News for Prayer!Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for the Nation"
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On Capitol Hill This Week - Volume XIX, Number 4a
February 6 - 10, 2012
"But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." (Habakkuk 2:20)
DOMESTIC ISSUES
1. FACING ANOTHER TRILLION - PLUS DEFICIT
2. WHITE HOUSE, GOP DISPUTE SIGNIFICANCE OF UPBEAT JOBS REPORT
3. 27 JOBS BILLS STUCK IN THE SENATE
4. HOLDER'S REFUSAL MEANS KAGAN'S RECUSAL
5. PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: "THE ALARMING FAMILY HOUR"
6. HOLDER: NO COVER-UP IN "FAST AND FURIOUS"
7. HOUSE PASSES TWO BILLS BACKED BY PRAYER CAUCUS
8. SENATOR RUBIO INTRODUCES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT
9. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF RISING CYBER THREAT
10. JUDGE SAYS OBAMA CAN BE ON GEORGIA BALLOT
11. JUDICIAL NOMINEE TO 9TH CIRCUIT IS QUESTIONED
1. FACING ANOTHER TRILLION - PLUS DEFICIT
The government faces a fourth year of trillion-plus deficits in 2012, according to new projections released Tuesday-numbers which also show little relief in the future unless Washington comes to grips with needed changes in its tax and spending policies. The Congressional Budget Office steps squarely into the 2012 campaign season with the 147-page report which might have been subtitled "It's not just the economy stupid, it's also the debt."
The $1.079 trillion deficit now projected for this fiscal year ending Sept. 30 is a step backwards from what CBO had predicted in August. And to punch home its message, the non-partisan agency outlines an especially grim scenario in which Congress not only extends all the current Bush-era tax cuts, but pulls the plug on the $1.2 trillion in sequester set in motion by the Budget Control Act last summer.
Under this scenario-which can't be ruled out politically-deficits would stubbornly hover just under $1 trillion through 2017, adding another $4.7 trillion altogether to the mounting federal debt. (Contributor: Politico) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
- Pray that our national leaders will have God's wisdom in making the decisions that are necessary for the United States and its citizenry to deal with this financial crisis through good stewardship. Ask the Lord to grant wise financial allocations to necessary expenditures and the wisdom to address and cease expenditures on non-necessary items in the national budget. Pray for bipartisan support concerning necessary budgetary change.
- "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish." (Luke 14:28-30)
2. WHITE HOUSE, GOP DISPUTE SIGNIFICANCE OF UPBEAT JOBS REPORT
Republicans on Friday downplayed the latest jobs report that showed the unemployment rate on a steady downward trend, describing the improvements as welcome but "anemic."
The White House, meanwhile, cited the report as "encouraging" evidence that the economy is on the upswing, and urged Congress to support jobs measures backed by President Obama to keep that trend going. With election season in full swing, the Labor Department reports are bound to serve as a political football every month until November. His administration under fire on the campaign trail for slow economic growth despite stimulus funding and other measures, Obama is eager for some good news.
But Republicans are urging caution at the latest news, noting that the improvements hardly represent the burst of economic activity the country needs. "Anemic growth is not growth. We need to make dramatic change to the tax code and draw back job-killing regulations," Newt Gingrich said in a written statement.
Even with the gains, the job market faces a long way back to full health. The nation has about 5.6 million fewer jobs than it did when the recession began in late 2007. There are still 12.8 million people out of work, though that is the fewest since the recession ended. An additional 11 million are either working part-time but would prefer full-time work, or have stopped searching for jobs. When all those groups are combined, nearly 24 million are considered "underemployed." The so-called "underemployment" rate ticked down in January to 15.1 percent, from 15.2 percent. (Fox News; Associated Press) Read more.
- In this election year, many reports will be disputed between the president and the Congress, and between the two political parties. This is the give-and-take of a true democracy. Pray that, as this jobs report is examined in great detail, the truth of this vital matter would be revealed, and the public would be so advised. This year, our citizens are watching . . . may we each judge wisely on Election Day in November. Pray!
- "He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light." (Job 12:22)
3. 27 JOBS BILLS STUCK IN THE SENATE
Now that Congress is back in session, it's time for them to start focusing on the issues that matter most to the American people: jobs and the economy. Last year, President Obama was allowed to travel the country and claim he was running against a "do-nothing Congress." His insinuation was that it was Republicans in the House of Representatives that were doing nothing, as if they were just sitting on their thumbs while the country struggled. The truth is that the House passed (among others) 27 bills that would create an environment that would foster job creation. Those 27 bills are now sitting in the Senate because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) refuses to bring them up for a vote to keep President Obama's narrative going.
Senate Republicans stand behind these bills. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats (except those up for re-election) are in lock-step with Sen. Reid and President Obama in refusing to help create jobs and grow our economy. 27 bills. Twenty-seven bills that clean up the tax code; reduce burdensome regulations that make it too costly and time consuming to hire new employees, and open up the domestic energy market for job creation. If the Senate would just pass each of these bills, then our country could experience much better than an annual growth rate of just 2.8%. How do we know these will work? Because they've worked in the past. Cutting taxes and removing exhaustive regulations is what President Reagan did in the early 80′s, and our country experienced 10 straight quarters of 7% growth. Compare that with our last recession and you can see that President Obama's policies are stifling our economy.
Twenty-seven bills focusing on job creation in one year is more than the President and his party passed while they were in complete control of Congress.
Each of the bills would make it easier for businesses to actually create jobs by removing the uncertainty surrounding taxes and regulation. Removing that uncertainty would immediately allow our economy to begin to fully recover, and the following bills will aid in that recovery. (To read the complete list of these 27 bills, go here.) (Conservative Action Alerts)
- Heavenly Father, it appears that we are in a season of intense lies and deceit., emanating from many of those who were elected to serve us in our government. Power and control at any cost seem to be the "name of the game" being spoken out across this nation. Awaken the people of this nation, Lord, as to what is the truth about these accusations. Draw to Yourself, Lord, those who will come, so that Your ways can arise again in our nation, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them. Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all." (Proverbs 28:4-5)
4. HOLDER'S REFUSAL MEANS KAGAN'S RECUSAL
It's Time to Tell Kagan: Recuse On Obamacare
President Barack Obama has selected in Justice Elena Kagan a likeminded soul-someone nearly identical in opinion with his radical views on the U.S. Constitution as a living, breathing document. . . After repeated requests for information by the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Eric Holder has point blank refused to provide information as requested by Congress. This refusal for basic information leads to one conclusion: Justice Elena Kagan must recuse herself from the pending Supreme Court case on Obamacare.
There is a great deal of substantiated evidence that would call into question Kagan's impartiality with regards to Obamacare. . . . there is abundant evidence that the actions of Justice Elena Kagan, during her tenure as Solicitor General, cast serious doubts as to whether Kagan will be able to disassociate herself from the merits or demerits of legislation she not only defended, but cheered. Can it be seriously argued that Kagan would be willing or even able to reconsider her previously strongly held position as incorrect on the basis of law?
