On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XIX, Number 14a
June 4 - 8, 2012
" . . . be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you,
one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
News from Israel
1. KNESSET MARKS JERUSALEM DAY
2. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHONE BLUE AND WHITE FOR ISRAEL PARADE
3. SHIN BET EXPOSES TERROR CELL PLANNING TO KIDNAP ISRAELIS
4. CLOSE TO 65,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL, ARMY SAYS
5. TURKEY DITCHES SYRIAN REBELS: BODES ILL FOR ISRAEL
6. TURKEY INDICTS TOP FORMER ISRAELI COMMANDERS
7. FLAME VIRUS AIMS TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE
8. P.M. NETANYAHU CONDEMNS SYRIA MASSACRE
9. MK KATZELEH: BEIT EL SETTLEMENT DEMOLITION A PLOT TO TOPPLE NETANYAHU
10. ISRAEL TAKES BACK PROMISE TO OBAMA NOT TO ATTACK IRAN UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION
1. KNESSET MARKS JERUSALEM DAY
The Knesset [Parliament] plenum on Monday [May 20] convened a special session to mark Jerusalem Day, which was celebrated on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin addressed the plenum during the event.
The prime minister came to the defense of visionary of the state Theodor Herzl, saying "he foresaw the problem and the solution, but he didn't give up on Zion. He raised his right hand and said - If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. Today we are raising our hand with the same oath. We are taking an oath for a built-up Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel," he said.
"Jewish history has changed forever: the divided city has been united and will stay that way. Our generation has a great privilege of witnessing the realization of the words of the prophets. It is up to our generation to secure this change for generations to come." (By Moran Azulay, Ynetnews, May 21, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that Netanyahu's eloquent words about a united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel be heard and embraced by the international community.
- "Thus says the LORD: 'I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain." (Zechariah 8:3)
2. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHONE BLUE AND WHITE FOR ISRAEL PARADE
The Empire State Building in New York City was all lit up in blue and white in honor of the Israeli flag to mark the June 3 Israel Day Parade, as hundreds of thousands celebrated and took pride in the 64th anniversary of the modern State of Israel. The event was to be attended by an Israeli delegation including Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein and Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom.
"We are proud to be the major supporter of what is the largest annual pro-Israel event outside the Jewish State itself," said John S. Ruskay, Executive Vice President of the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York. Rachel Hirshfeld - Israel National News
- May all who attended this parade celebrating Your special land of Israel on its 64th anniversary as a modern state, be filled with Your joy. For having a mixture of both Christians and Jews celebrating together, we thank you Abba Father. In Jesus' Name, Amen & Amen.
- " Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you." (Psalm 122 :6)
3. SHIN BET EXPOSES TERROR CELL PLANNING TO KIDNAP ISRAELIS
The Shin Bet [Israel internal security] has recently thwarted a terror group's attempt to abduct Israeli citizens. According to information released Tuesday [May 29], the Israel Security Agency (ISA) foiled an attempt by a terror group calling itself the "Holy Warriors Brigades," whose members planned to kidnap Israelis and use them as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The group's operatives are from Hebron and the Gaza Strip. The ISA suspects that the operation, which was partially planned from behind prison walls, was meant to mitigate the life sentences being served by some of the terror group's members.
The Shin Bet said that "The Holy Warriors Brigades" have been involved in several terror attacks against Israeli targets over the past few years, including RGP fire at Israel Defense Forces troops, planting roadside bombs and explosives near the security fence and firing rockets at Israeli communities. (Yoav Zitun, Ynetnew, May 29, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Praise the Lord that this terrorist plot was discovered and thwarted. Pray that the Lord will continue to give Israel's security organizations wisdom, and inside information, as they work to keep Israelis safe from terror.
- "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD." (Proverbs 21:30)
4. CLOSE TO 65,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL, ARMY SAYS
Nearly 65,000 missiles and rockets are targeted at Israel, nearly all of them in the arsenal of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbollah, while the most deadly are based in Syria and Iran. Brig. Gen. Itay Baron, head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence research section, told the Knesset [Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday [May 22] that Syria and Iran have some 3,500 missiles aimed at Israel.
Baron said Iran has an arsenal of 450 missiles in striking distance of Israel while Syria has 3,000 rockets and missiles in ranges from 70 to 700 kilometers (43 to 430 miles). In separate remarks, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Naveh said at a conference that Hizbollah is armed with some 60,000 rockets and missiles, 10 times what it had at the time of the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Baron said Hizbollah and Syria, as well as the Gaza Strip-based Hamas movement, hope to overcome Israel's military and technological superiority by targeting its civilian population. (By The Media Line, May 24, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that the Lord will protect every border of the nation of Israel, including the skies overhead, from any kind of rocket or missile attack. Pray that every one of these 65,000 missiles will simply not function if Israel's enemies attempt to launch them.
- "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth; that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me." (Psalm 108:5-6)
5. TURKEY DITCHES SYRIAN REBELS: WILL ISRAEL ATTACK HIZBALLAH'S SCUDS?
Two radical developments arising from the Syrian conflict are revealed by debkafile: In an astonishing about face, Turkey has abandoned its 14-month support for the Syrian revolt alongside the West and made common cause with Russia, i.e. Bashar Assad,.further exacerbating fears of a "proxy war" involving Israel, Iran and Syria. The Lebanese Hizballah is preparing to transfer its Scud D missiles, (ground to ground missiles) capable of hitting any point in Israel, from Syria to Lebanon. Israel has threatened to stop their crossing by force. (DEBKAfile)
- O, Lord of Hosts, we plead with You to not allow the use of these missiles against Israel. By Your Hand, send these missiles back to the country from which the Scuds originated. We pray these countries that would destroy Israel come to realize that they have come under the curse You made in Genesis 12:3. Pray also for Turkey to allow the refugees from Syria to continue to seek safety in Turkey. We bless You , O, Lord, for placing a strong desire within the Israelis to protect their nation.
- "Assign me godliness and integrity as my bodyguards, for I expect You to protect me and to ransom Israel from all her troubles." (Psalm 25: 21,22)
6. TURKEY INDICTS TOP FORMER ISRAELI COMMANDERS
Turkish prosecutor issued indictment seeking life sentences for four former Israeli military commanders over their alleged involvement in the 2010 killing of nine Turks on the Mavi Marmara, a Gaza-bound ship, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reported on Wednesday [May 23]. Israeli commandos blocked the ship as it attempted to break a naval blockade on Gaza. The incident led to a severe deterioration in the relationship between the once close allies.
Sabah reported that the indictments named Israel's former Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, former Military Intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, former Navy commander Adm. Eliezer Marom and former head of air force intelligence Brig.-Gen. Avishai Levi. Yadlin dismissed the move, saying on Israel Radio an international inquiry had exculpated Israel. The move comes as Israel has been trying to improve ties with Istanbul. (By the Media Line, May 27, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that this ludicrous action on the part of the Turkish legal community be exposed for the political nonsense that it is. Pray that Israel's ties with Turkey be strengthened for the good of both nations and the region.
- "The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy." (Proverbs 12:19-20)
7. FLAME VIRUS AIMS TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE
Iranian authorities have admitted that malicious software dubbed Flame has attacked it and instructed to run an urgent inspection of all computer systems in the country. While no one knows who is behind "the most sophisticated virus of all times," the bottom line, computer experts say, is that only a state could have developed such a complex virus. According to Ben Yisrael, while the source of the software is unknown, "its aim is clear - collecting intelligence." The professor added that the spyware acts like a worm, jumping from one computer to another, and that it is impossible to locate the destination of the data that was copied. Both Flame and Stuxnet appear to infect machines by exploiting the same flaw in the Windows operating system and employ a similar way of spreading. That means the teams that built Stuxnet and Duqu might have had access to the same technology as the team that built Flame. (By Yoav Zeitun, Ynetnews, May 29, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that the Lord will protect the computer systems of the nation of Israel-and her allies- from this and other intelligence gathering malware, keeping classified information safe from falling into the wrong hands.
- "Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted." (Psalm 140:8)
8. P.M. NETANYAHU CONDEMNS SYRIA MASSACRE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "the ongoing massacre" of civilians in Syria.In a statement released Sunday evening, Netanyahu addressed the massacre over the weekend in the Syrian village of Houla that left an estimated 108 civilians dead, including at least 30 children. Netanyahu expressed his "revulsion over the ongoing massacre being perpetrated by the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad against innocent civilians, which continued over the weekend in Houla and included dozens of innocent children."
"Iran and Hezbollah are an inseparable part of the Syrian atrocities and the world needs to act against them," the prime minister leader was quoted as saying in the statement released by his office. It is reportedly the first time that Netanyahu has addressed atrocities in Syria since the uprising in the country began more than a year ago.(JTA; May 28, 2012) Read more.
- The world must take action soon to end this inhumane brutality and the continued destabilization of the Middle East. Offer praise for the strong stand that Israel is taking against these atrocities in Syria. Lift up Prime Minister Netanyahu and his administration, that they will know God's wisdom in responding to this crisis on their northern border. Amen.
- "And of the children of Issachar, who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were under their command." (I Chronicles 12:32)
9. MK KATZELEH: BEIT EL SETTLEMENT DEMOLITION A PLOT TO TOPPLE NETANYAHU
The real reasoning behind plans to demolish Israeli homes in the Beit El settlement is a plan to topple Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, MK Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, head of the Ichud Leumi/National Union Party, said Sunday. MK Katz, an IDF veteran and founding resident of the West Bank Beit El settlement that includes the Ulpana neighborhood slated for destruction, responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's statement this Sunday opposing the Israeli settlement related Regulation Bill due to concerns over the legal ramifications and response from the international community. Israel's proposed Regulation Law, scheduled for a vote this Wednesday, is designed to stop the demolition of Israeli settlements.
Ketzaleh said: "There are two people who have a bad influence on the Prime Minister and want him to fail. The first is state secretary Tzvika Hauser, who has crossed all the red lines and sides with Peace Now and Yesh Din, a human rights group, who want to demolish 9,000 homes in Judea and Samaria." The second is Defense Minister Ehud Barak, he said. "Barak knows that his time in office is over, and wants to bring Netanyahu down," Ketzaleh said. He added, "I'm sure that if the Regulation Law falls on Wednesday - as the far-left Hauser and Barak want - Netanyahu will fall from power due to the destruction it will bring on thousands of people in Judea and Samaria."
The Regulation Law would stop the widespread use of home demolition to deal with Palestinian Authority claims to ownership of land within Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria. Instead of demolition, the law would provide those who can prove ownership with financial compensation. The law would apply to Area C - parts of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli control.
Ketzaleh called on members of Netanyahu's government to fight back. "The ministers' support for the [Regulation] bill will save Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and will save the people of Israel from civil war and destruction," he urged. He warned them not to be persuaded by Netanyahu's suggestion to move the homes. "We looked into it, and it's impossible to 'move' the buildings," he said. "They will be torn down to the very foundations." (Israel National News) Read more.
- Heavenly Father, the West Bank Beit El settlement is said to be built upon the site where You gave Jacob his dream of the angels ascending and descending a ladder to Heaven. We can't help but think that because this is a blessed site of heavenly vision, that it is why there is so much contention and violence directed toward this and other Israeli settlements. . . Both from government and judicial officials, who should be protecting fellow Israelis; and from leftist one-world organizations, officials and celebrities.
Father, we ask that PM Netanyahu's decision about the Regulation Law will be changed and that his mind will be cleared of any confusion and attack from the evil one. Please remove liars from his counsel and from Israeli governance and jurisprudence. We pray that Your promise of the land of Israel given to Your people, and described in Joshua 1: 3-4 will come true. We pray that the vision of the Israeli settlers to claim this land, and confirmed by this Scripture, will come true and that no man shall prevent it! In Yeshua Ha Mashiach's Name and for His glory we pray this. Amen.
