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• The Run-Off in Egypt
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The Daily Brief - Wednesday, May 30, 2012
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8a)
The Daily Brief
1. Iran Under Mysterious 'Flame' Cyber Attack - Reuters
Security experts have discovered a highly sophisticated computer virus in Iran and other Middle East countries that they believe was deployed at least five years ago to engage in state-sponsored cyber espionage.
Flame appears poised to go down in history as the third major cyber weapon uncovered after Stuxnet and its data-stealing cousin Duqu, named after the Star Wars villain. Flame can gather data files, remotely change settings on computers, turn on PC microphones to record conversations, take screen shots and log instant messaging chats.
Some experts speculated that the discovery of the virus may have dealt a psychological blow to its victims, on top of whatever damage Flame may have already inflicted to their computers.
- Praise the Lord for this infiltration! Praise the Lord for this remote "intelligence gathering" against nations who have long stated their fierce animosity towards, and destructive plans for, the U.S. and Israel. Praise the Lord for effective cyber weapons that spare the lives of American and Israeli military and civilians. May the effects of Flame stand as a long term effective barrier against enemy plans, in Jesus Name!
- "They will receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. The Lord will terrify them as he destroys all the gods in the land. Then nations around the world will worship the Lord, each in their own land." (Zephaniah 2:10,11)
2. Romney clinches Republican 2012 nomination - Jerusalem Post
Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday with a resounding victory in Texas and now faces a five-month sprint to convince voters to trust him over Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.
- Heavenly Father, once again we stand in the gap for this country we love, thanking You for the mantle of supplication You have laid upon Your people which stirs us to intercede for America and the coming elections. Our hope is in You Lord! As the election process proceeds, we ask You to overrule the plans of those seeking only their own exaltation, and those whose ideologies work to destroy our 'one nation under God.' We ask You to guide these elections in every detail, exposing fraud, while strengthening and promoting godliness in leadership. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
- " They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." (Malachi 3:17, 18)
3. Holder to brief black pastors on campaign 2012 - Washington Examiner
Attorney General Eric Holder, the IRS, and the liberal lawyers at the ACLU will brief several hundred pastors in the African American community on how to participate in the presidential election -- which the Congressional Black Caucus chair expects will help President Obama's campaign.
The CBC chairman is confident that "President Obama is going to get 95 percent of the [African American] vote," and wants to keep that turnout high. "We want to let them know that there is a theological responsibility to participate in the political process, at least in the Judeo-Christian tradition," he said.
- Dear heavenly Father, we pray that those who call you Lord will be moved by Your Holy Spirit to vote for the candidate who best represents the values put forth in Your Word. We ask that the issue of the shade of a person's skin will cease to be an issue of interest, especially among Christians, for You have created us all as human beings, in Your image. We pray that the candidates' records and positions on abortion will be a prime Christian issue in this election - that Your people will not bloody their own souls by voting for candidates that openly promote abortion, but will vote for those who uphold the value of Life created by You. We pray that these pastors not be swayed by ungodly counsel (Psalm1). In Jesus' Name.
- "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?" (Malachi 2:10) "When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims." (Isaiah 1:15)
4. It's no secret: There are more government secrets than ever - Washington Times
The number of official government secrets rose to its highest level last year, auditors reported Tuesday, even though President Obama promised that his administration would be the most open and transparent in history. U.S. officials created more than 92 million classified documents in fiscal 2011, up from 76.5 million the year before, the Information Security Oversight Office said in its annual report.
- Dear Lord, "transparency" involving 92 Million hidden documents in the course of just one year seems like a grievous aberration. Send Your light into dark dealings which strive to hide information that should be made known. Bring us leadership that operates wisely, in transparent honesty before God and man - in Jesus' Name.
- "Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops." (Luke 12:3)
5. Escape From New York? High-Taxing Empire State Loses 3.4 Million Residents in 10 Years - CNS News
New York State accounted for the biggest migration exodus of any state in the nation between 2000 and 2010, with 3.4 million residents leaving over that period, according to the Tax Foundation.
- Lord the tax burdens placed upon our citizens have become increasingly onerous. We ask You to raise up men and women in leadership who will cease spending money the government doesn't have, and who will institute fair taxation systems. Open the eyes of our citizens to discern which politicians truly have the people's best interests at heart. In Jesus' Name.
- "I will be a swift witness against ... those who exploit wage earners . . . because they do not fear Me, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3: 5; selected portions)
6. House debates bill to ban sex-selective abortions - Fox News
House members launched into a contentious debate Wednesday over a bill that would ban abortions performed on the basis of gender-selection. Though sex-selective abortions are typically thought of as a problem in countries like China, bill author Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said Democrats and Republicans in the House agree that sex-selection abortions are occurring in the United States.