In any instance where an sitting federal or Supreme Court justice is either ethically or professionally conflicted, the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requires that justice to remove themselves from the case through recusal. Given the evidence already obtained by Judicial Watch, Kagan has a responsibility under 28 USC § 455 to recuse herself from hearing the Obamacare case when it arrives before the Supreme Court. (USRPN) Read more.
- The Traditional Values Coalition is making a petition available demanding that Justice Elena Kagan recuse herself from this case. You can find information about that petition by going here.
- Heavenly Father, we come before You to ask for mercy and for Your justice in this important case. The evidence known reflects that recusal from hearing this case by this justice should be enacted. Forgive us, we pray for being this fallen. Lord, our courts and legal system have fallen so far away from Your ways. We plead for mercy, Lord, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen!
- "He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord!" (Proverbs 17:15)
5. PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: "THE ALARMING FAMILY HOUR"
A conservative advocacy group is growing more concerned over the amount of skin shown during network prime-time television. The Parents Television Council is concerned about the troubling trend it has been documenting even before releasing its report "The Alarming Family Hour" more than four years ago. Melissa Henson is director of communications and public education for PTC. "What we have seen so far this season is a fairly noticeable increase in the frequency of depictions of nudity on prime-time broadcast television -- and that's something that used to be unheard of not that long ago."
The encouraging news is that the Supreme Court seems reluctant to end the government's historic policing of the broadcast airwaves and to strike down the "indecency" rules that guide prime-time TV shows. "All we are asking for is for a few channels" where parents can be confident their children will not hear profanity or see sex scenes, said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who is a parent of two young children.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said he would not like to see a time when "celebrities and want-to-be celebrities" had a free speech right to utter profanities on television and radio.
At one point, Justice Elena Kagan agreed with the broadcasters that the rules on indecency seem arbitrary. "It seems no one can use dirty words, except Steven Spielberg," she commented. Broadcasters have been given free use of the public airwaves. "It seems to be a good thing to have a safe haven" in prime-time broadcasts where standards of decency are enforced, she said. (Contributor: Parents TV, One News Now, Los Angeles Times)
- Ask the Lord to encourage the Supreme Court Justices to maintain a high degree of morality in protecting U.S. airwaves from carrying immoral content, especially during prime-time viewing by family members. Give thanks for those justices who are already sensitive to the issue of wanting the airwaves protected from indecent visual imagery and auditory broadcasts.
- "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Reported by: Intercessors for America
6. HOLDER: NO COVER-UP IN "FAST AND FURIOUS"
Attorney General Eric Holder vigorously denied a "cover-up" by the Justice Department over "Operation Fast and Furious," telling a House panel investigating the botched gun-running program that he has nothing to hide and suggesting the probe is a "political" effort to embarrass the administration. "There's no attempt at any kind of cover-up," Holder told lawmakers well into a hearing about whether he had been forthright in responding to requests of the House Oversight and Government Relations Committee led by Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif. "We're not going to be hiding behind any kind of privileges or anything," he said.
The hearing came after Issa and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, his Senate partner in the probe, asserted that top Justice officials are covering up events surrounding the flawed gun-smuggling probe. Issa made the accusation in a letter threatening to seek a contempt of Congress ruling against Holder for failing to turn over congressionally subpoenaed documents that were created after problems with Fast and Furious came to light. Republicans also released a report in the hours ahead of the hearing claiming that Justice Department officials "had much greater knowledge of, and involvement in, Fast and Furious than it has previously acknowledged."
Asked whether his assistants, Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler or Assistant Attorney Lanny Breuer, head of the department's Criminal Division, ever authorized gunwalking or the tactics employed in Fast and Furious, Holder responded not to his knowledge. "Not only did I not authorize those tactics, when I found out about them I told the field and everybody in the United States Department of Justice that those tactics had to stop. That they were not acceptable and that gunwalking was to stop. That was what my reaction [was] to my finding out about the use of that technique," he added. He added that he doesn't think that the situation warranted the kind of response Republicans were giving after his department provided thousands of documents, and planned to deliver more. Holder also rejected arguments that his handling of the case had lost him any support for the effort he was putting forth as attorney general. (Conservative Action Alerts) Read more.
- Heavenly Father, there is no hiding from You. All that is and was and will be, are known by You. Extend out Your arm, Lord, and rip back all covering of lies so that they are in the light for all to see. Fully expose this case so that understanding and justice is achieved, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- "To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation." (Proverbs 10: 23-25)
7. HOUSE PASSES TWO BILLS BACKED BY PRAYER CAUCUS
The WWII Memorial Prayer Act, H.R. 2070 passed this week by an overwhelming 386-26. Prayer Caucus members introduces the bill because the Park Service omitted "so help us God" in an inscription of President Roosevelt's address to Congress following the attacks on Pearl Harbor. This bill directs the inscription of President Franklin Roosevelt's historic "D-Day Prayer" at the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. Pressure must be placed on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to pass the bill in the Senate.
By a voice vote the House also approved the War Memorial Protection Act, H.R. 290. This legislation ensures that memorials commemorating the U.S. Armed Forces may contain religious symbols. The bill counters decisions by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to remove such monuments to veterans as the Mt. Soledad Cross. (Religious Freedom Coalition) - We ask sustained prayer for the Congressional Prayer Caucus, as they work within Congress to defend our right to be a "praying people" in our nation. Offer praise for this good report . . . our foundations, through these actions, are once again being honored and preserved. Praise God!
- "Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)
8. SENATOR RUBIO INTRODUCES RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESTORATION ACT
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012 that will expand the nearly nonexistent exemption for religious employers in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare. As it now stands, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is forcing religious employers to pay for contraceptives, sterilization services, and abortion-inducing drugs for their employees. In a failed attempt to respond to complaints, the DHHS has given religious organizations one year to adapt to the ObamaCare mandate. (Religious Freedom Coalition)
To learn more about this bill, please read comments in a Press Release issued by Senator Rubio's office by going here.
- Offer praise for this bold move on the part of Senator Rubio and pray for the successful passage of this bill in both the Senate and in the House. May our Lord prepare the heart of Barack Hussein Obama to sign this bill into law when it reaches his desk, later this year. Pray!
- "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten . . . My people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2:25,27 [in part])
9. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF RISING CYBER THREAT
FBI Director Robert Mueller called cyber threats the top future threat facing America in testimony this week before the Senate Intelligence Committee, InformationWeek reports. The broad range of online threats, both from state and non-state actors, highlights a complex threat to key institutions of the government, economy, and media.
"I do not think today it [cyber terrorism] is necessarily [the] number one threat, but it will be tomorrow," Mueller said. "Counterterrorism - stopping terrorist attacks - with the FBI is the present number one priority. But down the road, the cyber threat, which cuts across all [FBI] programs, will be the number one threat to the country."
