News for Prayer!• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Iraq Welcomes Iranian Militia
• The Daily Jot
• Forbes Hails High Court Decsion re: Religious Hiring Practices
• Supreme Court Hears TV Profanity, Nudity Case
• Good News: PRO-LIFE VICTORY IN TEXAS!
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
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chpp@patriot.net
• The Middle East in Focus
• Iraq Welcomes Iranian Militia
• The Daily Jot
• Forbes Hails High Court Decsion re: Religious Hiring Practices
• Supreme Court Hears TV Profanity, Nudity Case
• Good News: PRO-LIFE VICTORY IN TEXAS!
• 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 Wednesday, January 11, 2012
"The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name." (Zechariah 14:9)
The Daily Brief
1. Appeals court affirms order blocking Oklahoma sharia law ban - LA Times
A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that blocked the implementation of an Oklahoma law barring judges from considering international or Islamic law in their decisions. The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a ruling released Tuesday, affirmed an order by a district court judge in 2010 that prevented the voter-approved state constitutional amendment from taking effect. The measure, known as State Question 755, was approved with 70% of the vote in 2010.
- Lord, while we are disappointed in the federal court's ruling, still we thank You for our beautiful Constitution and Bill of Rights! Help us, and our courts, to increasingly understand the need for vigilance and action against those who have openly spoken of their determination to subdue our nation to their religious laws. Prosper the efforts of those who are working to prevent the injustices of sharia law from functioning freely in America. Most of all Lord, help us to live in obedience to You so that the blessings of Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 may be our nation's inheritance.
- "If you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God - the Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, they shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trust, come down through all your land" (Deuteronomy 28:1,49,52)
2. Syria's Assad addresses supporters in Damascus square - New York Times
Syrian President Bashar Assad, fighting 10 months of pro-democracy protests, greeted thousands of rapturous supporters in a Damascus square on Wednesday. The crowd shouted "Shabiha forever, for your eyes, Assad", a reference to loyalist militiamen who have gained a fearsome reputation for their part in suppressing anti-Assad protests."We will make this phase the end for them and their plans. We are going to win without any doubt." stated Assad as he vowed to strike "terrorists" with an iron fist and derided Arab League efforts to halt violence.
- Lord, we pray for the salvation of the people of Syria and specifically ask for the divine protection of Christians still living there. Your eyes have watched over Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, since the ancient times. Lord, just as You transformed Saul and his murderous intents on the road to Damascus by Your glorious appearing, make this city a place of miracles in the Middle East. Let Your power defy tyranny and open channels for the Gospel to prosper!
- "Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord journeyed and came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven - Then the Lord said, 'I AM JESUS whom you are persecuting - Arise and go into that city" (Acts 9:1,3,5,6)
3. US Coast Guard Rescues Iranian Mariners - VOA News
For the second time in a week, the U.S. military says its forces in the Persian Gulf region have come to the rescue of Iranian sailors aboard a distressed vessel. The U.S. Navy says the U.S. Coast Guard transferred the Iranian crew members to safety aboard the U.S. cutter Monomoy. A Navy statement quotes the owner of the Iranian vessel as thanking the U.S. seamen for rescuing the sailors, saying that without the Americans' help, they would be dead. Last Thursday, the U.S. Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who had been captured by Somali pirates in the northern Arabian Sea.
- Lord, we thank You that even in the face of Iranian warnings commanding us not to return our aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, and in the face of Iran's threats to impact world oil supplies by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Coast Guard has "blessed our enemies" by saving their lives. We ask that these acts of rescue will transform the lives of the Iranians involved, bringing favor and an openness to the Gospel. We ask for protection for all our military in that volatile area, Lord, and we pray that Your hand will prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb to destroy Israel and others.
- I will give you the keys to 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) "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you" (Matthew 5:44)
4. Visiting Catholic Bishops Decide: "Gaza is a Prison" - Arutz Sheva
Eight Catholic bishops from Europe and North America have just visited the Christian community in Gaza. French Bishop Dubost's comment was, "Last week, I asked prisoners in the largest prison in Europe (in Evry) to pray for you". The inference is clear: Gaza's Christians are living in a big prison and terrified by Israel. Not a word about the Islamic repression of that tiny Christian community in Gaza - and Bethlehem and the rest of the PA. News.va, the Roman Catholic Church news agency, published a report on the event, writing, "The signs of the 2009 conflict and the continuing Israeli air strikes are all around." No mention of rockets on Israeli civilians, nor Islamic persecution of Christians. Last September, Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, named by Pope Benedict XVI, was at the White House for a meeting with the American administration, as well as to support the PA statehood bid at the UN.