Under his proposal, physicians who perform sex-selective abortions would face heavy fines and up to five years in jail. The House, after closing out debate late Wednesday afternoon, is expected to vote on the proposal Thursday. It needs a two-thirds majority to pass. Read more.
- We offer praise to the Lord for the bold leadership shown by Congressman Trent Franks in introducing this bill to support life. We ask for the two-thirds majority that will be needed to pass H.R. 3541 when it comes to the House floor for a vote tomorrow. Father God, move upon Your people to stand for LIFE in the Halls of Congress and throughout this great nation. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
- "Male and female He created them." (Gen. 1:27)
"Thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13)
7. Stocks Retreat in Broad, Euro-Fueled Selloff - Fox News
Wall Street pulled back sharply on Wednesday in stark contrast to the big gains seen in the prior session as traders were once again forced to grapple with the specter of the eurozone's debt debacle bleeding into core nations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 161 points . . . Read more.
- The global markets are daily becoming more and more fragile as men seek to rescue the failed economies of Greece and Spain. Without repentance and turning back to God, judgment will soon follow . . . in Europe and in America. Call forth a spirit of genuine humility on the part of the world's leaders in the economic community and elsewhere. Perhaps the Lord will yet show us His mercy, and reveal the way to bring stability back to these financial structures. He does provide.
- "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jer. 33:3)
8. Will Bilderberg meeting be 'occupied'? - WND
Some say it's just an event for the rich and powerful to let their hair down, hear from top policy wonks and schmooze with each other. Others claim it's the place where big decisions are made in secret - decisions with world-shaking consequences. What ever it truly is, the meeting is taking place this week here in the quiet suburbs near Dulles International Airport at the Westfields Marriott Convention Center - the same place it was held four years ago when rumors circulated it was determined there that Barack Obama would be the Democratic presidential nominee, not Hillary Clinton.
- Offer praise that, by coincidence, scores of intercessors over the years have also "occupied" this site, for His glory! Pray that the Blood of the Lamb, shed for all of our sins, would secure this site for His Kingdom purposes once again, and that hearts and lives would be transformed as a result. Pray for a miracle of salvation for each of the Bilderbergs present. Pray!
- "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies . . . The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted." (Psalms 18: 3, 46)
1. As US, Israeli positions diverge, Iran nuke work progresses - Israel Hayom
There are gaps between the positions of the Israeli prime minister and the White House on negotiations with Iran, sources in Jerusalem said on Sunday.
2. Israel breaks silence on Iranian nuclear talks - Ynet News
International nuclear talks with Iran have achieved nothing, a senior Israeli official said on Tuesday, suggesting that some Western nations were happy to see the negotiations drag on.
3. Ehud Barak: If negotiations fail, Israel must consider unilateral withdrawal from West Bank - Haaretz
"We are a coalition of 94 MKs, this is the time to lead a diplomatic process," Barak said Wednesday morning in a speech at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies. "But if it isn't possible to reach a permanent agreement with the Palestinians, we must consider an interim arrangement or even a unilateral move." "We are on borrowed time. We will reach a wall, and we'll pay the price. People who are now in a coma will then ask how we didn't see [this coming]," he added.
Obama Awards Medal of Freedom
Lessons From The Medal Of Freedom Awards
Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to more than a dozen recipients yesterday. It is the highest honor the president can award to a civilian for their service to the United States. But the ceremony also provided two important lessons about this administration.
First, in spite of the tingling in Chris Matthews' leg, this is not the smartest White House in history. The media rejoiced when Obama was elected because he would not embarrass us like that "cowboy" Bush. But Obama seriously offended our ally Poland yesterday when he referred to "Polish death camps" while honoring Jan Karski, who exposed the Nazi concentration camps in Poland. It may seem like a minor slip of the tongue, but Polish officials are furious, and blasting the White House for its "ignorance and incompetence."
Obama's decision to award the Medal of Freedom to Dolores Huerta highlights his ideological extremism. While Obama praised Huerta for her work organizing farm workers, he neglected to mention that she is an admirer of Hugo Chavez and an honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. Huerta also made headlines for saying "Republicans hate Latinos." (Gary Bauer)
Land Under Fire
Dr. Richard Land is a fixture in Washington, D.C. He has been representing the public policy interests of Southern Baptists as president of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission since 1988. Dr. Land is a good friend and has been a stalwart ally in the fight for family, faith and freedom.
In addition to his Washington work, he also hosts a weekly radio show. Recently, Dr. Land commented on the Trayvon Martin case and expressed his outrage at the race baiting antics of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Sensing an opportunity to take down one of the pro-family movement's most influential leaders, the left pounced and accused Land of racism. In addition, charges of plagiarism were made against him.