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper underscored the complexity of threat. Internet attacks are difficult to predict and act on, he said, and "many intrusions into U.S. networks are not being detected." Joining major state actors China and Russia, Iran has also broadened its capabilities and hyped up its willingness to act on attacks. In addition, hacker groups like Anonymous, which brings together thousands of members of the public to act on its own 'campaigns,' have struck key sectors of the economy.
Congress is taking this threat seriously after dragging its feet for years, with the House dealing with cyber security legislation this week and the Senate considering a more comprehensive bill later this month.
Israel provides a model for how cyber attacks occur and how they can be countered. It is fighting an online war with Arab hackers, who have struck financial and governmental websites, as well as released Israeli credit card data. (The Investigative Project on Terrorism) Read more.
- Father, we cover the computers of America with the Blood of Jesus, and erect a hedge of Your protection around all computers in the American infrastructure. Make us impervious against cyber threats.
- "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." [Joshua 1:5]
10. JUDGE SAYS OBAMA CAN BE ON GEORGIA BALLOT
Rejects plaintiffs demand to strike name from 2012 election
An administrative law judge in Georgia today ruled that Barack Obama's name can be on the state's 2012 presidential election ballot because he was born in Hawaii, is "native born" and thus also is "natural born" as required by the Constitution.
He cited a little-known determination by an Indiana judge.
"The Indiana court determined that a person qualifies as a natural born citizen if he was born in the United States because he became a United States citizen at birth," wrote Michael Malihi, an administrative law judge in Atlanta.
"For the purposes of this analysis, this court considered that President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Therefore, as discussed in Arkeny, he became a citizen at birth and is a natural born citizen." (WorldNetDaily) Read more.
- Dear Abba Father, how we have fallen as a nation that used to honor Your ways as to integrity, truth and justice. We plead mercy before Your throne. You alone can settle this corruption that is so rampant throughout our nation. Have mercy, in the name of Jesus, Amen and Amen!
- Lord Jesus, we claim and decree the following:
"The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy. No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight." (Proverbs 12: 19-22)
See also this article from The Western Center for Journalism.
- The following states will also be reviewing Obama's eligibility: Alabama, Tennessee, Arizona, New Hampshire, and even Illinois, Obama's home political base. Please continue to pray over each case as it is covered in the news. Amen.
11. JUDICIAL NOMINEE TO 9TH CIRCUIT IS QUESTIONED
The Judicial Action Group (JAG) has posted an alert concerning the possible nomination of Andrew David Hurwitz to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, based on the apparent satisfaction he continues to take in his role authoring a district court opinion which ultimately had a "'crucial influence' on both the outcome and the reasoning in [Roe v. Wade]."
Quoting the JAG bulletin: "* Hurwitz takes pride in his role in crafting the case that had "'crucial influence' on both the outcome and the reasoning in Roe. Roe is not only a constitutional abomination but is a moral abomination that has resulted in judicial sanction of the killing of tens of millions of unborn children. Hurwitz should be ashamed of his role in Roe. His pride in his role in Roe is expressed not only as a young law clerk in 1972 but as recently as 2003, at the age of 52. Hurwitz's pride in his role in Roe is cause for great concern."
- YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS NOMINATION, IN PRAYER, IS REQUESTED, as Hurwitz appeared for a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 26, 2012. Please call your own two senators from your own state, and ask that, if this nomination reaches the floor for a vote by the full Senate, they vote "no." In this case, it is time for prayer AND for action!
- "Thy people shall volunteer freely in the day of Thy power." ((Psalm 110:3 NAS)
Obama Speaks at National Prayer Breakfast
[Following are the links to several editorials regarding Obama's remarks during his address at the recent National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. We ask your prayer of agreement, at the end of this section, with our intercession over this speech. Thank you.]
1. President Obama and the Bible -- Dr. Michael Youssef
Many of us who are biblical scholars have watched Mr. Obama's use, or should I say abuse, of the Bible with dismay.
Who can forget when he gave a speech mocking the ceremonial law of the Old Testament then saying something to the effect of, "How can you govern by the Sermon on the Mount?"
Well, he did it again at the National Prayer Breakfast. I never understood that name since very little prayer, if any, takes place. Instead, perhaps it should be called the National Breakfast Gathering . . .
Read more.
2. Obama: Jesus Would Back Higher Taxes - Associated Press
Obama linked his economic policies to his Christian faith, saying on Thursday that meeting the nation's challenges requires strong values as much as smart policies. Obama, making his third appearance as president at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, used his remarks to justify many of his actions, such as his call for the wealthy to pay more in taxes and his health care overhaul. He said they were not only economically sound but also rooted in his Christian values. "When I talk about shared responsibility, it's because I genuinely believe that in a time when many folks are struggling and at a time when we have enormous deficits, it's hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young people with student loans or middle-class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone," Obama said. "But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus' teaching that, for unto whom much is given, much shall be required," he said. (Read more)
3. 'Cause God Blessed Taxes with His Own Hand . . - Family Research Council
Obama isn't selling the bracelets, but he is asking the question: WWJT? What Would Jesus Tax? Speaking at yesterday's National Prayer Breakfast, the President invoked everyone from Jesus to Mohammed to push his universal welfare state. "It's hard for me to ask [people]... who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone. And I think to myself, if I'm willing to give something up as somebody who's been extraordinarily blessed and give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually think that's going to make some economic sense. . .
For me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus's teaching that to whom much is given, much shall be required. It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who've been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration of others. It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who've been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others." (Read more)
4. OBAMA SAYS JESUS WANTS TAX HIKES - Religious Freedom Coalition
I have not attended the National Prayer Breakfast for many years because it has become a political mockery rather than a gathering of the faithful to pray. As if to prove my point, President Barack Obama used this week's National Prayer Breakfast to push his tax increases, saying that as a Christian he knows that Jesus would want the rich to pay higher taxes. He awkwardly offered his proof by reading Matthew 12:48 out of context. The passage actually concerns the treatment of servants by masters and has nothing whatsoever to do with taxes or government.
5. SENATOR TELLS OBAMA HE IS NOT JESUS - Religious Freedom Coalition
A few hours after Obama invoked the words of Jesus to promote tax hikes Senator Orrin Hatch took to the floor of the Senate and made this comment: "Just this morning at the National Prayer Breakfast Obama took what has always been a non-partisan opportunity for national unity and used it to promote his political agenda. He suggested to the attendees that Jesus would have supported his latest tax-the-rich schemes. With due respect to the President, he should stick to public policy. I think most Americans would agree that the Gospels are concerned with weightier matters than effective tax rates." The Senator went on to point out Obama's attack on the church using Obama Care earlier in the week. Read more
6. The Gospel According To Saint Obama - Gary Bauer
At the National Prayer Breakfast today Obama said something that took people's breath away. He laid out his entire socialist agenda and essentially said, "Jesus made me do it." . . watch your nightly news broadcast tonight very closely to see how many pundits fret over the separation of church and state and clobber Obama for his faith-based policies. That's exactly what they do to conservatives every time we defend normal marriage or argue for the right to life. Surely, the media will hold Obama to the same standard, right? Don't hold your breath. It's okay for Democrats to preach from the Gospel of Redistribution, but it is an affront to the Constitution when conservatives try to defend traditional values. (Read more . . . look for Friday's report on his archive site for complete details.)
