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• News from Syria
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The Daily Brief - Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him." (Esther 6:13)
The Daily Brief
1a. Obama, Netanyahu emphasize common bond, common enemies - The Hill
Hussein Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accentuated their unity Monday ahead of a high-stakes meeting at the White House focused on the rising threat posed by Iran. Obama sought to assure Netanyahu that all options remain on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while the Israeli leader reserved the right for a unilateral strike by his country. "I reserve all options and my policy is not going to be one of containment," Obama told Netanyahu in the Oval Office, before a gaggle of reporters. "My policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons."
For the second day in a row, Obama said there's "still a window that allows for a diplomatic resolution" to the Iranian nuclear threat and that the U.S., together with other countries, would continue to "tighten pressure" and put forth the "most crippling sanctions" to date.
1b. Obama warns of force against Iran, but urges diplomacy - BBC
Hussein Obama says the US "will not hesitate" to use force to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, but says diplomacy could still succeed. Addressing an influential pro-Israel lobby group, Mr Obama also warned against "loose talk" of war in the dispute with Tehran. Earlier, Israeli President Shimon Peres said Iran was "a danger to the world".
- Lord, we pray for Obama that he will make right decisions concerning our policy towards Israel and towards Iran. We ask that You would restrain the hand of the man in the Oval Office from interfering with the affairs of another sovereign nation -- one who is facing enemies close at hand who desire her destruction. May we always stand as a strong, true and faithful ally for Israel . . . the only nation in the Middle East that enjoys the freedom of democracy. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.
- "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." (1 Timothy 2:1)
2. IAEA: Iran tripled higher-grade enriched uranium production - The Jerusalem Post
Iran has tripled its monthly production of higher-grade enriched uranium and the UN nuclear watchdog has "serious concerns" about possible military dimensions to Tehran's atomic activities, the agency's chief said on Monday.
- Lord, may there be true understanding of Iran and what it is doing. May there be insight and direction of what to do about Iran. Although we continue to pray for a peaceful solution in the Iranian crisis, we also recognize that it is written "there is a time for war." In the name of Jesus. Amen.
- "There is . . . a time for war and a time for peace." (Eccl. 3:8)
3. Iran elections weaken Ahmadinejad, bolster Supreme Leader Khamenei - Haaretz
Preliminary results from Iran's parliamentary elections indicate that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's has as expected lost a significant amount of support. Many of his allies were replaced by other conservatives who belong to rival camps.
- Lord, we look with hope and pray for the day when leaders following false religion will fall. Let Your kingdom come to the people of Iran as well. In the name of Jesus, the Way and the Truth, and King of kings we pray. Amen.
- "Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him." (Psalm 72:11)
4. Putin For Life? - Frontpagemag.com
Putin's victory has come at a huge cost. It is sure to energize the growing opposition to his rule that has seen tens of thousands of Russians turn out for demonstrations in the dead of winter. There will also be a price to pay with regards to the steadily deteriorating relations with the United States. The US has strongly criticized the Russian government for its intransigence at the UN regarding the Syrian revolt, as well as openly siding with the protestors who are bitter over what is widely seen as a stolen parliamentary election last year.
- Lord, the situation in Russia is confusing, yet we know that You are not the author of confusion. We pray for revelation and clarity to come to the Russian people. You instruct us to pray for all in authority, so we pray for Putin and for a needed change of heart for him in this next season. We also pray for wisdom as our leaders relate to Russia during the coming term. Bring truth, O Lord. May the Russian people turn to You. We pray You would use Your people in Russia to share Your Good News while the harvest fields are ripe. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
- "O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return." (Jeremiah 5:3)
5. Voters Across the Nation Head to GOP Polls - Fox News
Beating Hussein -- that's the top goal of Republican voters in seven states where exit polling data on Tuesday's presidential primaries shows the economy is the top issue across every state.
Polls begin closing on the East Coast in three states -- Virginia, Georgia and Vermont -- at 7 p.m, followed shortly thereafter -- at 7:30 p.m. ET -- by Ohio, the most watched contest of the day because of the critical swing role it holds in the general election.