I've known Richard for years and have always respected him as a man of the utmost character and integrity. It is inconceivable that these charges are true. But they remind me of the attacks on Rush Limbaugh and other conservative leaders, including me. The left never misses an opportunity to try to silence conservative voices, and it goes for the jugular every time. (Gary Bauer)
THE RUN-OFF IN EGYPT
Two weeks ago we wrote of how Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian presidential candidate Dr. Mohamed Mursi, while attending a rally in Cairo, nodded approval as a Moslem cleric called for him to establish an "Islamic Caliphate", a "Capital of the United States of the Arabs," to be located "not in Cairo, Mecca or Medina" but in Jerusalem. We wrote further, "Mursi, as of this writing, is not a front-runner in the polls [in fact, with less than 10% of the vote]; however, given the immense power and influence wielded by the Brotherhood in Egypt, his status could quickly change." Such has in fact proven to be the case-Mursi soared in last week's election to actually receive more votes than any other candidate. He will face Ahmed Shafiq, a former prime minister under Hosni Mubarak, in a runoff in June. A new leader is supposed to be inaugurated by July 3rd.
Since the fall of Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood has gone to great lengths to try and soften its image as a hard-line Islamist group (Gaza's ruling Hamas faction is in fact a branch of the Brotherhood). This continued Tuesday, with its candidate Mursi reaching out to Egypt's Coptic Christians, "Our Christian brothers, let's be clear, are national partners and have full rights like Muslims." He also vowed to respect women's rights to "work in all areas, and to choose the way they dress", promising that there would be "no imposition on women to wear the veil [Islamic covering for women]." This is in marked contrast to his associated Hamas operatives in Bethlehem who have boasted that before it's over there, they will have forced all Christian women there to "wear the veil."
PLEASE PRAY:
- God's mercies over Egypt in the up-coming run-off-that radical Islam and those who would seek to bring a religious Islamic system into rule over Egypt and who would come against God's covenant people and land will not be allowed to gain rulership.
- That the treaty between Egypt and Israel will not be severed.
- For the Christian Body in Egypt.unity in the Holy Spirit, courage and direction, anointed ascending in Praise so as to come into God's strategy and array for the warfare ahead.
- That God's Kingdom come for Egypt.that groundwork in the Body of Messiah continues to be brought into place for the future "Highway" linking Egypt, Israel and Assyria mentioned in Isaiah 19. [Source: Prayer Update From Israel (May 30, 2011) Martin and Norma Sarvis; Jerusalem]
THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL
"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it" (Isaiah 2:2).
"The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 60:14).
Recently a British newspaper The Guardian issued a "correction" to a caption it had printed beneath a picture of Israeli's observing Holocaust Remembrance Day: "The caption on a photograph featuring passengers on a tram in Jerusalem observing a two-minute silence for Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for the 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust, wrongly referred to the city as the Israeli capital. The Guardian style guide states: 'Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel; Tel Aviv is' ". After an official complaint was submitted to the United Kingdom Press Complaints Commission, to the effect that Israel has identified its capital as Jerusalem, the Commission responded, "While it is correct to say that Israel classes Jerusalem as her capital city, this is not recognized by many countries and those nations enjoying diplomatic relations with Israel have their embassies in Tel Aviv. As such, the Commission was of the view that the newspaper was entitled to refer to Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel. There was no breach of the Code in this instance."
After Israel in the 1967 War took the portions of Jerusalem occupied by the Kingdom of Jordan, subsequently annexing them to the city, nations, under pressure from oil-rich Arab countries began quickly to remove their embassies to Tel Aviv. There are presently no embassies in the capital city. Although by an act of Congress, the US Embassy has by law been required to return to Jerusalem, for many years now, no President has chosen after entering office to enforce that law. Although the British Foreign Office did not itself explicitly label Tel Aviv as Israel's capital, its ruling that The Guardian is entitled to call it so is a worrying precedent, perhaps opening a doorway encouraging other media to participate in the delegitimization before the world of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. It is God who "builds up" Jerusalem; it is He who establishes her, and it is He who will one day reign in her midst as the "capital", as it were, of the whole world.
PLEASE PRAY:
- On Jerusalem's behalf to Him who is a righteous "Guardian"-Who strengthens her gates, blesses her children within her, makes peace on her borders, and satisfies her hunger (Psalm 147:13-14).
- On behalf of our individual nations, that God would reveal ways of influence amongst citizens, that their countries will not be set up to be among those for whom Jerusalem becomes a cup of drunkenness, a very heavy stone which seriously incapacitates those who attempt to remove her from her God-given positioning (Zechariah 12:2-3).
- For courage amongst national leaders to honor Israel with the honor afforded other countries of the world, that embassies be located in her declared capital, Jerusalem.
