• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot
• Key Committee Hearing Tomorrow
• Conscience Protection Bill
• In New York --
• Government Gone Wild
• Gutting Our Nuclear Deterrent
• 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
• The Daily Jot
• Key Committee Hearing Tomorrow
• Conscience Protection Bill
• In New York --
• Government Gone Wild
• Gutting Our Nuclear Deterrent
• 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 - Wednesday, February 15, 2012
"Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)
The Daily Brief
1. U.S. carrier crosses Hormuz amid rising Gulf tensions - Reuters
A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group sailed through the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday more than a month after Iran warned a different carrier -- USS John C. Stennis -- not to return to the Gulf as Iranian navy boats sailed by.
B.) Iranian boats shadow U.S. ship through Strait of Hormuz - USA Today
Iranian patrol boats and aircraft shadowed a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, ending a Gulf mission amid heightened tensions with Tehran that include threats to choke off vital oil shipping lanes.
- Father, we continue to intercede over this conflict with Iran. We declare protection over all U.S. military personnel in that region. Thank you for safe passage of this U.S. aircraft carrier through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day. (Psalm 140:1)
2. Heightened Security in U.S. Over Iran Threat - ABC News
With Iran allegedly striking out at Israeli citizens and Jewish targets around the world, Israeli and American security officials in the U.S. are on high alert.
- Father, we declare no evil shall befall Israeli citizens around the world. We ask for supernatural protection. We place angels around each and every citizen. Guide their every step away from evil.
- He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)
3. Obama Cites Rising Gas Prices to Extend Payroll Tax Cut - CNS News
Hussein Obama listed rising gas prices -- up 83% during his tenure -- as among the many reasons to extend the payroll tax cut Tuesday, flanked by individuals the White House promoted as being affected by $40 per paycheck the average American would lose if the tax cut is not extended at the end of February.
B.) Record Deficits Under Obama - Weekly Standard
If you take our deficit spending under Obama and divide it evenly among the roughly 300 million American citizens, that works out to just over $17,000 per person -- or about $70,000 for a family of four.
- Father, we pray over deficits, rising gas prices, and the payroll tax cut. We pray mercy and grace on these decisions. May Your people relish and feast on the abundance of Your house during these hard places in our economy.
- You crown our year with a bountiful harvest and even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. (Psalm 65:11)
4. US weighing steep nuclear arms cuts - Fox News
Hussein Obama is weighing options for sharp new cuts to the U.S. nuclear force, including a reduction of up to 80 percent in the number of deployed weapons, The Associated Press has learned.
- Father, now is not the time to cut nuclear forces while we are experiencing tensions with Iran. Guide and direct this administration with much needed wisdom! May our leaders have ears to hear from You, Jehovah-Nissi, our banner.
- He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. (Ezra 9:9)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Rev. 22:13)
1. Israel warned India of possible terror plot - Ynet News
A report in the Hindustan Time said that Israeli intelligence warned India of an imminent threat to Israeli establishments and individuals, giving them a list of about 50 individuals -- all Iranian nationals -- believed to be involved in such a plot.
2. Thais find possible bomb link in Thai, India attacks - Jerusalem Post
Thai investigators believe they have found a link between this week's bomb blasts in Bangkok and New Delhi, a senior security official said on Wednesday, two of three botched attacks Israel has blamed on Iran.
3. Saudi hacker: I've breached gov't site - Ynet News
The alleged Saudi hacker known 0XOmar released on Thursday files containing what he claims to be Israeli citizens' information stolen from the Ministry of Construction and Housing's database. He said that he has obtained the details of 300,0000 people.
4. Muslim Brotherhood Warns U.S. Aid Cut May Affect Egypt's Peace Treaty With Israel - CNS News
A top Muslim Brotherhood official has warned that any cuts in U.S. aid to Egypt could affect Cairo's peace treaty with Israel -- the latest sign that Egypt's emerging political forces intend to call Washington's bluff over the diplomatic dispute triggered by a crackdown on non-governmental organizations.
The Daily Jot
America's dangerous prophetic journey into the Strait of Hormuz
The United States seems to picking another war with another Islamic nation. This time Iran. Iran's leadership is become very boisterous about destroying the Great Satan (America) and the Little Satan (Israel) with its newfound nuclear power--perceived or otherwise. Notwithstanding, the man who occupies the Oval Office has sent a destroyer, a cruiser, and an aircraft carrier through the Strait of Hormuz as Iran has threatened to close the vital oil shipping lane. Given the eschatology of Iran's leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the US president may have committed America to a prophetic journey it is not soon likely to forget, and from which may never recover.