- "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory." (Joshua 1: 3-4 NKJV)
10. ISRAEL TAKES BACK PROMISE TO OBAMA NOT TO ATTACK IRAN UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION
Sources from inside Washington, DC are telling the international media that Israeli leadership is upset with US President Barack Obama's handling of Iran's alleged nuclear threat and may take military action before the November election.
The Debka news agency quotes sources from America's capital that say Israel has withdrawn its earlier promise to avoid striking Iran before the upcoming US presidential election this fall. The reason, reports Debka, heavily revolves around President Obama's refusal to side with Israel's demands in dealing with the rumored emerging threat of a nuclear program in Iran.
Previously, authorities in Israel told the White House that they would refrain from striking Iran until after Election Day as to avoid marring the race by possibly involving the US in an international war. Because President Obama has not put his foot down on Iran's alleged nuclear warhead procurement plan, Israeli officials are not reportedly willing to attack at any moment.
"There is no need to tell us what to do, and we have no reason to panic. Israel is very, very strong, but we do know that the Iranians are accomplished chess players and will try to achieve nuclear capabilities,"
reads a translated statement from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak delivered this week in Hebrew. "Our position has not changed. The world must stop Iran from becoming nuclear. All options remain on the table." (RT News)
Read more.
- Father, only You know all the schemes and plans of Iran. We pray Your wisdom and timing in these decisions of attacking Iran. We pray protection over Israel and all the surrounding countries in that area. Give direction to Israel in protecting itself. May You guide them with Your eye upon them. In Jesus Name.
- A man's heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.(Proverbs 16:9) World English Bible
More International News
1. WHITE HOUSE SAYS OBAMA 'MISSPOKE"' AFTER POLES DEMAND APOLOGY OVER 'POLISH DEATH CAMP REMARK
2. OFFICIALS SAY US DRONE STRIKE KILLS 10 SUSPECTED MILITANTS
3. RUSSIA VOTES AGAINST UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA, BACKS ASSAD CLAIM THAT REBELS BEHIND MASSACRE
4. PUTIN TO MEET IRAN'S AHMADINEJAD IN CHINA
5. PROTESTS HEAT UP AFTER MUBARAK GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
1. WHITE HOUSE SAYS OBAMA 'MISSPOKE"' AFTER POLES DEMAND APOLOGY OVER 'POLISH DEATH CAMP REMARK
The White House said Obama misspoke on Tuesday when he referred to a "Polish death camp" while honoring a Polish war hero. The president's remark had drawn immediate complaints from Poles who said Obama should have called it a "German death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland," to distinguish the perpetrators from the location. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski called it a matter of "ignorance and incompetence."
Obama made the comment while awarding the Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski, a resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. Karski died in 2000. During an East Room ceremony honoring 13 Medal of Freedom recipients, Obama said that Karski "served as a courier for the Polish resistance during the darkest days of World War II. Before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that Jews were being murdered on a massive scale and smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto and a Polish death camp to see for himself. Jan took that information to President Franklin Roosevelt, giving one of the first accounts of the Holocaust and imploring to the world to take action."
Sikorski tweeted that the White House would apologize for "this outrageous error" and that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk would address the matter on Wednesday. "It's a pity that such a dignified ceremony was overshadowed by ignorance and incompetence." Alex Storozynski, president of the Kosciuszko Foundation, said Obama's comment "shocked the Poles present at the White House and those watching on C-SPAN. ... Karski would have cringed if he heard this." National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "The president misspoke. He was referring to Nazi death camps in Poland. We regret this misstatement, which should not detract from the clear intention to honor Mr. Karski and those brave citizens who stood on the side of human dignity in the face of tyranny." (Fox News) Read more:
- Pray that Mr. Obama makes no more errors about history, or puts historical facts into the wrong phrasing. The Poles hated the Nazis, who cruelly abused and killed many Poles during WWII. Probably the faith of the Poles allowed them to keep up their resistance, and we should be grateful to the Lord for the spiritual strength He gave them to endure their fate during the war.
- Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person." ( Psalm 31: 23)
2. OFFICIALS SAY US DRONE STRIKE KILLS 10 SUSPECTED MILITANTS
An American drone strike in the frontier tribal areas of Pakistan killed 10 suspected militants Sunday, Pakistani officials said. It was sixth such strike in two weeks as the U.S. pushes ahead with its drone campaign in the face of Pakistani demands to stop. The continued attacks emphasize the importance the U.S. government puts on the drone campaign, which it considers to be a vital tool in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Two Pakistani intelligence officials say four missiles were fired at targets in the village of Mana Raghzai in South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan on Sunday morning. At the time of the attack, suspected militants were gathered to offer condolences to the brother of a militant commander killed during another American unmanned drone attack on Saturday. The brother was one of those who died in the Sunday morning strike. The Pakistani officials said two of the dead were foreigners, and the rest were Pakistani. The American drone campaign has been a source of deep frustration and tension between the U.S. and Pakistan. .Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. stepped up its drone campaign in the border areas as a way to combat Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters who were using Pakistan as a base for attacks against American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. However, the number of drone attacks has eased in recent years.
Secretly, many Pakistani military commanders are believed to support the drone campaign. But among the Pakistani public, where the U.S. is viewed with mistrust, the drone strikes are considered an affront to the nation's sovereignty. The Pakistani government and parliament have repeatedly asked the U.S. to stop the drone strikes.
The ongoing attacks are also complicating efforts for the U.S. and Pakistan to come to an agreement over reopening the supply routes to NATO and American forces in Afghanistan. American airstrikes inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, prompting Islamabad to block U.S. and NATO supply lines running through its territory. Pakistan has demanded an apology over the raid and an end to drone strikes as a precursor to reopening the supply lines. But the U.S. has shown no intention of ending the attacks. (AP)
Read more:
- Pray for wisdom in the use of the drones. Praise the Lord also for His giving us the technology for such weaponry that saves US military lives. The terrorists should fear our drones, and any other weapons to bring them to their knees in surrender. Their ways are cruel to their victims, but when they are hurt, they cry "Foul"! The drones are quite expensive to build, but the loss of one cannot replace the value of one American. Pray for the safe protection of the Pakistani Christians, and for the salvation in Jesus Christ of the many Moslems living there. Finally, place a line of the Blood of the Lamb around these drones, that they not be used against American citizens on our own soil, ever.
- " Good men will never be displaced, but the wicked will have no footing in the land." (Proverbs 10: 30) Moffett's Translation
3. RUSSIA VOTES AGAINST UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA, BACKS ASSAD CLAIM THAT REBELS BEHIND MASSACRE
The U.N.'s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly Friday to condemn Syria over the slaughter of more than 100 civilians last week, but Damascus appeared impervious to the crescendo of global condemnation following a string of horrific massacres. Syria's most important ally and protector, Russia, voted against the measure by the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Russia has refused to support any move that could lead to foreign intervention in Syria, Moscow's last significant ally in the Middle East. Russia, along with China, has twice used its veto power to shield Syria from U.N. sanctions. A majority of countries in the 47-nation rights council supported a U.S.- and Arab-led resolution condemning the "outrageous use of force against the civilian population" in Houla. Evidence from U.N. observers and independent witnesses confirmed that security forces shelled Houla and that "government militia then went house to house slaughtering entire families without compassion or mercy." Only Russia, China and Cuba voted against the resolution, with Uganda and Ecuador abstaining. The Philippines was absent.
Activists say as many as 13,000 people have died in Assad's crackdown against the anti-government uprising, which began in March 2011 amid the Arab Spring. One year after the revolt began, the U.N. put the toll at 9,000, but many hundreds more have died since. New bloodshed was reported across Syria on Friday, with troops firing on protesters and more execution-style killings coming to light, while U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan urged Syrian President Bashar Assad once again to stop the violence.
Despite the relentless violence, the Houla massacre stands out for its sheer brutality. Many of the dead were women and children who were gunned down in their homes. Since then, two other mass killings were reported, both on Thursday. Thirteen bound corpses, many apparently shot execution-style, were found in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, near the Iraqi border. Gunmen also killed 11 people on their way to work at a state-owned fertilizer factory in the central province of Homs, activists said.
Del Buey, the U.N. deputy spokesman, said 210 detainees in Damascus and 13 in Daraa were released Thursday in the presence of U.N. military observers. He stressed that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Annan "have said repeatedly we must see the release of all detainees being arbitrarily held and that clearly many more must be released." (AP)
Read more:
- Decree that violence in Syria will stop. Decree that the lying by the Assad regime will stop. Ask the Lord to reveal exactly what the regime is afraid of. Break the tie between Syria and Russia, a tie that has lasted now for at least 3 decades. Of course, Russia wants naval ports on the Mediterranean Sea, and Syria wants the protection of Russia. Ask the Lord to name the demonic tie between the two countries. Pray for the safety of the Syrian Christians and the salvation of the Moslems.
- "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalm 34: 14,16)
4. PUTIN TO MEET IRAN'S AHMADINEJAD IN CHINA
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing next week as tensions rise over Tehran's nuclear drive, a Kremlin official said. "Meeting Ahmadinejad will let Putin personally feel the tension around the Iranian issue and how it is perceived in Tehran," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters last week in comments that were embargoed for release until Sunday.
The meeting will come as Russia prepares to host the latest round of talks on June 18 and 19 between world powers and Iranian negotiators in a bid to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. The Moscow talks will follow a meeting last month in Baghdad where the six world powers -- the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany -- confronted Tehran over its intention to enrich uranium despite fears it was building a nuclear bomb. The talks achieved little in two days of intense discussions besides setting up the next meeting in Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly warned against using military action against Iran -- an option never ruled out by Israel or the United States -- and said that this could cause a catastrophe in the Middle East. Putin will meet Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. He is also scheduled to speak with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai in a bilateral meeting.
The meeting with Ahmadinejad will be Putin's first since his return to the Kremlin for a third term after a four-year stint as prime minister.
The Russian delegation to the China summit is a show of force with "all the major names of Russian business in attendance," said Ushakov. Putin is also due to meet China's President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. With China preparing for a stage-managed leadership change, Putin will also meet Vice Premier Li Kequiang, who is set to be the next premier, and Xi Jinping, who is tipped as the next president. (Foxnews)
- What evil may these two men plot? Will Russia support Iran's plans against Israel? What role will China play in any such plots? Ask the Lord to give guidance and clarity to His intercessors. Pray that no plots will be put into motion until the Lord's timing for the Gog and Magog war, as well as the marching of the kings of the East. Cry out to the Lord for exposure of any plans. Iran has just named Israel as the Number One enemy. Pray that Putin will be silenced by the Lord during these meetings. And pray for our officials attending the summit.
- "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness - Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." (Isaiah 5: 20,21)
5. PROTESTS HEAT UPAFTER MUBARAK GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
Former President Hosni Mubarak got a life sentence Saturday for failing to stop the killing of protesters during Egypt's uprising. But he and his sons were cleared of corruption charges, setting off protests for greater accountability for 30 years of abuses under the old regime. By nightfall, a large crowd of up to 10,000 was back in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the uprising, to vent anger over the acquittals. Similar protests went on in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and Suez on the Red Sea.
In many ways, the old system remains in place and the clearest example of that is a key regime figure -- Mubarak's longtime friend and last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq -- is one of two candidates going to the presidential runoff set for June 16-17. Morsi of the fundamentalist Moslem Brotherhood quickly tried to capitalize on the anger over the acquittals, vowing in a news conference that, if elected, he would retry Mubarak along with former regime officials suspected of involvement in killing protesters.
The charges related to killing protesters carried a possible death sentence that the judge chose not to impose, opting instead to send Mubarak to prison for the rest of his life. The question of who ordered the killings of protesters was left unanswered.