[Source: Prayer Update From Israel (May 30, 2011)
Martin and Norma Sarvis; Jerusalem]
IRAN: MISSILE ATTACKS ON U.S. BASES IN MIDDLE EAST
With the May 23 negotiations in Iraq failing to persuade Iran to give up its illicit nuclear program, Iranian leaders have returned to threats of war - including the provocative statement that their missiles can reach every U.S. military base in the Middle East, and a call to halt all nuclear negotiations with the West.
On Saturday, Iranian Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami threatened that all "enemy" bases in the region are vulnerable to Iranian attack. Wherever you imagine these bases are, they are within the reach of Iranian missiles," he said, according to Fars News Agency, the media outlet run by the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"Today, there is no base in the region lying outside the reach of the Iranian missiles," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said, addressing a ceremony held in honor of Martyr Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the Father of Iran's missile industry.
Also on Saturday, the editor-in-chief of Iran's conservative Keyhan newspaper - which generally reflects the Iranian regime's point of view - penned an editorial calling for a full halt to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.
"After two days of negotiations in Baghdad," Hossein Shariatmadari wrote, "it seems that the negotiations only serve the West and its political need with their current economic problems. The Baghdad negotiations showed that the West has not changed its attitude and still demands its illegal requests regarding Iran's nuclear program."
The Revolutionary Guards have successfully launched ballistic missiles from naval ships, and have stated that they have vessels equipped with long-range ballistic missiles.
The Guards have already mapped out the U.S. bases in the region as part of a wartime contingency plan to disrupt the movement of air and ground forces.
Iran's ballistic missiles can reach targets more than 1,250 miles away, potentially putting U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and parts of other countries within Tehran's firing range. (Contributor: Fars New Agency, Daily Caller)
- Pray for our leaders that they will have the mind of Christ in dealing with this Iranian regime in His way. Pray that the Iranian populous will have the means to rise up and take back their country from this current 12th-Imam-crazed faction before their country is annihilated by world governments poised to destroy them.
- "For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." (Ephesians 6:12)
" . . . so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens." (Ephesians 3:10)
[Reported by: Intercessors for America]
The Good News Corner
Kansas Governor Blocks Use of Foreign (Shariah) Law in State Courts
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a law aimed at keeping the state's courts or government agencies from basing decisions on Islamic or other foreign legal codes.
The new law, taking effect July 1, doesn't specifically mention Shariah law, which broadly refers to codes within the Islamic legal system. Instead, it says courts, administrative agencies or state tribunals can't base rulings on any foreign law or legal system that would not grant the parties the same rights guaranteed by state and U.S. constitutions.
Moslem groups had urged Brownback to veto the measure, arguing that it promotes discrimination. Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, said a court challenge is likely because supporters of the measure frequently expressed concern about Shariah cultic law.
Sharia law and Muhammadanism are totally incompatible with democracy according to their Quran.
1. The Quran discriminates against over 50% of its followers, namely women, who are regarded as 'inferior' to men in many verses of the Quran and Ahadith.
2. A woman's word is not accepted in a Sharia court without other witnesses to corroborate her allegations.
3. In case of rape, a woman would need four male witnesses to the event for her to succeed. Presumably these four witnesses remained onlookers to the crime instead of stopping it.
4. The Quran prohibits all Jews, Christians and unbelievers from being witnesses against a Muhammadan, since their oath has no value.
Any crime, even if a capital one, if committed against an unbeliever cannot carry a death sentence against the perpetrator if he is a Muhammadan, but an unbeliever will be executed for killing a Muhammadan.
6. All unbelievers are less than third class citizens in a Muhammadan country with very limited rights.
7. All unbelievers have numerous rules and regulations which discriminate against them at all times. (The Charter of Umar).
8. It is bereft of the concept of human free will for its followers since they are all - as well as allegedly, the rest of humanity - predestined by Allah, the god of the Quran, to either Paradise or Hell without any ability for personal salvation or redemption.
(Contributor: Associated Press, In The Name of Allah)
(Reported by: Intercessors for America)
- Give thanks to the Lord for righteous leadership. Thank the Lord that there are those in key places of authority who cherish, defend and protect the established laws of the U.S. and will shun all attempts at legitimizing cultic forms of jurisprudence.
- "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16)
Worship with Us Today!