Ahmadinejad believes he has been chosen by allah to usher in the 12th Imam, the Shiite sect's apocalyptic Mahdi who will establish the peace of Islam worldwide for seven years with jesus christ as his prophet. Shitte eschatology prophetically places the Mahdi as allah's tool to bring the world into submission to Islam. The role of the Islamic jesus christ is to denounce Christianity and further condemn the Jews in an effort to make converts to Islam or punish them with extermination. This is strikingly similar to Christian and Jewish eschatology, in which the Mahdi would play the role of the antichrist. The Islamic jesus christ would play the role of the false prophet.
The White House has taken a strategy to support the Islamization of the Middle East by assisting the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorist groups such as al Qaeda in overthrowing governments and replacing them with "democratically" elected Islamists. The Middle East under this Administration has become entirely hostile toward Israel and the US. Iran is the leader of such hostilities and has begun to flex its terrorist sponsoring muscle through attacks in recent days in Georgia, India, Azerbaijan, and Thailand, putting assets in America and Israel on high alert. Given the cost of war and its impact on the US economy, including gas prices, the White House strategy is working against both the US and Israel.
The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The evidence of at least one of these principalities is seen in Daniel 10:13 where the angel Gabriel says, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me." That God's warrior angel Michael had to free Gabriel from the principality over Persia should be a strong prophetic warning to the American leadership that there is more to Iran (formerly Persia) than meets the eye. Going against Israel and taunting Iran may be a dark journey into prophetic destiny.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Key Committee Hearing Tomorrow
House Committee to Examine Obama's Recent Ruling
Violating Conscience Protection
Oversight Committee Hearing: "Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?"
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing tomorrow, Feb. 16th, entitled, "Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?" The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. Additionally, the hearing will be streamed live here.
- We encourage our Prayer Partners, who can, to be sure and literally "watch and pray" over these hearings. We ask that truth be revealed in the testimony of the witnesses, and insightful questions be asked on the part of the Committee members. Pray!
- "This is what the Lord says to me: 'Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.'" (Isaiah 21:6)
Conscience Protection Bill
Lawmakers Push Conscience Protection Bill
In the wake of the Obama administration's refusal to concede any real consideration of religious liberties in the federal health care law, more than 50 members of Congress gathered today to express their support for a bill to restore conscience protections for all citizens.
President Obama kicked off a firestorm of controversy in January, when he announced that faith-based groups that morally object to contraception, sterilization and drugs that could cause abortion will still be forced to buy insurance plans covering those services for their employees. And earlier this month, he announced an "accommodation" that only shifted the direct cost from employers to the insurance companies themselves.
"We have come together to say it's time to act to protect Americans' most basic rights - our religious freedom and rights of conscience," said Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., the lead sponsor of H.R. 1179. (Source: Citizen Link)
New York Churches Seek Legal Relief
The Alliance Defense Fund went to bat for New York City churches in federal court on Tuesday, arguing that a city policy banning them from holding worship services in public schools on weekends violates two tenets of the First Amendment.
And according to senior counsel Jordan Lorence, the hearing went fairly well; Chief Judge Loretta Preska "asked if the school district would be willing to grant some extra time for the churches to stay in the schools so she would have more time to write an opinion. I think there's a good possibility that churches could be back in," he said.
"We don't know exactly what the judge will do, but I think she's inclined to support us."
The city evicted churches from public school buildings on Feb. 12. ADF is arguing that the city's policy violates both the Free Exercise and Establishment clauses of the First Amendment. The Free Exercise Clause protects citizens' right to be free of government interference in the performance of their faith; the Establishment Clause says the government will not establish an official state religion (Source: Citizen Link)
Government Gone Wild
If I told you that government food inspectors would soon be checking your child's lunchbox, you probably wouldn't believe me. I wouldn't believe me either! But that is exactly what happened at West Hoke Elementary School in Raeford, North Carolina, recently.
The child's mother sent her to school with a turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice. Sounds good, right? Evidently, it failed the mandatory lunch inspection because the lunch did not have a vegetable. The child was then given a school lunch of chicken nuggets, milk, a fruit and a vegetable. Guess what she ate? The chicken nuggets!
According to the Carolina Journal, the mother got a note from the school, "stating that students who did not bring a 'healthy lunch' would be offered the missing portions, which could result in a fee from the cafeteria." So not only are government bureaucrats searching through your child's lunchbox, they are going to fine you for it too!
The child's mother wrote a letter to her state representative, who said he was shocked to learn this was happening. He looked into the issue and "has since learned this is a nationwide practice based on federal guidelines."
