In This Edition:
- Prime Minister Netanyahu Forges New Coalition; Strengthens Israeli Leadership
- Israel Announces New Logo for Obama Visit
- Cruise Ship Survivors Quote Scripture;
Media Fears the Word of God
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief Wednesday, February 20, 2013
"And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.'" (Revelation 5:9)
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The Daily Brief
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1. US ready to strike back against China cyberattacks - AP
As public evidence mounts that the Chinese military is responsible for stealing massive amounts of U.S. government data and corporate trade secrets, the Obama administration is eying fines and other trade actions it may take against Beijing or any other country guilty of cyber espionage.
- Father, we pray for Your intervention to protect the United States from being robbed of intelligence information that has kept us strong against our enemies. Move upon this administration to stop China from benefiting itself through trade of American products. By the power of the God in heaven we pray You block China from deceptively attacking our country. The blood of Jesus be against them. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "Oh Lord God, You have begun to show us Your greatness, and Your mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to Your works, and according to Your might?" (Deuteronomy 3:24)
2. Major Chinese internet hacking base exposed - UK Telegraph
It looks like any other Shanghai office building but a nondescript tower block has been identified as the nerve centre of one of the world's most dangerous military cyber-hacking operations.
- Father God, we praise You for identifying and exposing this dangerous military cyber-hacking operation. We ask that You destroy it so that it cannot succeed in its corrupt and malicious work. You are God and we pray You will continue to expose this country's deepest secrets so they have no cover to hide under. God sees all and we pray You reveal all that they are doing. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.
- "He that works deceit shall not dwell within God's house: he that tells lies shall not tarry in God's sight. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord." (Psalm 101:7-8)
3. North Korea threatens South with "final destruction" - Reuters
North Korea threatened South Korea with "final destruction" during a debate at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday, saying it could take further steps after a nuclear test last week.
- Father in heaven, North Korea and South Korea are being watched from heaven by Your all-seeing eyes. The pride of North Korea will be defeated by the hand of the Lord because wickedness cannot prosper. Weaken their nuclear strength, O God, and strike down their evil intents by the power of God. Stand against them and pull them back to submit to the will of the Lord God in heaven. In the Name of Jesus we pray, amen.
- "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up: and he shall be brought low." (Isaiah 2:11-12)
4. BREAKING! Setting aside rivalry, Netanyahu and Livni announce deal
- Times of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni, the leader of the centrist Hatnua party, on Tuesday announced that they would be joining forces in the next government in order to focus on Israel's diplomatic and security challenges, with an emphasis on Iran's nuclear program and peace talks with the Palestinians.
- Thank You, God, for Your mighty work of bringing unity and agreement between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni. Lead them in working together and give them godly intelligence regarding Iran's nuclear program. Your hand is forever upon Israel to protect them and bless them. Guide these leaders. Speak to them and give them understanding and wisdom. Reveal to them the things that are hidden so their strength will be indomitable against their enemies. In the Name of Jesus we pray, amen.
- "Behold He that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper: the Lord is your shade upon your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from evil. He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." (Psalm 121:4-8)
5. Gallup: Obama hits record high for polarizing politics - Washington Times
In terms of polarizing the public, President Obama is on a fast-track to Number 1.
- Father, we plead for the souls of the people in America that they follow the paths of righteousness with the Lord and not follow with blinded eyes the dictates of unrighteousness. The world is coming more and more into a one-world government with a one-world leader, who will be the anti-Christ. We thank You that this will not occur until Your perfect timing, for You are our God in heaven. Hold back this man in office that he not accomplish any goals that are not in Your perfect will. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." ( II Timothy 3:1,8-9)
6. Al-Qaida alive and well, ready to attack West - WND
In an agreement between al-Qaida and the Islamic regime, three camps have been set up within Iran to train terrorists, WND has learned. Al-Qaida members are trained to attack NATO forces in Afghanistan and collaborate with the Islamic regime on terrorist activities against Israel, the United States and some European countries, according to a source within the Revolutionary Guards intelligence division. The camps are in the Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran bordering Pakistan, where the al-Qaida members are trained in terrorism and guerrilla-warfare tactics.