After the sentencing, Mubarak suffered a "health crisis" on a helicopter flight to a Cairo prison hospital, according to security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. One state media report said it was a heart attack, but that could not immediately be confirmed. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch called the verdict a "landmark conviction" but criticized the prosecution for failing to fully investigate the case. Maha Youssef, a legal expert from the Nadim Center in Cairo, said the judge's verdict should be the basis of a successful appeal to throw out the convictions. "It's a completely politicized verdict that is meant to calm the masses." (AP)
Read more:
- Pray that the Egyptian people will learn to put their hope in God, and cry out to Him rather than to gather in dangerous masses . Allah has led them astray and into violence. Pray for the soul of Mubarak: that he comes to know salvation in Jesus Christ. In spite of his cruel regime, he did protect Israel for the years of his reign at the two countries' common border. Pray also for the Egyptian people, for they will cry to God if they live under the repression of the Moslem Brotherhood.
- "Do not let me ashamed, O Lord, for I have called on You; Let the wicked be ashamed, Let them be silent in the grave." (Psalm 31: 17)
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XIX, Number 14b
DOMESTIC ISSUES
News from the Hill
1. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES DOMA UNCONSTITUTIONAL
2. HOUSE DEFEATS BILL TO BAN SEX-SELECTIVE ("GENDERCIDE") ABORTIONS
3. HOUSE REVIEWS U.N. PLAN TO REGULATE INTERNET
4. SENATOR DEMINT: 94% OF THE SENATE BILLS PASSED IN SECRET
5. GAO REPORT: OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE TAX CREDIT INEFFECTIVE
6. IIACF BREAKFAST HONORS JERUSALEM DAY IN CONGRESS
1. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES DOMA UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Judge Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court for Northern California has become the third federal district judge to declare the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The law protects states that disallow same-sex marriages from being forced to recognize such marriages performed elsewhere. It also defines marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman.
Obama has refused to defend the law in court and now, pledging his support for same-sex marriage, has set the stage to overturn it. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he may put forward a bill to repeal DOMA this year and expects to see a plank supporting same-sex marriage to be in the Democratic Platform this year. This issue is destined to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. (FRC Prayer Targets)
- May God stir the American people to speak up in favor of marriage, both to their elected representatives and at the polls in November. May we neither be silent nor dull on this! May Congress and the Court uphold DOMA.
- "Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power . . ." (Psalm 110:3a NASB)
2. HOUSE DEFEATS BILL TO BAN SEX-SELECTIVE ("GENDERCIDE") ABORTIONS
A bill that would ban sex-selective abortions failed to muster enough support to pass the House Thursday following a contentious debate.The final vote was 246-168. Though a majority voted in favor of the bill, this particular proposal required a two-thirds majority to pass -- supporters of the bill fell 30 votes short. The proposal would have made it a federal crime to carry out an abortion based on the gender of the fetus. (Fox News) Read more.
- We are grieved at the outcome of this critical vote. Had the "normal" majority been required, victory would have been ours, but as it is, we have seen defeat. Cry out to God for mercy upon our land; we can only ask for His grace to be with us - not because of our wicked deeds, but because of His very nature . . . the God of love. Judgment is at hand; He chastises those whom He loves. Amen.
- "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent." (Rev. 3:19)
3. HOUSE REVIEWS U.N. PLAN TO REGULATE INTERNET
Late last month, House lawmakers considered an international proposal to give the United Nations more control over the Internet.
The proposal is backed by China, Russia, Brazil, India and other UN members, and would give the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) more control over the governance of the Internet.
The hearing was expected to bring more attention in the U.S. to the measure, which would give the UN more control over cybersecurity, data privacy, technical standards and the Web's address system. It would also allow foreign government-owned Internet providers to charge extra for international traffic and allow for more price controls. (The Hill) Read more.
- We continue to offer prayer that all such plans would be canceled. Thank you for standing in agreement with the Word of God, below. In His Name, amen.
- " Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not stand, for God is with us." (Isaiah 8:10)
4. 94% OF THE SENATE BILLS PASSED IN SECRET WITHOUT EVER BEING READ OR DEBATED!
US Senator Jim DeMint exposes the systematically corrupt practice of an overwhelming majority of bills being passed in secret with no debate! ~ US Senator Jim DeMint takes time on the floor to address out of control process of the US Senate passing a massive 94% of bills in secret without debate and no chance to make amendments.
He explains how bills are sent to the Senate in the dead of night that no one has ever seen or read, there is no price tag for the bills, and it is not even known who requested the bills to be passed.
Those in the Senate who do not agree to pass these bills in secrecy with no debate, chance to read them or chance to offer amendments are subject to political backlash from their political parties. Watch the video, it is absolutely jaw dropping. (5 minutes) (Hebrew Nation News)
- Dear Omniscient God, the One who knows all things. We feel great concern for the preservation and welfare of America and for one of Your Own, Jim DeMint; and for his family and friends when we see videos like this. Gracious Father, we humbly ask that You will protect those who are revealing abuse of power in our executive, legislative and judicial branches. We pray that You will have those senators and their staff who are misusing the legislative process to be named and rebuked publicly. Please remove these offenders from our United States Senate and replace them with godly servants of Your choosing. Those who seek to preserve their power and their party's power through bills that they sponsor secretly and then demand a unanimous vote for passage, deserve immediate removal.
May You be glorified in this situation, and please encourage those fighting Your Good Fight to not give up! May they know that if they ask, Your help is always there for them. We pray for help for America and that she be restored unto You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me." (2 Samuel 22: 18 NKJV)
5. GAO REPORT: OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE TAX CREDIT INEFFECTIVE
House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) issued the following statement on Monday regarding a GAO report they requested, which shows the ineffectiveness of the health care tax credit for small businesses:
"As we honor America's small firms during National Small Business Week, it is discouraging that so many small companies are still burdened by compliance with the health care law," said Congressman Graves and Senator Snowe. "The President claimed that the health care tax credit would help small businesses deal with the weight of this massive law, but, according to this study, it has been grossly ineffective. This GAO report confirms that many small firms haven't claimed the tax credit because it is too complex and its temporary nature didn't provide a significant solution to their long term compliance problems - a regrettable, but all too foreseeable conclusion."
On April 18th, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing on upcoming tax increases that will affect small businesses, specifically the expiring tax rates at the year's end; and health care reform law taxes, including the employer mandate, the Medicare payroll surtax on investment income, the Medicare payroll tax increase, and many others.
Highlights of the GAO report titled, "Small Employer Health Tax Credit: Factors Contributing to Low Use and Complexity" can be seen here. (Christian Coalition of America) Read more.
- Our Father in Heaven, we come to You with concerns about the intricate ways the government has devised to make an appearance of helping small businesses when indeed the policies hurt those who are motivated to be entrepreneurs in our country. We ask that You would make these facts well known so that this aspect of Obamacare can be dealt with either in the courts or in Congress. Thank you that alert Representatives and Senators have investigated this matter. We ask that from this report changes will come forth to this burdensome law. We pray for wisdom and favor for all those involved in small businesses in America. In Your name, Amen.
- "And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers." (Luke 11:46)
"For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian." (Isaiah 9:4)
6. IIACF BREAKFAST HONORS JERUSALEM DAY IN CONGRESS
[IIACF stands for: International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation]
Join us this Wednesday for the Jerusalem Day Prayer Breakfast!
June 6, 2012
9:00AM - 12:00PM
Washington, D.C. | U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
South Congressional Meeting Room - CVC 217
Registration and a light buffet breakfast will be from 9:00am to 9:30am. The program will begin at 9:30am. Directions to CVC 217 are below.
Confirmed Members of Congress include: Rep. Trent Franks, Rep. Doug Lamborn, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. Joe Walsh, Rep. Allen West, Rep. Louie Gohmert, and Rep. Michelle Bachmann.
Confirmed speakers include: Rabbi Benny Elon, IIACF President and former Israeli Minister of Tourism, Archbishop Daniel Williams, recently honored by the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and the World Jewish Congress for his steadfast support for Israel, Dr. Dave Weldon, former Congressmen and founding member of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, along with Gary Bauer, a one-time Republican presidential candidate, former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, and current president of American Values.
If you haven't already, we invite you to register today to reserve your place for this unforgettable celebration!
News from the White House
1. THE ECONOMY: TROUBLE FOR OBAMA
2. OBAMA'S RECORD ON SPENDING: TRUE OR FALSE?
3. BARACK OBAMA: DRONE WARRIOR
4. THE SECRET KILL LIST
1. THE ECONOMY: TROUBLE FOR OBAMA
The latest data on the economy must have the Obama White House reaching for the Maalox. For example:
- First quarter GDP was revised down from 2.2% to 1.9%, meaning the economy was growing at a slower pace in the first three months of the year than was originally thought.
- While economists were predicting no change in weekly jobless claims, they actually jumped 13,000 from last week's figures, to 383,000. But as we and others have noted, these government figures are increasingly suspect.
- The housing market continues to remain weak as foreclosures accounted for more than a quarter of sales in the first quarter of the year. While it is good that these homes are selling, the large number of foreclosures means that home values remain depressed.
- And earlier this week, it was reported that the consumer confidence index fell to 64.9 when economists had expected an uptick to 70. A reading of 90 or higher indicates a strong economy. But as Investor's Business Daily commented, "Throughout Obama's 'recovery,' the index has averaged 57."
Clearly, the voters have lost hope in Obama's change. None of this is good news for the president's reelection prospects. Unable to campaign on a record of accomplishment, Obama will have little choice but to run the most negative, slash-and-burn campaign in history. (Gary Bauer)
- Pray that this downturn in the economy will bring a harvest of new souls into the Kingdom of God, as Americans turn from their hedonistic lifestyles to answers from God, trusting in Him and not the federal government. Ask the Lord to keep exposing the truth about the economy. Pray that Americans will fight depression in their spirits, choosing instead to do what they must to strengthen their lives.
- "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways though he be rich." (Proverbs 28: 6)
2. OBAMA'S RECORD ON SPENDING: TRUE OR FALSE?
Fearful that this election may well be a referendum on his economic record, Barack Obama wants voters to believe he is a penny pincher. Last week, he told an Iowa audience, "Federal spending since I took office has risen at the slowest pace of any president in almost 60 years." On Fox News, Charles Krauthammer labeled Obama's claim, "the whopper of the year" and "an unbelievable distortion of the truth."
To begin with, it is factually inaccurate. As the Associated Press noted, this claim is based on spending from 2010 to 2013. It completely ignores all of the massive spending in 2009, including the $830 billion stimulus bill! And there are other accounting gimmicks too. For example: "The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also makes Obama's record on spending look better than it was. The government spent $96 billion on the Fannie-Freddie takeovers in 2009 but only $40 billion on them in 2010. By the administration's reckoning, the $56 billion difference was a spending cut by Obama."
In addition, it is intellectually dishonest. Obama and his party firmly believe that government spending is the key to economic growth. That's why Obama, Reid and Pelosi rammed through the massive stimulus bill. That's why Obama constantly demands tax increases -- so he can spend more of your hard-earned money. That's why Obama and his socialist allies in Congress constantly fight GOP efforts to cut spending.
Like so many other issues, Obama is out of touch with mainstream American values when it comes to spending. A recent Gallup poll found that 46% of Americans consider themselves "economic conservatives," while just 20% say they are "economic liberals." (Gary Bauer)
- Dear Lord, we see how frequently the facts of government spending and taxes are misrepresented and how the figures are twisted to say something that is not true. We ask that You would bring correction to this error and forgive those doing this. Lord, we pray that the American public will not be deceived by this tactic. We speak truth in what our government says just as there must be truth in advertising.
- "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Take heed that no man deceive you." (Matthew 24:4)
3. OBAMA: DRONE WARRIOR
A very strange story, a 6,000-word front-page New York Times piece on how, every Tuesday,
Obama shuffles "baseball cards" with the pictures and bios of suspected terrorists from around the world and chooses who shall die by drone strike. He even reserves for himself the decision of whether to proceed when the probability of killing family members or bystanders is significant.