7. GOP Congressman Walked Out - Rome News (Rome, GA)
A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey confirmed this afternoon that the Marietta Republican walked out of Obama's address at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, offended by what the congressman said was an injection of political rhetoric into an occasion of non-partisan reflection. (Read more)
Summary:
This year at the National Prayer Breakfast, Obama spoke on Jesus' behalf and claimed "support from on high to defend two of his most controversial legislative achievements" - one being healthcare reform, an aspect of which includes funding abortion on demand. It's a mentality that says a personal interpretation of Scripture trumps the canon of God's Word and anything can be justified because God is much bigger than small-minded, fundamentalist-style thinking. Rather than align with truth, designer Christians mistakenly believe that God is eager to conform to public opinion and expectations. (Read more.)
- Father we pray that You would show Mr. Obama his own foolishness. We know that You honor Your Word even above your Name. We ask that You rebuke him for using Your Word to justify his own agendas, and bring him to his knees in repentance.
- "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." [Job 42:5-6]
SPECIAL NOTE ON THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ORDER ON RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
by Rick Joyner, Morningstar Ministries
Last week, the Obama administration finalized a radical new rule that uses the health care law to require all health insurance providers to cover abortion-inducing drugs and sterilization as well as contraception, all free of charge. The administration based the rule's "religious exemption" on a provision drafted by the ACLU, applying the rule even to religious organizations such as Catholic schools, hospitals, universities, and charities that oppose such things as a matter of religious belief.
The weak exemption the administration allowed applies only to religious organizations serving primarily people of the same religion. It is so narrow that Timothy Dolan, the Catholic archbishop of New York City and current head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote in the Wall Street Journal that "even Jesus and His disciples would not qualify for the exemption in that case, because they were committed to serve those of other faiths."
Because Catholic institutions serve people of all faiths, the adoption by the Obama administration of the ACLU exemption language is an explicit and intentional assault on the Catholic Church in the United States. Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius know full well that they are ordering Catholic institutions to violate their church's teachings if they want to stay in business. They also know full well that they are explicitly running over the First Amendment protection of religious freedom that every American is supposed to enjoy as a birthright.
Obama's message to Catholics is clear: Catholics will not be able to build organizations according to their faith and the teachings of their church as long as they refuse to accept President Obama's radicalism. President Obama's order is a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of conscience and an unprecedented assault on Christianity.
- Father, this administration deeply hates Christianity, and moves continually to block freedom of religion. We pray for revelation of Your truth, and ask for the freedom of Your Son against this order from the White House. We ask that all freedom of religion be restored to America, and that Christian churches of all denominations be free to say no to the agendas of our President.
- "Behold the eyes of the Lord are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth, yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, says the Lord." [Amos 9:8]
On Capitol Hill This Week - Volume XIX, Number 4b
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES:
FOCUS ON ISRAEL
1. IDF INTEL CHIEF: 200,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL
2. MIDDLE EAST NEARS WAR
3. ISRAEL DEBATES IRAN NUCLEAR STRIKE
4. PANETTA: ISRAEL MAY ATTACK IRAN
5. NETANYAHU WINS LIKUD PRIMARIES
6. CANADIAN MINISTERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT PERES
7. ISRAEL ANTI-PROSTITUTION BILL
1. IDF INTEL CHIEF: 200,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL
Editor's note: Today, there are 200,000 missiles aimed at Israeli cities, schools, military installations, electrical power generating plants, water pumping stations. In short, no place in Israel is safe from the thousands of rockets. All of the 200,000 rockets are aimed directly at Israel. PLEASE PRAY MUCH OVER THE FOLLOWING REPORT.
- "They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more. . . O my God, make them like the whirling dust, Like the chaff before the wind! . . . Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83: 3,4,13,17-18)
IDF Intelligence head Aviv Kochavi gave a chilling presentation Thursday morning at the Herzliya Conference on Israeli policy, telling listeners that Israel's enemies had 200,000 rockets and missiles pointed at the country, and could reach all parts of Israel - even the ostensibly safe "center" of Tel Aviv and its suburbs.
Most of the missiles have a range of about 40 kilometers - the range of Qassam and most Katyusha rockets - but thousands of missiles have ranges of hundreds of kilometers, making every location in Israel within their reach. Not only that - but the missiles are more lethal now than ever before. "The warheads on these missiles contain hundreds of kilograms of explosives, not dozens, as in the past. And their firing precision and ability to hit specific targets is also greater," Kochavi said. The rockets are largely located in Lebanon and Syria, with a smaller amount in Gaza - and in Iran, as well, which has thousands of missiles that could reach Israel. "Every tenth house in Lebanon is now a weapons depot," Kochavi said.
Besides conventional weapons, Israel is also facing a nuclear threat. According to Kochavi, Israel has lost the battle to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons; Tehran already has enough uranium for four atomic bombs, with over 100 kilos enriched to a level of 20% - more than enough for the one bomb Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said he would need to "rid the world of the Zionist entity."
Whether or not Iran actually builds these bombs is not a question of technical capability, Kochavi said, but a question of political will. The ability to build the bombs is there, and whether or not they will actually be assembled is a decision that top Iranian officials, especially Supreme Leader Ali Khameini, has yet to make. "From the moment the order is given, it will take about a year to assemble the bombs," Kochavi said. "Developing them into warheads will take a little longer." (Israel National News)
Read more.
- Abba Father, we ask You to be in the midst of Your land and to draw Your chosen people unto Yourself. Guide them to be in Your will as to the time and manner to handle this nuclear threat situation. Let them know fully that they are Not Alone but are Your chosen ones, and direct their ways as to what must be done, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen!
- "Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent, the poison of asps is under their lips. Selah.
I said to the Lord, You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of the battle. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted. Selah." (Psalm 140: 1-3, 6-8)
2. MIDDLE EAST NEARS WAR
FRIDAY, February 3, 2012. War could break out if Iran decides to shut the Straits of Hormuz, which is the oil-supply pipeline for many nations in the globalized economy. American aircraft carriers and Nato's battle groups are gathered nearby. In addition, Syria is inflamed with violence and a civil uprising. The Muslim Brotherhood has the majority in the Egyptian Parliament, putting additional pressure on Israel.
- Pray for these nations that are often mentioned in the Bible. May Iranians be freed from the oppressive Mullah regime. May the Lord have mercy on the people of Syria. May the Coptic Christians in Egypt be preserved and protected. May these nations know a sweeping revival leading them to knowledge of Christ!
- "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 'Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. . . Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." (Psalm 2:1-4, 10-12) [News and prayer from Mahesh Chavda; Middle East Report]
3. ISRAEL DEBATES IRAN NUCLEAR STRIKE
Will this be the year that Israel makes good on a promise to stop Tehran? As United Nations nuclear inspectors touch down in Teheran, the running assessment is that Israel will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran and will do everything including a military strike to stop it.