- Father God, we plead the Blood of Jesus over all the wicked works of al-Qaida, the Islamic regime, the Revolutionary Guards, the training camps in Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran, the evil of terrorism and guerrilla-warfare, and pray the power of the Blood will disband, bring confusion and disunity between these groups so they will fall and never rise again. Hold back the forces of darkness, O Lord, and shine the Light of Jesus into these very dark camps that hopefully some will be saved. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins." (Numbers 16:26)
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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:
"Ah Lord YHWH! Behold, You have made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for You." (Jeremiah 32:17)
1. Report: Hagel Said Israel Headed Toward Apartheid, Netanyahu a 'Radical' - Washington Free Beacon
Secretary of defense nominee Chuck Hagel said Israel is on its way to becoming an apartheid state during an April 9, 2010, appearance at Rutgers University, according to a contemporaneous account by an attendee.
2. EU blacklisting Hezbollah would be a blow to its funding - Jerusalem Post
A decision by the European Union to blacklist Hezbollah would interrupt the group's financing because much of the money it uses to fund militant operations comes from European capitals, Civil Defense Minister Avi Dichter said on Tuesday.
3. Setting aside rivalry, Netanyahu and Livni announce deal - Times of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni, the leader of the centrist Hatnua party, on Tuesday announced that they would be joining forces in the next government in order to focus on Israel's diplomatic and security challenges, with an emphasis on Iran's nuclear program and peace talks with the Palestinians.
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The Persecuted Church
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Today's Focus: The Persecuted Church
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)
1. US Lawmakers Urge Release of Imprisoned Pastor in Iran - Baptist Press
NASHVILLE (BP) -- Calls are intensifying for the U.S. to pressure Iran to free pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent who is being tortured in an Iranian prison and persecuted for his Christian faith.
More than 80 U.S. Congress members from both parties signed a Feb. 12 letter urging Secretary of State John Kerry to "exhaust every possible option to secure Mr. Abedini's immediate release."
2. Christians Protest Church Attack in Egypt - AINA
Hundreds of Copts rallied on Sunday evening against the torching of St. Georges church in Sarsena on Friday (AINA 2-16-2013), as well as the escalation of destruction of churches by Muslims. Several Coptic rights groups organized a march from Shubra, a densely populated area in Cairo, to the High Court building in downtown Cairo, to "demand justice" as the organizers said.
Demonstrators demanded the Sarsena church be rebuilt and the perpetrators be prosecuted, in addition to the assailants of previous attacks on the churches during the last two years since the ousting of Mubarak. They also demanded an end to the customary "reconciliation" meetings forced on Copts by the authorities, in which Copts lose all their rights.
3. Indonesian Authorities Appeal for Calm After Latest Attack Against Protestant Churches - AsiaNews.it
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesian authorities have appealed for calm after a number of Christian places of worship were attacked in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi. In Jakarta, the central government is particularly concerned to avoid an escalation that might lead to sectarian violence.
Three Protestant churches were attacked with Molotov cocktails by unknown assailants. Although there was little damage, the incident has raised concerns that they are part of some political plan to heighten sectarian tensions in order to destabilise the country's political institutions and thus undermine coexistence in the world's most populous Muslim country.
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Homeschool Battle
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Government Denies Right to Homeschool:
U.S. Wants to Send Christian Homeschool Family Back to Germany
The U.S. Department of Justice wants to revoke asylum granted to a German family that fled their country after facing persecution for homeschooling their five children.
Germany has a broad ban on homeschooling with very few exceptions.
Music teachers Uwe and Hannelore Romeike were prohibited from homeschooling. The evangelical Christians withdrew their children from public school in 2006. They were concerned that the school's values were in conflict with their values. Two years later - after facing police visits to their home to take their kids to public school - the family moved to the U.S.