- For most of us, this could be a long night ahead. Let's all remember: it's not over until it's over . . . and that will happen on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. In the meantime, let's continue to "pray without ceasing" and for those who can, to use our own prayer language as we watch these and all results come in. God yet has a plan for our nation; and His hand is resting mightily upon us. Amen.
- "Pray without ceasing . . " (I Thess. 5:17)
6. Longtime New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne dies from colon cancer - The Hill
Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), a 12-term member of Congress and former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, died Tuesday at 77. He announced in February that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer, and his condition deteriorated in the last week.
First elected in 1988, Payne represented parts of Newark in New Jersey's 10th district and led a prominent political family in the state. He was the first African American elected to Congress from New Jersey, and he led the Congressional Black Caucus in 1995 and 1996.
- Lift up the family and friends of Congressman Payne, that they would be comforted in this time of sorrow. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
7. San Francisco Bay Area Earthquake 2012: Minor Tremor Shakes Region - Huffington Post
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday morning, according to information from the United States Geological Survey. According to the Associated Press, no damage has been reported, although Twitter users in the region reported being woken up by the tremor.
- Lord, we know there is great shaking going on. We pray that people in San Francisco, in places being shaken by tornadoes, and everywhere will listen to Him who speaks from heaven so that they will be drawn to You for comfort and for salvation. May these shakings wake people up to turn to You -- the One who controls the heavens and the earth. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
- "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not excape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Hebrews 12:25-29)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The earth is the LORD's, and it's fullness; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." (Psalm 24:1,2)
1. Netanyahu tells Obama: I have yet to decide whether to attack Iran - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear to Hussein Obama during their meeting at the White House on Monday that Israel has not made any decision on attacking Iran to stop its nuclear program.
2. PM to AIPAC: Israel cannot wait much longer on Iran - Jerusalem Post
Intoning the mantra "never again," Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday night in an impassioned speech to AIPAC that "as prime minister of Israel, I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation."
3. Netanyahu at AIPAC: A nuclear Iran must be stopped - Ynet News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the AIPAC conference in Washington Tuesday (GMT), following a meeting with Hussein Obama.
4. Israel's Channel 2: U.S. Officials Believe Netanyahu Has Already Decided to Strike Iran - Algemeiner
Channel 2 in Israel, sourcing a "senior American official", says that the decision has already been made by the Israeli government to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.
The Daily Jot!
Obama's speech on Israel: Reading between the lines
The man who occupies the Oval Office Monday spoke to supporters of Israel at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). That speech took a decidedly campaign year tone with the president running through a list of things his administration does to support Israel. When reading between the lines, however the central theme of the speech was applying pressure on Israel to give up land for peace, living "side by side with an independent Palestinian state." In effect, the president is saying, as have president's before him, that Israel must give up land, perhaps even Jerusalem itself, to a terrorist sponsoring entity in order for there to be peace.
Obama commented several times about "shifting demographics," the "extremely difficult international environment," the "upheaval and uncertainty in Israel's neighborhood." He said, "The changes taking place in the region make peace more important, not less. And I've made it clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel's security concerns are met." America's very policies of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, even al Qaeda, in destabilizing the region are chiefly responsible for "shifting demographics," "upheaval," and the extreme environment now facing Israel. The entire region, thanks to this president's policies, is far more hostile toward Israel than it has been since the 1973 Yom Kippur war.
At the AIPAC conference in 2009, the president's then chief of staff told Jewish leaders that Israel's capitulation in land for peace with the terrorist-dominated Palestinian Authority would determine the depth of pressure America would put on Iran for its nuclear weapons program. This "blackmail foreign policy" remains in effect three years later. The president touted isolating Iran when in reality his Jimmy Carter-style sanctions have done very little to deter Iran's nuclear efforts. He has stalled Israel at every juncture from taking military action to prevent a nuclear Iran. He claims Arab Spring has helped undermine Iran. Truth is that it has provided opportunity for a more radical Islam in the region.