As far back as 1997, Jane's Intelligence Review stated this very clearly and no one has denied it. What has changed over the decade is the timetable. Signs are increasingly pointing to this year being the decisive one of decision and there are indications that a direct military confrontation between Iran and the West - the U.S. and/or Israel - is more likely today than at any time in more than two decades.
"The strategy vis-a-vis Iran should be to do whatever is possible under the radar coupled with painful and crippling sanctions, but at the same time, we should also keep a viable military option on the table with the willingness to use it if necessary," former Israeli army chief Lt.-Gen. Gaby Ashkenazi said at a recent conference in Tel Aviv. "When the moment comes, I don't know if we won't be alone, and for this reason Israel must also rely on itself."
A recent cartoon in The Jerusalem Post shows Netanyahu facing a street sign: "War with Iran before they get nukes" point one way and "War with Iran after they get nukes" pointing the other way. This illustrates the dilemma facing Israeli leaders.
A vast majority say war with Iran before it got nukes could have horrific results, but one Israel could weather and would eventually end, despite casualties and damage. The other scenario could see the annihilation of the Jewish state. The choice is obvious to those who advocate early action. (The Media Line; Reported by Bridges for Peace)
- Israeli leaders need profound wisdom from the Lord as they make decisions regarding the proper course of action to stop Iran's march toward becoming a nuclear power. Pray that God will speak clearly to them and give them peace and courage to obey His voice.
- "The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so." (Proverbs 15:7)
4. PANETTA: ISRAEL MAY ATTACK IRAN
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expressing new concerns about Iran's underground nuclear program, this time telling Washington Post columnist David Ignatius he's worried Israel may decide to attack it as early as this spring.
Traveling with the defense secretary in Brussels to cover his meeting with NATO defense ministers, Ignatius writes, "Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike Iran in April, May or June."
It is the first time such a specific timeframe has been mentioned. FOXNews.com has previously reported concerns from former members of President Barack Obama's national security team that a unilateral strike from Israel could occur sometime in 2012 and that Central Command has been planning for the possibility the US could be drawn in . . . (Unity Coalition for Israel) Read more.
- Abba Father, the world is under a hideous threat from this nuclear development being done by people so arrogant and full of rage. How is it that there is so little understanding of what this threat implies for all of us along with Israel? What blindness, Lord, is in operation that a 'fear' of Israel taking defensive action is so difficult to be understood by the rest of the world? Preserve and be with Your Chosen people and land, Lord, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved. For You are my praise. Indeed they say to me, 'Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now!' Do not be a terror to me. You are my hope in the day of doom. Let them be ashamed who persecute me. But do not let me be put to shame. Let them be dismayed. Bring on the day of doom, and destroy them with double destruction." (Jeremiah 17:14. 17-18)
5. NETANYAHU WINS LIKUD PRIMARIES
In a surprise move, Prime Minister Netanyahu suddenly called for the Likud, his political party, to hold primaries long before they would normally be held. Why did he do this? He did this because the current American administration has been seeking to use all its powers to unseat him, and put in a more compliant Prime Minister who would bow to Obama's will. Netanyahu won 75% of the vote, cementing his position as Prime Minister, and placing him in a strong position to run for a third term as Prime Minister. It also positions him firmly to take action, with the nation behind him, to act against Iran. Israel is a nation alone, as both America and Europe have instituted sanctions, but they have waited too long to act. America is yet failed to sanction the Bank of Iran, making it impossible for them to sell oil and receive payment on the world market. The current administration in Washington lacks the will to act forcefully against Iran, leaving Israel hung out to dry. (Submitted by Barry Battelstein) Read more
- The LORD has moved so that Israel can now look not unto any man nor any nation to rescue them, but only unto Him. Pray that the hearts of the Israeli people would be turned unto Him for salvation quickly, for only in Messiah can we find our peace and our protection. Pray!
- "He who watches over Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps!" (Psalm 121:4)
6. CANADIAN MINISTERS MEET WITH PRESIDENT PERES
President Shimon Peres met today at his Jerusalem Residence, with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. At the start of the meeting, the President said that, "Israel is very lucky to have your friendship which we appreciate very much".
Canadian Foreign Minister Baird said that, "You have no better friend in the world than Canada, no stronger ally who will stand up for you. We won't stand behind you; we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel."
President Peres and the Canadian ministers discussed bilateral cooperation in the field of science and advanced technologies. Canadian Foreign Minister Baird said that, "Israel is currently cooperating in these fields with Ontario and Nova Scotia, but we are interested in broadening this cooperation to a federal level."
President Peres replied that, "There is much potential to enhance our collaboration in the fields of Science and Technology. Israel is a small country and lacks natural resources whereas Canada is spacious and has been blessed with many natural resources. Our two countries have much to benefit from collaborating in those areas." (By Isranet, January 30, 2012)
- Praise the Lord for the nation of Canada and their incredible support for the nation of Israel. Pray that the Lord will continue to richly bless Canada in every way. Pray that other nations will see and understand that Canada's amazing prosperity during this global financial crisis is linked to their support for Israel.
- Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psalm 40:5)
7. ISRAEL ANTI-PROSTITUTION BILL
The Prohibition of the Purchase of Sexual Services" Jerusalem Institute of Justice and Exodus Cry need your help to see righteous legislation go forth from Zion. Israel is the template with a mandate to bless the nations and there is an opportunity in the coming weeks for the passage of an important anti-prostitution bill in the Knesset. This bill to criminalize the purchase of sexual services can set the precedent for purity and create a ripple effect in the nations of the earth.
There is a strong correlation between prostitution and sex trafficking and the passage of this bill would be a significant blow to the lucrative trafficking industry. It would hinder both the cover and ease that allows the oppression of women to operate freely. We have a small window of opportunity to assist in both prayer and action in helping this bill pass that will go up for first voting rounds on February 12, 2012.
Prostitution is legal in Israel. It is estimated that there are one million visits to prostitutes in Israel every month, in a country with a population of seven million. Many of these clients "visit" more than once a month.
Israel has an opportunity to close the door to wickedness and choose a blessing for the nation and we are requesting that you make your voice heard on this important bill.
In Israel there volunteers are currently mailing and calling the Ministers on a regular basis with the purpose of making them aware of the public interest in this law. However, pressure from the United States is critical to the success of the bill.
- Pray for Israel to be an example to the world in passing this Anti-Prostitution Bill, February 12, 2012 Pray for wisdom and strength of conviction for the members of the Knesset to vote righteously.