Draw Near
Jeremy Riddle, Bethel Music
Draw near to me for I have drawn near to You
And pull on the strings of my heart for I long to
respond to You
All my love is for You, and all my love is Yours
All my love is for You, and all my love is Yours
Worship Here:
• The Middle East in Focus
• Obama Awards Medal of Freedom
• Land Under Fire
• The Run-Off in Egypt
• The Capital of Israel
• Iran Missile Attacks on U.S. Bases in Middle East
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Wednesday, May 30, 2012
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8a)
The Daily Brief
1. Iran Under Mysterious 'Flame' Cyber Attack - Reuters
Security experts have discovered a highly sophisticated computer virus in Iran and other Middle East countries that they believe was deployed at least five years ago to engage in state-sponsored cyber espionage.
Flame appears poised to go down in history as the third major cyber weapon uncovered after Stuxnet and its data-stealing cousin Duqu, named after the Star Wars villain. Flame can gather data files, remotely change settings on computers, turn on PC microphones to record conversations, take screen shots and log instant messaging chats.
Some experts speculated that the discovery of the virus may have dealt a psychological blow to its victims, on top of whatever damage Flame may have already inflicted to their computers.
- Praise the Lord for this infiltration! Praise the Lord for this remote "intelligence gathering" against nations who have long stated their fierce animosity towards, and destructive plans for, the U.S. and Israel. Praise the Lord for effective cyber weapons that spare the lives of American and Israeli military and civilians. May the effects of Flame stand as a long term effective barrier against enemy plans, in Jesus Name!
- "They will receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. The Lord will terrify them as he destroys all the gods in the land. Then nations around the world will worship the Lord, each in their own land." (Zephaniah 2:10,11)
2. Romney clinches Republican 2012 nomination - Jerusalem Post
Mitt Romney clinched the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday with a resounding victory in Texas and now faces a five-month sprint to convince voters to trust him over Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.
- Heavenly Father, once again we stand in the gap for this country we love, thanking You for the mantle of supplication You have laid upon Your people which stirs us to intercede for America and the coming elections. Our hope is in You Lord! As the election process proceeds, we ask You to overrule the plans of those seeking only their own exaltation, and those whose ideologies work to destroy our 'one nation under God.' We ask You to guide these elections in every detail, exposing fraud, while strengthening and promoting godliness in leadership. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
- " They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." (Malachi 3:17, 18)
3. Holder to brief black pastors on campaign 2012 - Washington Examiner
Attorney General Eric Holder, the IRS, and the liberal lawyers at the ACLU will brief several hundred pastors in the African American community on how to participate in the presidential election -- which the Congressional Black Caucus chair expects will help President Obama's campaign.
The CBC chairman is confident that "President Obama is going to get 95 percent of the [African American] vote," and wants to keep that turnout high. "We want to let them know that there is a theological responsibility to participate in the political process, at least in the Judeo-Christian tradition," he said.
- Dear heavenly Father, we pray that those who call you Lord will be moved by Your Holy Spirit to vote for the candidate who best represents the values put forth in Your Word. We ask that the issue of the shade of a person's skin will cease to be an issue of interest, especially among Christians, for You have created us all as human beings, in Your image. We pray that the candidates' records and positions on abortion will be a prime Christian issue in this election - that Your people will not bloody their own souls by voting for candidates that openly promote abortion, but will vote for those who uphold the value of Life created by You. We pray that these pastors not be swayed by ungodly counsel (Psalm1). In Jesus' Name.
- "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?" (Malachi 2:10) "When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims." (Isaiah 1:15)
4. It's no secret: There are more government secrets than ever - Washington Times
The number of official government secrets rose to its highest level last year, auditors reported Tuesday, even though President Obama promised that his administration would be the most open and transparent in history. U.S. officials created more than 92 million classified documents in fiscal 2011, up from 76.5 million the year before, the Information Security Oversight Office said in its annual report.
- Dear Lord, "transparency" involving 92 Million hidden documents in the course of just one year seems like a grievous aberration. Send Your light into dark dealings which strive to hide information that should be made known. Bring us leadership that operates wisely, in transparent honesty before God and man - in Jesus' Name.
- "Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops." (Luke 12:3)
5. Escape From New York? High-Taxing Empire State Loses 3.4 Million Residents in 10 Years - CNS News
New York State accounted for the biggest migration exodus of any state in the nation between 2000 and 2010, with 3.4 million residents leaving over that period, according to the Tax Foundation.
- Lord the tax burdens placed upon our citizens have become increasingly onerous. We ask You to raise up men and women in leadership who will cease spending money the government doesn't have, and who will institute fair taxation systems. Open the eyes of our citizens to discern which politicians truly have the people's best interests at heart. In Jesus' Name.
- "I will be a swift witness against ... those who exploit wage earners . . . because they do not fear Me, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3: 5; selected portions)
6. House debates bill to ban sex-selective abortions - Fox News
House members launched into a contentious debate Wednesday over a bill that would ban abortions performed on the basis of gender-selection. Though sex-selective abortions are typically thought of as a problem in countries like China, bill author Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., said Democrats and Republicans in the House agree that sex-selection abortions are occurring in the United States.
