Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief Thursday, December 20, 2012
"He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds."
(Psalm 147:3)
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The Daily Brief
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1. Syria rebels fear chemical weapons - AP
The new Syrian rebel military commander said he is "very afraid" a cornered Syrian President Bashar Assad will unleash chemical weapons on his own people but the opposition does not have the means to seize and secure them.
- Lord, You are the God of justice and truth. We pray that You will reveal all hidden plans of the enemy, all hidden agendas of the rebels, and prevent the release of chemical weapons in the region.
- "Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man." [Psalm 60:11]
2. Russia's Putin seeks big arms deals in India - Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to conclude deals on the sale of fighter jets and aircraft engines to India next week which could be worth more than $7.5 billion, defense industry sources said on Wednesday.
- Lord, You know the plans and devices of all men. We ask that any plan to bring India on board as an ally of Russia be infused with the wisdom of Your Holy Spirit. Arming India in the midst of problems with Pakistan can only serve to bring more difficulties in a region plagued by hostilities.
- "Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city." [Psalm 55:9]
3. France opens the door to medically-assisted suicide - AFP
A report commissioned by French President Francois Hollande has started the ball rolling towards possible legislation that would allow for medically-assisted suicide in France.
- Father, this plan to take lives rather than bring life is in direct opposition to the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians. We ask for a grassroots campaign by doctors across the world to stand against this plan.
- "and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." [Revelation 22:2c]
4. Analysis of social media in Libya finds no reference to anti-Islam film on day of attack - Fox News
As the State Department began Tuesday to circulate a highly anticipated report into what happened in the Sept. 11 Libya consulate attack, a separate analysis found that the first reference to the anti-Islam film that was initially blamed for sparking the attack was not detected on social media until a day later.
- Father, the constant stream of lies surrounding the attack in Libya has grieved us all. We pray that You will bring conviction and repentance to those who chose to spread false information.
- "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies." [Psalm 58:3]
5. Religious schools claim 'major victory' after ruling on contraception mandate- Fox News
Two religious-affiliated colleges claimed a "major victory" Tuesday after a federal appeals court ordered the Obama administration to verify that it is revising the so-called contraception mandate in ObamaCare.
The decision out of the D.C. Court of Appeals effectively reinstated a challenge that had been dismissed by lower courts. Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College were arguing against the federal health care overhaul rule that requires employers to provide access to contraceptive care.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has represented several plaintiffs challenging the rule, hailed the court decision.
Read more:
- Father, we know this is only a small victory against Obamacare's contraceptive mandate. As the larger battle looms head, we pray that Your people will be allowed the choice to stand against the provisions of that law.
-"He regarded their affliction when He heard their cry" [Psalm 106:44]
6a. Boehner defies White House, says chamber will pass 'Plan B' to avert tax hikes - Fox News
House Speaker John Boehner declared Wednesday that his chamber will approve a so-called "Plan B" to avert a crush of tax hikes just 13 days away, despite President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowing to oppose it.
6b. Reid rules out Senate vote on Boehner's 'Plan B' - The Hill
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Thursday the Senate will not vote on Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) "Plan B" to extend tax rates for family income below $1 million.
- Lord, we simply pray that Your Hand will prevent the full impact of the "fiscal cliff" on ordinary Americans. We believe in You, and the power of Your Spirit to hold us safe against anything our governmental leaders may do.
- "Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them around your neck; write them upon the table of your heart." [Proverbs 3:3]
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The Middle East in Focus
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The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatever He has pleased." (Psalm 115:1-3)
1. US blocks UN condemnation of Jerusalem construction - Israel Hayom
The U.S. administration on Wednesday torpedoed a United Nations Security Council condemnation against Israel over recently approved plans to build hundreds of new housing units in contested areas of Jerusalem, Israel Radio reported.