Have A Blessed And Powerful Day,
Bill Wilson
[Editorial comment: From time to time, whenever critical news surfaces, we will return to Bill Wilson for his insightful commentaries on the same. Be sure to check in with the Jot every day for more perspective on news in our time. The link to the Daily Jot will always be posted in the introduction to each of our alerts.]
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
Federal Judge Rules MD Anti-Carry Law Unconstitutional
For far too long, those of us who lived in the 10 states that deny residents the right to carry a concealed weapon sat on our laurels and bemoaned the vices of liberal states. One man in Maryland decided to challenge the state's restriction on carrying a gun (except under special circumstances). Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg ruled in his favor and concluded that Maryland's requirement that residents show a "good and substantial reason" to carry a handgun infringes their Second Amendment right to bear arms. If we can overturn Maryland's law, we might be on our way to establishing the right to carry in all 50 states.
Don't Give Up!
Whatever the outcome tonight, my friends, I want to remind every conservative that our fight doesn't end at the Republican National Convention. That is when the battle begins in earnest! Unfortunately, there is too much hand-wringing going on far too early.
As much as I respect George Will, I couldn't disagree more with his latest column arguing that we should give up on the presidential contest and focus solely on the House and Senate. Let me quote Winston Churchill: "Never give in -- never, never, never, never."
Of course I want to make sure we hold the House and take back the Senate. But let's be honest: If Obama wins on Election Night, it stands to reason that he will have carried swing states like Florida, Ohio and Virginia. These states also have key Senate races. And Obama voters are likely to support Democrat candidates down the ballot. Our best hope of posting big gains in the congressional races is to make sure Obama loses because we turn out more of our voters!
If you need a reminder of why we must win and why all the talk about taking a pass on 2012 is wrong, read Rich Lowry's outstanding column in today's New York Post outlining the stakes this November. (Gary Bauer)
Obama Undercuts Israel Again
Hussein Obama held a press conference this afternoon and undercut virtually everything he said at his AIPAC speech yesterday. He repeated his call for diplomacy and discouraged talk about military options.
In 2009 Obama said, "Time is running out." More than two years later, nothing has happened. For all his alleged brilliance, he doesn't seem to understand that the Iranians are trying to run out the clock.
They have no interest in diplomacy. In fact, a U.N. IAEA delegation just returned from Tehran and reported that the talks failed! The only thing that the Islamic regime understands is the credible threat of force. Unfortunately, they have concluded that Hussein Obama is weak and unwilling to act.
Here is the key point to keep in mind: Israel is operating on a tighter deadline. Its ability to strike Iran's nuclear weapons program is far different than ours. If an Israeli strike is to be successful, it will need to happen sooner rather than later. If that window of opportunity passes, then only the United States could complete the mission.
Hussein Obama is saying to Netanyahu, "Trust me. I've got your back." That may be too much to ask given Obama's treatment of Netanyahu, his demand that Israel shrink back to its 1967 borders and his repeated condemnations of new homes for Jews in Jerusalem. (Gary Bauer)
News from Syria
Assad's Father-In-Law 'Horrified' by Crackdown
(israelnationalnews.com and British Sunday Express)
As Syrian President Bashar Assad continues his brutal crackdown on anti-regime protesters, his London-based father-in-law said Sunday he is "horrified" by his son-in-law's actions. According to a report in the British Sunday Express, cardiologist Dr. Fawaz Akhras also said he is fearful for the safety of his British-born daughter Asma, 36, who married Assad 12 years ago. She still has a British passport.
Akhras' concerns came amid are rumors that his daughter is being kept under virtual house arrest in Damascus by the president's henchmen, who fear she might attempt to leave the country. While he has refused to discuss the worsening situation in public, the doctor has been telling friends he fears his daughter may be harmed if or when the regime falls, and is desperate for her to return to London with his three grandchildren.He is concerned for his own safety and that of his wife Sahar, fearing the possibility of revenge attacks from Syrians who have had relatives murdered or tortured by Assad's army.
