• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Daily Jot!
• Next Sunday: Call2Fall
• A Message to the Attorney General
• Today's Legislative Focus
• Update: Florida Prayer Case
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief Tuesday, June 26, 2012
"Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:1,2)
The Daily Brief
1. Jimmy Carter Accuses U.S. of 'Widespread Abuse of Human Rights' - ABC News
A former U.S. president is accusing the current president of sanctioning the "widespread abuse of human rights" by authorizing drone strikes to kill suspected terrorists. Jimmy Carter, America's 39 th president, denounced the Obama administration for "clearly violating" 10 of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, writing in a New York Times op-ed on Monday that the "United States is abandoning its role as the global champion of human rights." "Instead of making the world safer, America's violation of international human rights abets our enemies and alienates our friends," Carter wrote. . .
The former president blasted the government for allowing "unprecedented violations of our rights to privacy through warrantless wiretapping and government mining of our electronic communications." He also condemned recent legislation that gives the president the power to detain suspected terrorists indefinitely, although a federal judge blocked the law from taking effect for any suspects not affiliated with the September 11 terrorist attacks. "This law violates the right to freedom of expression and to be presumed innocent until proved guilty, two other rights enshrined in the declaration," Carter said. While Carter never mentioned Obama by name, he called out "our government" and "the highest authorities in Washington," and urged "concerned citizens" to "persuade Washington to reverse course and regain moral leadership." Read more.
- Lord, we thank You for this report, as a former president is now challenging the sitting president on a policy that may endanger our own rights as free citizens. We pray that this report would be noted by those who have authority to make policy changes, and that they be given wisdom in doing so. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
- "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel." (Proverbs 12:15)
2. Iraq orders closure of 44 media outlets - Reuters
An Iraqi regulatory body has ordered the closure of 44 media outlets in the country including the BBC and Voice of America in a dispute over broadcast licenses, sources with knowledge of the order said on Sunday, but no action has yet been taken. Other organizations targeted for shutdown include privately-owned local TV channels Sharqiya and Baghdadia as well as U.S.-financed Radio Sawa.
- Lord, we pray that these orders to shut down media sources in Iraq be reversed. We pray that truth would be able to be broadcast and heard. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
- "Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:37)
3. Spain formally requests a bailout for its banks - BBC
Spain has formally requested a bailout loan for its banking sector from its eurozone partners. Eurozone countries have agreed to lend up to 100bn euros ($125bn; £80bn). No specific figures were given for the emergency loans, although independent audits last week said that the banks would need up to 62bn euros to stabilize themselves.
- Lord, we pray for Spain and that they would look to You for their provision and as they grow to love You that provision would then come to the people. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. - "May they prosper who love you." (Psalm 122 6)
4. Putin arrives in Israel to discuss Iran, Syria - Jerusalem Post
With the Muslim Brotherhood now in charge in Egypt and Syria in flames, Russian President Vladimir Putin makes his first visit to the volatile region on Monday since becoming president again in May, with a quick two-day journey to Israel and Jordan.. . The focus of the Netanyahu - Putin talks is expected to be on Iran and Syria, where the two countries have wide differences of opinion.
- Lord, we pray for wisdom and discernment for Israel's leader in dealing with Putin and Russia, Iran, Syria and Egypt. We pray Israel will come to rely on You Lord and not the leadership of any of these countries. In the name of Jesus, the Messiah, we stand in the gap for Israel. Amen.
- "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
5. Morsy: I will work to expand bilateral ties with Iran - Jerusalem Post
Egyptian President-elect Mohammed Morsy is looking to expand ties with Tehran to create a strategic "balance" in the region, according to an interview with Iran's semi-official Fars news agency published Monday. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been severed for more than 30 years, but both sides have signaled a shift in policy since former president Hosni Mubarak was overthrown last year in a popular uprising.