The article could have been titled "Barack Obama: Drone Warrior." Great detail on how Obama personally runs the assassination campaign. On-the-record quotes from the highest officials. This was no leak. This was a White House press release.
Why? To portray Obama as tough guy. And why now? Because in crisis after recent crisis, Obama has looked particularly weak: standing helplessly by as thousands are massacred in Syria; being played by Iran in nuclear negotiations, now reeling with the collapse of the latest round in Baghdad; being treated with contempt by Vladimir Putin, who blocks any action on Syria or Iran and adds personal insult by standing up Obama at the latter's G-8 and NATO summits.
The Obama camp thought that any political problem with foreign policy would be cured by the Osama bin Laden operation. But the administration's attempt to politically exploit the raid's one-year anniversary backfired, earning ridicule and condemnation for its crude appropriation of the heroic acts of others. ( National Review) [Reported by Gary Bauer] Read more.
- Politicians are known for meddling in the affairs of military plans and maneuvers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave away Eastern Europe to Stalin and by a special deal made with Stalin allowed the Russians to enter Berlin while American troops were held back to allow the Russians to make their mark on Berlin. Mr. Obama knows nothing of the military experience because he never served in the military. Pray that the Lord takes away from our president this playing with the drones and instead teaches him to rely on his Joint Chiefs of Staff and military agencies to do their job. This game played by Mr. Obama is horrible and insulting to every American, especially to the actual military on the ground! Pray for courage for the military to speak up against this game.
- "The fear of man brings strife, but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe." (Proverbs 29: 25)
4. THE SECRET KILL LIST
[Editor's note: we normally do not run an item for prayer twice in one issue, but in this case, we will make an exception. Thank you.]
The leader of the government regularly sits down with his senior generals and spies and advisers and reviews a list of the people they want him to authorize their agents to kill. They do this every Tuesday morning when the leader is in town. The leader once condemned any practice even close to this, but now relishes the killing because he has convinced himself that it is a sane and sterile way to keep his country safe and himself in power. The leader, who is running for re-election, even invited his campaign manager to join the group that decides whom to kill.
Andrew Napolitano, former Superior Court of New Jersey judge and senior judicial analyst at Fox News reports that this is not a work of fiction, and it is not describing a series of events in the Kremlin or Beijing or Pyongyang. It is a fair summary of a 6,000-word investigative report in The New York Times earlier this week about the White House of Barack Obama. He found that two Times journalists, Jo Becker and Scott Shane, painstakingly and chillingly reported that the former lecturer in constitutional law and liberal senator who railed against torture and Gitmo now weekly reviews a secret kill list, personally decides who should be killed and then dispatches killers all over the world - and some of his killers have killed Americans.
We have known for some time that President Obama is waging a private war. By that I mean he is using the CIA on his own - and not the military after congressional authorization - to fire drones at thousands of persons in foreign lands, usually while they are riding in a car or a truck. He has done this both with the consent and over the objection of the governments of the countries in which he has killed. He doesn't want to talk about this, but he doesn't deny it. How chilling is it that David Axelrod - the president's campaign manager - has periodically seen the secret kill list? Might this be to keep the killings politically correct?
Can the president legally do this? In a word: No.
Obama cannot lawfully order the killing of anyone, except according to the Constitution and federal law. Under the Constitution, he can only order killing using the military when the U.S. has been attacked, or when an attack is so imminent and certain that delay would cost innocent American lives, or in pursuit of a congressional declaration of war. Under federal law, he can only order killing using civilians when a person has been sentenced lawfully to death by a federal court and the jury verdict and the death sentence have been upheld on appeal. If he uses the military to kill, federal law requires public reports of its use to Congress and congressional approval after 180-days. (Conservative Action Alerts) Read more.
- Father of All Justice, we ask that You will protect those who are trying to bring evidence against, and the conviction of this usurping administration. It is murder that they are committing, using civilian assassins, whenever and wherever they need removal of their targeted opponents. Lord, we will continue to cry out to You to remove these criminals from our federal executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Please rebuke them and act swiftly against them with Your justice and rule of law when it will bring You the most glory. Please grant America godly leadership at all levels, and restore our nation, her people and military to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "I have done justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors. It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your Law as void." (Psalm 119: 121 and 126 NKJV)
More News of Interest
1. U.S. EMPLOYERS ADD 69,000 JOBS, FEWER THAN FORECAST
2. FARMERS PANIC! CROPS DIE AS COLORADO GOVERNMENT BLOCKS WELLS
3. IN WISCONSIN: SCOTT WALKER'S FATE WILL HAVE NOVEMBER IMPLICATIONS
4. BILDERBERGERS END MEETING IN CHANTILLY, VA
5. BREAKING: ROMNEY DID NOT WIN NOMINATION
1. U.S. EMPLOYERS ADD 69,000 JOBS, FEWER THAN FORECAST
The American jobs engine sputtered in May as employers added the fewest workers in a year and the unemployment rate rose, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama's re-election prospects and raising the odds the Federal Reserve will step in to boost growth.
Payrolls climbed by 69,000 last month, less than the most- pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg News survey, after a revised 77,000 gain in April that was smaller than initially estimated, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median projection called for a 150,000 May advance. The jobless rate rose to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent.
"The picture is getting more worrisome," said Bruce Kasman, chief economist for JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York, which lowered its 2012 growth forecast to 2.1 percent from 2.3 percent after the jobs report. "The U.S. economy is going to be somewhat softer over the next couple of quarters."
Stocks tumbled, erasing the 2012 advance in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Treasury yields fell as the data reinforced concern that global growth is heading for a third mid-year lull. Other reports today showed manufacturing output shrank in Europe and slowed in China, the world's second-largest economy. (Bloomberg) Read more
- Father God, we pray that each voter this year will carefully examine the true facts and figures for each candidate in the upcoming elections. We speak wisdom to the voters as they make their choices based on reality and whether or not America is better off now than it was four years ago.
- "Be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
2. FARMERS PANIC! CROPS DIE AS COLORADO GOVERNMENT BLOCKS WELLS
With a lower-than-normal snowpack, farmers in northeastern Colorado who rely on the South Platte River are facing severe water shortages in which they are not able to water some of their crops. Farmers in Greeley, Colorado are watching their fields dry up amid one of the worst droughts in the state's history. But just a few feet beneath them, the water is so plentiful it's flooding basements and causing septic systems to overflow. Yet, the state government will not permit farmers to pump the water to save their crops.
Many of the farmers have wells that draw groundwater for use in situations like this. But in 2006, the Colorado Supreme Court ordered 440 wells shut down and curtailed the pumping of another 1,000. Under long-established Colorado water doctrine, water is distributed under the principle of "first in use, first in right," whereby prior users have senior rights to junior users.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Colorado state legislature recently passed a bill commissioning a study, but it is not required to be completed until June 1, 2013. There is no provision in the legislation requiring officials to permit farmers to turn the wells on before then. State Sen. Scott Renfroe (R-District 13) one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislation originally had those provisions, but it was stripped from the final legislation . . .
Sen. Renfroe said he agrees the wells need to be turned on now. "We have farmers who are hurting from both a lack of water and rising water table," he said. "Some have said the salt content is so high their soil only has two years of productive use left." Renfroe added: "This study should have been done five years ago when the wells were first turned off. I understand the concerns of senior water holders, and this legislation has a lot of protections for them, but we need to find a way to benefit everybody." (WorldNetDaily) Read more
- Father of All Creation, as the storm clouds gather here in Colorado Springs, we are reminded of how You can make the rain fall upon the land You created. If man won't help northeastern Colorado's farmers by allowing them to open up their wells, we ask You today to help them in a way that will only bring glory to You. Please cause it to rain, God, wherever it is needed in Colorado. As Your servant Joseph said to his brothers: "What man means for evil, God means for good!" We know that every word in Your Bible is true, and we are counting on You to fulfill this promise to Colorado's farmers. We thank You for the opportunity to pray for these farm's survival. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety." (Job 5: 10-11 NKJV)
3. IN WISCONSIN: SCOTT WALKER'S FATE WILL HAVE NOVEMBER IMPLICATIONS
Evan Bradtke, a 20-year-old college student, spends time these days working out of a small, windowless room in a nondescript suite of offices a few miles outside Madison, Wis. Hour after hour he calls voters, urging them to turn out on June 5 to support embattled Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
Walker made national headlines last year when he eliminated most collective-bargaining rights for public employee unions, triggering huge protests. The fight put friends, neighbors and family members on opposite sides and left the state as polarized as any in the nation. It will culminate in next month's recall election, only the third for a sitting governor in U.S. history.
But there is more at stake on June 5 than the question of whether Walker remains in office or is replaced by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. To Bradtke, saving Walker's job is a crucial step toward making Wisconsin a competitive battleground in November and electing a Republican president who deals with budgetary issues nationally the way Walker has in Wisconsin.
The recall contest "is the second most important election in the country this year," he said. (Washington Post) Read more.
- Lord, we ask You to grant unto every voter in Wisconsin Your wisdom and discernment as they go to the polls tomorrow. We ask that You reveal what is hidden, divide deception from truth, and uphold the righteous. We thank You that You will exalt whom You desire in this hour to govern Wisconsin and that You will pull down he who stands against Your will and purpose. In Jesus' Name, we ask this prayer, amen.
- "For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation; But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another." (Psalms 75:6,7)
(Note: Please begin praying tonight and then all through the day tomorrow during this critical election.)
4. BILDERBERGERS END MEETING IN CHANTILLY, VA
The Bilderbergers have now ended their annual meeting and are on their way home to the many nations they came from. We ask continued prayer that our Lord would apprehend each member on his or her way, much as He did to Saul on the Road to Damascus, turning their hearts towards him. Nothing is too difficult for God. Pray!
- "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." (Malachi 3:6)
[To see a list of this year's participants at the Bilderberg conference, go here.]
5. BREAKING: ROMNEY DID NOT WIN NOMINATION
Incredible developments have emerged spelling out how Romney may not have actually taken the nomination, after all. Even with news circulating like wildfire that Romney secured the Republican nomination with an alleged win in Tuesday's Texas Primary, it seems as though this may not actually be the case. Ironically enough, Romney still may not have even taken Texas, yet.
After a careful comb through the numbers, how the race is playing out and what delegate totals are emerging from the states, it seems as though Romney currently has only around half of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination.
So, why is the 'national' media acting this way? Are they incorrectly still using the 'estimated' delegate totals, based on the initial caucuses and primaries from each state, while ignoring the actual delegate totals emerging as the states finally begin to conclude their weeks-long delegate selection processes?
Every 4 years the GOP does the exact same nomination process and all 50 states play their roll in that process. Some states conclude rather quickly, some rather slowly. Most of the states, however, have some sort of post-caucus/primary delegate selection process that can take, up to, a couple months to complete. This virtually renders the ultimate outcome unattainable until the vast majority of the states have fully concluded their delegate selection process. Until then, it is virtually impossible to know exactly what each candidate has, in terms of delegate totals. (Denver Libertarian Examiner) Read more.
- Our Dear Lord, we declare in the name of Jesus that only the candidate of Your choosing will become the nominee for the Republican Party. We see that just because the mainstream media says a certain man has tentatively won the nomination that does not make it a fact. We trust You to be in charge of this most important matter.
- " . . . be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LAMB OF GOD (Seh Ha-EH-lo-heem)
"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
O Lord, You are the pure, sinless Lamb of God! You laid down Your life to redeem my soul from the curse of the enemy, once and for all. How I praise You, Lamb of God!
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
June 4 - 8, 2012
" . . . be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you,
one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
News from Israel
1. KNESSET MARKS JERUSALEM DAY
2. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHONE BLUE AND WHITE FOR ISRAEL PARADE
3. SHIN BET EXPOSES TERROR CELL PLANNING TO KIDNAP ISRAELIS
4. CLOSE TO 65,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL, ARMY SAYS
5. TURKEY DITCHES SYRIAN REBELS: BODES ILL FOR ISRAEL
6. TURKEY INDICTS TOP FORMER ISRAELI COMMANDERS
7. FLAME VIRUS AIMS TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE
8. P.M. NETANYAHU CONDEMNS SYRIA MASSACRE
9. MK KATZELEH: BEIT EL SETTLEMENT DEMOLITION A PLOT TO TOPPLE NETANYAHU
10. ISRAEL TAKES BACK PROMISE TO OBAMA NOT TO ATTACK IRAN UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION
1. KNESSET MARKS JERUSALEM DAY
The Knesset [Parliament] plenum on Monday [May 20] convened a special session to mark Jerusalem Day, which was celebrated on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin addressed the plenum during the event.
The prime minister came to the defense of visionary of the state Theodor Herzl, saying "he foresaw the problem and the solution, but he didn't give up on Zion. He raised his right hand and said - If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. Today we are raising our hand with the same oath. We are taking an oath for a built-up Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel," he said.
"Jewish history has changed forever: the divided city has been united and will stay that way. Our generation has a great privilege of witnessing the realization of the words of the prophets. It is up to our generation to secure this change for generations to come." (By Moran Azulay, Ynetnews, May 21, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that Netanyahu's eloquent words about a united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel be heard and embraced by the international community.
- "Thus says the LORD: 'I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain." (Zechariah 8:3)
2. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHONE BLUE AND WHITE FOR ISRAEL PARADE
The Empire State Building in New York City was all lit up in blue and white in honor of the Israeli flag to mark the June 3 Israel Day Parade, as hundreds of thousands celebrated and took pride in the 64th anniversary of the modern State of Israel. The event was to be attended by an Israeli delegation including Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein and Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom.
"We are proud to be the major supporter of what is the largest annual pro-Israel event outside the Jewish State itself," said John S. Ruskay, Executive Vice President of the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York. Rachel Hirshfeld - Israel National News
- May all who attended this parade celebrating Your special land of Israel on its 64th anniversary as a modern state, be filled with Your joy. For having a mixture of both Christians and Jews celebrating together, we thank you Abba Father. In Jesus' Name, Amen & Amen.
- " Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you." (Psalm 122 :6)
3. SHIN BET EXPOSES TERROR CELL PLANNING TO KIDNAP ISRAELIS
The Shin Bet [Israel internal security] has recently thwarted a terror group's attempt to abduct Israeli citizens. According to information released Tuesday [May 29], the Israel Security Agency (ISA) foiled an attempt by a terror group calling itself the "Holy Warriors Brigades," whose members planned to kidnap Israelis and use them as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The group's operatives are from Hebron and the Gaza Strip. The ISA suspects that the operation, which was partially planned from behind prison walls, was meant to mitigate the life sentences being served by some of the terror group's members.
The Shin Bet said that "The Holy Warriors Brigades" have been involved in several terror attacks against Israeli targets over the past few years, including RGP fire at Israel Defense Forces troops, planting roadside bombs and explosives near the security fence and firing rockets at Israeli communities. (Yoav Zitun, Ynetnew, May 29, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Praise the Lord that this terrorist plot was discovered and thwarted. Pray that the Lord will continue to give Israel's security organizations wisdom, and inside information, as they work to keep Israelis safe from terror.
- "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD." (Proverbs 21:30)
4. CLOSE TO 65,000 MISSILES AIMED AT ISRAEL, ARMY SAYS
Nearly 65,000 missiles and rockets are targeted at Israel, nearly all of them in the arsenal of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbollah, while the most deadly are based in Syria and Iran. Brig. Gen. Itay Baron, head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Military Intelligence research section, told the Knesset [Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday [May 22] that Syria and Iran have some 3,500 missiles aimed at Israel.
Baron said Iran has an arsenal of 450 missiles in striking distance of Israel while Syria has 3,000 rockets and missiles in ranges from 70 to 700 kilometers (43 to 430 miles). In separate remarks, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Naveh said at a conference that Hizbollah is armed with some 60,000 rockets and missiles, 10 times what it had at the time of the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Baron said Hizbollah and Syria, as well as the Gaza Strip-based Hamas movement, hope to overcome Israel's military and technological superiority by targeting its civilian population. (By The Media Line, May 24, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that the Lord will protect every border of the nation of Israel, including the skies overhead, from any kind of rocket or missile attack. Pray that every one of these 65,000 missiles will simply not function if Israel's enemies attempt to launch them.
- "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and Your glory above all the earth; that Your beloved may be delivered, save with Your right hand, and hear me." (Psalm 108:5-6)
5. TURKEY DITCHES SYRIAN REBELS: WILL ISRAEL ATTACK HIZBALLAH'S SCUDS?
Two radical developments arising from the Syrian conflict are revealed by debkafile: In an astonishing about face, Turkey has abandoned its 14-month support for the Syrian revolt alongside the West and made common cause with Russia, i.e. Bashar Assad,.further exacerbating fears of a "proxy war" involving Israel, Iran and Syria. The Lebanese Hizballah is preparing to transfer its Scud D missiles, (ground to ground missiles) capable of hitting any point in Israel, from Syria to Lebanon. Israel has threatened to stop their crossing by force. (DEBKAfile)
- O, Lord of Hosts, we plead with You to not allow the use of these missiles against Israel. By Your Hand, send these missiles back to the country from which the Scuds originated. We pray these countries that would destroy Israel come to realize that they have come under the curse You made in Genesis 12:3. Pray also for Turkey to allow the refugees from Syria to continue to seek safety in Turkey. We bless You , O, Lord, for placing a strong desire within the Israelis to protect their nation.
- "Assign me godliness and integrity as my bodyguards, for I expect You to protect me and to ransom Israel from all her troubles." (Psalm 25: 21,22)
6. TURKEY INDICTS TOP FORMER ISRAELI COMMANDERS
Turkish prosecutor issued indictment seeking life sentences for four former Israeli military commanders over their alleged involvement in the 2010 killing of nine Turks on the Mavi Marmara, a Gaza-bound ship, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reported on Wednesday [May 23]. Israeli commandos blocked the ship as it attempted to break a naval blockade on Gaza. The incident led to a severe deterioration in the relationship between the once close allies.
Sabah reported that the indictments named Israel's former Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, former Military Intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, former Navy commander Adm. Eliezer Marom and former head of air force intelligence Brig.-Gen. Avishai Levi. Yadlin dismissed the move, saying on Israel Radio an international inquiry had exculpated Israel. The move comes as Israel has been trying to improve ties with Istanbul. (By the Media Line, May 27, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that this ludicrous action on the part of the Turkish legal community be exposed for the political nonsense that it is. Pray that Israel's ties with Turkey be strengthened for the good of both nations and the region.
- "The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy." (Proverbs 12:19-20)
7. FLAME VIRUS AIMS TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE
Iranian authorities have admitted that malicious software dubbed Flame has attacked it and instructed to run an urgent inspection of all computer systems in the country. While no one knows who is behind "the most sophisticated virus of all times," the bottom line, computer experts say, is that only a state could have developed such a complex virus. According to Ben Yisrael, while the source of the software is unknown, "its aim is clear - collecting intelligence." The professor added that the spyware acts like a worm, jumping from one computer to another, and that it is impossible to locate the destination of the data that was copied. Both Flame and Stuxnet appear to infect machines by exploiting the same flaw in the Windows operating system and employ a similar way of spreading. That means the teams that built Stuxnet and Duqu might have had access to the same technology as the team that built Flame. (By Yoav Zeitun, Ynetnews, May 29, 2012) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that the Lord will protect the computer systems of the nation of Israel-and her allies- from this and other intelligence gathering malware, keeping classified information safe from falling into the wrong hands.
- "Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted." (Psalm 140:8)
8. P.M. NETANYAHU CONDEMNS SYRIA MASSACRE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "the ongoing massacre" of civilians in Syria.In a statement released Sunday evening, Netanyahu addressed the massacre over the weekend in the Syrian village of Houla that left an estimated 108 civilians dead, including at least 30 children. Netanyahu expressed his "revulsion over the ongoing massacre being perpetrated by the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad against innocent civilians, which continued over the weekend in Houla and included dozens of innocent children."
"Iran and Hezbollah are an inseparable part of the Syrian atrocities and the world needs to act against them," the prime minister leader was quoted as saying in the statement released by his office. It is reportedly the first time that Netanyahu has addressed atrocities in Syria since the uprising in the country began more than a year ago.(JTA; May 28, 2012) Read more.
- The world must take action soon to end this inhumane brutality and the continued destabilization of the Middle East. Offer praise for the strong stand that Israel is taking against these atrocities in Syria. Lift up Prime Minister Netanyahu and his administration, that they will know God's wisdom in responding to this crisis on their northern border. Amen.
- "And of the children of Issachar, who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were under their command." (I Chronicles 12:32)
9. MK KATZELEH: BEIT EL SETTLEMENT DEMOLITION A PLOT TO TOPPLE NETANYAHU
The real reasoning behind plans to demolish Israeli homes in the Beit El settlement is a plan to topple Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, MK Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, head of the Ichud Leumi/National Union Party, said Sunday. MK Katz, an IDF veteran and founding resident of the West Bank Beit El settlement that includes the Ulpana neighborhood slated for destruction, responded to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's statement this Sunday opposing the Israeli settlement related Regulation Bill due to concerns over the legal ramifications and response from the international community. Israel's proposed Regulation Law, scheduled for a vote this Wednesday, is designed to stop the demolition of Israeli settlements.
Ketzaleh said: "There are two people who have a bad influence on the Prime Minister and want him to fail. The first is state secretary Tzvika Hauser, who has crossed all the red lines and sides with Peace Now and Yesh Din, a human rights group, who want to demolish 9,000 homes in Judea and Samaria." The second is Defense Minister Ehud Barak, he said. "Barak knows that his time in office is over, and wants to bring Netanyahu down," Ketzaleh said. He added, "I'm sure that if the Regulation Law falls on Wednesday - as the far-left Hauser and Barak want - Netanyahu will fall from power due to the destruction it will bring on thousands of people in Judea and Samaria."
The Regulation Law would stop the widespread use of home demolition to deal with Palestinian Authority claims to ownership of land within Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria. Instead of demolition, the law would provide those who can prove ownership with financial compensation. The law would apply to Area C - parts of Judea and Samaria under full Israeli control.
Ketzaleh called on members of Netanyahu's government to fight back. "The ministers' support for the [Regulation] bill will save Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and will save the people of Israel from civil war and destruction," he urged. He warned them not to be persuaded by Netanyahu's suggestion to move the homes. "We looked into it, and it's impossible to 'move' the buildings," he said. "They will be torn down to the very foundations." (Israel National News) Read more.
- Heavenly Father, the West Bank Beit El settlement is said to be built upon the site where You gave Jacob his dream of the angels ascending and descending a ladder to Heaven. We can't help but think that because this is a blessed site of heavenly vision, that it is why there is so much contention and violence directed toward this and other Israeli settlements. . . Both from government and judicial officials, who should be protecting fellow Israelis; and from leftist one-world organizations, officials and celebrities.
Father, we ask that PM Netanyahu's decision about the Regulation Law will be changed and that his mind will be cleared of any confusion and attack from the evil one. Please remove liars from his counsel and from Israeli governance and jurisprudence. We pray that Your promise of the land of Israel given to Your people, and described in Joshua 1: 3-4 will come true. We pray that the vision of the Israeli settlers to claim this land, and confirmed by this Scripture, will come true and that no man shall prevent it! In Yeshua Ha Mashiach's Name and for His glory we pray this. Amen.
- "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory." (Joshua 1: 3-4 NKJV)
10. ISRAEL TAKES BACK PROMISE TO OBAMA NOT TO ATTACK IRAN UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION
Sources from inside Washington, DC are telling the international media that Israeli leadership is upset with US President Barack Obama's handling of Iran's alleged nuclear threat and may take military action before the November election.
The Debka news agency quotes sources from America's capital that say Israel has withdrawn its earlier promise to avoid striking Iran before the upcoming US presidential election this fall. The reason, reports Debka, heavily revolves around President Obama's refusal to side with Israel's demands in dealing with the rumored emerging threat of a nuclear program in Iran.
Previously, authorities in Israel told the White House that they would refrain from striking Iran until after Election Day as to avoid marring the race by possibly involving the US in an international war. Because President Obama has not put his foot down on Iran's alleged nuclear warhead procurement plan, Israeli officials are not reportedly willing to attack at any moment.
"There is no need to tell us what to do, and we have no reason to panic. Israel is very, very strong, but we do know that the Iranians are accomplished chess players and will try to achieve nuclear capabilities,"
reads a translated statement from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak delivered this week in Hebrew. "Our position has not changed. The world must stop Iran from becoming nuclear. All options remain on the table." (RT News)
Read more.
- Father, only You know all the schemes and plans of Iran. We pray Your wisdom and timing in these decisions of attacking Iran. We pray protection over Israel and all the surrounding countries in that area. Give direction to Israel in protecting itself. May You guide them with Your eye upon them. In Jesus Name.
- A man's heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.(Proverbs 16:9) World English Bible
More International News
1. WHITE HOUSE SAYS OBAMA 'MISSPOKE"' AFTER POLES DEMAND APOLOGY OVER 'POLISH DEATH CAMP REMARK
2. OFFICIALS SAY US DRONE STRIKE KILLS 10 SUSPECTED MILITANTS
3. RUSSIA VOTES AGAINST UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA, BACKS ASSAD CLAIM THAT REBELS BEHIND MASSACRE
4. PUTIN TO MEET IRAN'S AHMADINEJAD IN CHINA
5. PROTESTS HEAT UP AFTER MUBARAK GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
1. WHITE HOUSE SAYS OBAMA 'MISSPOKE"' AFTER POLES DEMAND APOLOGY OVER 'POLISH DEATH CAMP REMARK
The White House said Obama misspoke on Tuesday when he referred to a "Polish death camp" while honoring a Polish war hero. The president's remark had drawn immediate complaints from Poles who said Obama should have called it a "German death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland," to distinguish the perpetrators from the location. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski called it a matter of "ignorance and incompetence."
Obama made the comment while awarding the Medal of Freedom to Jan Karski, a resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. Karski died in 2000. During an East Room ceremony honoring 13 Medal of Freedom recipients, Obama said that Karski "served as a courier for the Polish resistance during the darkest days of World War II. Before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that Jews were being murdered on a massive scale and smuggled him into the Warsaw Ghetto and a Polish death camp to see for himself. Jan took that information to President Franklin Roosevelt, giving one of the first accounts of the Holocaust and imploring to the world to take action."
Sikorski tweeted that the White House would apologize for "this outrageous error" and that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk would address the matter on Wednesday. "It's a pity that such a dignified ceremony was overshadowed by ignorance and incompetence." Alex Storozynski, president of the Kosciuszko Foundation, said Obama's comment "shocked the Poles present at the White House and those watching on C-SPAN. ... Karski would have cringed if he heard this." National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "The president misspoke. He was referring to Nazi death camps in Poland. We regret this misstatement, which should not detract from the clear intention to honor Mr. Karski and those brave citizens who stood on the side of human dignity in the face of tyranny." (Fox News) Read more:
- Pray that Mr. Obama makes no more errors about history, or puts historical facts into the wrong phrasing. The Poles hated the Nazis, who cruelly abused and killed many Poles during WWII. Probably the faith of the Poles allowed them to keep up their resistance, and we should be grateful to the Lord for the spiritual strength He gave them to endure their fate during the war.
- Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person." ( Psalm 31: 23)
2. OFFICIALS SAY US DRONE STRIKE KILLS 10 SUSPECTED MILITANTS
An American drone strike in the frontier tribal areas of Pakistan killed 10 suspected militants Sunday, Pakistani officials said. It was sixth such strike in two weeks as the U.S. pushes ahead with its drone campaign in the face of Pakistani demands to stop. The continued attacks emphasize the importance the U.S. government puts on the drone campaign, which it considers to be a vital tool in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Two Pakistani intelligence officials say four missiles were fired at targets in the village of Mana Raghzai in South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan on Sunday morning. At the time of the attack, suspected militants were gathered to offer condolences to the brother of a militant commander killed during another American unmanned drone attack on Saturday. The brother was one of those who died in the Sunday morning strike. The Pakistani officials said two of the dead were foreigners, and the rest were Pakistani. The American drone campaign has been a source of deep frustration and tension between the U.S. and Pakistan. .Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. stepped up its drone campaign in the border areas as a way to combat Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters who were using Pakistan as a base for attacks against American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. However, the number of drone attacks has eased in recent years.
Secretly, many Pakistani military commanders are believed to support the drone campaign. But among the Pakistani public, where the U.S. is viewed with mistrust, the drone strikes are considered an affront to the nation's sovereignty. The Pakistani government and parliament have repeatedly asked the U.S. to stop the drone strikes.
The ongoing attacks are also complicating efforts for the U.S. and Pakistan to come to an agreement over reopening the supply routes to NATO and American forces in Afghanistan. American airstrikes inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, prompting Islamabad to block U.S. and NATO supply lines running through its territory. Pakistan has demanded an apology over the raid and an end to drone strikes as a precursor to reopening the supply lines. But the U.S. has shown no intention of ending the attacks. (AP)
Read more:
- Pray for wisdom in the use of the drones. Praise the Lord also for His giving us the technology for such weaponry that saves US military lives. The terrorists should fear our drones, and any other weapons to bring them to their knees in surrender. Their ways are cruel to their victims, but when they are hurt, they cry "Foul"! The drones are quite expensive to build, but the loss of one cannot replace the value of one American. Pray for the safe protection of the Pakistani Christians, and for the salvation in Jesus Christ of the many Moslems living there. Finally, place a line of the Blood of the Lamb around these drones, that they not be used against American citizens on our own soil, ever.
- " Good men will never be displaced, but the wicked will have no footing in the land." (Proverbs 10: 30) Moffett's Translation
3. RUSSIA VOTES AGAINST UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA, BACKS ASSAD CLAIM THAT REBELS BEHIND MASSACRE
The U.N.'s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly Friday to condemn Syria over the slaughter of more than 100 civilians last week, but Damascus appeared impervious to the crescendo of global condemnation following a string of horrific massacres. Syria's most important ally and protector, Russia, voted against the measure by the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Russia has refused to support any move that could lead to foreign intervention in Syria, Moscow's last significant ally in the Middle East. Russia, along with China, has twice used its veto power to shield Syria from U.N. sanctions. A majority of countries in the 47-nation rights council supported a U.S.- and Arab-led resolution condemning the "outrageous use of force against the civilian population" in Houla. Evidence from U.N. observers and independent witnesses confirmed that security forces shelled Houla and that "government militia then went house to house slaughtering entire families without compassion or mercy." Only Russia, China and Cuba voted against the resolution, with Uganda and Ecuador abstaining. The Philippines was absent.
Activists say as many as 13,000 people have died in Assad's crackdown against the anti-government uprising, which began in March 2011 amid the Arab Spring. One year after the revolt began, the U.N. put the toll at 9,000, but many hundreds more have died since. New bloodshed was reported across Syria on Friday, with troops firing on protesters and more execution-style killings coming to light, while U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan urged Syrian President Bashar Assad once again to stop the violence.
Despite the relentless violence, the Houla massacre stands out for its sheer brutality. Many of the dead were women and children who were gunned down in their homes. Since then, two other mass killings were reported, both on Thursday. Thirteen bound corpses, many apparently shot execution-style, were found in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, near the Iraqi border. Gunmen also killed 11 people on their way to work at a state-owned fertilizer factory in the central province of Homs, activists said.
Del Buey, the U.N. deputy spokesman, said 210 detainees in Damascus and 13 in Daraa were released Thursday in the presence of U.N. military observers. He stressed that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Annan "have said repeatedly we must see the release of all detainees being arbitrarily held and that clearly many more must be released." (AP)
Read more:
- Decree that violence in Syria will stop. Decree that the lying by the Assad regime will stop. Ask the Lord to reveal exactly what the regime is afraid of. Break the tie between Syria and Russia, a tie that has lasted now for at least 3 decades. Of course, Russia wants naval ports on the Mediterranean Sea, and Syria wants the protection of Russia. Ask the Lord to name the demonic tie between the two countries. Pray for the safety of the Syrian Christians and the salvation of the Moslems.
- "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off remembrance of them from the earth." (Psalm 34: 14,16)
4. PUTIN TO MEET IRAN'S AHMADINEJAD IN CHINA
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing next week as tensions rise over Tehran's nuclear drive, a Kremlin official said. "Meeting Ahmadinejad will let Putin personally feel the tension around the Iranian issue and how it is perceived in Tehran," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters last week in comments that were embargoed for release until Sunday.
The meeting will come as Russia prepares to host the latest round of talks on June 18 and 19 between world powers and Iranian negotiators in a bid to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. The Moscow talks will follow a meeting last month in Baghdad where the six world powers -- the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany -- confronted Tehran over its intention to enrich uranium despite fears it was building a nuclear bomb. The talks achieved little in two days of intense discussions besides setting up the next meeting in Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly warned against using military action against Iran -- an option never ruled out by Israel or the United States -- and said that this could cause a catastrophe in the Middle East. Putin will meet Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. He is also scheduled to speak with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai in a bilateral meeting.
The meeting with Ahmadinejad will be Putin's first since his return to the Kremlin for a third term after a four-year stint as prime minister.
The Russian delegation to the China summit is a show of force with "all the major names of Russian business in attendance," said Ushakov. Putin is also due to meet China's President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. With China preparing for a stage-managed leadership change, Putin will also meet Vice Premier Li Kequiang, who is set to be the next premier, and Xi Jinping, who is tipped as the next president. (Foxnews)
- What evil may these two men plot? Will Russia support Iran's plans against Israel? What role will China play in any such plots? Ask the Lord to give guidance and clarity to His intercessors. Pray that no plots will be put into motion until the Lord's timing for the Gog and Magog war, as well as the marching of the kings of the East. Cry out to the Lord for exposure of any plans. Iran has just named Israel as the Number One enemy. Pray that Putin will be silenced by the Lord during these meetings. And pray for our officials attending the summit.
- "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness - Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." (Isaiah 5: 20,21)
5. PROTESTS HEAT UPAFTER MUBARAK GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
Former President Hosni Mubarak got a life sentence Saturday for failing to stop the killing of protesters during Egypt's uprising. But he and his sons were cleared of corruption charges, setting off protests for greater accountability for 30 years of abuses under the old regime. By nightfall, a large crowd of up to 10,000 was back in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the uprising, to vent anger over the acquittals. Similar protests went on in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and Suez on the Red Sea.
In many ways, the old system remains in place and the clearest example of that is a key regime figure -- Mubarak's longtime friend and last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq -- is one of two candidates going to the presidential runoff set for June 16-17. Morsi of the fundamentalist Moslem Brotherhood quickly tried to capitalize on the anger over the acquittals, vowing in a news conference that, if elected, he would retry Mubarak along with former regime officials suspected of involvement in killing protesters.
The charges related to killing protesters carried a possible death sentence that the judge chose not to impose, opting instead to send Mubarak to prison for the rest of his life. The question of who ordered the killings of protesters was left unanswered.
After the sentencing, Mubarak suffered a "health crisis" on a helicopter flight to a Cairo prison hospital, according to security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. One state media report said it was a heart attack, but that could not immediately be confirmed. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch called the verdict a "landmark conviction" but criticized the prosecution for failing to fully investigate the case. Maha Youssef, a legal expert from the Nadim Center in Cairo, said the judge's verdict should be the basis of a successful appeal to throw out the convictions. "It's a completely politicized verdict that is meant to calm the masses." (AP)
Read more:
- Pray that the Egyptian people will learn to put their hope in God, and cry out to Him rather than to gather in dangerous masses . Allah has led them astray and into violence. Pray for the soul of Mubarak: that he comes to know salvation in Jesus Christ. In spite of his cruel regime, he did protect Israel for the years of his reign at the two countries' common border. Pray also for the Egyptian people, for they will cry to God if they live under the repression of the Moslem Brotherhood.
- "Do not let me ashamed, O Lord, for I have called on You; Let the wicked be ashamed, Let them be silent in the grave." (Psalm 31: 17)
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XIX, Number 14b
DOMESTIC ISSUES
News from the Hill
1. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES DOMA UNCONSTITUTIONAL
2. HOUSE DEFEATS BILL TO BAN SEX-SELECTIVE ("GENDERCIDE") ABORTIONS
3. HOUSE REVIEWS U.N. PLAN TO REGULATE INTERNET
4. SENATOR DEMINT: 94% OF THE SENATE BILLS PASSED IN SECRET
5. GAO REPORT: OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE TAX CREDIT INEFFECTIVE
6. IIACF BREAKFAST HONORS JERUSALEM DAY IN CONGRESS
1. FEDERAL JUDGE RULES DOMA UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Judge Claudia Wilken of the U.S. District Court for Northern California has become the third federal district judge to declare the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The law protects states that disallow same-sex marriages from being forced to recognize such marriages performed elsewhere. It also defines marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman.
Obama has refused to defend the law in court and now, pledging his support for same-sex marriage, has set the stage to overturn it. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he may put forward a bill to repeal DOMA this year and expects to see a plank supporting same-sex marriage to be in the Democratic Platform this year. This issue is destined to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. (FRC Prayer Targets)
- May God stir the American people to speak up in favor of marriage, both to their elected representatives and at the polls in November. May we neither be silent nor dull on this! May Congress and the Court uphold DOMA.
- "Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power . . ." (Psalm 110:3a NASB)
2. HOUSE DEFEATS BILL TO BAN SEX-SELECTIVE ("GENDERCIDE") ABORTIONS
A bill that would ban sex-selective abortions failed to muster enough support to pass the House Thursday following a contentious debate.The final vote was 246-168. Though a majority voted in favor of the bill, this particular proposal required a two-thirds majority to pass -- supporters of the bill fell 30 votes short. The proposal would have made it a federal crime to carry out an abortion based on the gender of the fetus. (Fox News) Read more.
- We are grieved at the outcome of this critical vote. Had the "normal" majority been required, victory would have been ours, but as it is, we have seen defeat. Cry out to God for mercy upon our land; we can only ask for His grace to be with us - not because of our wicked deeds, but because of His very nature . . . the God of love. Judgment is at hand; He chastises those whom He loves. Amen.
- "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent." (Rev. 3:19)
3. HOUSE REVIEWS U.N. PLAN TO REGULATE INTERNET
Late last month, House lawmakers considered an international proposal to give the United Nations more control over the Internet.
The proposal is backed by China, Russia, Brazil, India and other UN members, and would give the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) more control over the governance of the Internet.
The hearing was expected to bring more attention in the U.S. to the measure, which would give the UN more control over cybersecurity, data privacy, technical standards and the Web's address system. It would also allow foreign government-owned Internet providers to charge extra for international traffic and allow for more price controls. (The Hill) Read more.
- We continue to offer prayer that all such plans would be canceled. Thank you for standing in agreement with the Word of God, below. In His Name, amen.
- " Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not stand, for God is with us." (Isaiah 8:10)
4. 94% OF THE SENATE BILLS PASSED IN SECRET WITHOUT EVER BEING READ OR DEBATED!
US Senator Jim DeMint exposes the systematically corrupt practice of an overwhelming majority of bills being passed in secret with no debate! ~ US Senator Jim DeMint takes time on the floor to address out of control process of the US Senate passing a massive 94% of bills in secret without debate and no chance to make amendments.
He explains how bills are sent to the Senate in the dead of night that no one has ever seen or read, there is no price tag for the bills, and it is not even known who requested the bills to be passed.
Those in the Senate who do not agree to pass these bills in secrecy with no debate, chance to read them or chance to offer amendments are subject to political backlash from their political parties. Watch the video, it is absolutely jaw dropping. (5 minutes) (Hebrew Nation News)
- Dear Omniscient God, the One who knows all things. We feel great concern for the preservation and welfare of America and for one of Your Own, Jim DeMint; and for his family and friends when we see videos like this. Gracious Father, we humbly ask that You will protect those who are revealing abuse of power in our executive, legislative and judicial branches. We pray that You will have those senators and their staff who are misusing the legislative process to be named and rebuked publicly. Please remove these offenders from our United States Senate and replace them with godly servants of Your choosing. Those who seek to preserve their power and their party's power through bills that they sponsor secretly and then demand a unanimous vote for passage, deserve immediate removal.
May You be glorified in this situation, and please encourage those fighting Your Good Fight to not give up! May they know that if they ask, Your help is always there for them. We pray for help for America and that she be restored unto You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me." (2 Samuel 22: 18 NKJV)
5. GAO REPORT: OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE TAX CREDIT INEFFECTIVE
House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) issued the following statement on Monday regarding a GAO report they requested, which shows the ineffectiveness of the health care tax credit for small businesses:
"As we honor America's small firms during National Small Business Week, it is discouraging that so many small companies are still burdened by compliance with the health care law," said Congressman Graves and Senator Snowe. "The President claimed that the health care tax credit would help small businesses deal with the weight of this massive law, but, according to this study, it has been grossly ineffective. This GAO report confirms that many small firms haven't claimed the tax credit because it is too complex and its temporary nature didn't provide a significant solution to their long term compliance problems - a regrettable, but all too foreseeable conclusion."
On April 18th, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing on upcoming tax increases that will affect small businesses, specifically the expiring tax rates at the year's end; and health care reform law taxes, including the employer mandate, the Medicare payroll surtax on investment income, the Medicare payroll tax increase, and many others.
Highlights of the GAO report titled, "Small Employer Health Tax Credit: Factors Contributing to Low Use and Complexity" can be seen here. (Christian Coalition of America) Read more.
- Our Father in Heaven, we come to You with concerns about the intricate ways the government has devised to make an appearance of helping small businesses when indeed the policies hurt those who are motivated to be entrepreneurs in our country. We ask that You would make these facts well known so that this aspect of Obamacare can be dealt with either in the courts or in Congress. Thank you that alert Representatives and Senators have investigated this matter. We ask that from this report changes will come forth to this burdensome law. We pray for wisdom and favor for all those involved in small businesses in America. In Your name, Amen.
- "And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers." (Luke 11:46)
"For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian." (Isaiah 9:4)
6. IIACF BREAKFAST HONORS JERUSALEM DAY IN CONGRESS
[IIACF stands for: International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation]
Join us this Wednesday for the Jerusalem Day Prayer Breakfast!
June 6, 2012
9:00AM - 12:00PM
Washington, D.C. | U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
South Congressional Meeting Room - CVC 217
Registration and a light buffet breakfast will be from 9:00am to 9:30am. The program will begin at 9:30am. Directions to CVC 217 are below.
Confirmed Members of Congress include: Rep. Trent Franks, Rep. Doug Lamborn, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. Joe Walsh, Rep. Allen West, Rep. Louie Gohmert, and Rep. Michelle Bachmann.
Confirmed speakers include: Rabbi Benny Elon, IIACF President and former Israeli Minister of Tourism, Archbishop Daniel Williams, recently honored by the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and the World Jewish Congress for his steadfast support for Israel, Dr. Dave Weldon, former Congressmen and founding member of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, along with Gary Bauer, a one-time Republican presidential candidate, former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, and current president of American Values.
If you haven't already, we invite you to register today to reserve your place for this unforgettable celebration!
News from the White House
1. THE ECONOMY: TROUBLE FOR OBAMA
2. OBAMA'S RECORD ON SPENDING: TRUE OR FALSE?
3. BARACK OBAMA: DRONE WARRIOR
4. THE SECRET KILL LIST
1. THE ECONOMY: TROUBLE FOR OBAMA
The latest data on the economy must have the Obama White House reaching for the Maalox. For example:
- First quarter GDP was revised down from 2.2% to 1.9%, meaning the economy was growing at a slower pace in the first three months of the year than was originally thought.
- While economists were predicting no change in weekly jobless claims, they actually jumped 13,000 from last week's figures, to 383,000. But as we and others have noted, these government figures are increasingly suspect.
- The housing market continues to remain weak as foreclosures accounted for more than a quarter of sales in the first quarter of the year. While it is good that these homes are selling, the large number of foreclosures means that home values remain depressed.
- And earlier this week, it was reported that the consumer confidence index fell to 64.9 when economists had expected an uptick to 70. A reading of 90 or higher indicates a strong economy. But as Investor's Business Daily commented, "Throughout Obama's 'recovery,' the index has averaged 57."
Clearly, the voters have lost hope in Obama's change. None of this is good news for the president's reelection prospects. Unable to campaign on a record of accomplishment, Obama will have little choice but to run the most negative, slash-and-burn campaign in history. (Gary Bauer)
- Pray that this downturn in the economy will bring a harvest of new souls into the Kingdom of God, as Americans turn from their hedonistic lifestyles to answers from God, trusting in Him and not the federal government. Ask the Lord to keep exposing the truth about the economy. Pray that Americans will fight depression in their spirits, choosing instead to do what they must to strengthen their lives.
- "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways though he be rich." (Proverbs 28: 6)
2. OBAMA'S RECORD ON SPENDING: TRUE OR FALSE?
Fearful that this election may well be a referendum on his economic record, Barack Obama wants voters to believe he is a penny pincher. Last week, he told an Iowa audience, "Federal spending since I took office has risen at the slowest pace of any president in almost 60 years." On Fox News, Charles Krauthammer labeled Obama's claim, "the whopper of the year" and "an unbelievable distortion of the truth."
To begin with, it is factually inaccurate. As the Associated Press noted, this claim is based on spending from 2010 to 2013. It completely ignores all of the massive spending in 2009, including the $830 billion stimulus bill! And there are other accounting gimmicks too. For example: "The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also makes Obama's record on spending look better than it was. The government spent $96 billion on the Fannie-Freddie takeovers in 2009 but only $40 billion on them in 2010. By the administration's reckoning, the $56 billion difference was a spending cut by Obama."
In addition, it is intellectually dishonest. Obama and his party firmly believe that government spending is the key to economic growth. That's why Obama, Reid and Pelosi rammed through the massive stimulus bill. That's why Obama constantly demands tax increases -- so he can spend more of your hard-earned money. That's why Obama and his socialist allies in Congress constantly fight GOP efforts to cut spending.
Like so many other issues, Obama is out of touch with mainstream American values when it comes to spending. A recent Gallup poll found that 46% of Americans consider themselves "economic conservatives," while just 20% say they are "economic liberals." (Gary Bauer)
- Dear Lord, we see how frequently the facts of government spending and taxes are misrepresented and how the figures are twisted to say something that is not true. We ask that You would bring correction to this error and forgive those doing this. Lord, we pray that the American public will not be deceived by this tactic. We speak truth in what our government says just as there must be truth in advertising.