2. 'All Israeli governments have built in Jerusalem. We're not going to change that,' PM tells envoys - Times of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday reiterated Israel's right to build in the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, notwithstanding global outcries. Speaking to ambassadors of Asian and Pacific countries on the balcony of Jerusalem's King David Hotel, overlooking the walls of the Old City, Netanyahu asked them to look down at the city and contemplate international demands that Israel stop building there.
3. Israel fully prepared to prevent Syrian chemical attack, IAF commander says - Times of Israel
Israel's air force commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel said the IAF is fully prepared to prevent a chemical weapons attack from Syria, if necessary, by destroying the massive stockpiles in Syria's possession.
4. Abbas offers to take in Palestinian refugees from Syrian civil war - Times of Israel
The Palestinian president said Wednesday he is ready to take in Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria's civil war, and the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to facilitate their entry.
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The Daily Jot
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Of mass killings, gun control and personal responsibility
The agendas are running the country rather than good common sense. The political agenda of the liberal left has been since its inception to disarm the public. In this way, there is great control by the government. People become very complacent about anything the government wants to do because they have no real leverage of the lifeblood of their existence. This season has been marred by murder-suicides, shootings at schools and malls, suicides and other violence. Picking up the leftist mantra of never wasting a good crisis, the politicians have plied the good hearts and sympathies of the American people into thinking that the problem is guns. Guns are not the problem, society is. Or is it?
We live in a society where the top TV shows depict homosexuality, violence, murder, and sexual content as normal. Our children are bombarded with agendas all day, everyday. Video games are increasingly violent and sexual, filling young minds with dark concepts and desires that are beyond the thought of many, if not most, parents. The nightly news if filled with murders, kidnappings, thefts, political corruption and liberal brainwashing. The government has made it so difficult to make a living because of taxes, regulations, political pressures that the two income family is not only the norm, but folks are looked down upon if both husband and wife do not have "careers." This leaves the care of children to someone else.
Do you know that I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read, "Children are precious, Choose the best day care"? Who is raising our children? Are they getting parents' morals or teachers', day care providers', television programs', or video games' morals? Ok, I think you know the answer. Even if parents are caring enough to provide a church life for themselves and their children, they are getting mostly mixed signals from the vast majority of churches. "Jesus loves you, but don't get involved in society because we are of another kingdom" is what they hear--or variations of some messaging that feeds their already self indulgent lives. Yes, society is a mess.
It is a mess because those of us who know better have not engaged well. Guns don't kill people, people do. Homosexuality wouldn't destroy lives if homosexuals didn't practice it. Abortion wouldn't kill a single baby if doctors didn't perform them on willing mothers convinced there is no other way. Suicide would not take one life, if the person didn't commit it. I know these are oversimplifications, but it is true. Somewhere along the line, there must be individual responsibility. Life is not sterile labels that cause us to do things. It is our responsibility unto YHVH God to do what is right. If we do well, society will ultimately change for the better. If we continue to disengage, there are consequences.
Yeshua said in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." It is not your pastor, or your best friend, or someone else who is going to stand before the Lord in your place. It is you. We will all be held accountable for our lives here on earth. If we are to be salt and light, overcome evil with good, and preach the word, society is not the problem. We are not getting the job done.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
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The Madison Report
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The Madison Report
www.madisonproject.com
Farm Bill
Although the new farm bills eliminate some form of direct subsidies, they create new programs that perpetuate dependency. The Senate bill would create a new shallow loss program, which would guarantee farmers 90% of their annual income. The House bill actually reinstates some form of direct subsidies to rice and peanut farmers (they were eliminated in the Senate bill), while only offering minor reforms to the new crop insurance program created in the Senate bill. The house bill sets target prices for wheat, barely, peanuts, rice, and corn. When commodity prices dip below those targets, farmers are entitled to recover the loss in the form of a taxpayer subsidy. What about the shallow loss program in the Senate? Instead of guaranteeing farmers 90% of their income as established in the Senate bill, the House bill "only" guarantees 85%!