- Lord, it is grievous to see this open display of anti-Semitism by those professing Your Name. We pray for Your help and protection over the believers in Gaza who are surrounded by those whose holy book commands the slaying of both Christians and Jews. Protect Your people in Gaza, just as You protected the Hebrews in the land of Goshen in the days of Moses.
- "And in that day I will set apart (protect from the plagues) the land of Goshen in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies be there, in order that you may know that I AM the Lord in the midst of the land. " (Exodus 8:22)
5. DC Council Considering Gay Divorce Bill - CBS News
The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would make it easier for gay and lesbian couples who marry in the nation's capital to get divorced. Washington began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in March 2010. Six states also allow same-sex marriage. The Committee on the Judiciary voted unanimously Tuesday to send the bill to the full council.
- How long, Lord, will our nation's capital lead our nation in defying Your laws and presuming upon Your mercy? We ask for forgiveness for our nation's great sins, O Lord. Remember us in mercy and not according to the deeds with which we and our leaders have rebelled against You. For it is only through Your mercies that we are not consumed, and because of Your unfailing compassion that we are not destroyed. (Lamentations 3: 22,23) May Godly obedience be what is highly favored in our nation.
- "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves." (Romans 1:24)
6. Alaska snow and ice cuts off Cordova and Nome - BBC
Extreme winter weather has left one Alaskan town battling huge snowdrifts and forced another to seek fuel supplies from a Russian tanker. National Guard troops are in Cordova, helping the town dig out after fresh snowfalls on Tuesday added to the 18ft (5.5m) that has fallen since November. A US Coast Guard icebreaker and a Russian tanker are trying to resupply Nome, cut off by thick sea ice. The scale of the mission is unprecedented for the US Coast Guard in the Arctic. If they succeed, they would be the first ships to make a delivery to western Alaska in the depths of winter. Dozens of National Guard soldiers are helping dig out drifts in order to keep municipal buildings, including the hospital, open and make sure residents can leave their homes.
- Dear Lord, we thank You for sending help to our fellow citizens who are struggling against the effects of severe weather; cut off from supplies by multiple heavy snowstorms and ice forming rains. We pray divine protection for the citizens of this beleaguered area and also those who have come to assist them. In Jesus' Name, reveal Yourself in mercy through these difficulties.
- "The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." (Psalms 37:18,19)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatever He has pleased." (Psalm 115:1-3)
1. Israel's Mossad recruiting Iranian dissidents to work against Tehran regime - Ha'aretz
The leading French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Wednesday that Israeli Mossad agents are recruiting and training Iranian dissidents from Iraq's Kurdish region to work against the regime in Tehran.
2. Israel preparing for nuclear Iran: report - AFP
Israel is preparing for Iran to become a nuclear power and has accepted it may happen within a year, the London Times reported on Monday citing an Israeli security report.
3. Netanyahu mulls gestures toward Palestinians to keep peace talks going - Ha'aretz
At the request of American and Jordanian authorities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering several confidence-building measures vis-a-vis the Palestinians. In return, the prime minister expects Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to continue the talks that began in Jordan a week ago, and to refrain from pursuing statehood at the United Nations.
4. Hamas PM: Israel to face 'difficult days' - Ynet News
The prime minister in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip promised "difficult days" for Israel on Monday, and at a rally in Tunis urged Arab Spring revolutionaries to fight for an independent Palestine.
IRAQ WELCOMES IRANIAN MILITIA
SUMMARY: Just a month after the withdrawal of NATO troops from Iraq, the government has welcomed an Iranian-backed militia into its political system. Experts say this could "tilt the nation's center of gravity closer to Iran."
Asaib Ahl al-Haq was one of the deadliest insurgent groups operating in Iraq during the nine-year war. The militia bombed "military convoys and bases, assassinated dozens of Iraqi officials," and tried to carry out kidnappings even as the last NATO forces were leaving the region.
Since the withdrawal of troops in December, a series of deadly attacks have threatened the political stability of the nation. The government's strategy is to make peace with as many insurgent groups as possible - including Asaib Ahl al-Haq.
Many are skeptical of this plan. They believe it could backfire. "Iraq's government could embolden a militia with an almost nonexistent track record of peace [Asaib Ahl al-Haq] while potentially handing Tehran [Iran] greater influence."
Asaib Ahl al-Haq (translated "League of the Righteous") has a history of violence. In June, they joined with other Iranian-backed groups to attack NATO military bases.