In 2010, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) took the Romeikes' case, and helped them win a legal battle. They became the first family to obtain asylum for the protection of homeschooling rights.
For a while, the Romeikes were able to homeschool their children in their small Tennessee town. But then Attorney General Eric Holder appealed the decision to the Board of Immigration. The Board sided with the government. HSLDA then appealed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The way the government argued the case undercut parents' rights to raise and teach their children as they wish.
"(Holder's office) argued that there was no violation of anyone's protected rights in a law that entirely bans homeschooling ," HSLDA Founder and Chairman Michael Farris writes on the organization's website.
Holder's second argument is revealing, he said.
"The U.S. government contended that the Romeikes' case failed to show that there was any discrimination based on religion because, among other reasons, the Romeikes did not prove that all homeschoolers were religious, and that not all Christians believed they had to homeschool."
This argument reveals a dangerous form of "group think," Farris added.
"The central problem here is that the U.S. government does not understand that religious freedom is an individual right," he explained. "One need not be part of any church or other religious group to be able to make a religious freedom claim. Specifically, one doesn't have to follow the dictates of a church to claim religious freedom - one should be able to follow the dictates of God himself." (CitizenLink)
- Lift up the judges who sit on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as they weigh this case. Pray that this homeschooling family be granted justice and mercy, and that their right of asylum be protected in this court. Pray, too, for all homeschooling families in the United States, asking our Lord to send His angelic host to stand guard around each one. Praise God for the homeschoolers in our nation.
- "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
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Proof: Media Fears the Word of God
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MSNBC Correspondent Purposely Cuts Interview When Bible Mentioned
I'm not sure which of the mainstream media outlets are the most liberal and anti-Christian, but MSNBC has got to be right up there at the top.
By now, everyone has heard of the horrible ordeal that passengers aboard the Carnival Cruise ship Triumph had to endure as the ship lost power due to a fire in the engine room. Without power, the toilets were not working. Passengers were handed plastic bags to use as toilets and then crew members routinely collected them. . .
One unidentified reporter [on Fox News] interviewed a family of four and actually listened to them talk about how various Bible verses helped them to brave through the ordeal.
However, when it came to an MSNBC reporter Mark Potter, it was a different story. He interviewed two young ladies, Brittany Ferguson and Kendall Jenkins, who had just disembarked from the cruise ship. The interview was going well until Jenkins mentioned a Bible verse, Joshua 1:9, and went to quote it to Potter. He instantly cut her off in mid word by pulling the microphone away from her and then turned find someone else.
Source: Francis Marion, Last Resistance
PRAY FOR THE MEDIA
- Cry out in repentance for the members of the press, as they come against the Word of God, for they know not what they do. In rejecting the Word, they are rejecting God Himself. May God yet have mercy upon their souls, and may He not cease to woo them unto Himself. Amen.
- "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (I Corinthians 1:18)
PRAISE FOR THE SAFEKEEPING OF THE PASSENGERS
- Offer praise for the safekeeping of the passengers who survived this crisis on the cruise ship "Triumph." Agree with them on the Word of God that sustained them during their trial:
- PSALM 55:22 - "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."
- PSALM 56:3 - "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."
- JOSHUA 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Closing Comment from CHPP:
Most of us realize that the days ahead in our nation will be very challenging. We thank the Lord for this report today, for this may be a signpost for the near future.
Let's each commit these three verses to memory, and then hang onto them, for only He knows what the future holds!
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Israel unveils Obama visit logo
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The two-day vote selected the above logo from the three designs commissioned by the Government Advertising Agency. It integrates elements of the Israeli and American national flags.
The winning logo received a clear two-thirds majority of the thousands of votes cast on the official PMO Facebook page and will appear on all official signs and documents pertaining to the visit.