- "Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of wickedness." (Leviticus 19:29) (Reported by USRPN)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
FOCUS ON IRAN
1. WILL SAUDI ARABIA SEND THE TROOPS TO IRAN?
2. IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THREATENS U.S. IN GULF
3. DNI WARNS OF POSSIBLE IRANIAN ATTACKS ON OUR SOIL
4. OBAMA SAYS "DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION" IS NEEDED FOR IRAN
5. IRAN WILL NOT BLOCK KEY OIL ROUTE, DIPLOMAT SAYS
1. WILL SAUDI ARABIA SEND THE TROOPS TO IRAN?
EDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Iran's relationship with Saudi Arabia - once seen as improving following President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's 2007 visit to Riyadh - has deteriorated to the point that the Saudis may consider military intervention by joining the U.S. to protect oil shipped in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran threatened to choke off oil transportation in the Gulf following the U.S. President Barack Obama's tightening economic sanctions at the end of December and again this week [end of January] when the European Union voted to gradually impose a ban on Iranian oil. Chinese leader Wen Jiabao made a round of visits in the Gulf [in January] in a move seen by many observers as securing alternatives to Iranian oil.
Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal told Al-Arabiya television that the Saudi government is taking Iran's threats seriously. "I personally don't think Saudi Arabia will participate with the military, but it's a direct threat to our national interests and a direct threat to our industrial installations on the coast," Ali Al-Tawati, a Saudi military affairs analyst and professor at the College of Business Administration in Jeddah told The Media Line. "That region is a most precious region with most of our resources coming from there."
Tensions between the two countries increased when Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi promised that the kingdom could boost oil production by 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) to make up for any shortfall caused by sanctions on Iran.
The pledge elicited a veiled threat from Iran Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who warned Saudis it "will create all possible problems later." Iran's threats "could be interpreted by Saudi Arabia as an act of war," Al-Tawati said.
A Middle East analyst for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who asked not to be identified because Israel is not directly involved in the Gulf crisis, told The Media Line, "Saudi Arabia's primary concerns are to maintain the stability of the region and to contain Iran's interference, which the Saudis perceive as a destabilizing factor and as a threat to the Saudi regime."
He added Iran's Islamist leadership will consider the implications of a military confrontation, "but you can never be sure about it when political rationale is mixed with an extremist religious viewpoint." (Excerpts of an article by The Media Line, January 25, 2012) [Reported by Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that this posturing by Iran will not result in a Middle East arms race that could easily spiral out of control, perhaps threatening the entire region but certainly endangering the nation of Israel.
- "Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand." (Psalm 121:4-5)
2. IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THREATENS U.S. IN GULF
Iran has increased its threats against the West and targets in the Arabian Gulf, in response to Western sanctions and the boycott of Iran's Central Bank, a report from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) shows. The report shows that the threats have come from all levels of the Iranian government, military leadership, and society. Iranian parliament member and national security deputy chairman, Hossein Ebrahimi announced last week that Iran would not allow its oil to be boycotted and would instead turn the Gulf into "graveyard" for foreign forces.
In December, the conservative Serat News published an article called "We Welcome War," which called for jihad against American forces by Muslims around the world. Another Iranian information portal, Mashregh News, published photos of American military installations in the region and in Turkey and gave detailed plans of how to strike U.S. forces.
Even a leader of the Basij, Iran's plainclothes semi-official militia, has repeated similar rhetoric. "The U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, the American land forces [base] in Kuwait, and the U.S. Air Force [base] in Qatar are entirely surrounded by holy fighters of the Islamic ummah who are counting the minutes in anticipation of the command to wipe out the U.S." said militia commander Mohammad Reza-Naqdi, at a November Basij convention.
While many Iranian outlets and government agencies have called for violence against America before, active plots by Iranian military groups and proxies shows a new level of aggression. Azerbaijan recently broke up an Iranian-led plot to kill the Israeli ambassador. The United States thwarted an Iranian plot in October in which Iran's Revolutionary Guard tried to contract out the killing of the Saudi ambassador in Washington, as well as the bombing of the Saudi and Israeli embassies there. (The Investigative Project on Terrorism) Read more.
- Omniscient God, You alone know all things past, present and future. You are everywhere and there is no place on earth that man can hide from Your presence. As the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, please strike terror and fear into the hearts of the Iranian secular and religious leadership. May they know that if they do not turn from attacking Israel and her allies, that they will suffer eternal death. May they literally see the flames of hellish fire that will consume them if they do not correct their deadly course. Please protect America's military as they continue to serve in the Middle East, Israel and throughout the world that You have created. In Jesus' Mighty Name we pray for these protections and safeguards. Amen.
- "Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city . . . Let death seize them; let them go down alive into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice." (Psalm 55: 9, 15-16 NKJV)
3. DNI WARNS OF POSSIBLE IRANIAN ATTACKS ON OUR SOIL
Yesterday Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified before Congress about the national security threats confronting America. There was some good news about a diminished threat from Al Qaeda in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, but Clapper had disturbing warnings about Iran.
While the world is focused on Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, Clapper warned members of the Senate Intelligence Committee that there is growing concern that Iran is prepared to launch terrorist attacks inside the United States. Clapper said last year's Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C., "shows that some Iranian officials -- probably including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei -- have changed their calculus and are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States in response to real or perceived U.S. actions that threaten the regime."
This is a very dangerous time for America and the world. As Iran continues its feverish pursuit of nuclear weapons, it may also attempt to strike our homeland. The timing of Obama's planned defense cuts increases the danger that Iran will miscalculate its own strength based on our perceived weakness. (Gary Bauer; Feb. 1, 2012)
- We agree with the last statements in this article. Only our mighty God can save us now. Ask our Lord that, in this season when America is so deserving of His judgment, that He will yet find mercy in his hearts towards our nation. Stand in repentance for our personal and national sins, and pray.
- "In wrath, remember mercy." (Habakkuk 3:2)
4. OBAMA SAYS "DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION" IS NEEDED FOR IRAN
Obama said Sunday he does not think Israel has decided whether to attack Iran over its disputed nuclear program, a standoff that has the Middle East on edge. The president sought to assure allies and foes alike that the United States was working in lockstep with Israel to solve the crisis, "hopefully diplomatically."
Obama's comments came as Israel's major allies in the West are working hard to talk it out of a unilateral military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, arguing forcefully that an attack ultimately would only strengthen the regime in Tehran. Israel fears that Iran is fast approaching a point at which a limited military strike would no longer be enough to head off an Iranian bomb.
"I don't think that Israel has made a decision on what they need to do," Obama said during a pre-Super Bowl interview with NBC television. He reiterated that the United States has removed no option from consideration in dealing with Iran -- an allusion to military intervention -- but emphasized that the United States wants a diplomatic solution built around a world coalition.
Iran insists its nuclear pursuits are for peaceful civilian purposes, not a bomb.
After years of worries about Iran's nuclear program, world leaders are now showing real concern that Israel could attack the Islamic republic imminently -- a move that might trigger a broader war and disrupt the international economy. Iran's regime has said it wants to extinguish the Jewish state, and the West accuses it of assembling the material and know-how to build a nuclear bomb. Just last week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta would not dispute a report that he believes Israel may attack Iran this spring in an attempt to set back the Islamic republic's nuclear program.
