to protest against the rise of ultra- Orthodox extremism. Estimates put the number of demonstrators in the thousands.
2. Congress Frees Up $40 Million in U.S. Aid to Palestinians - Fox News
Lawmakers have freed up a little more than 20 percent of $187 million in U.S. assistance to the Palestinians that had been frozen over the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership.
3. Bunker buster bombs from US may be defective - Jerusalem Post
Israel is seeking clarifications from the United States to ensure bunker buster bombs it recently purchased are not carrying defective fuses that could cause their premature detonation.
Saudi Arabia: No Churches Allowed
Saudi officials are cracking down on Christians again, and a spokesman for an international human rights organization says Ethiopians are the target this time.
Jonathan Racho of International Christian Concern (ICC) explains that the practice of Christianity is forbidden in Saudi Arabia, which makes it difficult for foreign Christians working in the country to worship.
"Saudi officials arrested 35 Christians," he reports. "The Christians are from Ethiopia, and they were gathering to worship at a private home."
He details why they were not at a church.
"As you know, there is no church in Saudi Arabia. There is no church building, no synagogue -- nothing is allowed, except the Islamic mosques. So, Christians who come there to work are forced to worship in their homes."
But he finds it ironic there are no churches in the country, pointing out that "Saudia Arabia is a country that builds mosques all over the world," yet no churches are allowed on home turf.
So far, no formal charges have been lodged against the Ethiopians, so the ICC spokesman is encouraging listeners to contact the Saudi embassy in Washington and request that the Christians be released. (Contributor: One News Now, Persecution.org)
- Pray that the Lord will cause a mighty wind of His Spirit to engulf the lands of Saudi Arabia. Pray that the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon this land in these last days before His return.
- "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."
(John 1:5) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
TSA Screening: Not Just Airports
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and state Sen. Michael Gianaris, both Democrats, told Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano and TSA Administrator John Pistole in a letter that an on-site passenger advocate would help strike the right balance between security and protecting vulnerable travelers. "I appreciate the TSA's work to keep air passengers safe, but passengers should not be humiliated and degraded during their travels," Gianaris said in a statement accompanying the letter.
The Transportation Security Administration isn't just in airports anymore. TSA teams are increasingly conducting searches and screenings at train stations, subways, ferry terminals and other mass transit locations around the country.
"We are not the Airport Security Administration," said Ray Dineen, the air marshal in charge of the TSA office in Charlotte. "We take that transportation part seriously."
The TSA's 25 "viper" teams - for Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response - have run more than 9,300 unannounced checkpoints and other search operations in the last year. Department of Homeland Security officials have asked Congress for funding to add 12 more teams next year.
According to budget documents, the department spent $110 million in fiscal 2011 for "surface transportation security," including the TSA's viper program, and is asking for an additional $24 million next year. That compares with more than $5 billion for aviation security.
TSA officials argue that the random nature of the searches and the presence of armed officers serve as a deterrent and bolster public confidence.
"We have to keep terrorists on edge," said Frank Cilluffo, director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University in Washington. "We're not going to have a permanent presence everywhere."
U.S. officials note that digital files recovered from Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan after he was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in May included evidence that the Al Qaeda leader had considered an attack on U.S. railways in February 2010. Over the last decade, deadly bombings have hit subways or trains in Moscow; Mumbai, India; Madrid; and London. (Contributor: MSNBC, LA Times) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
- Give thanks that members of Congress, both in the House and in the Senate and on both sides of the aisle, are aggressively taking the TSA to task for their intrusive security policies. Pray that those in authority at the Transportation Security Agency be granted wisdom from above to strike a true balance between security procedures and the privacy of our citizens. This issue is a can of worms, requiring much prayer. Allow the Lord to lead you in your own intercession over this matter. Amen.
- "Pray without ceasing." (I Thess. 5:17)
Congress Investigates AARP
House Ways and Means to investigate AARP
April 1st hearing will question AARP's tax-free profits
The tax-writing Ways and Means Committee is planning a hearing to look into the "organizational structure, management, and financial growth" of AARP.
Oversight subcommittee chairman Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) and health subcommittee chairman Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.), in a joint statement, announced that they plan to investigate the retirement lobby as part of their oversight of Medicare and Medicaid. Central to their interest, according to a committee statement, is that AARP sells insurance products. The hearing is planned for April 1.
"AARP is known for being the largest and most well known seniors' organization in the country," Herger said in a statement. "But what Americans don't know is that AARP was the 4th highest spending lobbying organization between 1998 and 2010 or that the AARP brand dominates the private Medicare insurance market. This hearing is about getting to the bottom of how AARP's financial interests affect their self-stated mission of enhancing senior's quality of life. It is important to better understand how AARP's insurance business overlaps with its advocacy efforts and whether such overlap is appropriate."
Three House Republican lawmakers are asking the IRS to explain how the nonprofit seniors group AARP is able to shield hundreds of millions of dollars from tax levies even though, they say, the group is effectively in "day-to-day control" of products offered by private firms with the AARP stamp of approval.
Rep. David Reichert, R-Wash., said companies that use AARP's brand to sell everything from health insurance to hearing aids are helping the seniors' group make huge profits. All the while AARP's profits gain tax-exempt status.
"They're really trying to manage these companies to increase their revenue," said Reichert, one of the House Ways and Means Committee GOP members to sign onto a letter sent to the IRS. (POLITICO; Intercessors for America)
- Pray that the ongoing Congressional investigation will bring to light any unlawful practices of the AARP. Pray that any illegal activities be uncovered. Pray for righteous leadership in these organizations that are committed to helping those in need.
- "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
Leftists To "Occupy" Iowa Caucuses
The Associated Press reports that hundreds of left-wing activists in the Occupy Wall Street movement have so little respect for the democratic process that they are vowing to disrupt campaign events and perhaps even the Iowa caucuses next week. According to the AP article, "The activists are promising to interrupt candidates at events and camp out at their Iowa campaign offices. They say they want to change the political dialogue. . ."
And what exactly is on the occupiers' minds? One Occupy Des Moines organizer rattled off a list of issues starting with -- wait for it -- campaign finance reform! That was followed by student loan debt.
As we have reported in the past, the occupiers' solution to the student debt issue is not for students to take responsibility for the loans they took out, but to put the rest of society on the hook for their obligations. Their bigger problem is the lack of jobs in Obama's economy, which is hampering their ability to pay back their loans.
Disrupting the caucuses won't be too hard for these radicals. Some of them may very well show up to vote for Ron Paul and then proceed to disrupt the rest of events. Yet another poll -- one conducted by the left-leaning firm Public Policy Polling -- found that "Paul's strength . . . depend[s] on a coalition of voters that's pretty unusual for a Republican in the state. . . Paul has a 39-12 advantage with . . . independents or Democrats." That should be a big warning to conservatives who think Ron Paul is a champion of their values. (Gary Bauer)
Iowa Caucus Prayer Guide Available Now
U.S. Reformation Prayer Network Produces Iowa Caucus Prayer Guide
The U.S. Reformation Network has released a Prayer Guide for the Iowa Primary Caucus, which will take place next week on Tuesday, January 3.
This excellent guide offers both prayer tools and information about how the caucus itself works in the State of Iowa. To access this resource -- and to stand alongside the voters and the intercessors in the State of Iowa, in prayer -- please go here.
The Good News Corner:
U.S. Navy Chaplain Preaches Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve
Normally this should not be headline news, but in light of irreverent edicts made by some holding political office these days, this is indeed a good news proclamation.
On Christmas Eve at the Marine Memorial Chapel, LT Justin Hayes, CHC, USN, representing the Grace Brethren Church, under the pressure of the shortage of Evangelical Chaplains, single-handedly and flawlessly executed his Commanding General's religious support program under the watchful eye of the Senior Chaplain, Captain Ollis Mozon, CHC, USN. Captain Mozon's duty was to supervise and make the rounds, visiting various Christmas Eve services on base.
"It's a great night to celebrate Christ's birth," LT Hayes told the packed out chapel of some 300 Marines and their wives and children. Immediately, the Marines knew this was all about Jesus Christ, as confirmed by the opening prayer when this obviously experienced chaplain led the Marines in the confession of sins in the name of Jesus Christ for a clean conscience and pure heart toward God. The newcomers learned what the regular attendees already knew--LT Hayes is culturally and spiritually relevant as a Chaplain for all people of all faiths--enlistees and officers alike. This officer is destined for success, as confirmed by the relevant content and superb delivery of his sermon. . .
The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at this quaint chapel at the Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton, CA, was tremendously enhanced with Christmas Carols which were only about Christ and which were therefore truly uplifting to the Marines. This multi-talented Lieutenant also served as the worship leader, directing each song with the backing of one of the finest women's quartets ever to be found. Mrs. Becca Hayes complimented her husband's ministry in an exemplary fashion when she provided the backdrop for her husband's sermon by reading Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus Christ. This example of a Chaplain and his wife is the right model for U.S. marines and sailors today, and also for soldiers, airmen, and coast guardsmen, especially at Christmas time. (This article was submitted by Dr. Verna Linzey to Christian Newswire on December 25, 2011 and reprinted for your encouragement.) (Contributor: Christian Newswire)
- Pray for the freedom and liberty of our chaplain corps to speak God's Word without restraint. Thank the Lord for the chaplains who are courageous in proclaiming the hope and life that our Lord and Savior gives to those who will believe His Words of life!
- "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42)
[Reported by: Intercessors for America]
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Praise The Lord Who Reigns Above
YES, LORD!!!!