- Lord, many of us are not surprised by this report of Morsy looking to expand ties with Tehran. We know there is great turmoil in the region because of their separation from You and their belief in a false religion. Lord, we pray that these leaders and countries will see the Light. We also pray for ourselves, that we will stand stong in these times and when hearing these reports. In the name of Jesus, the Light of the world, we pray. Amen.
- "And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." (2 Chronicles 15:5-7)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:4)
1. US and Israel to hold largest ever joint military exercise - Times of Israel
Israel and the US are set to hold their largest ever joint military exercise in October, featuring thousands of soldiers and advanced anti-missile defense systems, and simulating simultaneous fire from Iran and Syria.
2. Putin: Don't rush to strike Iran - Ynet News
President Vladimir Putin expressed his reservations over the prospect of a military strike in Iran, urging Israel Monday to learn from negative US experience in Afghanistan and Iraq.
3. U.S., Israel continue preparations for strike on Iran nuclear facilities - Ha'aretz
Israel and the U.S. are pushing forward with preparations to jointly strike Iran's nuclear facilities, the U.S. blog Business Insider reported on Saturday.
The Daily Jot!
White House and [Moslem] Brotherhood advance Ezekiel 38 prophecy clock
The organization that vows a "Civilization Jihad" in the United States to destroy its "miserable house" has toppled the Egyptian government by winning the presidential election and the vast working majority of seats in the country's parliament--all with the help of the man who occupies the Oval Office. In fact, the White House even issued a public statement after [Obama] called with congratulations. The White House issued this statement: "We look forward to working together with President-elect [Mohamed] Morsi and the government he forms, on the basis of mutual respect, to advance the many shared interests between Egypt and the United States."
The statement continued, "We believe it is essential for the Egyptian government to continue to fulfill Egypt's role as a pillar of regional peace, security, and stability. And we will stand with the Egyptian people as they pursue their aspirations for democracy, dignity, and opportunity, and fulfill the promise of their revolution." Just to put things in perspective on the international scene, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement that Israel looks forward to "continuing cooperation with the Egyptian government on the basis of the peace treaty between the two countries." He also said that he appreciated the democratic process and "respects" the results of the presidential election.
The Prime Minister of the terrorist group Hamas phoned Morsi to congratulate him on becoming the first Islamist president of Egypt. Ismail Haniyeh was quoted by CBC as saying, "This is a victory for all Arabs and Muslims, and this is Allah's promise to his believers." During the campaign, Morsi promised to institute Islamic law. One of his chief supporters, Islamic cleric Safwat el-hegazy, called for an Islamic superstate across the Middle East with Jerusalem as its capital. It is reported that Safwat made the statement during a rally at which Morsi was present and that Morsi did not refute the claim. The Muslim Brotherhood's main goal is to reestablish the Islamic Caliphate that was dismantled in 1922 in Turkey.
The US president joined known terrorists in calling to congratulate an Islamist win by yet another terrorist group. The Israeli Prime Minister issued a very cautious statement. What a contrast! Working with the Muslim Brotherhood, the US president has helped further the goals of a Caliphate across the Northern tier of Africa and the Middle East--Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and is working on Syria. Joined with the George W. Bush Caliphate support of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Gaza, there are very few countries left to come under strict Islamic control--Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, for example. And Turkey is fast leaning Islamic. Ezekiel 38:9 says, "Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm..." We are watching how those forces reach "storm" power.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Next Sunday: Call2Fall
Dear Praying Friends and Leaders,
Call2Fall 2012, is less than one week away - Sunday July 1st.
Pastors across America will lead their congregations to take at least five minutes on their knees together in humble, repentant prayer, to acknowledge America's dependence upon Almighty God - before we celebrate our nation's independence three days later on the 4th of July.
Christians everywhere are invited to join in this important time of prayer. Well over a million believers are planning to participate.
A host of resources are available for pastors, churches and individuals at www.Call2Fall.com. But with just one week before Sunday July 1, I'm writing everyone on my personal list to ask you please: 1) to sign up yourself, and 2) to enlist friends and relatives, who may not know about Call2Fall. All the details are on the Website.