Obama refused to say whether the United States would get notice from Israel before any potential strike on Iran. "I will say that we have closer military and intelligence consultation between our two countries than we've ever had," Obama said, adding, "We are going to be sure that we work in lockstep as we proceed to try to solve this -- hopefully diplomatically." (Fox News) Read more.
- If we had a neighboring nation whose announced intention would be to "wipe us off the map" (or "to extinguish us" as this article states), and who was busily assembling a nuclear weapon to do just that . . . would WE just "sit back and do nothing?"
Any nation's first task is to protect the safety of its people. Ask our Lord to forgive Obama for making statements that might deter Israel from its set course. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; and pray for mercy for our nation. Pray!
- "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)
5. IRAN WILL NOT BLOCK KEY OIL ROUTE, DIPLOMAT SAYS
Iran has no intention of blockading the Strait of Hormuz, the sea route through which about a fifth of the world's oil is shipped, a senior Iranian diplomat said, downplaying threats by others in Tehran. The remarks by Ali Ahani, Iran's ambassador to France, are in contrast with threats to close the Strait over the past six weeks that have come from legislators and some members of the country's Revolutionary Guard. Ahani's remarks suggest the country's highest authorities are not backing these threats, which could dampen oil prices that have recently risen on fears of supply disruptions. Ahani said, "We don't have the intention to close the Strait of Hormuz ... That's our official position," adding, "Our interest demands the free circulation of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz." Ahani, a seasoned diplomat, was until December the country's deputy foreign affairs minister in charge of Europe and America.
The diplomat spoke just before Iranian state media said Saturday that the Revolutionary Guard was starting a month of planned maneuvers near the Strait. Ahani said Iran's military exercises in the area are to "guarantee the security of this strait." But the official's reassurances on the Strait of Hormuz also came with warnings Islamic groups would retaliate against any Israeli military strike on Iran and that an escalation of sanctions could inflame tensions in the Gulf. Asked how Iran would respond if attacked by Israel, the diplomat said, "I don't think the Zionist regime will go in this direction of madness. This could accelerate their collapse." (Fox News)
Read more.
- With every statement made these days by the Iranians, we must move only one day at a time. Only God knows the true intentions on the heart of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad regarding his plans for the Strait of Hormuz. However, he has made his intentions quite clear regarding his plans for the nation of Israel: he wants to "wipe her off the map."
Ask our Lord to grant His "wisdom from above" for all the other world leaders that are facing this potential crisis, and continue to pray for a supernatural level of alertness for those who are tasked with guarding our own nation. Ultimately, our security does not rest in the supply of any of the world's oil, but only in the supply of the Oil of the Holy Spirit, as He abides in us, and we in Him. Amen!
- "Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling. . .
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him." (Psalm 2:10-12 [in part])
INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
FOCUS ON SYRIA
1. ASSAD REGIME STARTS TO IMPLODE
2. MORE THAN 200 KILLED IN SYRIAN ASSAULT
3. HEZBOLLAH WILL ATTACK ISRAEL IF WEST INTERVENES IN SYRIA
4. SYRIA CRISIS: HILLARY CLINTON CALLS U.N. VETO A "TRAVESTY"
5. ASSAD MAY START REGIONAL WAR IF U.N. TELLS HIM TO STEP DOWN
6. AFTER U.N. VETO, RUSSIA SEEKS TO QUELL SYRIAN VIOLENCE ON ITS OWN
1. ASSAD REGIME STARTS TO IMPLODE
U.S. intelligence officials are surprised over the rapid deterioration of the Syrian Army, the Washington Post's David Ignatius reported Thursday. U.S. intelligence reports say that on Monday, 350 Syrian soldiers defected from the national Army controlled by President Bashar Assad to the opposition Free Syrian Army. "I am stunned at how fast this is moving, and how fast Assad is falling," said a senior U.S. official who coordinates policy towards Damascus. American officials say Assad is no longer able to exert control over the entire country.
Between 7,000 and 10,000 Syrian soldiers have defected from the military, and an estimated 15,000 more have gone AWOL. They are believed to have taken refuge in Turkey or Jordan or to have gone underground in Syria. While these soldiers are hardly capable of taking on the 300,000-man Syrian Army by themselves, it's clear that things are spiraling rapidly downhill for Assad, whose family has run the country for more than 40 years.
Assad's decline is worrying Iran, which last month dispatched Gen. Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Qods (Jerusalem) Force to Syria, where he offered weapons and financial assistance to the Assad regime. But at the same time, Tehran may be hedging its bets. Ignatius reports that Iran has reportedly opened secret contacts with opposition forces, and may offer them a limited amount of weapons and funding.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials are worried that Damascus may transfer weapons of mass destruction to Hizballah. A senior Israeli defense official said that as the situation worsens for Assad, it may try to transfer weaponry to Hizballah control-possibly at Tehran's behest. Doing so, one official said, would be tantamount to "a declaration of war." (The Investigative Prjoect on Terrorism) Read more.
- Father God, prevent opposition forces from making further inroads in embattled major cities in Syria. God, cut off all inroads of outside assistance to Assad with funding and weapons that can only be used to destroy life and shed blood across the land. Disarm and weaken the arms of the 300,000-man Syrian Army. God, dispatch Your holy warring angels from heaven to come down upon the land of Syria and wipe out the evil that is ravaging this people. May there be many who will meet Jesus on the road to Damascus, and submit their lives to the one true Savior of their souls. In the Name of Jesus.
- "And as Saul journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, 'Saul, Saul, why persecute Me?' I am Jesus whom you persecuted: it is hard for you to kick against the oxgoads." (Acts 9:4-5)
2. MORE THAN 200 KILLED IN SYRIAN ASSAULT
Russia, China block anti-Assad resolution at UN amid Syria bloodshed
United Nations resolution calling on Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down failed to pass Saturday, after Russia and China vetoed the measure. The vote comes after Syrian forces assaulted the city of Homs, in an attack activists say killed more than 200 people.
President Obama and other world leaders condemned the "unspeakable assault" Saturday by Syrian forces on the city of Homs, a sustained attack that activists say killed more than 200 people in what may be the bloodiest confrontation of the uprising against Bashar Assad's regime.
Obama, in perhaps his most forceful statement to date about the unrest in Syria, accused the Assad regime of having "murdered hundreds of Syrian citizens, including women and children" in Homs. He called on Assad to step down, describing the violence as a sign of the regime's "inevitable collapse."
"Assad has no right to lead Syria, and has lost all legitimacy with his people and the international community," Obama said in a written statement released Saturday morning. He called on the Security Council to act on "this abhorrent brutality," and take a stand against Assad. (The Investigative Project on Terrorism) Read more.
- God, may the sceptre or rulership be removed from the hand of Assad and save the people of Syria from further bloodshed and untimely death. Father, release holy angels to move among the Syrians and bring redemption to their souls. All the spirits of evil are bound with the chain of Heaven's fixed decree and they are no longer allowed to kill innocent victims. Lift the veil of spiritual blindness and bring salvation to the Syrian people through the blood of Jesus. In Jesus' Name we ask this, amen.