On Sunday, human rights activists in Syria reported that security forces loyal to Assad barred workers from the International Red Cross from entering the Baba Amr district in the city of Homs, as they carried out "mop-up" operations that included raping and executing civilian residents in the quarter as part of those operations. This onslaught followed the heavy shelling and rocket fire that killed veteran American journalist Marie Colvin a week earlier, as well as French photographer Remi Ochlik. On Saturday, a local coordination committee from Idlib reported that Syrian Assad loyalist forces executed 47 Syrian soldiers who tried to defect in the city of Idlib and dumped their bodies in al-Seeha lake near Idlib. Also, Israel formally offered to assist Syrian civilians hit by Assad's crackdown. Aid would be provided via the Red Cross. "The state of the Jewish people cannot sit idly by while in a neighboring state atrocities are taking place and people are losing everything," said Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
- Thank You God that You give us loving parents, and that Asma Assad has good ones. Gracious Father, sometimes you truly don't know who you marry. People change, and it is obvious that the man Asma Assad married twelve years ago is not the man she is married to today. A woman under house arrest with her children is like a widow and an orphan...Her children, Hafez, Zein and Karim have no father to care for them. Would You, Lord, please arrange for a way for them to use Asma's British passport to gain travel and entry to London before the end of the Assad regime? Please bless and protect her and the children, please make them invisible, and please let them live to know You as their Yeshua. And, we pray the same gracious Salvation opportunity for all in Syria who will listen to Your Holy Spirit's Salvation Call. May Syria be saved unto Jesus! In Yeshua's Name we pray. Amen.
- "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.'" (Matthew 19:14 NKJV) And, "Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17 NKJV)
Pray for Egypt!
Plans in Place for a Joint Prayer Meeting on March 22
We have just heard encouraging news from a dear friend in Egypt. He tells us that there will be a joint prayer meeting with all the churches in Egypt, from all denominations, in the Cave Church, on March 22. On 11/11/11 there was a similar gathering, with around 40,000 gathered in prayer for Egypt!!! This prayer meeting is for the future of the nation, as "people's last hope is the coming presidential election, to have true freedom and democracy."
(The Cave Church is a sanctuary carved out of the rock in an unlikely place - right next to Garbage City - just outside of Cairo. It is packed for every service!) We know that the Muslim Brotherhood is expected to take control of the nation, but who knows what God will do as a result of this huge gathering of prayors! Please lift them - and this gathering - in prayer. There may be just a short window of time for Christians to worship freely in Egypt!
In Jesus,
Joan and Jim Schnabel
The Good News Corner:
Ethiopians Coming to Christ in Droves; Women Leading the Way
The response has been astronomical. Women can't get enough of hearing how Christ loves them.
(Ethiopia)-Mission Network News reports that an urgent desire for God's Word in Ethiopia is causing the Gospel to spread like wildfire. And, it's being fueled primarily by women whose lives have been changed after watching the JESUS Film movie, "Magdalena Released From Shame."
Noting that women have long been "undervalued" in the country, the Ethiopia ministry director for JESUS Film Project, Damtew, says, "Women are being healed at showings as they watch... it's just so amazing."
According to the report, progress is staggering, with demand for the films now so high that in only six months the team has trained 564 women.
Click on this link provided to read more of how women are taking the love they've received from Christ and spreading the Gospel to others. (Source: Staff - Mission Network News)
[Reported by: Breaking Christian News and OneNewsNow]
Worship with Us Today!
"The Purim Song"
This coming week is Purim (March 8-10). This commemorates the story in the book of Esther when the Jewish people were taken away to captivity in Babylon. Haman has the king issue an edict to completely annihilate all the Jews. Because of Esther's willingness to go before the king and intercede on behalf of her people, the Jews were spared from complete annihilation.
Interesting how history repeats...the same Haman spirit is working today. Achmadinejab wants to "wipe Israel off the map".
Watch "The Purim Song" here!
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot!
• Today's Legislative Focus
• Don't Give Up!