- "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Take heed that no man deceive you." (Matthew 24:4)
3. OBAMA: DRONE WARRIOR
A very strange story, a 6,000-word front-page New York Times piece on how, every Tuesday,
Obama shuffles "baseball cards" with the pictures and bios of suspected terrorists from around the world and chooses who shall die by drone strike. He even reserves for himself the decision of whether to proceed when the probability of killing family members or bystanders is significant.
The article could have been titled "Barack Obama: Drone Warrior." Great detail on how Obama personally runs the assassination campaign. On-the-record quotes from the highest officials. This was no leak. This was a White House press release.
Why? To portray Obama as tough guy. And why now? Because in crisis after recent crisis, Obama has looked particularly weak: standing helplessly by as thousands are massacred in Syria; being played by Iran in nuclear negotiations, now reeling with the collapse of the latest round in Baghdad; being treated with contempt by Vladimir Putin, who blocks any action on Syria or Iran and adds personal insult by standing up Obama at the latter's G-8 and NATO summits.
The Obama camp thought that any political problem with foreign policy would be cured by the Osama bin Laden operation. But the administration's attempt to politically exploit the raid's one-year anniversary backfired, earning ridicule and condemnation for its crude appropriation of the heroic acts of others. ( National Review) [Reported by Gary Bauer] Read more.
- Politicians are known for meddling in the affairs of military plans and maneuvers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave away Eastern Europe to Stalin and by a special deal made with Stalin allowed the Russians to enter Berlin while American troops were held back to allow the Russians to make their mark on Berlin. Mr. Obama knows nothing of the military experience because he never served in the military. Pray that the Lord takes away from our president this playing with the drones and instead teaches him to rely on his Joint Chiefs of Staff and military agencies to do their job. This game played by Mr. Obama is horrible and insulting to every American, especially to the actual military on the ground! Pray for courage for the military to speak up against this game.
- "The fear of man brings strife, but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe." (Proverbs 29: 25)
4. THE SECRET KILL LIST
[Editor's note: we normally do not run an item for prayer twice in one issue, but in this case, we will make an exception. Thank you.]
The leader of the government regularly sits down with his senior generals and spies and advisers and reviews a list of the people they want him to authorize their agents to kill. They do this every Tuesday morning when the leader is in town. The leader once condemned any practice even close to this, but now relishes the killing because he has convinced himself that it is a sane and sterile way to keep his country safe and himself in power. The leader, who is running for re-election, even invited his campaign manager to join the group that decides whom to kill.
Andrew Napolitano, former Superior Court of New Jersey judge and senior judicial analyst at Fox News reports that this is not a work of fiction, and it is not describing a series of events in the Kremlin or Beijing or Pyongyang. It is a fair summary of a 6,000-word investigative report in The New York Times earlier this week about the White House of Barack Obama. He found that two Times journalists, Jo Becker and Scott Shane, painstakingly and chillingly reported that the former lecturer in constitutional law and liberal senator who railed against torture and Gitmo now weekly reviews a secret kill list, personally decides who should be killed and then dispatches killers all over the world - and some of his killers have killed Americans.
We have known for some time that President Obama is waging a private war. By that I mean he is using the CIA on his own - and not the military after congressional authorization - to fire drones at thousands of persons in foreign lands, usually while they are riding in a car or a truck. He has done this both with the consent and over the objection of the governments of the countries in which he has killed. He doesn't want to talk about this, but he doesn't deny it. How chilling is it that David Axelrod - the president's campaign manager - has periodically seen the secret kill list? Might this be to keep the killings politically correct?
Can the president legally do this? In a word: No.
Obama cannot lawfully order the killing of anyone, except according to the Constitution and federal law. Under the Constitution, he can only order killing using the military when the U.S. has been attacked, or when an attack is so imminent and certain that delay would cost innocent American lives, or in pursuit of a congressional declaration of war. Under federal law, he can only order killing using civilians when a person has been sentenced lawfully to death by a federal court and the jury verdict and the death sentence have been upheld on appeal. If he uses the military to kill, federal law requires public reports of its use to Congress and congressional approval after 180-days. (Conservative Action Alerts) Read more.
- Father of All Justice, we ask that You will protect those who are trying to bring evidence against, and the conviction of this usurping administration. It is murder that they are committing, using civilian assassins, whenever and wherever they need removal of their targeted opponents. Lord, we will continue to cry out to You to remove these criminals from our federal executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Please rebuke them and act swiftly against them with Your justice and rule of law when it will bring You the most glory. Please grant America godly leadership at all levels, and restore our nation, her people and military to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "I have done justice and righteousness; do not leave me to my oppressors. It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your Law as void." (Psalm 119: 121 and 126 NKJV)
More News of Interest
1. U.S. EMPLOYERS ADD 69,000 JOBS, FEWER THAN FORECAST
2. FARMERS PANIC! CROPS DIE AS COLORADO GOVERNMENT BLOCKS WELLS
3. IN WISCONSIN: SCOTT WALKER'S FATE WILL HAVE NOVEMBER IMPLICATIONS
4. BILDERBERGERS END MEETING IN CHANTILLY, VA
5. BREAKING: ROMNEY DID NOT WIN NOMINATION
1. U.S. EMPLOYERS ADD 69,000 JOBS, FEWER THAN FORECAST
The American jobs engine sputtered in May as employers added the fewest workers in a year and the unemployment rate rose, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama's re-election prospects and raising the odds the Federal Reserve will step in to boost growth.
Payrolls climbed by 69,000 last month, less than the most- pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg News survey, after a revised 77,000 gain in April that was smaller than initially estimated, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median projection called for a 150,000 May advance. The jobless rate rose to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent.
"The picture is getting more worrisome," said Bruce Kasman, chief economist for JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York, which lowered its 2012 growth forecast to 2.1 percent from 2.3 percent after the jobs report. "The U.S. economy is going to be somewhat softer over the next couple of quarters."
Stocks tumbled, erasing the 2012 advance in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Treasury yields fell as the data reinforced concern that global growth is heading for a third mid-year lull. Other reports today showed manufacturing output shrank in Europe and slowed in China, the world's second-largest economy. (Bloomberg) Read more
- Father God, we pray that each voter this year will carefully examine the true facts and figures for each candidate in the upcoming elections. We speak wisdom to the voters as they make their choices based on reality and whether or not America is better off now than it was four years ago.
- "Be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
2. FARMERS PANIC! CROPS DIE AS COLORADO GOVERNMENT BLOCKS WELLS
With a lower-than-normal snowpack, farmers in northeastern Colorado who rely on the South Platte River are facing severe water shortages in which they are not able to water some of their crops. Farmers in Greeley, Colorado are watching their fields dry up amid one of the worst droughts in the state's history. But just a few feet beneath them, the water is so plentiful it's flooding basements and causing septic systems to overflow. Yet, the state government will not permit farmers to pump the water to save their crops.
Many of the farmers have wells that draw groundwater for use in situations like this. But in 2006, the Colorado Supreme Court ordered 440 wells shut down and curtailed the pumping of another 1,000. Under long-established Colorado water doctrine, water is distributed under the principle of "first in use, first in right," whereby prior users have senior rights to junior users.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Colorado state legislature recently passed a bill commissioning a study, but it is not required to be completed until June 1, 2013. There is no provision in the legislation requiring officials to permit farmers to turn the wells on before then. State Sen. Scott Renfroe (R-District 13) one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislation originally had those provisions, but it was stripped from the final legislation . . .
Sen. Renfroe said he agrees the wells need to be turned on now. "We have farmers who are hurting from both a lack of water and rising water table," he said. "Some have said the salt content is so high their soil only has two years of productive use left." Renfroe added: "This study should have been done five years ago when the wells were first turned off. I understand the concerns of senior water holders, and this legislation has a lot of protections for them, but we need to find a way to benefit everybody." (WorldNetDaily) Read more
- Father of All Creation, as the storm clouds gather here in Colorado Springs, we are reminded of how You can make the rain fall upon the land You created. If man won't help northeastern Colorado's farmers by allowing them to open up their wells, we ask You today to help them in a way that will only bring glory to You. Please cause it to rain, God, wherever it is needed in Colorado. As Your servant Joseph said to his brothers: "What man means for evil, God means for good!" We know that every word in Your Bible is true, and we are counting on You to fulfill this promise to Colorado's farmers. We thank You for the opportunity to pray for these farm's survival. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
- "He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety." (Job 5: 10-11 NKJV)
3. IN WISCONSIN: SCOTT WALKER'S FATE WILL HAVE NOVEMBER IMPLICATIONS
Evan Bradtke, a 20-year-old college student, spends time these days working out of a small, windowless room in a nondescript suite of offices a few miles outside Madison, Wis. Hour after hour he calls voters, urging them to turn out on June 5 to support embattled Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
Walker made national headlines last year when he eliminated most collective-bargaining rights for public employee unions, triggering huge protests. The fight put friends, neighbors and family members on opposite sides and left the state as polarized as any in the nation. It will culminate in next month's recall election, only the third for a sitting governor in U.S. history.
But there is more at stake on June 5 than the question of whether Walker remains in office or is replaced by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. To Bradtke, saving Walker's job is a crucial step toward making Wisconsin a competitive battleground in November and electing a Republican president who deals with budgetary issues nationally the way Walker has in Wisconsin.
The recall contest "is the second most important election in the country this year," he said. (Washington Post) Read more.
- Lord, we ask You to grant unto every voter in Wisconsin Your wisdom and discernment as they go to the polls tomorrow. We ask that You reveal what is hidden, divide deception from truth, and uphold the righteous. We thank You that You will exalt whom You desire in this hour to govern Wisconsin and that You will pull down he who stands against Your will and purpose. In Jesus' Name, we ask this prayer, amen.
- "For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation; But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another." (Psalms 75:6,7)
(Note: Please begin praying tonight and then all through the day tomorrow during this critical election.)
4. BILDERBERGERS END MEETING IN CHANTILLY, VA
The Bilderbergers have now ended their annual meeting and are on their way home to the many nations they came from. We ask continued prayer that our Lord would apprehend each member on his or her way, much as He did to Saul on the Road to Damascus, turning their hearts towards him. Nothing is too difficult for God. Pray!
- "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." (Malachi 3:6)
[To see a list of this year's participants at the Bilderberg conference, go here.]
5. BREAKING: ROMNEY DID NOT WIN NOMINATION
Incredible developments have emerged spelling out how Romney may not have actually taken the nomination, after all. Even with news circulating like wildfire that Romney secured the Republican nomination with an alleged win in Tuesday's Texas Primary, it seems as though this may not actually be the case. Ironically enough, Romney still may not have even taken Texas, yet.
After a careful comb through the numbers, how the race is playing out and what delegate totals are emerging from the states, it seems as though Romney currently has only around half of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination.
So, why is the 'national' media acting this way? Are they incorrectly still using the 'estimated' delegate totals, based on the initial caucuses and primaries from each state, while ignoring the actual delegate totals emerging as the states finally begin to conclude their weeks-long delegate selection processes?
Every 4 years the GOP does the exact same nomination process and all 50 states play their roll in that process. Some states conclude rather quickly, some rather slowly. Most of the states, however, have some sort of post-caucus/primary delegate selection process that can take, up to, a couple months to complete. This virtually renders the ultimate outcome unattainable until the vast majority of the states have fully concluded their delegate selection process. Until then, it is virtually impossible to know exactly what each candidate has, in terms of delegate totals. (Denver Libertarian Examiner) Read more.
- Our Dear Lord, we declare in the name of Jesus that only the candidate of Your choosing will become the nominee for the Republican Party. We see that just because the mainstream media says a certain man has tentatively won the nomination that does not make it a fact. We trust You to be in charge of this most important matter.
- " . . . be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite." (Deuteronomy 17:15)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LAMB OF GOD (Seh Ha-EH-lo-heem)
"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
O Lord, You are the pure, sinless Lamb of God! You laid down Your life to redeem my soul from the curse of the enemy, once and for all. How I praise You, Lamb of God!
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