Curiously, the logo reads "unbreakable alliance" in English, but its corresponding slogan in Hebrew reads "an alliance of nations."
(Source: Bill Koenig; Watch.org)
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Israel Helps India's Pollution Problem
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Israeli Helps India Rehabilitate Polluted River
Prof. Yoram Oren first saw how chemicals from textile dyeing factories were poisoning India's Noyyal River during a year-long stay in the country's southernmost state three-and-a-half years ago. Oren, an expert on water desalination from Ben-Gurion University, spent his sabbatical year setting up a water research laboratory at Karunya University in Tamil Nadu state "Water pollution is a very serious problem, including because water from the Noyyal River is used by local farmers for irrigation. But now they can't use the water, so it affects food production," Oren told ISRAEL21c in a telephone interview from his laboratory in India.
The Noyyal once provided water for around 20,000 acres of rich agricultural land. However, toxic industrial waste-especially runoff from cotton dyeing and bleaching at the many textile factories in Coimbatore and Tirupur-have choked the Noyyal, destroying local agriculture and killing wildlife. So bad is the pollution that it now affects groundwater in more than 95 villages in the region. Residents can no longer use it as a drinking source, while farmers who previously relied on the Noyyal to irrigate their crops have had to leave their lands.
Oren says it is Israel's own chronic water shortage that has driven Israeli scientists and researchers to push the boundaries in refining new, water-saving technologies like nano-filtration. As a result, cutting-edge water technology from the tiny, arid country of Israel is being exported to other countries with supply or pollution problems. Oren notes that India is also looking to Israel for help in combating pollution in the Ganges, one of the largest and most polluted rivers on the planet.
Returning to his own efforts to rehabilitate the Noyyal River in Tamil Nadu, Oren says that it is the response from local people that make the project worthwhile. "I got a letter from a farmer in Tamil Nadu, thanking me for my efforts to rehabilitate the Noyyal, because he needs the water for irrigation," he says. "It's very exciting to get this kind of response." Source (By Joanna Paraszczuk, February 13, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
-Thank God for Israel's ability and willingness to help other nations. Pray that India will be blessed through Israel.
- "And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong." (Zechariah 8:13)
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The Good News Corner
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The Good News Corner:
Gay Marriage Bill Defeated in FL Senate
Feb. 19, 2013
Today at approximately 3:25pm in the Florida Senate Children and Families committee, a deceptive and highly controversial bill died. The bill, SB 196, was labeled as a domestic partnership but actually attempted to create a full blown civil union and a form of homosexual marriage in direct violation of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment passed by Floridians in 2008 by 62%.
The bill died as a result of the sponsor Committee Chairman Senator Eleanor Sobel (D) temporarily postponing a vote on the bill because she knew she did not have the votes to pass it after about two and a half hours of debate. This also prevented the Senators on the committee from voting on the record which is an increasing challenge in trying to hold legislators accountable.
This bill would have further undermined the institution of marriage by creating an alternate union which would have competed with, diluted, and therefore devalued natural marriage as the ideal arrangement for society. (American Family Association)
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Pray for the Harvest!
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Pray for the Harvest!
"Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." (John 4:35)
Every day, in every nation on earth, tens of thousands of men and women are making decisions for Christ. Now, you can monitor this amazing fact online by literally "watching" as these souls are born again into the Kingdom.
Of course, the identities of those who are coming to the Lord are never revealed, but our God knows who they are!
Join us as we monitor these "names" daily, praying over each one to be mentored and to grow in his or her faith . . . even in these perilous times. You may visit either or both of the sites below, to pray for fields that are ripe for harvest.
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Worship With Us Today!
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Worship With Us Today!
Jesus, Lover Of My Soul
Kari Jobe
Jesus, lover of my soul
All consuming fire is in Your gaze
Jesus, I want You to know
that I will follow You all of my days
No one else in history is like You
And history itself belongs to You
Oh Alpha and Omega you have loved me
And I will spend Eternity with You