• Obama Undercuts Israel Again
• News from Syria
• Pray for Egypt!
• 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 - Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him." (Esther 6:13)
The Daily Brief
1a. Obama, Netanyahu emphasize common bond, common enemies - The Hill
Hussein Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accentuated their unity Monday ahead of a high-stakes meeting at the White House focused on the rising threat posed by Iran. Obama sought to assure Netanyahu that all options remain on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while the Israeli leader reserved the right for a unilateral strike by his country. "I reserve all options and my policy is not going to be one of containment," Obama told Netanyahu in the Oval Office, before a gaggle of reporters. "My policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons."
For the second day in a row, Obama said there's "still a window that allows for a diplomatic resolution" to the Iranian nuclear threat and that the U.S., together with other countries, would continue to "tighten pressure" and put forth the "most crippling sanctions" to date.
1b. Obama warns of force against Iran, but urges diplomacy - BBC
Hussein Obama says the US "will not hesitate" to use force to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, but says diplomacy could still succeed. Addressing an influential pro-Israel lobby group, Mr Obama also warned against "loose talk" of war in the dispute with Tehran. Earlier, Israeli President Shimon Peres said Iran was "a danger to the world".
- Lord, we pray for Obama that he will make right decisions concerning our policy towards Israel and towards Iran. We ask that You would restrain the hand of the man in the Oval Office from interfering with the affairs of another sovereign nation -- one who is facing enemies close at hand who desire her destruction. May we always stand as a strong, true and faithful ally for Israel . . . the only nation in the Middle East that enjoys the freedom of democracy. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.
- "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." (1 Timothy 2:1)
2. IAEA: Iran tripled higher-grade enriched uranium production - The Jerusalem Post
Iran has tripled its monthly production of higher-grade enriched uranium and the UN nuclear watchdog has "serious concerns" about possible military dimensions to Tehran's atomic activities, the agency's chief said on Monday.
- Lord, may there be true understanding of Iran and what it is doing. May there be insight and direction of what to do about Iran. Although we continue to pray for a peaceful solution in the Iranian crisis, we also recognize that it is written "there is a time for war." In the name of Jesus. Amen.
- "There is . . . a time for war and a time for peace." (Eccl. 3:8)
3. Iran elections weaken Ahmadinejad, bolster Supreme Leader Khamenei - Haaretz
Preliminary results from Iran's parliamentary elections indicate that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's has as expected lost a significant amount of support. Many of his allies were replaced by other conservatives who belong to rival camps.
- Lord, we look with hope and pray for the day when leaders following false religion will fall. Let Your kingdom come to the people of Iran as well. In the name of Jesus, the Way and the Truth, and King of kings we pray. Amen.
- "Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him." (Psalm 72:11)
4. Putin For Life? - Frontpagemag.com
Putin's victory has come at a huge cost. It is sure to energize the growing opposition to his rule that has seen tens of thousands of Russians turn out for demonstrations in the dead of winter. There will also be a price to pay with regards to the steadily deteriorating relations with the United States. The US has strongly criticized the Russian government for its intransigence at the UN regarding the Syrian revolt, as well as openly siding with the protestors who are bitter over what is widely seen as a stolen parliamentary election last year.
- Lord, the situation in Russia is confusing, yet we know that You are not the author of confusion. We pray for revelation and clarity to come to the Russian people. You instruct us to pray for all in authority, so we pray for Putin and for a needed change of heart for him in this next season. We also pray for wisdom as our leaders relate to Russia during the coming term. Bring truth, O Lord. May the Russian people turn to You. We pray You would use Your people in Russia to share Your Good News while the harvest fields are ripe. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
- "O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return." (Jeremiah 5:3)
5. Voters Across the Nation Head to GOP Polls - Fox News
Beating Hussein -- that's the top goal of Republican voters in seven states where exit polling data on Tuesday's presidential primaries shows the economy is the top issue across every state.
Polls begin closing on the East Coast in three states -- Virginia, Georgia and Vermont -- at 7 p.m, followed shortly thereafter -- at 7:30 p.m. ET -- by Ohio, the most watched contest of the day because of the critical swing role it holds in the general election.