Under his proposal, physicians who perform sex-selective abortions would face heavy fines and up to five years in jail. The House, after closing out debate late Wednesday afternoon, is expected to vote on the proposal Thursday. It needs a two-thirds majority to pass. Read more.
- We offer praise to the Lord for the bold leadership shown by Congressman Trent Franks in introducing this bill to support life. We ask for the two-thirds majority that will be needed to pass H.R. 3541 when it comes to the House floor for a vote tomorrow. Father God, move upon Your people to stand for LIFE in the Halls of Congress and throughout this great nation. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
- "Male and female He created them." (Gen. 1:27)
"Thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13)
7. Stocks Retreat in Broad, Euro-Fueled Selloff - Fox News
Wall Street pulled back sharply on Wednesday in stark contrast to the big gains seen in the prior session as traders were once again forced to grapple with the specter of the eurozone's debt debacle bleeding into core nations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 161 points . . . Read more.
- The global markets are daily becoming more and more fragile as men seek to rescue the failed economies of Greece and Spain. Without repentance and turning back to God, judgment will soon follow . . . in Europe and in America. Call forth a spirit of genuine humility on the part of the world's leaders in the economic community and elsewhere. Perhaps the Lord will yet show us His mercy, and reveal the way to bring stability back to these financial structures. He does provide.
- "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jer. 33:3)
8. Will Bilderberg meeting be 'occupied'? - WND
Some say it's just an event for the rich and powerful to let their hair down, hear from top policy wonks and schmooze with each other. Others claim it's the place where big decisions are made in secret - decisions with world-shaking consequences. What ever it truly is, the meeting is taking place this week here in the quiet suburbs near Dulles International Airport at the Westfields Marriott Convention Center - the same place it was held four years ago when rumors circulated it was determined there that Barack Obama would be the Democratic presidential nominee, not Hillary Clinton.
- Offer praise that, by coincidence, scores of intercessors over the years have also "occupied" this site, for His glory! Pray that the Blood of the Lamb, shed for all of our sins, would secure this site for His Kingdom purposes once again, and that hearts and lives would be transformed as a result. Pray for a miracle of salvation for each of the Bilderbergs present. Pray!
- "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies . . . The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted." (Psalms 18: 3, 46)
1. As US, Israeli positions diverge, Iran nuke work progresses - Israel Hayom
There are gaps between the positions of the Israeli prime minister and the White House on negotiations with Iran, sources in Jerusalem said on Sunday.
2. Israel breaks silence on Iranian nuclear talks - Ynet News
International nuclear talks with Iran have achieved nothing, a senior Israeli official said on Tuesday, suggesting that some Western nations were happy to see the negotiations drag on.
3. Ehud Barak: If negotiations fail, Israel must consider unilateral withdrawal from West Bank - Haaretz
"We are a coalition of 94 MKs, this is the time to lead a diplomatic process," Barak said Wednesday morning in a speech at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies. "But if it isn't possible to reach a permanent agreement with the Palestinians, we must consider an interim arrangement or even a unilateral move." "We are on borrowed time. We will reach a wall, and we'll pay the price. People who are now in a coma will then ask how we didn't see [this coming]," he added.
Obama Awards Medal of Freedom
Lessons From The Medal Of Freedom Awards
Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to more than a dozen recipients yesterday. It is the highest honor the president can award to a civilian for their service to the United States. But the ceremony also provided two important lessons about this administration.
First, in spite of the tingling in Chris Matthews' leg, this is not the smartest White House in history. The media rejoiced when Obama was elected because he would not embarrass us like that "cowboy" Bush. But Obama seriously offended our ally Poland yesterday when he referred to "Polish death camps" while honoring Jan Karski, who exposed the Nazi concentration camps in Poland. It may seem like a minor slip of the tongue, but Polish officials are furious, and blasting the White House for its "ignorance and incompetence."
Obama's decision to award the Medal of Freedom to Dolores Huerta highlights his ideological extremism. While Obama praised Huerta for her work organizing farm workers, he neglected to mention that she is an admirer of Hugo Chavez and an honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. Huerta also made headlines for saying "Republicans hate Latinos." (Gary Bauer)
Land Under Fire
Dr. Richard Land is a fixture in Washington, D.C. He has been representing the public policy interests of Southern Baptists as president of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission since 1988. Dr. Land is a good friend and has been a stalwart ally in the fight for family, faith and freedom.
In addition to his Washington work, he also hosts a weekly radio show. Recently, Dr. Land commented on the Trayvon Martin case and expressed his outrage at the race baiting antics of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Sensing an opportunity to take down one of the pro-family movement's most influential leaders, the left pounced and accused Land of racism. In addition, charges of plagiarism were made against him.