Members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees are negotiating a final deal in secret along with leadership. Once again, the full House never voted on a farm bill, so any deal would be inserted into the tax bill without ever having gone through regular order.
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Focus on Gun Control
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One Key to this Problem:
National Leadership
Following is an excerpt from an excellent article, written Major General Jerry Curry, USA (Ret.) that addresses the lack of leadership in our country as the primary reason for our current state of out-of-control violence in America.
We encourage all of you to go to this link and to read this article, in its entirety, for yourselves.
Thank you for continued prayers over this critical situation in our land.
The horrible events that took place last week at Sandy Hook elementary School in Connecticut are sparking a much needed national debate about the culture of violence that is being spawned in this country. For many political and community leaders this is interpreted to mean that we need to pass some kind of gun violence laws. But before we do, we need to first get the fundamentals right. We need to protect our children, our schools and our neighborhoods from violent people; not just from mechanical equipment like knives, guns and cars. Last year over 30,000 people were killed by cars; should we pass car violence laws? . . .
Today it is not the culture of violence that is the problem; it is the absence of leadership. How do we change this culture of violence we have, we start by changing leadership. We do it by voting men and women into the White House and the Congress who are experienced leaders who are determined to lead the nation and its people toward stamping stamp out all cultures of violence.
That's what successful leaders do; they set the right example and change and refashion behavior where ever, however and whenever it is needed. Changing people's actions and beliefs is what leadership is all about. Real leaders don't blame present failures on their predecessors, they take ownership of all their unit does or fails to do, including failure to protect the lives of their children while attending elementary school.
The Washington Guardian reports that this past weekend at the Newtown Memorial Service held in Connecticut, President Obama said, "We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics." This sounds right and proper except that it fails to mention that in 2012 the Obama Administration took out of the Department of Education's Budget, "Between $20,000 and $30,000 in annual grants to help schools create emergency and crisis preparation and prevention plans for tragedies just like the one that unfolded Friday."
The Guardian also reported that during the last few years federal funding for key school children security programs was allowed to lapse for budget cutting reasons. "Two Justice Department programs that had provided more than $200,000 to schools for training, security equipment and police resources over the last decade weren't renewed in 2011 and 2012, and that a separate program that provided $800 million to put police officers inside the schools was ended a few years earlier." It was then that President Obama should have been screaming, "N0-N0-N0! We are going to increase the funding for protection provided our school children not cut it back." . . . (Read more here.)
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Heading Toward The Cliff
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Heading Toward The Cliff
Negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill aimed at avoiding the fiscal cliff have reportedly broken down. Frustrated by Obama's unwillingness to deal with the real problem (spending), Speaker John Boehner announced yesterday that the House of Representatives will vote this evening on two bills.
One cuts spending by $200 billion while minimizing the national security impact of planned sequestration cuts. The second bill extends the Bush tax cuts for everyone making less than $1 million a year.
Boehner's approach has divided conservatives, some of whom fear his concession on tax hikes, even on millionaires, is giving up too much. On the other hand, taxes on everyone will go up automatically on January 1st if nothing is done. Boehner is putting forward a plan initially proposed by liberals like Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer and daring them to oppose it now.
And, of course, they are. Senate Democrats have declared Boehner's "Plan B" dead on arrival. Barack Obama has vowed to veto it should it pass. If he does, Boehner hopes the public will understand that it is Obama's fault when everyone's taxes go up on January 1st.
Meanwhile, the IRS is warning that millions of taxpayers may not be able to file their returns until late March. Worse, they may owe thousands of dollars in additional taxes if the alternative minimum tax is not adjusted.
With just 11 days left, the prospects for a deal to avoid going over the fiscal cliff seem as remote as ever. (Gary Bauer)
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Reid Ready To "Go Nuclear"
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The Fiscal Cliff:
Reid Ready To "Go Nuclear"
For all of the rhetoric about the need for compromise in Washington, Harry Reid is getting ready to make sure that there is less of it in the Senate. Frustrated by Senate rules that protect minority party rights, Reid is determined to severely limit the right to debate an issue without time limits (filibuster) so he can ram through Obama's left-wing agenda.