"I think it is a dangerous step, this move by the government," said the speaker of Iraq's Parliament, "to join with groups that do not believe in a peaceful political process."
PRAY FOR:
- the leadership void in Iraq to be filled with men and women who will govern with integrity, in humility and the fear of the Lord. (The Bible, Daniel 2:21)
- the salvation of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. Ask the Lord to give him wisdom in dealing with insurgents and the challenges of leading Iraq in the aftermath of war. (The Bible, Proverbs 1:7)
- Christians to be strong and very courageous in sharing their faith and in helping stabilize the nation. (The Bible, Joshua 1:7)
- plans by insurgents, terrorists, and militias to disrupt the government to fail. Pray for the salvation of the members of these groups. (The Bible, Psalm 55:9)
- both Shiite and Sunni Muslims to have the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Pray for them to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Romans 10:9)) SOURCES: NY Times
[Published by WIN Prayer Alert]
The Daily Jot
Which Christ do you follow?
The world is moving toward oppression and the United States is leading the way. By assisting in the overthrow of Middle Eastern governments, and insisting on elections for Islamists, America is pushing tyranny on people around the world. At home, the American government--Republicans and Democrats alike--is whittling away on the very Constitutional rights of free speech, freedom of religion, privacy, property ownership, and free enterprise. What made America great in the past is that as a free people, we had the courage to stand against such tyranny not promote it. It came from within the heart and soul of being an American. This rugged individualism and independence characterized Americans. Where has it gone?
In my humble opinion, just from observing events over the past 35 years, there is no longer much national identity as an American. Our national identity was that of a Christian nation. Even if not all the people were Christian, they recognized that Christian morals were an acceptable and preferred qualification for leadership. Couple this with the lack of border security resulting in millions upon millions of people unlawfully entering the country, the dilution of national identity is accelerated. Additionally, most Americans have either bought in to the leftist humanist mantra, or are too busy with their lives to care. The vacuum of leadership politically and spiritually in this nation has left it a dry, amoral place of apathy.
The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:17-19, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-14, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Jesus said in Matthew 24:23, "Then if any man shall say unto you Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not." Our national identity and, more importantly, our personal salvation is diluted tremendously if we, as Peter put it, "scarcely be saved." If America's preachers are so intent on preaching/teaching a self indulgent, extra Biblical and emotional version of the Christ, then what Christ are we following--the real Son of God, crucified and risen, for our sins, or some humanist version of Christ that fits a social or political extra-biblical gospel? It is here, not on the national policy front, that we as a people have lost our identity. This should be a serious personal consideration that gives weight to working out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Have A Blessed And Powerful Day,
Bill Wilson
The Daily Jot
Forbes Hails Unanimous Supreme Court Decision Reaffirming Religious Liberty in Hiring Practices
Washington, D.C. - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04), Co-Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, hailed the Supreme Court's unanimous religious liberty decision today in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC, which affirmed the right of churches to make employment decisions without government interference. Courts have long agreed that the "ministerial exception" prevents the government from intervening in churches' employment decisions regarding clergy, but courts had previously split on whether the exception extends to other employees engaged in ministerial functions.
"Our nation was founded in part by men and women of faith seeking to escape the government's interference in their form of worship, directives on fundamental tenants of religion, and selection of ministers to lead their congregations. This quest for religious liberty was not only a bedrock upon which colonies were later built, but more importantly, it led to the Constitution's guarantee of the free exercise of religion without government meddling. Today's unanimous Supreme Court ruling reaffirms our nation's historical, religious, and legal heritage in upholding the right of churches to select leaders who instruct their faithful, whether from the church pulpit or the classroom podium, based on religious conviction rather than government fiat," said Forbes.
Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC has been called one of the most important religious liberty cases of this decade, and importantly, the Court's holding determines that the government may not control a church's selection of its religious leaders. The case originated when a teacher at a church school was fired for failing to comply with the church's teaching, and sued the school alleging that her dismissal was based on disability discrimination.
Today's Supreme Court decision is available here.
Source: Office of Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04)
Supreme Court Hears TV Profanity, Nudity Case
HIGH COURT HEARS TV PROFANITY, NUDITY CASE
In an hour-long episode, Supreme Court justices on Tuesday considered the government's power to regulate expletives and nudity on the airwaves.
"All we are asking for, what the government is asking for," Chief Justice John Roberts said, "is a few channels where you can say, 'I'm not going to . . . hear the "S" word, the "F" word.' "
With their free speech rights at issue, the major television networks are contesting the Federal Communications Commission's indecency policy that was upheld in a 1978 dispute over Carlin's act. The networks' challenge involved more recent events.
One was a 2002 awards show during which singer Cher blurted out an expletive. Another was a 2003 show when actress Nicole Ritchie used two expletives. A third was a seven-second shot of a woman's nude buttocks on a 2003 "NYPD Blue" episode on Walt Disney Co's ABC that led to $1.21 million in fines.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the FCC's indecency policy should be struck down as unconstitutionally vague and for violating free-speech rights under the Constitution's First Amendment.
Central to the case is the FCC's right to regulate broadcast speech differently and more restrictively than other media in an effort to protect children from indecent content, even brief nudity or a single expletive blurted out on a live show.
In the Cher and Nicole Ritchie outbursts, the FCC ruled in 2006 that News Corp's Fox violated the indecency policy. Government lawyers said the policy covered so-called "fleeting expletives" such as the "F-word" and the "S-word" that denote "sexual or excretory activities," respectively.
The FCC ruled against the network in the "NYPD Blue" case, but a U.S. appeals court threw out the fines in striking down the policy.
The Obama administration has defended the FCC's policy as constitutional, arguing regulation of broadcast indecency does not violate the First Amendment, is needed and should be upheld.
(Reported by: Intercessors for America)
Pray that the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the conservative position of protecting our broadcast airwaves from pornography and crude language. Pray that the indecency statute already in place will not be ignored or marginalized at the expense of American children and families.
"I will set no unclean thing before my eyes." (Psalm 101:3)
"Keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus... Whatsover things are pure... if there be any virtue... think on these things." (Philippians 4:7, 8)
Good News: PRO-LIFE VICTORY IN TEXAS!
The Good News Corner: Texas' Sonogram Law Ruled Constitutional, Signaling Biggest Pro-Life Victory This Decade
U.S. Fifth Circuit Court Upholds Law Stating Sonograms Must Be Performed
24 Hours Before Abortions
Today, Liberty Institute announced a major pro-life victory when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declared constitutional the recently enacted Texas Sonogram Law, also known as HB 15. The Fifth Circuit's decision overturned a controversial ruling by U.S. District Judge Sparks, which enjoined the Texas law co-authored by Senator Dan Patrick and Representative Sid Miller and was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry in May 2011. The law requires doctors and certified sonographers to perform a sonogram on women seeking an abortion at least 24 hours before the procedure.
"This is one of the most important victories in the past 10 years for informed consent for women seeking an abortion," said Jonathan Saenz, Liberty Institute Attorney who heads the office at the Texas Capitol and provided the main legal testimony for the bill during the legislative process. "Women and unborn children in Texas are safer today because of this decision and no longer subject to the abuse of abortion doctors who deny women critical medical information."
HB 15, which amends the 2003 Texas Woman's Right to Know Act ("WRKA"), requires the physician "who is to perform an abortion" to perform and display a sonogram of the fetus, make audible the heart auscultation of the fetus for the woman to hear, as well as explain to her the results of each procedure and to wait 24 hours, in most cases, between these disclosures and performing the abortion.
Senator Patrick said, "I was always confident that our bill would survive any constitutional question because our goal from the beginning was to protect the woman's right to know, protect the unborn and protect the constitution."
Representative Sid Miller, said, "I commend the court of appeals for this just decision which confirms that women have every right to be fully informed about the abortion decision and that my fellow Texas lawmakers who supported this law stayed within the bounds of U.S. Supreme Court precedent."
In August, on behalf of Senator Patrick and Representative Miller and in support of the law, Liberty Institute filed an amicus brief in the lawsuit seeking to strike down Texas' new sonogram law (HB 15), which was originally scheduled to go into effect on September 1, 2011. Senator Patrick and Representative Miller were the authors of HB 15 in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, respectively. Liberty Institute argued that HB 15 is consistent with The Supreme Court and only requires the disclosure of truthful and accurate information to allow women to make informed decisions regarding their pregnancies.
You can read the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court's entire opinion here.
To God be the Glory,
David Walls
Grassroots Coordinator
Liberty Institute
900 Congress, Suite 220
Austin, TX 78701
Office: 512.478.2220
Website: http://www.libertyinstitute.org
Blog: http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/ Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AdvanceLiberty
Follow me on Twitter: @DavidBWalls
Worship with Us Today!
"I Know You're There"
- Casting Crowns
"If all I had was one last breath,
I'd spend it to sing You praise
just to say Your name.
If all I had was one last prayer
I'd pray it 'cause I know You're always listening. . .