- For most of us, this could be a long night ahead. Let's all remember: it's not over until it's over . . . and that will happen on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. In the meantime, let's continue to "pray without ceasing" and for those who can, to use our own prayer language as we watch these and all results come in. God yet has a plan for our nation; and His hand is resting mightily upon us. Amen.
- "Pray without ceasing . . " (I Thess. 5:17)
6. Longtime New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne dies from colon cancer - The Hill
Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), a 12-term member of Congress and former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, died Tuesday at 77. He announced in February that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer, and his condition deteriorated in the last week.
First elected in 1988, Payne represented parts of Newark in New Jersey's 10th district and led a prominent political family in the state. He was the first African American elected to Congress from New Jersey, and he led the Congressional Black Caucus in 1995 and 1996.
- Lift up the family and friends of Congressman Payne, that they would be comforted in this time of sorrow. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
7. San Francisco Bay Area Earthquake 2012: Minor Tremor Shakes Region - Huffington Post
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday morning, according to information from the United States Geological Survey. According to the Associated Press, no damage has been reported, although Twitter users in the region reported being woken up by the tremor.
- Lord, we know there is great shaking going on. We pray that people in San Francisco, in places being shaken by tornadoes, and everywhere will listen to Him who speaks from heaven so that they will be drawn to You for comfort and for salvation. May these shakings wake people up to turn to You -- the One who controls the heavens and the earth. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen
- "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not excape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Hebrews 12:25-29)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The earth is the LORD's, and it's fullness; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." (Psalm 24:1,2)
1. Netanyahu tells Obama: I have yet to decide whether to attack Iran - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear to Hussein Obama during their meeting at the White House on Monday that Israel has not made any decision on attacking Iran to stop its nuclear program.
2. PM to AIPAC: Israel cannot wait much longer on Iran - Jerusalem Post
Intoning the mantra "never again," Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday night in an impassioned speech to AIPAC that "as prime minister of Israel, I will never let my people live in the shadow of annihilation."
3. Netanyahu at AIPAC: A nuclear Iran must be stopped - Ynet News
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the AIPAC conference in Washington Tuesday (GMT), following a meeting with Hussein Obama.
4. Israel's Channel 2: U.S. Officials Believe Netanyahu Has Already Decided to Strike Iran - Algemeiner
Channel 2 in Israel, sourcing a "senior American official", says that the decision has already been made by the Israeli government to attack Iran's nuclear facilities.
The Daily Jot!
Obama's speech on Israel: Reading between the lines
The man who occupies the Oval Office Monday spoke to supporters of Israel at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). That speech took a decidedly campaign year tone with the president running through a list of things his administration does to support Israel. When reading between the lines, however the central theme of the speech was applying pressure on Israel to give up land for peace, living "side by side with an independent Palestinian state." In effect, the president is saying, as have president's before him, that Israel must give up land, perhaps even Jerusalem itself, to a terrorist sponsoring entity in order for there to be peace.
Obama commented several times about "shifting demographics," the "extremely difficult international environment," the "upheaval and uncertainty in Israel's neighborhood." He said, "The changes taking place in the region make peace more important, not less. And I've made it clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel's security concerns are met." America's very policies of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, even al Qaeda, in destabilizing the region are chiefly responsible for "shifting demographics," "upheaval," and the extreme environment now facing Israel. The entire region, thanks to this president's policies, is far more hostile toward Israel than it has been since the 1973 Yom Kippur war.
At the AIPAC conference in 2009, the president's then chief of staff told Jewish leaders that Israel's capitulation in land for peace with the terrorist-dominated Palestinian Authority would determine the depth of pressure America would put on Iran for its nuclear weapons program. This "blackmail foreign policy" remains in effect three years later. The president touted isolating Iran when in reality his Jimmy Carter-style sanctions have done very little to deter Iran's nuclear efforts. He has stalled Israel at every juncture from taking military action to prevent a nuclear Iran. He claims Arab Spring has helped undermine Iran. Truth is that it has provided opportunity for a more radical Islam in the region.
Have A Blessed And Powerful Day,
Bill Wilson
[Editorial comment: From time to time, whenever critical news surfaces, we will return to Bill Wilson for his insightful commentaries on the same. Be sure to check in with the Jot every day for more perspective on news in our time. The link to the Daily Jot will always be posted in the introduction to each of our alerts.]
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
Federal Judge Rules MD Anti-Carry Law Unconstitutional
For far too long, those of us who lived in the 10 states that deny residents the right to carry a concealed weapon sat on our laurels and bemoaned the vices of liberal states. One man in Maryland decided to challenge the state's restriction on carrying a gun (except under special circumstances). Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg ruled in his favor and concluded that Maryland's requirement that residents show a "good and substantial reason" to carry a handgun infringes their Second Amendment right to bear arms. If we can overturn Maryland's law, we might be on our way to establishing the right to carry in all 50 states.
Don't Give Up!
Whatever the outcome tonight, my friends, I want to remind every conservative that our fight doesn't end at the Republican National Convention. That is when the battle begins in earnest! Unfortunately, there is too much hand-wringing going on far too early.
As much as I respect George Will, I couldn't disagree more with his latest column arguing that we should give up on the presidential contest and focus solely on the House and Senate. Let me quote Winston Churchill: "Never give in -- never, never, never, never."
Of course I want to make sure we hold the House and take back the Senate. But let's be honest: If Obama wins on Election Night, it stands to reason that he will have carried swing states like Florida, Ohio and Virginia. These states also have key Senate races. And Obama voters are likely to support Democrat candidates down the ballot. Our best hope of posting big gains in the congressional races is to make sure Obama loses because we turn out more of our voters!
If you need a reminder of why we must win and why all the talk about taking a pass on 2012 is wrong, read Rich Lowry's outstanding column in today's New York Post outlining the stakes this November. (Gary Bauer)
Obama Undercuts Israel Again
Hussein Obama held a press conference this afternoon and undercut virtually everything he said at his AIPAC speech yesterday. He repeated his call for diplomacy and discouraged talk about military options.
In 2009 Obama said, "Time is running out." More than two years later, nothing has happened. For all his alleged brilliance, he doesn't seem to understand that the Iranians are trying to run out the clock.
They have no interest in diplomacy. In fact, a U.N. IAEA delegation just returned from Tehran and reported that the talks failed! The only thing that the Islamic regime understands is the credible threat of force. Unfortunately, they have concluded that Hussein Obama is weak and unwilling to act.
Here is the key point to keep in mind: Israel is operating on a tighter deadline. Its ability to strike Iran's nuclear weapons program is far different than ours. If an Israeli strike is to be successful, it will need to happen sooner rather than later. If that window of opportunity passes, then only the United States could complete the mission.
Hussein Obama is saying to Netanyahu, "Trust me. I've got your back." That may be too much to ask given Obama's treatment of Netanyahu, his demand that Israel shrink back to its 1967 borders and his repeated condemnations of new homes for Jews in Jerusalem. (Gary Bauer)
News from Syria
Assad's Father-In-Law 'Horrified' by Crackdown
(israelnationalnews.com and British Sunday Express)
As Syrian President Bashar Assad continues his brutal crackdown on anti-regime protesters, his London-based father-in-law said Sunday he is "horrified" by his son-in-law's actions. According to a report in the British Sunday Express, cardiologist Dr. Fawaz Akhras also said he is fearful for the safety of his British-born daughter Asma, 36, who married Assad 12 years ago. She still has a British passport.
Akhras' concerns came amid are rumors that his daughter is being kept under virtual house arrest in Damascus by the president's henchmen, who fear she might attempt to leave the country. While he has refused to discuss the worsening situation in public, the doctor has been telling friends he fears his daughter may be harmed if or when the regime falls, and is desperate for her to return to London with his three grandchildren.He is concerned for his own safety and that of his wife Sahar, fearing the possibility of revenge attacks from Syrians who have had relatives murdered or tortured by Assad's army.
On Sunday, human rights activists in Syria reported that security forces loyal to Assad barred workers from the International Red Cross from entering the Baba Amr district in the city of Homs, as they carried out "mop-up" operations that included raping and executing civilian residents in the quarter as part of those operations. This onslaught followed the heavy shelling and rocket fire that killed veteran American journalist Marie Colvin a week earlier, as well as French photographer Remi Ochlik. On Saturday, a local coordination committee from Idlib reported that Syrian Assad loyalist forces executed 47 Syrian soldiers who tried to defect in the city of Idlib and dumped their bodies in al-Seeha lake near Idlib. Also, Israel formally offered to assist Syrian civilians hit by Assad's crackdown. Aid would be provided via the Red Cross. "The state of the Jewish people cannot sit idly by while in a neighboring state atrocities are taking place and people are losing everything," said Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
- Thank You God that You give us loving parents, and that Asma Assad has good ones. Gracious Father, sometimes you truly don't know who you marry. People change, and it is obvious that the man Asma Assad married twelve years ago is not the man she is married to today. A woman under house arrest with her children is like a widow and an orphan...Her children, Hafez, Zein and Karim have no father to care for them. Would You, Lord, please arrange for a way for them to use Asma's British passport to gain travel and entry to London before the end of the Assad regime? Please bless and protect her and the children, please make them invisible, and please let them live to know You as their Yeshua. And, we pray the same gracious Salvation opportunity for all in Syria who will listen to Your Holy Spirit's Salvation Call. May Syria be saved unto Jesus! In Yeshua's Name we pray. Amen.
- "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.'" (Matthew 19:14 NKJV) And, "Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17 NKJV)
Pray for Egypt!
Plans in Place for a Joint Prayer Meeting on March 22
We have just heard encouraging news from a dear friend in Egypt. He tells us that there will be a joint prayer meeting with all the churches in Egypt, from all denominations, in the Cave Church, on March 22. On 11/11/11 there was a similar gathering, with around 40,000 gathered in prayer for Egypt!!! This prayer meeting is for the future of the nation, as "people's last hope is the coming presidential election, to have true freedom and democracy."
(The Cave Church is a sanctuary carved out of the rock in an unlikely place - right next to Garbage City - just outside of Cairo. It is packed for every service!) We know that the Muslim Brotherhood is expected to take control of the nation, but who knows what God will do as a result of this huge gathering of prayors! Please lift them - and this gathering - in prayer. There may be just a short window of time for Christians to worship freely in Egypt!
In Jesus,
Joan and Jim Schnabel
The Good News Corner:
Ethiopians Coming to Christ in Droves; Women Leading the Way
The response has been astronomical. Women can't get enough of hearing how Christ loves them.
(Ethiopia)-Mission Network News reports that an urgent desire for God's Word in Ethiopia is causing the Gospel to spread like wildfire. And, it's being fueled primarily by women whose lives have been changed after watching the JESUS Film movie, "Magdalena Released From Shame."
Noting that women have long been "undervalued" in the country, the Ethiopia ministry director for JESUS Film Project, Damtew, says, "Women are being healed at showings as they watch... it's just so amazing."
According to the report, progress is staggering, with demand for the films now so high that in only six months the team has trained 564 women.
Click on this link provided to read more of how women are taking the love they've received from Christ and spreading the Gospel to others. (Source: Staff - Mission Network News)
[Reported by: Breaking Christian News and OneNewsNow]
Worship with Us Today!
"The Purim Song"
This coming week is Purim (March 8-10). This commemorates the story in the book of Esther when the Jewish people were taken away to captivity in Babylon. Haman has the king issue an edict to completely annihilate all the Jews. Because of Esther's willingness to go before the king and intercede on behalf of her people, the Jews were spared from complete annihilation.
Interesting how history repeats...the same Haman spirit is working today. Achmadinejab wants to "wipe Israel off the map".
Watch "The Purim Song" here!