What makes this power grab even more outrageous is that Reid is planning to break the Senate's rules in order to change the rules. Normally changing the Senate's rules would require a two-thirds super-majority vote. Next year, Democrats will have only 55 votes. So Reid is planning to change the rules with a bare majority of 51 votes by using the so-called "nuclear option."
The good news is that the move is so controversial, it's not at all clear that Reid has 51 votes for it. The New York Times recently reported that several Democrats were opposed to the idea or leaned against it. Click here to learn more. (Gary Bauer)
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FRC Prayer Target: Christmas
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FRC Prayer Target: Christmas
Dear Sara,
How awed the Judean shepherds must have been to hear the angelic proclamation:
"Fear not . . . I bring you good tidings of great joy . . . to all people. For unto you is born . . . a Savior . . . Christ the Lord . . . Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Lk 23:8-14)
Many Americans are facing Christmas with a great weight of sorrow. We are all grieving for those bereaved by the massacre of innocent children and their teachers in Newtown, Connecticut. FRC President Tony Perkins happened to be in New York City on the day of the shooting and that afternoon discussed the shooting with Fox News host Megyn Kelly. He offered words of encouragement and the importance of placing our trust in God. I encourage you to watch this video of the interview.
On Friday afternoon, the FRC team gathered to pray for these grieving families. We prayed for this suffering community, both for those directly touched by this tragedy, and also for our nation -- where senseless acts of violence like this have become all too common.
- May God comfort the families and friends of those stricken by this demonically inspired young man in Newtown. May they be healed by the power and grace of God and the Gospel of Jesus. May this tragedy be used of the Lord to draw men to Him and not turn away from Him. (Mt 2:16-18)
- Like Simeon and Anna, may we be faithful in prayer until we have seen the glory of God in our land. This Christmas, may each of us be revived, together with our families. May we enjoy the peace and goodwill of God through Jesus Christ! (Ps 2: 68)
Sincerely,
Rev. Pierre Bynum
Chaplain & National Prayer Director
Email: pbynum@frc.org
Family Research Council
801 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
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The Good News Corner
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The Good News Corner
Miracle of Six-year-old Lone Survivor in Newtown Classroom
"I think it's impossible outside of divine intervention." -Pastor Jim Solomon
(Newtown, CT)-Out of the extreme sadness of Newtown's devastation comes a hair-raising miracle survivor story.
A six-year-old little girl-who is remaining unidentified for privacy reasons-was the only one in her classroom of 16 children who was not shot and killed.
Why?
Somehow, in the midst of such horror, armed with only the wisdom of a first grader, she had the presence of mind to "play dead."
The little girl's pastor, Jim Solomon-who has been counseling with the family ever since the tragedy-told a reporter from ABC News that "Somehow, in that moment, by God's grace, [she] was able to act as she was already deceased."
The little girl was reportedly the first student out of the building that had been on lockdown.
Pastor Solomon said the girl "ran out of the school building covered from head to toe with blood and the first thing she said to her mom was, 'Mommy, I'm OK but all my friends are dead.'"
The girl later described the shooter to her mother: ". . . she saw someone who she felt was angry and someone she felt was very mad," related Solomon, adding that the first grader seemed to have "wisdom beyond her years, for sure."
As the families whose children were killed in the massacre suffer with grief, this family is suffering from that of a different kind as the girl's mother says they are dealing with "survivor's guilt" since she still has her daughter while so many of her friends have lost a child.
Please remember to pray for this family as well as the others of Newtown. (ABC) Read more and view the video here.
[Reported by: Aimee Herd, Breaking Christian News, Dec. 20, 2012]
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Worship with Us Today!
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Worship with Us Today!
King of Glory
Messianic Praise Song
Worship Here
