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"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, April 26, 2012
O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You. (2 Chronicles 14:11)
The Daily Brief
1. Iran readying hacker attacks on U.S. infrastructure, specialists say - Washington Times
Iran is recruiting a hacker army to target the U.S. power grid, water systems and other vital infrastructure for cyberattack in a future confrontation with the United States, security specialists will warn Congress Thursday.
- Lord, we continue to erect a hedge of Your protection around America's infrastructure, computer systems, and all other essentials. We stand firmly in Your hand and praise You for remembering Your people in spite of the threats.
- "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all nations that forget God." [Psalm 9:17]
2. Analysts say North Korea's new missiles displayed at parade are fakes - AP
A half dozen ominous new North Korean missiles showcased at a lavish military parade were clumsy fakes, analysts say, casting more doubt on the country's claims of military prowess after its recent rocket launch failure.
Read more:
- Father, we rejoice at this good news about the missiles. We ask that You reveal all secrets of North Korea, and bring their government to shame for their aggressive rhetoric. We ask for a move of Your Spirit over that nation, drawing people to Yourself.
- "Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish." (Psalm 83:17)
3. Republicans Eye Missile-defense site on US East Coast - NewsMax
Republicans who control the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee called on Wednesday for studies on what could become a third missile-interceptor site in the United States, this one on the East Coast.
- Father, You alone know whether this missile site is necessary, so we ask that You make the determination and bring it to pass if it is indeed something that America should establish.
- "Some trust in horses, and some in chariots, but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7)
4. Pentagon confirms plan to create new spy agency - Fox News
The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that it is carving out a brand new spy agency expected to include several hundred officers focused on intelligence gathering around the world.
- Lord, as the bureaucracy of America grows exponentially, we pray for wisdom on the part of our leadership with regard to adding yet another agency to the mix.
- "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking" (Proverbs 19a)
5. EPA Official's 'Philosophy' On Oil Companies: 'Crucify Them' - CNS News
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) took to the Senate floor today to draw attention to a video of a top EPA official saying the EPA's "philosophy" is to "crucify" and "make examples" of oil and gas companies - just as the Romans crucified random citizens in areas they conquered to ensure obedience.
- Father, we bind up these curses and delete their effects over the American economy. We speak peace in the place of conflict with American oil and gas companies. We pray Your protection over them, and blessings to them as long as their actions are in the best interests of our nation and our land.
- "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21)
6. Supreme Court casts doubt on Obama's immigration law claim - Washington Times
Supreme Court justices took a dim view of the Obama administration's claim that it can stop Arizona from enforcing immigration laws, telling government lawyers during oral argument Wednesday that the state appears to want to push federal officials, not conflict with them.
- Lord, we pray for the enforcement of immigration laws to be safeguarded in the state of Arizona. We pray for a favorable outcome of this Supreme Court review.
- "Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe Your statutes continually." (Psalm 119:117)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime. (2 Samuel 7:10)
1. PM: Throughout history, Jews have overcome enemies - Jerusalem Post
Jews have overcome all their enemies throughout history, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during the state ceremony for fallen soldiers at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem Wednesday.
2. Israel's top general says Iran unlikely to make bomb - Reuters
Israel's military chief said he does not believe Iran will decide to build an atomic bomb and called its leaders "very rational" - comments that clashed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assessment.
3. EU urges Israel to reverse its authorization of three West Bank outposts - Times of Israel
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday urged the Israeli government to reverse its decision to authorize the West Bank outposts of Bruchin, Sansana, and Rechelim.
4. Palestinians call on UN to stop Israeli settlement legalization - Ha'aretz
The Palestinian UN observer Riyad Mansour denounced on Wednesday Israel's legalization of three unsanctioned West Bank settler outposts as an illegal attempt to entrench "its massive network of illegal settlements."
5. Palestinian Authority blocks news websites critical of Abbas, report says - Ha'aretz
The Palestinian Authority began blocking access to websites which expressed criticism toward it, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported Wednesday. According to the report, the PA instructed its internet providers to block access to news websites that are critical of President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Daily Jot!
What to do to turn around a dying nation
Daily Jot readers are expressing their frustration about the nation: "A few months ago, I heard a youthful friend glibly say, "Well if we lose our freedom, we'll still have Jesus." My stomach curdled at those words as I thought, "You have no idea of what you speak."... "I write the congress people, but they don't care and just send back 'thank you ' letters, etc. So I guess most people feel that they can't do anything. We sign petitions that get passed around. What good do they do? News writes what they want and most people don't even get the true stories. Any suggestions for people?"... "What can I do to make a difference? I have written letters over the years to politicians. Seems to never make a difference...What more can I do?"
First off, we have to recognize the con game. Politicians encourage you to write or fax so that they can get your information and build a list on various issues. That way they can contact you to show you what a good job they are doing on issues of your interest. Organizations use petitions to get your name and email so they can raise money from you. Generally speaking, neither the politicians nor the lobbyists care a thing about what you think, they just want your information for their own purposes. Christian organizations are just as guilty. So beware. Your opinion doesn't matter much, just your money and your information. Having confirmed why writing and signing is not effective, what to do?
Mark 8:34 says, "And Yeshua called the crowds with his disciples, and he said to them, "Whoever is willing to come after me, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and let him come after me." The cross was very offensive because it represented the worst of torture and death reserved for the worst of people. Yeshua was saying that following him will be difficult. Turning a nation back to YHVH is also difficult. The church has become like the world. Christians are apathetic like the Laodiceans. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is overused and underplayed. We are a whole lot about action that takes place from a computer or a chair, but we need to be about Ephesians 6:13, "having done all, to stand." That is much harder.
I believe getting rid of the problem before us is like the example Yeshua gave regarding the demon that could not be driven out, only by prayer and fasting. Pray and fast for our nation.
Beyond that we have to take action. So many will say that if you organize and take to the streets, you are being rebellious. I say that if we stand together overcoming evil with good, and we do it publicly in great numbers, we are not in rebellion, but crushing a satanic rebellion that has been allowed far too long. We need to put away this "dominionism" nonsense, and waiting for the rapture, and put our arms and legs and voices in motion in numbers. We need to be men and women of YHVH speaking boldly as we ought to speak. Anyone game?
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Thank Your Senators for Voting Against VAWA
The Senate just voted to reauthorize the so-called Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through 2016. Originally passed in 1994, VAWA is feminist pork that has already squandered over one billion dollars each year on programs that have done little or no good for real victims of domestic violence. Instead, the funds been allocated on a highly political basis to fill feminist coffers and to lobby for feminist objectives and laws. Although every spending bill should be subject to rigorous auditing procedures in order to curb waste and fraud, VAWA has somehow ducked accountability for the money it doles out to radical feminist organizations.
Click here to read more about VAWA and the many reasons Eagle Forum has worked to reform this expensive, ineffective bill.
Although the bill passed the liberal-controlled Senate today, the good news is that 31 Senators voted against it. Historically, very few legislators have had the guts to vote against the bill because of intense pressure and threats from the feminists and fear of appearing "anti-woman."
Today's vote sends a strong signal that the left's phony accusations that conservatives are waging a "war on women" aren't working.
Here is a list of Senators who voted against VAWA. If either of your Senators is on this list, please take a moment to thank them and urge them to continue to stand strong against liberal rhetoric and feminists' demands.
[Scroll down to see the section marked "Grouped by Vote Position."]
Tell them that we know it is liberals who are raging the real war on women and all Americans through their attacks on our religious and economic freedom, as I detailed in my recent column, "Obama's War on Women."
Phyllis Schlafly
Eagle Forum
Supreme Court Considers AZ Immigration Law
High Court Takes Up Illegal Immigration
The justices of the United States Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday on Arizona's tough anti-illegal immigration law known as SB 1070. The law allows police officers to check the immigration status of individuals who have been detained for other offenses. The Arizona law is overwhelmingly popular. A recent Quinnipiac poll found that 68% of registered voters support the law, while just 27% opposed it. Hispanic voters were narrowly divided with 47% in favor to 49% against. The Obama Administration, however, sued to block implementation of the law, arguing that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility with virtually no role for the states. Historically, the courts have adopted that view.
But the Roberts court has shifted somewhat towards expanding state authority. Last year in a 5-to-3 decision, the court upheld another Arizona law that revoked business licenses for companies that repeatedly hired illegal immigrants.
And according to various press reports, the justices appeared likely to uphold SB 1070 too. As MSNBC noted, "The justices strongly suggested Wednesday they are not buying the Obama administration's argument that the state exceeded its authority" and "even some of the court's liberal justices seemed to find no strong objection."
And while I would be surprised if Justice Sonia Sotomayor ruled in favor of SB 1070, she was nevertheless especially critical of the administration's lawyer, Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. At one point Sotomayor, who once deemed herself a "wise Latina woman," said of Verrilli's argument against the Arizona law, "General, I'm terribly confused by your answer," and added, "You can see it's not selling very well." (Gary Bauer)
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
Highway Bill
Last week, the House voted for a 90-day extension of surface transportation projects (H.R. 4348), a move that will pave the road for a conference with the Senate over its bill, S. 1813. The House will formally vote to go to conference some time on Wednesday. House GOP leaders have already admitted that the final conference bill will resemble the Senate bill. [We detailed all the pernicious aspects of that bill in last week's issue.] They will only attempt to negotiate for a provision to force Obama to approve the Keystone pipeline. Aside for the fact that attaching a good provision to a bad bill is terrible policy, this provision will not necessarily force Obama to approve the pipeline. Call your representatives and ask them to vote no on going to conference with the senate until the House passes a conservative bill first.
Farm Bill
It's that time of the decade. The 2008 Farm Bill is slated to expire at the end of the fiscal year, and the Senate Agriculture Committee has released a new 5-year reauthorization. They are scheduling a markup for April 25. For all the talk of too much partisanship in Washington, the farm bill contains too much bipartisanship. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) are working in lockstep with their House counterparts to expand the federal crop insurance program as a way of "softening the blow" of ending direct subsidies. This 900-page bill will spend $10 billion more than even Obama's agriculture budget. Now is the time to begin winding down government involvement in farming and decreasing dependency on government, not entrenching the federal government deeper into rural subsidies. We must begin sounding the alarm that we expect all Republicans to oppose the farm bill.
"60 Minutes" Anti-Israel Report
Respond to 60 Minutes Anti-Israel Report!
Dear Friend, Sunday night CBS reporter Bob Simon presented an episode of "60 Minutes" that was a pathetic excuse for objective journalism. He begins the segment by remarking on the tragic state of Christians in the Middle East, where violence against Christians has spiked during the recent regional turmoil which some have dubbed the Arab Spring. His remarks on Christian persecution in the Middle East lasts all of two sentences before he plunges into an attack on the only country in the region where Christians are safe: Israel. The irony of this story is remarkable.
The irony unfolds in the first 30 seconds of the episode as Simon says ". . . In Iraq and Egypt scores of churches have been attacked, hundreds murdered. In Syria, revolution seriously threatens Christian communities. The one place where Christians are not suffering from violence is the Holy Land." Simon then goes on to present a skewed narrative filled with misrepresentations and inaccurate facts, which ultimately paint Israel as the Villain. For those of us who feel deeply for the persecuted Christians of the Middle East, it is hard to comprehend what motivates a Journalist to casually gloss over the travesty of the ongoing annihilation of ancient Christian communities throughout the region, in order to attack the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is thriving.
The damage that this piece of irresponsible reporting inflicts is two-fold. First, and most obviously - it paints the democratic country of Israel in a negative light in a blatant attempt to dislodge Christian support for Israel. Secondly- it deflects attention from the real tragedy befalling Christians all over the Arab world. The real news story is that throughout the so called Arab Spring, the rapes, beatings, murders, looting and terror perpetrated against Christians in the Middle East have been endemic. At a time when Christians are being terrorized by Islamic extremists and complacent regimes throughout the entire region, "60 Minutes" chooses to vilify the only safe haven for Christianity in the entire Middle East.
Click here to write to CBS and tell them that this reckless, politicized reporting will not do! This is a poor example of news reporting and we expect more from a leading news network.
Secondly we encourage you to speak out now in support of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. Visit the website www.bethlehemfreedom.com which sends a message to Congressional leaders that US Aid of $600 million to the Palestinian Authority is not acceptable, especially with its poor record of the treatment of Christians. On this site you can also learn the truth about who is actually persecuting Christians in the Middle East (which wasn't reported by CBS).
Shalom,
Willem Griffioen
Executive Director
Israel Allies Foundation
WIN Report: Grand Mufti Declaration
GRAND MUFTI DECLARATION AND REACTION
SUMMARY: On March 12, 2012, the Grand Mufti of the Saudi Arabia declared that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches of the Arabian [Peninsula] region." This shocked many Christians and angered others, but was not widely reported in the Western press. The Grand Mufti based his decree on Muhammad's deathbed statement: "There are not to be two religions in the [Arabian] Peninsula."
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh) recently called for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula. In his address to a Kuwaiti delegation, the Grand Mufti stated that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches in the Arabian [Peninsula] region."
The Grand Mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia; however, he does wield influence throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Muftis are Islamic leaders who issue fatwas (rulings on Shari'a law).
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh) recently called for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula. In his address to a Kuwaiti delegation, the Grand Mufti stated that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches in the Arabian [Peninsula] region."
The Grand Mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia; however, he does wield influence throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Muftis are Islamic leaders who issue fatwas (rulings on Shari'a law).
"Since Christianity is already forbidden in Saudi Arabia and no churches exist there," writes journalist Dave Bohon, "the implications of the cleric's words were that the church ban should extend to other countries in the region, including Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates."
Most nations on the Arabian Peninsula allow expatriates to worship in compounds. The Grand Mufti's statement calls for these nations to follow Saudi Arabia's example and outlaw Christianity.
Now is the time to rise up and pray for protection for our Brothers and Sisters living in Islamic nations.
Pray For:
- the Lord to open the blind eyes of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul's, so he may experience the concern, love, and power of the Almighty God. (The Bible, Luke 4:18)
- the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul to encounter Jesus Christ, just as Paul did on the road to Damascus. Pray for him to receive the knowledge and revelation of Christ as the Son of the Living God. Pray for him accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Acts 9:3)
- the Grand Mufti to retract his declaration and churches in the Arabian Peninsula will not be impacted by his statement. Pray for him to issue an official statement promoting the establishment of freedom religion in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula. (The Bible, Psalm 103:6)
- the Lord to send the Holy Spirit upon Christian Believers in the Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, surrounding them with comfort and courage. (The Bible, John 14:26)
- Christian Believers to remember that God has not given them a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (The Bible, 2 Timothy 1:7)
- the Lord to use the Christian Church in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula to proclaim and demonstrate the love and miraculous power of God. (The Bible, Psalm 55:9)
(SOURCES: Reuters, The Washington Times)
The Good News Corner:
A Baby Boy Raised from the Dead
"I felt God speaking to me saying: 'He has the right to live'. So, immediately, I put my hand over him, and started to pray . . ."
Montevideo, Uruguay)-Dr. Marta Martínez is a respected doctor from Montevideo, Uruguay, who believes that God still heals the sick today. And she should know, for in an interview, Dr. Martinez told me about an extraordinary miracle that she witnessed and was personally involved with.
"I experienced this miracle some years ago, while I was working in a hospital in one small city, far from the capital city," she said. "It concerned a baby who was about one month old and his mother was an adolescent and very poor.
"The baby boy had come to the hospital in a very bad condition, with malnutrition, dehydration and septicemia. There appeared to be nothing we could to do for him. Finally he died. While I was present, watching him at the moment of the death, I thought: 'It is better for him to die, because in his environment, with his kind of family, he would have not any chance of success, the rest of his life would be a 'Calvary', with a lack of hope and no opportunities'.
"At that moment, I felt God speaking to me saying: 'He has the right to live'. So, immediately, I put my hand over him, and started to pray and thank God he was 'resurrected'-he came back to life! It was an amazing miracle."
Dr. Martinez went on to say that the baby was then sent to "a better hospital" in Montevideo called "Filtro" for further treatment.
"After some months, I went to the 'Filtro' hospital just to visit a patient and while I was there, I asked one of the nurses about this baby that I had prayed for. She told me that 'he's here right now and he's five months old.' She added: 'He is fine now, but we have him still here just so he can gain more weight. Would you like to see him?'
"When I saw him, I was astonished to see that, by now, he was a very big and healthy baby. God allowed me to see the complete miracle.
"I have also seen other healings and I believe in divine healing because, first of all, it is written in the Bible, and secondly I have seen others healed in a miraculous way and have also experienced it in my own body."
Dr. Martinez is now hoping to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the 9th Annual World Christian Doctors Network (WCDN) conference to be held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, from May 25-26, 2012.
WCDN is an interdenominational organization composed of Christian medical professionals from around the world who believe in divine healing and meet under the title of "Spirituality and Medicine."
I concluded my interview with her, by asking why she thought other doctors should believe in the power of prayer to heal the sick, and she replied, "Not just Christian doctors, but all Christians should believe in divine healing because it is written in the Bible and also, it was a very important part of Jesus' ministry on this earth, and also because the Holy Spirit dwells in us (Luke 4:18-20)." (Source: ASSIST News Service)
Worship with Us Today!
Closer - Bethel Music
Steffany Frizzell
Worship Here:
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot!
• Update: VAWA
• Supreme Court Considers AZ Immigration Law
• Today's Legislative Focus
• "60 Minutes" Anti-Israel Report
• WIN Report: Grand Mufti Declaration
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, April 26, 2012
O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You. (2 Chronicles 14:11)
The Daily Brief
1. Iran readying hacker attacks on U.S. infrastructure, specialists say - Washington Times
Iran is recruiting a hacker army to target the U.S. power grid, water systems and other vital infrastructure for cyberattack in a future confrontation with the United States, security specialists will warn Congress Thursday.
- Lord, we continue to erect a hedge of Your protection around America's infrastructure, computer systems, and all other essentials. We stand firmly in Your hand and praise You for remembering Your people in spite of the threats.
- "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all nations that forget God." [Psalm 9:17]
2. Analysts say North Korea's new missiles displayed at parade are fakes - AP
A half dozen ominous new North Korean missiles showcased at a lavish military parade were clumsy fakes, analysts say, casting more doubt on the country's claims of military prowess after its recent rocket launch failure.
Read more:
- Father, we rejoice at this good news about the missiles. We ask that You reveal all secrets of North Korea, and bring their government to shame for their aggressive rhetoric. We ask for a move of Your Spirit over that nation, drawing people to Yourself.
- "Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish." (Psalm 83:17)
3. Republicans Eye Missile-defense site on US East Coast - NewsMax
Republicans who control the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee called on Wednesday for studies on what could become a third missile-interceptor site in the United States, this one on the East Coast.
- Father, You alone know whether this missile site is necessary, so we ask that You make the determination and bring it to pass if it is indeed something that America should establish.
- "Some trust in horses, and some in chariots, but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7)
4. Pentagon confirms plan to create new spy agency - Fox News
The Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that it is carving out a brand new spy agency expected to include several hundred officers focused on intelligence gathering around the world.
- Lord, as the bureaucracy of America grows exponentially, we pray for wisdom on the part of our leadership with regard to adding yet another agency to the mix.
- "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking" (Proverbs 19a)
5. EPA Official's 'Philosophy' On Oil Companies: 'Crucify Them' - CNS News
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) took to the Senate floor today to draw attention to a video of a top EPA official saying the EPA's "philosophy" is to "crucify" and "make examples" of oil and gas companies - just as the Romans crucified random citizens in areas they conquered to ensure obedience.
- Father, we bind up these curses and delete their effects over the American economy. We speak peace in the place of conflict with American oil and gas companies. We pray Your protection over them, and blessings to them as long as their actions are in the best interests of our nation and our land.
- "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21)
6. Supreme Court casts doubt on Obama's immigration law claim - Washington Times
Supreme Court justices took a dim view of the Obama administration's claim that it can stop Arizona from enforcing immigration laws, telling government lawyers during oral argument Wednesday that the state appears to want to push federal officials, not conflict with them.
- Lord, we pray for the enforcement of immigration laws to be safeguarded in the state of Arizona. We pray for a favorable outcome of this Supreme Court review.
- "Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe Your statutes continually." (Psalm 119:117)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime. (2 Samuel 7:10)
1. PM: Throughout history, Jews have overcome enemies - Jerusalem Post
Jews have overcome all their enemies throughout history, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during the state ceremony for fallen soldiers at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem Wednesday.
2. Israel's top general says Iran unlikely to make bomb - Reuters
Israel's military chief said he does not believe Iran will decide to build an atomic bomb and called its leaders "very rational" - comments that clashed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assessment.
3. EU urges Israel to reverse its authorization of three West Bank outposts - Times of Israel
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday urged the Israeli government to reverse its decision to authorize the West Bank outposts of Bruchin, Sansana, and Rechelim.
4. Palestinians call on UN to stop Israeli settlement legalization - Ha'aretz
The Palestinian UN observer Riyad Mansour denounced on Wednesday Israel's legalization of three unsanctioned West Bank settler outposts as an illegal attempt to entrench "its massive network of illegal settlements."
5. Palestinian Authority blocks news websites critical of Abbas, report says - Ha'aretz
The Palestinian Authority began blocking access to websites which expressed criticism toward it, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported Wednesday. According to the report, the PA instructed its internet providers to block access to news websites that are critical of President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Daily Jot!
What to do to turn around a dying nation
Daily Jot readers are expressing their frustration about the nation: "A few months ago, I heard a youthful friend glibly say, "Well if we lose our freedom, we'll still have Jesus." My stomach curdled at those words as I thought, "You have no idea of what you speak."... "I write the congress people, but they don't care and just send back 'thank you ' letters, etc. So I guess most people feel that they can't do anything. We sign petitions that get passed around. What good do they do? News writes what they want and most people don't even get the true stories. Any suggestions for people?"... "What can I do to make a difference? I have written letters over the years to politicians. Seems to never make a difference...What more can I do?"
First off, we have to recognize the con game. Politicians encourage you to write or fax so that they can get your information and build a list on various issues. That way they can contact you to show you what a good job they are doing on issues of your interest. Organizations use petitions to get your name and email so they can raise money from you. Generally speaking, neither the politicians nor the lobbyists care a thing about what you think, they just want your information for their own purposes. Christian organizations are just as guilty. So beware. Your opinion doesn't matter much, just your money and your information. Having confirmed why writing and signing is not effective, what to do?
Mark 8:34 says, "And Yeshua called the crowds with his disciples, and he said to them, "Whoever is willing to come after me, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and let him come after me." The cross was very offensive because it represented the worst of torture and death reserved for the worst of people. Yeshua was saying that following him will be difficult. Turning a nation back to YHVH is also difficult. The church has become like the world. Christians are apathetic like the Laodiceans. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is overused and underplayed. We are a whole lot about action that takes place from a computer or a chair, but we need to be about Ephesians 6:13, "having done all, to stand." That is much harder.
I believe getting rid of the problem before us is like the example Yeshua gave regarding the demon that could not be driven out, only by prayer and fasting. Pray and fast for our nation.
Beyond that we have to take action. So many will say that if you organize and take to the streets, you are being rebellious. I say that if we stand together overcoming evil with good, and we do it publicly in great numbers, we are not in rebellion, but crushing a satanic rebellion that has been allowed far too long. We need to put away this "dominionism" nonsense, and waiting for the rapture, and put our arms and legs and voices in motion in numbers. We need to be men and women of YHVH speaking boldly as we ought to speak. Anyone game?
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Thank Your Senators for Voting Against VAWA
The Senate just voted to reauthorize the so-called Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through 2016. Originally passed in 1994, VAWA is feminist pork that has already squandered over one billion dollars each year on programs that have done little or no good for real victims of domestic violence. Instead, the funds been allocated on a highly political basis to fill feminist coffers and to lobby for feminist objectives and laws. Although every spending bill should be subject to rigorous auditing procedures in order to curb waste and fraud, VAWA has somehow ducked accountability for the money it doles out to radical feminist organizations.
Click here to read more about VAWA and the many reasons Eagle Forum has worked to reform this expensive, ineffective bill.
Although the bill passed the liberal-controlled Senate today, the good news is that 31 Senators voted against it. Historically, very few legislators have had the guts to vote against the bill because of intense pressure and threats from the feminists and fear of appearing "anti-woman."
Today's vote sends a strong signal that the left's phony accusations that conservatives are waging a "war on women" aren't working.
Here is a list of Senators who voted against VAWA. If either of your Senators is on this list, please take a moment to thank them and urge them to continue to stand strong against liberal rhetoric and feminists' demands.
[Scroll down to see the section marked "Grouped by Vote Position."]
Tell them that we know it is liberals who are raging the real war on women and all Americans through their attacks on our religious and economic freedom, as I detailed in my recent column, "Obama's War on Women."
Phyllis Schlafly
Eagle Forum
Supreme Court Considers AZ Immigration Law
High Court Takes Up Illegal Immigration
The justices of the United States Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday on Arizona's tough anti-illegal immigration law known as SB 1070. The law allows police officers to check the immigration status of individuals who have been detained for other offenses. The Arizona law is overwhelmingly popular. A recent Quinnipiac poll found that 68% of registered voters support the law, while just 27% opposed it. Hispanic voters were narrowly divided with 47% in favor to 49% against. The Obama Administration, however, sued to block implementation of the law, arguing that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility with virtually no role for the states. Historically, the courts have adopted that view.
But the Roberts court has shifted somewhat towards expanding state authority. Last year in a 5-to-3 decision, the court upheld another Arizona law that revoked business licenses for companies that repeatedly hired illegal immigrants.
And according to various press reports, the justices appeared likely to uphold SB 1070 too. As MSNBC noted, "The justices strongly suggested Wednesday they are not buying the Obama administration's argument that the state exceeded its authority" and "even some of the court's liberal justices seemed to find no strong objection."
And while I would be surprised if Justice Sonia Sotomayor ruled in favor of SB 1070, she was nevertheless especially critical of the administration's lawyer, Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. At one point Sotomayor, who once deemed herself a "wise Latina woman," said of Verrilli's argument against the Arizona law, "General, I'm terribly confused by your answer," and added, "You can see it's not selling very well." (Gary Bauer)
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
Highway Bill
Last week, the House voted for a 90-day extension of surface transportation projects (H.R. 4348), a move that will pave the road for a conference with the Senate over its bill, S. 1813. The House will formally vote to go to conference some time on Wednesday. House GOP leaders have already admitted that the final conference bill will resemble the Senate bill. [We detailed all the pernicious aspects of that bill in last week's issue.] They will only attempt to negotiate for a provision to force Obama to approve the Keystone pipeline. Aside for the fact that attaching a good provision to a bad bill is terrible policy, this provision will not necessarily force Obama to approve the pipeline. Call your representatives and ask them to vote no on going to conference with the senate until the House passes a conservative bill first.
Farm Bill
It's that time of the decade. The 2008 Farm Bill is slated to expire at the end of the fiscal year, and the Senate Agriculture Committee has released a new 5-year reauthorization. They are scheduling a markup for April 25. For all the talk of too much partisanship in Washington, the farm bill contains too much bipartisanship. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) are working in lockstep with their House counterparts to expand the federal crop insurance program as a way of "softening the blow" of ending direct subsidies. This 900-page bill will spend $10 billion more than even Obama's agriculture budget. Now is the time to begin winding down government involvement in farming and decreasing dependency on government, not entrenching the federal government deeper into rural subsidies. We must begin sounding the alarm that we expect all Republicans to oppose the farm bill.
"60 Minutes" Anti-Israel Report
Respond to 60 Minutes Anti-Israel Report!
Dear Friend, Sunday night CBS reporter Bob Simon presented an episode of "60 Minutes" that was a pathetic excuse for objective journalism. He begins the segment by remarking on the tragic state of Christians in the Middle East, where violence against Christians has spiked during the recent regional turmoil which some have dubbed the Arab Spring. His remarks on Christian persecution in the Middle East lasts all of two sentences before he plunges into an attack on the only country in the region where Christians are safe: Israel. The irony of this story is remarkable.
The irony unfolds in the first 30 seconds of the episode as Simon says ". . . In Iraq and Egypt scores of churches have been attacked, hundreds murdered. In Syria, revolution seriously threatens Christian communities. The one place where Christians are not suffering from violence is the Holy Land." Simon then goes on to present a skewed narrative filled with misrepresentations and inaccurate facts, which ultimately paint Israel as the Villain. For those of us who feel deeply for the persecuted Christians of the Middle East, it is hard to comprehend what motivates a Journalist to casually gloss over the travesty of the ongoing annihilation of ancient Christian communities throughout the region, in order to attack the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is thriving.
The damage that this piece of irresponsible reporting inflicts is two-fold. First, and most obviously - it paints the democratic country of Israel in a negative light in a blatant attempt to dislodge Christian support for Israel. Secondly- it deflects attention from the real tragedy befalling Christians all over the Arab world. The real news story is that throughout the so called Arab Spring, the rapes, beatings, murders, looting and terror perpetrated against Christians in the Middle East have been endemic. At a time when Christians are being terrorized by Islamic extremists and complacent regimes throughout the entire region, "60 Minutes" chooses to vilify the only safe haven for Christianity in the entire Middle East.
Click here to write to CBS and tell them that this reckless, politicized reporting will not do! This is a poor example of news reporting and we expect more from a leading news network.
Secondly we encourage you to speak out now in support of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. Visit the website www.bethlehemfreedom.com which sends a message to Congressional leaders that US Aid of $600 million to the Palestinian Authority is not acceptable, especially with its poor record of the treatment of Christians. On this site you can also learn the truth about who is actually persecuting Christians in the Middle East (which wasn't reported by CBS).
Shalom,
Willem Griffioen
Executive Director
Israel Allies Foundation
WIN Report: Grand Mufti Declaration
GRAND MUFTI DECLARATION AND REACTION
SUMMARY: On March 12, 2012, the Grand Mufti of the Saudi Arabia declared that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches of the Arabian [Peninsula] region." This shocked many Christians and angered others, but was not widely reported in the Western press. The Grand Mufti based his decree on Muhammad's deathbed statement: "There are not to be two religions in the [Arabian] Peninsula."
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh) recently called for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula. In his address to a Kuwaiti delegation, the Grand Mufti stated that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches in the Arabian [Peninsula] region."