Email your pastor and circle of Christian friends urge them to join us. Post Call2Fall.com on your Facebook page. You'll find lots of things you can use on our website: banners, videos, blogs, quotes, resources for individual participants and resources for pastors, guides for conducting Biblical solemn assemblies and much more. Every page has valuable nuggets, perfect for posting.
Please forward Tony Perkin's letter. Or ask your Facebook friends to watch Tony's short video.
May God use each and all of us together to set a pattern of humble, repentant prayer for the days ahead (2 Chr 7:14). Jesus Christ is our nation's Hope! By falling on our knees in prayer next Sunday, we will help launch what is hoped will be the most prayer-filled summer in modern history, with hundreds of church and para-church groups planning fasts and weeks of prayer leading up to November's Election.
May God hear and answer our heartfelt prayers!
For Faith in Christ, Family and Freedom,
Rev. Pierre Bynum
Chaplain & National Prayer Director
Email: pbynum@frc.org
" . . . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
A Message to the Attorney General
Video: Keep America Free, Mr. Eric Holder
Herman Cain and Ken Blackwell join forces to protect your vote. Voter ID laws offer a "reasonable safeguard" to protect against voter fraud and ballot-box stuffing.
To view the concerns of Herman Cain and Ken Blackwell and their message to Eric Holder, go here.
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
The Week of June 25-June 29
Fellow conservative patriots,
All eyes are on the Supreme Court this week as it is expected to issue its ruling on Obamacare this Thursday. There will also be much punditry over the SCOTUS ruling in favor of Arizona on the main provision of the law, but against the state on some of the other provisions. Our job is to keep up the pressure on Congress in case some bad legislation is passed when nobody is looking.
For Liberty.
The Honorable Jim Ryun
Chairman of the Madison Project
Issue One: Highway Bill (S.1813)
The latest highway bill extension expires next Sunday night, so we must be on high alert to ensure that the conference committee fails. Republicans on the committee are getting ready to cave and support a massive bill that will create a permanent deficit in the highway trust fund and preclude devolution of transportation authority to where it belongs - the states. Too many Republicans are telegraphing the message to Democrats that they'd be willing to accept this mega-bill, as long as it contains a provision to permit the construction of Keystone XL. We must not let them deflect attention away from the serious problems in the underlying bill. Here is a list of talking points you can use when discussing your opposition to the bill with your member of Congress.
It's important to note that in order for House Republicans to fulfill their pledge not to vote on a bill before it had been available for 72 hours, they will have to formalize the agreement and post it by Tuesday. If no such agreement exists by then, we must oppose any long-term extension - not just on policy grounds, but as a violation of the transparency reforms. Again, a short-term extension is not ideal, but it is better than a long-term bill that precludes us from initiating reforms for several years.
Issue Two: Student Loans
Siren! Capitulation Alert! Republicans are getting ready to agree to continue subsidized Stafford student loans, thereby continuing to fuel the education bubble and fund Big Education.
On April 27, House Republicans passed a one-year extension (HR 4628) of the 2007 law that reduced interest on government subsidized Stafford loans from 6.8% to 3.4%. The $6 billion cost was offset by eliminating an Obamacare program aimed at public health and prevention. On May 8 and May 24, the Democrats in the Senate pushed a similar bill (S.2343), but Republicans blocked it because it paid for the extension with tax increases on S corporations.
The reduced interest rates on Stafford loans was supposed to be temporary at the time, but like every dependency program in Washington, politicians are trying to make it permanent. Instead of articulating a bold contrast and opposing the extension on its merits (it will help fuel the education bubble), Republicans are about to cut a deal. With the expiration of the student loans set for July 1, and Mitt Romney wholeheartedly supporting this inflation-inducing policy, Republicans are eager to cut a deal. Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid have been in negotiations all week. The most likely outcome is that they will agree to extend it without tax increases, but without real spending offsets. Moreover, even if they agree upon spending cuts to offset the cost to the government, they will never factor in the cost to the free market. These subsidized loans will continue fueling the education bubble, making it more difficult for anyone who wants to go to college without government subsidies.
What is even more cynical about this extension is that, despite the duplicitous rhetoric to the contrary, the impending increase in loan rates would not affect any current borrower. It would only apply to those taking out new loans this year. Furthermore, it would only save borrowers $7 a month, even though the macroeconomic cost (taxpayers and free market) would be enormous.
This will be an uphill battle as the House and Senate will probably vote on a bill (pending final negotiations) this week without much warning. The loan extension will pass Congress, so the best we can do is to take names. And that is something we intend to do at ConservativeVotingRecords.com.
Update: Florida Prayer Case
FRC, 13 Members of Congress Submit Amicus Brief in Florida Prayer Case
June 26, 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council (FRC) and 13 Members of Congress submitted a brief of amicus curiae in the case Atheists of Florida v. City of Lakeland at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. The brief argues that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals should throw out the case because it lacks jurisdiction to take it.
The case involves a Lakeland city commission meeting. Atheists of Florida filed a lawsuit to prevent vocal prayer at the start of each of the commission's meetings. City officials had been inviting clergy from various religions and denominations to offer the invocation, consistent with an 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing prayer in public meetings.
Of the case, Ken Klukowski, J.D., director of FRC's Center for Religious Liberty, said:
"Prayers are offered before the opening of every session of Congress, and also open virtually every state legislature and local governmental body meeting as well. This practice began early in our Republic's history. Those Americans who adopted the First Amendment understood that it did not prohibit the very prayers that began their deliberations.
"Prayers during public meetings do not violate the Establishment Clause. The Supreme Court has settled that issue, consistent with American law and history. "Where a court has no jurisdiction, it has no constitutional power to declare the law. That is the case in Atheists of Florida v. City of Lakeland. Therefore, the Court of Appeals should vacate the lower court's judgment and dismiss the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
"If the Court decides to take the case, the Lakeland city commission has acted in accordance with the Constitution, and the city should retain the ability to allow prayer at the beginning of meetings. "We thank Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) for taking the lead on this important case, along with the other Members of Congress who joined us in filing this brief."
To read FRC's amicus brief in the case, click here: (Family Research Council)
The Good News Corner
Redeeming Hollywood One Script at a Time
Faith-based screenwriting competition sees more winners go into production.
Hollywood, CA)-More Hollywood producers and studios are flocking to the faith-based winners of the Annual $50,000 Kairos Prizes for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays by Beginning and First-Time Screenwriters.
According to a news release from Movieguide®, the first Grand Prize winner, JOHN THE REVELATOR, was released in January 2011 on DVD as JOHNNY. Three more Kairos winners went into production recently, including TOUCHED (retitled A SEASON OF MIRACLES) by Rusty Whitener, A MATTER OF TIME by Christina Denton, and UNDER THE APPLE TREE, a romantic comedy with Christian values, by Matthew Hill and Landon Johnson.
Michael Trent, manager of the Kairos Prize competition, said three other winners are scheduled to go into production before the end of the year.
"This is a tremendous achievement," said Dr. Ted Baehr, co-founder of the competition and publisher of Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment. "It usually takes nine to 13 years on average for a script to be produced into a movie."
"God really seems to have His fingerprints on this competition," Trent added. "I'm excited to see what's coming next. . . . "Great movies are great stories well told, have a positive worldview, and are morally or spiritually inspiring," Dr. Baehr noted.
Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation headquartered just outside Philadelphia, the Annual Kairos Prizes (now in their eighth year) reward the three best scripts that "greatly increase humanity's love or understanding of God."
(Assist News Service) Read more. Reported by: Breaking Christian News
Worship with Us Today!
Spirit and Truth by Shira of Shirasong.com
"I worship You in spirit and in truth."
A simple song, based on John 4:23.