The girl's grandmother, who often makes her granddaughter's lunches, asked rhetorically, "This isn't China, is it?" Not yet, but welcome to Obama's brave new world. If the government can force us to buy specific products, force religious institutions to violate their values and send lunchbox inspectors to sort through our kids' food, Chinese-style "commissars" are in our future. (Gary Bauer)
Gutting Our Nuclear Deterrent
Evidently the White House is taking an "Alice-in-Wonderland" approach to national security issues too. As Iran marches toward the development of its own nuclear arsenal, there are reports today that Obama is considering massive cuts -- up to 80% -- in America's nuclear arsenal. Such cuts could give China nuclear superiority over the United States.
This makes no sense at all. There are a lot of misconceptions about nuclear weapons, but here is the basic point to keep in mind: We don't test them. As one defense expert put it, they are not like rifles where we can take them out and test fire a thousand rounds. In order to maintain an effective deterrent, our nuclear arsenal requires a tremendous amount of redundancy.
And speaking of Iran, each day the headlines demonstrate the idiocy of Ron Paul's approach to foreign policy. After assassination attempts and terrorist attacks in India, Thailand and Georgia aimed at Israeli diplomats, Mitchell Silber, director of intelligence analysis for the New York Police Department, is warning that New York City could also become a target because of its significant Jewish population.
Paul contends that if only we withdrew from the Middle East, the radical Islamists would stop hating us. Should we withdraw from New York City too? The question is as absurd as Paul's foreign policy. The Islamists call us the "Great Satan." And they won't stop hating Jews no matter where they live. (Gary Bauer)
The Good News Corner:
Miracles by Ned Ryun
My brother Drew and I are identical twins. We each married a woman named Rebecca Anne. Within months each of us, with our wives, had to make life-or-death decisions concerning our unborn daughters.
The challenge to Drew and his Becca came first. In August 2008, after three hours of ultrasounds and tests, a pediatric cardiologist told them, "Your daughter has a very serious heart defect. She has no right ventricle. She has transposition of the ventricles and aortic stenosis. She's only at 21 weeks. Would you like to terminate the pregnancy?"
Drew and Becca, without looking at each other, both said no. Surprisingly, the doctor smiled and said, "Good, because we are confident that with a series of open heart surgeries, we can repair your daughter's heart." Lily was born Aug. 26, 2008. Two days later Dr. Richard Jonas performed the first of what became three heart surgeries. Lily is now a healthy and happy 3-year-old.
Hospital personnel were not so optimistic at 3 a.m. on Nov. 4, 2008. For several days I had watched my Becca hemorrhage off and on. Doctors told us, "Very large blood clots are forming. All the amniotic fluid is gone. There is a very good chance this pregnancy will have to end today to protect your wife."
Our little girl, whom we had decided to name Charlotte Love, was only gestationally 24 weeks old-still four months from her due date. Doctors gave us staggering odds: They said she would almost certainly have brain damage, blindness, and long-term health problems. Three times hospital personnel suggested that we consider ending the pregnancy.
This was the time Becca and I had to authenticate and validate our belief system or destroy it through our actions. We refused to do anything that could contribute to ending Charlotte's life. We told the doctors and nurses they should work to revive Charlotte should she not be breathing after delivery.
In the morning our wonderful personal doctor walked in, in her scrubs, and asked how we were doing. I replied that we were hanging in there and then asked if the emergency C-section would be in the afternoon. She smiled and said, "No, you have 15 minutes. The operating room is ready. We'll wheel Becca down, you'll get your scrubs on, and we are delivering the baby."
She delivered Charlotte-1 pound, 7 ounces-at 10 a.m. on Nov. 4. Charlotte went into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her ups and downs over the next four months included an emergency heart surgery and a bacterial infection. But she never had bleeding on the brain, never needed eye surgery, and never suffered anything that would lead to long-term health or disability issues.
When I look back at what doctors in the middle of the night said would almost certainly happen, Charlotte's health seems nothing less than a miracle. We had no guarantees that Charlotte would live or even be healthy, but we chose life, no matter the consequences. I think about the experience often when I get Charlotte up in the morning, or she climbs on my lap to cuddle, and I know that this all took place for a reason. It certainly showed God's love.
[Ned Ryun lives in Virginia and is president of American Majority. He is the son of Jim Ryun, former member of Congress from the State of Kansas, and his wife, Anne. This article was first published in World Magazine earlier this year.]
- We praise the Lord with all the members of the Ryun family for the "double blessing" of this "double testimony" for LIFE. We truly do serve a God of miracles! Amen!
- "His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." (Psalm112:2)
Worship with Us Today!
Depth of Mercy by Selah
[With apologies for the advertisement that precedes this beautiful song of worship unto our Lord.]
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul's impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me
Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Deeply my revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.
Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul's impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me
Heaven find me on my knees
Hear my soul's impassioned plea
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved
Mercy still reserved
Mercy still reserved for me