- "Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every Name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)
3. HEZBOLLAH WILL ATTACK ISRAEL IF WEST INTERVENES IN SYRIA
Hezbollah is prepared to attack Israel if Western powers interfere in Syria against the regime in Damascus, a Lebanese Hezbollah official said Sunday according to the Palestinian News Network. The unnamed official said Hezbollah was prepared if Western powers intervened in Syria in order to stop Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on anti-government protesters, even if the "price for it" is to engage the IDF in battle in order to divert attention away from the Syrian arena. According to the report, Hezbollah - which is believed to have a stockpile of over 30,000 missiles - believes that a war in the Middle East may prevent the fall of Assad. (The Jerusalem Post could not confirm this report.)
The Shi'ite group supports a compromise based on reforms and "easing the crisis" between anti-government forces and the Syrian regime, according to the official. While Assad himself has said his government will push reforms, and has released thousands of detainees arrested since the start of the 11-month conflict, the violence in Syria has not dwindled. Last week, over 200 people were killed in an overnight military assault on the restive city of Homs. At least 18 people were gunned down by Syrian troops on Sunday according to activists, and nine Syrian troops were killed in clashes with rebels in the northwestern Idlib province bordering Turkey.
Israel has said that Hezbollah along with Iran are providing weapons to their ally Syria to help suppress Syrian opposition activists calling for Assad's ouster, in a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of more than 6,000 Syrians. "The radical axis is trying to retain its power and as time passes, Iran and Hezbollah increase their efforts to help the Assad regime survive by providing knowledge, weaponry and other capabilities," head of Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi said in January.
Hamas - another Iran proxy in the region - quietly backed away from vocalizing support for the Assad regime, and many of the group's officials have left their political bureau in Damascus for neighboring countries. (Jerusalem Post) Read more.
- Dear Father of all armies, we humbly come before Your throne and ask that no country or group that opposes Israel will have a successful and strong army to attack her. May the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah and their counterparts, lay down their weapons, leave Israel alone, and follow You. We also ask that those countries, including Russia and Iran, who support the demise of Israel also be stopped in their plans. Please reveal the reasons why Israel's enemies support Mr. Assad, and help bring about his removal. Father, please bring allies to stand with Your nation, Israel, and may there be peace throughout the Middle East. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!" (Psalm 25: 22 NKJV)
4. SYRIA CRISIS: HILLARY CLINTON CALLS U.N. VETO A "TRAVESTY"
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described as a "travesty" Russia and China's veto of a UN resolution condemning Syria's crackdown against anti-government protesters. Speaking in Bulgaria, Mrs Clinton said efforts outside the world body to help Syria's people should be redoubled. The US, she said, would work with "friends of a democratic Syria" to support opponents of Syria's president.
"What happened yesterday at the United Nations was a travesty," Mrs Clinton said in strongly worded remarks during a visit to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia."Faced with a neutered Security Council, we have to redouble our efforts outside of the United Nations with those allies and partners who support the Syrian people's right to have a better future," she said.
The vetoing of the resolution drew an angry reaction from around the world. The Syrian National Council, the biggest opposition group, said Russia and China were "responsible for the escalating acts of killing", calling the veto "an irresponsible step that is tantamount to a licence to kill with impunity". (BBC) Read more.
- Father God, we ask that Your Son, Jesus, will be the Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace, for Israel and the Middle East. We ask that day and night, more and more living in Israel and throughout the Middle East will have visitations from Your Son giving them opportunities for Salvation. We pray that UN watchers will realize that it is You and not Russia or China that will help Syria stabilize herself. We ask that Russia and China be rebuked by You for helping Syria's current regime undermine Israel, and that this will lead to their nation's salvation, too. Thank You for America publicly stating that it is wrong to stand behind an internationally known despot. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up." (Psalm 28: 4-5 NKJV)
5. ASSAD MAY START REGIONAL WAR IF U.N. TELLS HIM TO STEP DOWN
In confidential conversations with his advisers, Syrian President Bashar Assad is reported by Persian Gulf sources Tuesday, Jan. 31 to have threatened to start up armed hostilities in the region if the UN Security Council Tuesday night endorses the Arab League proposal for him to step down and hand power to his deputy.
Those sources told debkafile that the heads of the Syrian armed forces and intelligence have been given their orders and some units are on the ready. Other Middle East sources reported that the Lebanese Hizballah has also shown signs of military preparations in the last few hours. And the Russian flotilla berthed at the Syrian port of Tartus, led by the Admiral Kutznetsov aircraft carrier, also appears to be on the alert for ructions in the wake of the Security Council Syria session. (DebkaFile; 2/6/12)
- Heavenly Father, You knew before Bashar Assad was born in 1965, what a tyrant and mass murderer he would become. He follows in his father, Hafez's footsteps. We pray that the violent and murderous policies of this evil Syrian administration will be suddenly halted for Your glory and that Syria and her people would become a country devoted to You. Please show this man's dark life for the disaster it is, and may this comparision result in many being saved, including Mr. Assad, through Your Son, Jesus. May Your Peace be established in Syria and throughout the Middle East. In Your Son's Name we pray. Amen.
- "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6: 23 NKJV)
6. AFTER U.N. VETO, RUSSIA SEEKS TO QUELL SYRIAN VIOLENCE ON ITS OWN
Having vetoed a United Nations Security Council bid to condemn Syria for the continuing killing of its people, Russia has taken matters into its own hands and will try to end the conflict its own way. Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and Mikhail Fradkov, its head of foreign intelligence, are scheduled to arrive in Damascus on Monday. "The Security Council is not the only diplomatic tool on the planet," Vitaly Churkin, Russia's UN ambassador, said on the weekend.
Russia's relationship with Syria predates even the regime of Hafez al-Assad, the father of President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow is well aware of the country's sectarian divisions and strategic importance. It knows that foreign intervention or a prolonged civil war could lead to a broader conflict involving Syria's allies, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, both of which issued statements on Sunday that were strongly supportive of the Assad regime.
Even so, it remains an open question whether Russia can pull off a settlement. . . . (The Globe and Mail) Read more.
- Pray that the nations that are aiding Syria (Russia and China, who vetoed this move at the U.N.) be given God's wisdom to stop fostering and strengthen the hand of a tyrant that is determined to rule his nation with an iron fist. Pray that the Lord Himself would move in an act of divine intervention to soften the heart of Syrian President Bashar Assad, causing him to find Jesus Christ as his own Savior and Lord, and to yield to the will of the Syrian people for change. Pray!
- ". . . your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity." (Daniel 4:26,27)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
KING OF KINGS (Meh-lekh Ha-M'lah-kheem)
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
That You are the King of all the kings who ever was, are, or ever will be, is sometimes too much for me to fully comprehend. But I am thankful to be Your child. Thank You for the imperishable inheritance that awaits me from the KING OF KINGS. 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)