I've known Richard for years and have always respected him as a man of the utmost character and integrity. It is inconceivable that these charges are true. But they remind me of the attacks on Rush Limbaugh and other conservative leaders, including me. The left never misses an opportunity to try to silence conservative voices, and it goes for the jugular every time. (Gary Bauer)
THE RUN-OFF IN EGYPT
Two weeks ago we wrote of how Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian presidential candidate Dr. Mohamed Mursi, while attending a rally in Cairo, nodded approval as a Moslem cleric called for him to establish an "Islamic Caliphate", a "Capital of the United States of the Arabs," to be located "not in Cairo, Mecca or Medina" but in Jerusalem. We wrote further, "Mursi, as of this writing, is not a front-runner in the polls [in fact, with less than 10% of the vote]; however, given the immense power and influence wielded by the Brotherhood in Egypt, his status could quickly change." Such has in fact proven to be the case-Mursi soared in last week's election to actually receive more votes than any other candidate. He will face Ahmed Shafiq, a former prime minister under Hosni Mubarak, in a runoff in June. A new leader is supposed to be inaugurated by July 3rd.
Since the fall of Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood has gone to great lengths to try and soften its image as a hard-line Islamist group (Gaza's ruling Hamas faction is in fact a branch of the Brotherhood). This continued Tuesday, with its candidate Mursi reaching out to Egypt's Coptic Christians, "Our Christian brothers, let's be clear, are national partners and have full rights like Muslims." He also vowed to respect women's rights to "work in all areas, and to choose the way they dress", promising that there would be "no imposition on women to wear the veil [Islamic covering for women]." This is in marked contrast to his associated Hamas operatives in Bethlehem who have boasted that before it's over there, they will have forced all Christian women there to "wear the veil."
PLEASE PRAY:
- God's mercies over Egypt in the up-coming run-off-that radical Islam and those who would seek to bring a religious Islamic system into rule over Egypt and who would come against God's covenant people and land will not be allowed to gain rulership.
- That the treaty between Egypt and Israel will not be severed.
- For the Christian Body in Egypt.unity in the Holy Spirit, courage and direction, anointed ascending in Praise so as to come into God's strategy and array for the warfare ahead.
- That God's Kingdom come for Egypt.that groundwork in the Body of Messiah continues to be brought into place for the future "Highway" linking Egypt, Israel and Assyria mentioned in Isaiah 19. [Source: Prayer Update From Israel (May 30, 2011) Martin and Norma Sarvis; Jerusalem]
THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL
"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it" (Isaiah 2:2).
"The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel" (Isaiah 60:14).
Recently a British newspaper The Guardian issued a "correction" to a caption it had printed beneath a picture of Israeli's observing Holocaust Remembrance Day: "The caption on a photograph featuring passengers on a tram in Jerusalem observing a two-minute silence for Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for the 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust, wrongly referred to the city as the Israeli capital. The Guardian style guide states: 'Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel; Tel Aviv is' ". After an official complaint was submitted to the United Kingdom Press Complaints Commission, to the effect that Israel has identified its capital as Jerusalem, the Commission responded, "While it is correct to say that Israel classes Jerusalem as her capital city, this is not recognized by many countries and those nations enjoying diplomatic relations with Israel have their embassies in Tel Aviv. As such, the Commission was of the view that the newspaper was entitled to refer to Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel. There was no breach of the Code in this instance."
After Israel in the 1967 War took the portions of Jerusalem occupied by the Kingdom of Jordan, subsequently annexing them to the city, nations, under pressure from oil-rich Arab countries began quickly to remove their embassies to Tel Aviv. There are presently no embassies in the capital city. Although by an act of Congress, the US Embassy has by law been required to return to Jerusalem, for many years now, no President has chosen after entering office to enforce that law. Although the British Foreign Office did not itself explicitly label Tel Aviv as Israel's capital, its ruling that The Guardian is entitled to call it so is a worrying precedent, perhaps opening a doorway encouraging other media to participate in the delegitimization before the world of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. It is God who "builds up" Jerusalem; it is He who establishes her, and it is He who will one day reign in her midst as the "capital", as it were, of the whole world.
PLEASE PRAY:
- On Jerusalem's behalf to Him who is a righteous "Guardian"-Who strengthens her gates, blesses her children within her, makes peace on her borders, and satisfies her hunger (Psalm 147:13-14).
- On behalf of our individual nations, that God would reveal ways of influence amongst citizens, that their countries will not be set up to be among those for whom Jerusalem becomes a cup of drunkenness, a very heavy stone which seriously incapacitates those who attempt to remove her from her God-given positioning (Zechariah 12:2-3).