The Grand Mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia; however, he does wield influence throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Muftis are Islamic leaders who issue fatwas (rulings on Shari'a law).
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh) recently called for the destruction of all churches on the Arabian Peninsula. In his address to a Kuwaiti delegation, the Grand Mufti stated that it is "necessary to destroy all the churches in the Arabian [Peninsula] region."
The Grand Mufti is the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia; however, he does wield influence throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Muftis are Islamic leaders who issue fatwas (rulings on Shari'a law).
"Since Christianity is already forbidden in Saudi Arabia and no churches exist there," writes journalist Dave Bohon, "the implications of the cleric's words were that the church ban should extend to other countries in the region, including Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates."
Most nations on the Arabian Peninsula allow expatriates to worship in compounds. The Grand Mufti's statement calls for these nations to follow Saudi Arabia's example and outlaw Christianity.
Now is the time to rise up and pray for protection for our Brothers and Sisters living in Islamic nations.
Pray For:
- the Lord to open the blind eyes of Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul's, so he may experience the concern, love, and power of the Almighty God. (The Bible, Luke 4:18)
- the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul to encounter Jesus Christ, just as Paul did on the road to Damascus. Pray for him to receive the knowledge and revelation of Christ as the Son of the Living God. Pray for him accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Acts 9:3)
- the Grand Mufti to retract his declaration and churches in the Arabian Peninsula will not be impacted by his statement. Pray for him to issue an official statement promoting the establishment of freedom religion in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula. (The Bible, Psalm 103:6)
- the Lord to send the Holy Spirit upon Christian Believers in the Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, surrounding them with comfort and courage. (The Bible, John 14:26)
- Christian Believers to remember that God has not given them a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (The Bible, 2 Timothy 1:7)
- the Lord to use the Christian Church in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula to proclaim and demonstrate the love and miraculous power of God. (The Bible, Psalm 55:9)
(SOURCES: Reuters, The Washington Times)
The Good News Corner:
A Baby Boy Raised from the Dead
"I felt God speaking to me saying: 'He has the right to live'. So, immediately, I put my hand over him, and started to pray . . ."
Montevideo, Uruguay)-Dr. Marta Martínez is a respected doctor from Montevideo, Uruguay, who believes that God still heals the sick today. And she should know, for in an interview, Dr. Martinez told me about an extraordinary miracle that she witnessed and was personally involved with.
"I experienced this miracle some years ago, while I was working in a hospital in one small city, far from the capital city," she said. "It concerned a baby who was about one month old and his mother was an adolescent and very poor.
"The baby boy had come to the hospital in a very bad condition, with malnutrition, dehydration and septicemia. There appeared to be nothing we could to do for him. Finally he died. While I was present, watching him at the moment of the death, I thought: 'It is better for him to die, because in his environment, with his kind of family, he would have not any chance of success, the rest of his life would be a 'Calvary', with a lack of hope and no opportunities'.
"At that moment, I felt God speaking to me saying: 'He has the right to live'. So, immediately, I put my hand over him, and started to pray and thank God he was 'resurrected'-he came back to life! It was an amazing miracle."
Dr. Martinez went on to say that the baby was then sent to "a better hospital" in Montevideo called "Filtro" for further treatment.
"After some months, I went to the 'Filtro' hospital just to visit a patient and while I was there, I asked one of the nurses about this baby that I had prayed for. She told me that 'he's here right now and he's five months old.' She added: 'He is fine now, but we have him still here just so he can gain more weight. Would you like to see him?'
"When I saw him, I was astonished to see that, by now, he was a very big and healthy baby. God allowed me to see the complete miracle.
"I have also seen other healings and I believe in divine healing because, first of all, it is written in the Bible, and secondly I have seen others healed in a miraculous way and have also experienced it in my own body."
Dr. Martinez is now hoping to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the 9th Annual World Christian Doctors Network (WCDN) conference to be held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, from May 25-26, 2012.
WCDN is an interdenominational organization composed of Christian medical professionals from around the world who believe in divine healing and meet under the title of "Spirituality and Medicine."
I concluded my interview with her, by asking why she thought other doctors should believe in the power of prayer to heal the sick, and she replied, "Not just Christian doctors, but all Christians should believe in divine healing because it is written in the Bible and also, it was a very important part of Jesus' ministry on this earth, and also because the Holy Spirit dwells in us (Luke 4:18-20)." (Source: ASSIST News Service)
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