- For courage amongst national leaders to honor Israel with the honor afforded other countries of the world, that embassies be located in her declared capital, Jerusalem.
[Source: Prayer Update From Israel (May 30, 2011)
Martin and Norma Sarvis; Jerusalem]
IRAN: MISSILE ATTACKS ON U.S. BASES IN MIDDLE EAST
With the May 23 negotiations in Iraq failing to persuade Iran to give up its illicit nuclear program, Iranian leaders have returned to threats of war - including the provocative statement that their missiles can reach every U.S. military base in the Middle East, and a call to halt all nuclear negotiations with the West.
On Saturday, Iranian Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami threatened that all "enemy" bases in the region are vulnerable to Iranian attack. Wherever you imagine these bases are, they are within the reach of Iranian missiles," he said, according to Fars News Agency, the media outlet run by the powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps.
"Today, there is no base in the region lying outside the reach of the Iranian missiles," Brigadier General Hossein Salami said, addressing a ceremony held in honor of Martyr Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the Father of Iran's missile industry.
Also on Saturday, the editor-in-chief of Iran's conservative Keyhan newspaper - which generally reflects the Iranian regime's point of view - penned an editorial calling for a full halt to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.
"After two days of negotiations in Baghdad," Hossein Shariatmadari wrote, "it seems that the negotiations only serve the West and its political need with their current economic problems. The Baghdad negotiations showed that the West has not changed its attitude and still demands its illegal requests regarding Iran's nuclear program."
The Revolutionary Guards have successfully launched ballistic missiles from naval ships, and have stated that they have vessels equipped with long-range ballistic missiles.
The Guards have already mapped out the U.S. bases in the region as part of a wartime contingency plan to disrupt the movement of air and ground forces.
Iran's ballistic missiles can reach targets more than 1,250 miles away, potentially putting U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and parts of other countries within Tehran's firing range. (Contributor: Fars New Agency, Daily Caller)
- Pray for our leaders that they will have the mind of Christ in dealing with this Iranian regime in His way. Pray that the Iranian populous will have the means to rise up and take back their country from this current 12th-Imam-crazed faction before their country is annihilated by world governments poised to destroy them.
- "For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." (Ephesians 6:12)
" . . . so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens." (Ephesians 3:10)
[Reported by: Intercessors for America]
The Good News Corner
Kansas Governor Blocks Use of Foreign (Shariah) Law in State Courts
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a law aimed at keeping the state's courts or government agencies from basing decisions on Islamic or other foreign legal codes.
The new law, taking effect July 1, doesn't specifically mention Shariah law, which broadly refers to codes within the Islamic legal system. Instead, it says courts, administrative agencies or state tribunals can't base rulings on any foreign law or legal system that would not grant the parties the same rights guaranteed by state and U.S. constitutions.
Moslem groups had urged Brownback to veto the measure, arguing that it promotes discrimination. Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, said a court challenge is likely because supporters of the measure frequently expressed concern about Shariah cultic law.
Sharia law and Muhammadanism are totally incompatible with democracy according to their Quran.
1. The Quran discriminates against over 50% of its followers, namely women, who are regarded as 'inferior' to men in many verses of the Quran and Ahadith.
2. A woman's word is not accepted in a Sharia court without other witnesses to corroborate her allegations.
3. In case of rape, a woman would need four male witnesses to the event for her to succeed. Presumably these four witnesses remained onlookers to the crime instead of stopping it.
4. The Quran prohibits all Jews, Christians and unbelievers from being witnesses against a Muhammadan, since their oath has no value.
Any crime, even if a capital one, if committed against an unbeliever cannot carry a death sentence against the perpetrator if he is a Muhammadan, but an unbeliever will be executed for killing a Muhammadan.
6. All unbelievers are less than third class citizens in a Muhammadan country with very limited rights.
7. All unbelievers have numerous rules and regulations which discriminate against them at all times. (The Charter of Umar).
8. It is bereft of the concept of human free will for its followers since they are all - as well as allegedly, the rest of humanity - predestined by Allah, the god of the Quran, to either Paradise or Hell without any ability for personal salvation or redemption.
(Contributor: Associated Press, In The Name of Allah)
(Reported by: Intercessors for America)
- Give thanks to the Lord for righteous leadership. Thank the Lord that there are those in key places of authority who cherish, defend and protect the established laws of the U.S. and will shun all attempts at legitimizing cultic forms of jurisprudence.
- "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16)
Worship with Us Today!
Draw Near
Jeremy Riddle, Bethel Music
Draw near to me for I have drawn near to You
And pull on the strings of my heart for I long to
respond to You
All my love is for You, and all my love is Yours
All my love is for You, and all my love is Yours
Worship Here:
