Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 11
March 25, 2013
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
(Matthew 19:6)
Note: The House and the Senate have now gone into recess for the next two weeks. Hence, this edition of "the OCAP" is combined into one publication. The OCAP will next be issued on Monday, April 7, 2013.
In addition, our Daily Briefs will continue to be published on our regular schedule: Tuesday through Friday.
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Domestic Issues
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Domestic Issues
- DOMA SUPREME COURT CASE BATTLE THIS WEEK
- RESEARCH ON HOMOSEXUALS EMERGES FROM SHADOWS
- CONGRESS AVERTS ANOTHER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
- PEREZ NOMINATED TO HEAD LABOR DEPARTMENT
- U.S. PLAN CALLS FOR MORE SCANNING OF PRIVATE WEB TRAFFIC
- GOP APPROVES $10M FOR MINORITY OUTREACH
- U.S. UNBLOCKS $500M FOR PALESTINIANS
- OBAMA'S ISRAEL VISIT WINS OVER JEWS AT HOME
- NEW BORDER PATROL UNIFORMS MADE IN MEXICO
- METEOR SIGHTINGS REPORTED FROM FLORIDA TO MASSACHUSETTS
1. DOMA SUPREME COURT CASE BATTLE
Fifteen states will urge the Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, arguing that the law preventing the federal government from recognizing gay marriage is unconstitutional.
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley plan to file a friend-of-the-court brief on Friday, their offices said. Officials in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia, will join the amicus brief. The case will be heard on Wednesday, March 27.
Separately, 13 states will file a brief on Tuesday, March 26, arguing that Proposition 8, the California homosexual marriage ban that is currently before the Supreme Court, is unconstitutional. That brief will be filed by Massachusetts and joined by 12 other states and the District of Columbia. (The Huffington Post) Read more.
- Pray that God's Word will be honored in the Supreme Court.
- "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." (Hebrews 13:4)
2. RESEARCH ON HOMOSEXUALS EMERGES FROM SHADOWS
A few salient facts are known about the Americans whose lives might be changed by a Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage expected this summer.
About one in five gay and lesbian couples is raising children under age 18. One in 10 men with a male partner or spouse is a military veteran. As many as 6 million Americans, roughly 2 percent of the population, have a parent who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). (Intercessors for America)
- Pray that the eyes of understanding of God's laws will enlighten those who are living in the sin of the immoral homosexual lifestyle. Pray that those who advocate such behavior have their eyes open to God's truth while there is yet time.
- "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22)
3. CONGRESS AVERTS ANOTHER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
The U.S. Congress has given final approval to a spending plan that funds the government through September and averts a potential shutdown next week. The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly for a plan that funds government agencies, but incorporates $85 billion in spending cuts that automatically took effect earlier this month. The budget measure gives the military and some domestic agencies more flexibility in how they trim their spending. U.S. spending authorization was set to expire next Wednesday. Without passage of the spending bill, numerous government functions could have been halted. The Senate already approved the plan and it now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
With spending levels set for the fiscal year ending September 30, Congress is turning its attention to budgeting for next year and beyond. The Republican-controlled House also voted Thursday for its 2014 plan, which would cut spending and lead to a balanced budget within a decade without raising taxes.The Democratic-controlled Senate is considering a budget plan calling for nearly $1 trillion in new taxes during the next decade to fund increased government spending. (Voice of America)
- Father, we thank You for Your great patience, as it appears that our Congress wants to play another round of "kick the can down the road", in deferring adoption of a responsible budget. We ask that You impress upon them the seriousness of this situation, and the need to make tough choices, in order to balance the budget without any further tax hikes to get there. Again, we ask that they would be more mindful of the results of their decisions as they impact their constituents. We ask that they humble themselves before You and seek Your wisdom in all their decisions. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
- "Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it." (Ezra 19:4)
4. PEREZ NOMINATED TO HEAD LABOR DEPARTMENT
President Obama has picked the Justice Department's top civil rights enforcer, Thomas Perez, to be his next Labor secretary. Obama noted that under Perez, the civil rights division settled the three largest fair-lending cases for unfair mortgage lending practices. Perez also challenged voter identification laws in South Carolina and Texas and substantially increased enforcement of human trafficking laws.
Perez has a long career in public service. Before he was appointed to run the civil rights division at Justice in October 2009, Perez was chosen by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley to head the state's Department of Labor. He also served on the Montgomery County (Md.) Council, spent time as an aide to Sen. Edward Kennedy, and spent nearly 12 years in federal government. Most of that time was spent as an attorney in the civil rights division.
"Tom's knowledge and experience will make him an outstanding secretary of Labor," Obama said. "We are going to have to work very hard to make sure that folks find jobs with good wages and good benefits. We got to make sure that our veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan have a chance to put their incredible skills and leadership to work at home. We need to build an immigration system that works for every employee and every family and every business. I am confident that Tom is going to be able to promote economic growth, but also make sure that that growth is broad-based."
His nomination, which requires Senate confirmation, is expected to face tough scrutiny from Republicans following a Justice Department Inspector General report released last week that was sharply critical of Perez. (USA Today) Read more.
- Pray that the Lord will place His authority over all government appointments to U.S. cabinet positions in the Obama administration.
- "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God's appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God." (Rom 13:1)
5. U.S. PLAN CALLS FOR MORE SCANNING OF PRIVATE WEB TRAFFIC
The U.S. government is expanding a cybersecurity program that scans Internet traffic headed into and out of defense contractors to include far more of the country's private, civilian-run infrastructure.
As a result, more private sector employees than ever before, including those at big banks, utilities and key transportation companies, will have their emails and Web surfing scanned as a precaution against cyber attacks.
Under last month's White House executive order on cybersecurity, the scans will be driven by classified information provided by U.S. intelligence agencies - including data from the National Security Agency (NSA) - on new or especially serious espionage threats and other hacking attempts. U.S. spy chiefs said on March 12 that cyber attacks have supplanted terrorism as the top threat to the country.
The Department of Homeland Security will gather the secret data and pass it to a small group of telecommunication companies and cyber security providers that have employees holding security clearances, government and industry officials said. Those companies will then offer to process email and other Internet transmissions for critical infrastructure customers that choose to participate in the program. (NBC News) Read more.
- Although all of us want to be free of terrorist threats, we also need to be sure that our own rights to privacy are heeded by this government, as well. Lift up thsi new Executive Order, and the agencies involved, asking that God grant a spirit of discernment, wisdom and discretion to be given to each one who has the authority to monitor these bits of data. He is still in control . . . let's pray!
- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)
6. GOP $10M FOR MINORITY OUTREACH
Republican leaders spent three months studying their 2012 election defeat and on Monday announced they were beat on nearly every aspect of politicking, from money to message to manpower, and said one immediate change should be to embrace immigration reform - a lightning-rod issue that nearly tore the party apart under the George W. Bush administration.
Unveiling a 98-page election post-mortem, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus promised a kinder, gentler GOP that will not write off any voters. That begins, the party said, with Hispanic voters and immigration reform. "By 2050, we'll be a majority-minority country, and in both 2008 and 2012, President Obama won a combined 80 percent of the votes of all minority groups," Mr. Priebus said Monday. "The RNC cannot and will not write off any demographic, community, or region of this country."
The plan calls for the GOP to become a party that voters believe cares about them, beginning with a $10 million image makeover to attract minorities. The plan also includes nuts-and-bolts suggestions, such as shortening the presidential primary process and trying to take control of the debates, which are currently run by television networks. The report calls for better data on voters, better polling from Republican firms and more savvy use of campaign advertising money. But it's the call for immigration reform - a policy position - that is likely to stoke the most immediate debate. (The Washington Times) Read more.
- Pray for God's wisdom regarding matters of strategy for any who seek to gain influence in building policy for future government actions.
- "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)
7. U.S. UNBLOCKS $500M FOR PALESTINIANS
The United States has quietly unblocked almost $500 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority which had been frozen by Congress for months, a top US official said Friday. The news that the funds had finally been freed up came after US President Barack Obama met top Israeli and Palestinian leaders in a landmark visit to Israel and the West Bank earlier this week.
"To date, we have moved $295.7 million in fiscal year 2012 money . . . and $200 million in fiscal year 2013 assistance," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters.
The Obama administration also notified Congress in late February that it was seeking a further $200 million to fund US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs for the Palestinians, she said.
The first sum comprises some $195.7 million, allocated under the 2012 fiscal year budget for USAID economic, development and humanitarian assistance, as well as a further $100 million earmarked specifically for narcotics control.
The second sum of $200 million unblocked and available to the Palestinian Authority will come under the 2013 budget and be spent for direct budget support. (YnetNews) Read more.
- For a nation that states that the United States has an "unshakeable alliance" with Israel, we sure do like to bless her enemies, too. Stand against the hypocrisy of this administration and pray that Americans, and Israelis, will begin to clearly see what this administration is really up to. Pray that the Obama administration's hidden agenda towards Israel will be fully exposed. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar." (Psalm 139:2)
8. OBAMA'S ISRAEL VISIT WINS OVER JEWS AT HOME
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's much-lauded speech Thursday before a crowd of young Israelis earned widespread praise across the American Jewish ideological spectrum. The speech dealt with the broad sweep of issues on the US-Israel agenda, giving a wide range of American Jewish groups something to cheer about.
Obama's criticism of both past Palestinian rejectionism and of their resort to terror earned him high praise from the Anti-Defamation League, among others. In a statement Friday, AIPAC "saluted" Obama for the security agreements announced on the trip and his call on the Palestinians to drop preconditions to peace talks.
More conservative groups were also broadly supportive of the speech. The Orthodox Union's Nathan Diament, head of the organization's public advocacy arm, told the Times of Israel Friday that the group was "very pleased with [Obama's] explicit embrace and acknowledgement of thousands of years of history of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. We're very appreciative of the support, the clear and strong policy, toward Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and the security of Israel." When it came to Obama's call for establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Diament was noncommittal.
For their part, left-wing groups seemed thrilled by the speech, which they said forcefully laid out the case for peace. J Street's Jeremy Ben-Ami praised Obama for "making the two-state solution a top priority for his administration." In a conversation with the Times of Israel Thursday, he pointed to the moment in the speech when Obama told Israelis, "the only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine."
While Obama emphatically and passionately called for peace talks, he separated the issue of peace from the issue of security, the official said. "Security is something Israel needs fundamentally, and Obama has secured it for them regardless of peace. All the tangible things that were announced were on Iran and security. He could have announced new talks. He could have announced that [Secretary of State John] Kerry would host a meeting of the sides. So while Obama issued perhaps the most impassioned call for peace yet in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "his position is that ultimately the two sides have to figure it out themselves." (Times of Israel) Read more.
- We bring before You, Father, these reactions to President Obama's speech to the Israeli youth, concerning peace and security for Israel long term. May the understanding of Israel's primary need for security as a nation be understood and be supported by US leaders, as that is the only way negotiations for any peace agreement will be tenable. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30)
9. NEW BORDER PATROL UNIFORMS MADE IN MEXICO
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has granted uniform contracts to VF Imagewear, Inc., an apparel company that relies on manufacturing sites in Mexico for a "significant percentage" of its occupational garments.
The latest contract with the company was awarded on Dec. 20, 2012, to make "uniform and insignia items" for the CBP at an estimated cost of $6,157,997.57, and a ceiling of $8 million.
The CBP, which is responsible for protecting America's borders, told CNSNews.com that items from VF Imagewear, a subsidiary of VF Corporation, are manufactured in a number of locations, "including Mexico." (CNS News) Read more.
- If there are any tracking devices implanted in these uniforms, ask our Lord to send forth His angels to dismantle each one, thereby securing the safety of those who are tasked with keeping us safe. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)
10. METEOR SIGHTINGS REPORTED FROM FLORIDA TO MASSACHUSETTS
A possible meteor has been spotted streaking through the sky over the East Coast, The American Meteor Society and Twitter users are reporting. "It basically looked like a super bright shooting star," said Robert Lunsford, fireball coordinator for the society, based on the reports coming in to the organization's website. "I saw some people mentioning fragments and naturally every color of the rainbow."
The society, based in Geneseo, N.Y., was researching about 400 reports received as of about 10 p.m. ET Friday from nine East Coast States and Canada of sightings that took place somewhere shortly before 8 p.m. ET through shortly after 8 p.m. ET, Lunsford said. The number of reports marked a possible record over the number of reports the group received about a fireball that streaked over Baltimore on Halloween several years ago, Lunsford said. (USA Today) Read more.
- Six days before 9/11/01, a meteor was seen streaking down the East Coast for miles, at approximately 6:00 a.m. that morning. In the Word of God, meteors are often a foretelling of calamity. It is time, once again, to fall on our faces before the Lord Most High, asking Him to extend His hand of mercy upon our people, who have now gone so far astray from Him and from the truth of His Word. Stand in repentance . . . and pray.
- "David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped." (2 Samuel 24:25)
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News from Israel
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News from Israel
- ROCKETS HIT SDEROT AS OBAMA VISITS ISRAEL
- HAMAS ARRESTS TWO IN CONNECTION WITH GAZA ROCKETS
- PM TO OBAMA: ISRAEL CANNOT CEDE RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE
- OBAMA AND NETANYAHU AGREE: NO ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN WITHOUT US ASSENT
- OBAMA FORCES NETANYAHU TO APOLOGIZE TO TURKEY FOR FLOTILLA INCIDENT
- TURKISH FM SATISFIED WITH ISRAEL'S APOLOGY
- NETANYAHU: SYRIA CHAOS A FACTOR IN TURKEY APOLOGY
- TURKEY BADLY NEEDED TO END ROW WITH ISRAEL.
- JERUSALEM SPEECH THROUGH LENS OF ARAB MEDIA: 'OBAMA THE SYCOPHANT'
- HISTORIC VISIT COMES TO CLOSE, OBAMA DEPARTS ISRAEL
Note: Pray that the Obama administration's hidden agenda will be fully exposed and that the Israeli people clearly see what this administration is really up to.
"You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar." (Psalm 139:2)
1. ROCKETS HIT SDEROT AS OBAMA VISITS ISRAEL
Qassam rockets were fired at southern Israel from Gaza on Thursday morning [March 21], on the second day of US President Barack Obama's visit to the Middle East. After a long period of calm following Operation Pillar of Defense, a Color Red alert sounded in the city of Sderot at around 7:15 am, followed by additional air raid sirens, one of them in the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council.
One of the rockets hit the backyard of a house in Sderot, while another landed in an open area. There were no reports of injuries, but the yard sustained slight damage. Two additional rockets are believed to have landed on Palestinian territory. According to initial estimates, the rockets were fired from the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.
Defense establishment officials voiced their concerns over a Palestinian terror incident during the visit and the security organizations have been on a heightened state of alert in the past few days.
Obama landed in Israel on Air Force One at 12:10 am Wednesday. He was greeted by Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres, and following a military ceremony, he said in Hebrew, "It's good to be in Israel again." Immediately after his arrival, he was taken to see the Iron Dome rocket interception system, which guards Gaza vicinity communities. He met with IDF fighters and was briefed on the system. Later, during his visit to the President's Residence, a child living in a Gaza vicinity community thanked him for the American funding of the Iron Dome.
Source (Excerpts from story by Neri Brenner , Ynetnews, March 21, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
Read article:
- Pray this is just a one-time event and will not continue in the future. Pray that Israel will look to God for the correct response to the rocket fire.
- And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the whole earth.( Job 37:12)
2. HAMAS ARRESTS TWO IN CONNECTION WITH GAZA ROCKETS
Hamas on Friday arrested two members of an Islamic jihadist organization in connection with in firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel on Thursday, Israel Radio reported.The report cites Gazan sources as saying Hamas arrested two members of the Salafi Magles Shoura al-Mujahddin organization, who yesterday claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israel. In an Internet statement the group said it had fired the rockets to show that Israeli air defenses could not stop attacks on the Jewish state during Obama's visit.
Palestinian terrorists launched rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel Thursday morning - the second day of US President Barack Obama's visit - and in response, newly appointed Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon restricted the fishing area to three miles from the Gaza coast and closed a cargo crossing point.One projectile hit and damaged a home in Sderot. A second fell in an open area of the neighboring Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. Initial reports spoke of four rockets, two of which are believed to have landed within the Gaza Strip.
The US president, who was in Jerusalem, about 80 km. from Sderot, when the rockets hit, later told journalists it was up to Hamas, which controls Gaza, to stop such strikes. "We condemn this violation of the important ceasefire that protects both Israelis and Palestinians, a violation Hamas has a responsibility to prevent," Obama said on the next stop on his visit, in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Read article:
- Lord, we raise up praise that Hamas acted in response to rocket attacks on southern Israel by arresting two members of an Islamic jihadist organization. US President Obama who was visiting Israel at this time spoke up to say it was Hamas' responsibility to stop such strikes. We ask, Lord, that this responsibility keeps being acknowledged by Hamas. In Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead. (Proverbs 11:8)
3. PM TO OBAMA: ISRAEL CANNOT CEDE RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE
US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a joint press conference on Wednesday after a lengthy meeting at the prime minister's residence. Netanyahu addressed the press conference first. He stated that the main issue discussed in the meeting was the Iranian issue and noted that Obama had stated clearly that he intends to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "Today we have both the right and the capability to defend ourselves, as you said. Today the essence of the state of Israel is the fulfillment of the age-old dream of the Jewish people to be masters of our faith [sic]. This is the essence of the state, this is how I know that you appreciate we cannot cede our right to defend ourselves even though you are our greatest friend and Israel has no greater friend than US."
Addressing the Syrian issue, Netanyahu said: "We must stop the carnage seen in the last two years. We share a motivation of stopping the chemical weapons from falling to terrorist hands and I know the best way to do so is to work with other nations in the area as well as the US." Finally, commenting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the prime minister said: "Israel remains fully committed to the solution of two states to two peoples. We extend our hand of peace to the Palestinian people." Netanyahu expressed hope that Obama's visit will help Israel achieve peace with the Palestinians. "Let us sit down and negotiate without preconditions; let us bring peace."
Obama, on his part, promised to work closely with Israel and do whatever is necessary to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, "the world's worst weapons." "We agreed that a nuclear Iran would be a threat to Israel, the region and the world. We do not have a policy of containment, our policy is to stop a nuclear Iran and there is still time to do so," he said. Obama addressed reports of the use of chemical weapons in Syria and said that US teams are working with countries in the region as well as with international organizations to try to understand whether a red line had been crossed.
Obama also reaffirmed his commitment to Israel's security. "My job as president is to keep the American people safe. Bibi's job is to keep Israel safe. In past trips I have visited destroyed homes. I visited Sderot and met children that want to live in peace.
Source (Excerpts from story by Moran Azulay, Ynetnews, March 20, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
Read article:
- Pray that PM Netanyahu will remain firm in the protection of the State of Israel. Pray there will be constructive communication between the United States and Israel.
- Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;( Proverbs 3:13)
4. OBAMA AND NETANYAHU AGREE: NO ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN WITHOUT US ASSENT
In his first conversation of three hours with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Day One, March 20, of US President Barack Obama's visit to Israel, the two leaders finally put to rest their long dispute over a unilateral Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear sites. In their news conference that night, both reiterated the principle that Israel has the right to independently defend itself against a perceived palpable threat from Iran - even if Washington does not share that perception. The practical application of this principle was rather different: Obama and Netanyahu spoke highly and repeatedly of the close military and intelligence cooperation their governments had developed and which they would hate above all to jeopardize.
Obama: "There's not much daylight between us on where Iran is at. Israel is differently situated than us. I would not expect Israel to defer to anyone in its decisions on this." Netanyahu: "We do have a common intelligence assessment on this. Although the US and Israel have different vulnerabilities and capabilities - there is no argument - I am absolutely convinced that Obama is committed to preventing Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb." He added: "Iran has not yet reached the red line I defined in my UN speech, but it is getting closer all the time."
The impression they both conveyed was that Israel's right to strike Iran would be respected but not pursued without prior consultation with Washington. In return for this concession, the US president pledged to deepen US military assistance - hardware, funding and technology - for maintaining its qualitative military edge so as to be able to defend itself in the future as well as the present: He disclosed he had set up a team to work on extending the US military assistance program to Israel for a further 10-year period beyond the date of its expiry in 2017.
Referring to peace talks with the Palestinians, the president stressed that "Israel's security is non-negotiable" and must be assured in any peace settlement that established a sovereign Palestinian state. Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution based on mutual recognition and called on the Palestinians to set aside their preconditions and sit down to discuss ending their conflict once and for all. The Obama visit has evidently not generated any major moves on the Palestinian issue but will result in small Israeli-Palestinian steps for strengthening stable Palestinian Authority rule over the West Bank under Mahmoud Abbas's leadership.
Read article:
- Heavenly Father, we come before You with great concern in our hearts over what appears to be presented here. Israel should not have to seek approval to defend themselves against Iran when the time arrives. It may be discussed in general as things progress but as PM Netanyahu stated: 'I know that you appreciate we cannot cede our right to defend ourselves', which implies that it should be Israel's decision only, when and where as a sovereign state they see the need to strike Iran. Implied withholding of military aid should not be part of the equation. Help Lord! We ask You to arise and stand with Your land and people on this decision, we plead. Pour Your wisdom and knowledge into the hearts and minds of PM Netanyahu and his advisors. Grant them strength and courage. There is also the statement that the Palestinian Authority under Abba's leadership will rule over the West Bank. Lord, in Your Biblical Word, it is clear that this land, named Judea and Samaria, belongs to Your people, not the Palestinians. Lord, have mercy upon Israel and upon us, your remnant in the US, for these kinds of agreements. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- Why do you boast in evil, o mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. (Psalm 52:1)
5. OBAMA FORCES NETANYAHU TO APOLOGIZE TO TURKEY FOR FLOTILLA INCIDENT
In the aftermath of President Obama's goodwill speechifying in Israel, Obama reverted to anti-Israel form behind closed doors. Obama reportedly leveraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into calling Islamist Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to apologize for Israeli action against a Turkish-sponsored terror flotilla directed toward helping Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Turkish-sponsored flotilla, led by the ship Mavi Marmara, was boarded by Israeli troops on May 31, 2010 in international waters after it became clear that the ship, along with five others, was going to send illegal supplies to Hamas.
All five of the other ships were boarded without incident. The Marmara passengers resisted by beating Israeli troops with iron bars and knives. Nine activists were killed in the ensuing chaos. Even the United Nations found that the blockade by Israel was legal. Turkish attempts to break the Israeli blockade were clearly in violation of international law.
But President Obama, seeking to inject himself into a dispute on behalf of Islamists everywhere, told Netanyahu to call up Erdogan. Netanyahu reportedly told Erdogan that the State of Israel regretted the loss of life and that any loss of life was unintentional. Meanwhile, Erdogan said that he "valued centuries-long strong friendship and cooperation between the Turkish and Jewish nations." He did not say that he valued friendship with the Jewish state.
Read article:
- Heavenly Father, it appears that pressure was applied upon PM Netanyahu to apologize to Turkey as to the Marmara flotilla event. The rising threat from Syria appears to be the motivating factor influencing both President Obama and PM Netanyahu. We ask You, Father, to stay in the midst of this and all around PM Netanyahu as he works to deal with serious threats to Israel from multiple sources around Israeli borders as well as within those borders. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalm 50:15)
6. TURKISH FM SATISFIED WITH ISRAEL'S APOLOGY
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu expressed satisfaction on Friday with Israel's apology for the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident. Davutoglu, who just recently hinted there was a "secret deal" between Israel and Syria, said that all of Turkey's fundamental demands had been met with the apology. Earlier, Netanyahu spoke on the phone with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and apologized for the deaths of nine Turks during Israel's 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.
Channel 10 News reported on Friday the details of the agreement between Israel and Turkey. Netanyahu, in addition to the apology, has agreed to compensate the families of the nine Turks who were killed and to ease some of the restrictions on Gaza.
Erdogan, for his part, has promised to cancel the legal proceedings his country launched against IDF officials, including former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, and stop his constant verbal attacks against Israel.
Read article:
- Lord, again we thank You that Turkey accepted this apology. However, we do bring the concern that IDF forces and various political groups have over this apology to Your throne, and ask that Your hand and arm extend out to bring understanding and acceptance in the midst of how this action is being perceived within Israel. Considering all the threats coming against Israel at this hour in history, unity is very much needed. Confront them Lord and instill the fear of You into each and every one of them. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you. May He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion. (Psalm 20:1-2)
7. NETANYAHU: SYRIA CHAOS A FACTOR IN TURKEY APOLOGY
Prime Minister explains concern over Syria's WMDs and "additional regional challenges" necessitate dialogue between Israel and Turkey. "After three years of a disconnect in Israeli-Turkish relations," he wrote, "I decided that this is the time to rebuild them."
"The changing reality around us forces us to continually reexamine our relations with the countries surrounding us in the region. In the last three years, the state of Israel has made several attempts to end the disconnect between us and Turkey. "The fact that the crisis in Syria is getting worse by the minute was, for me, a central consideration.
"Syria is crumbling, and the huge, advanced stockpiles of weapons within it are starting to fall into the hands of different elements. "The great danger is that the chemical weapon stockpiles will fall into the hands of terror groups. "The reality in Syria, which includes, among other things, jihadist elements that have begun to establish their presence next to our border on the Golan, creates great challenges for our security establishment. We are following the goings-on there and are prepared to respond accordingly.
"It is important that Turkey and Israel, which border on Syria, are able to communicate with each other, and this is also desirable with regard to additional regional challenges.
Read article:
- Father, it is clear that the crisis and threats to Israel as to chemical weapon stockpiles was a driving factor in PM Netanyahu's apology to Turkey action. Lord, we ask that You keep Your warrior angels all around Israel at this time in history, protecting her and lifting her up; and that You confront all involved with Your desires and Your status as Most High Lord of the Universe. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- The heart of the righteous studies how to answer; but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. (Proverbs 15:28)
8. TURKEY BADLY NEEDED TO END ROW WITH ISRAEL
NETANYAHU'S APOLOGY GAVE OBAMA A DIPLOMATIC BREAKTHROUGH
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu granted the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan a face-saver for ending their three-year rift out of willingness to crown US President Barack Obama's three-day visit with an impressive diplomatic breakthrough. He swallowed Israel and its army's pride and, at the airport, with Obama looking on, picked up the phone to Erdogan and apologized for the killing by Israeli soldiers of nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists in 2010 aboard the Mavi Marmara, which was leading a flotilla bound on busting the Israeli blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The crowing comment by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu - "Turkey's basic demands have been met; we got what we wanted" - was out of place, spiteful and ill-mannered. He knows perfectly well that for the past year, amid a constant stream of ranting abuse from Ankara, Israel has been quietly responding to Turkey's desperate need for cooperation in four essential fields. [Suggestion - Read the article] This unified command would stand ready to launch units of the four armies into coordinated land and air action inside Syria upon a signal from Washington.
The US president used his visits to Jerusalem and Amman to tie up the ends of this contingency plan with Netanyahu and Abdullah, while Secretary of State John Kerry got together with Erdogan in Ankara.
However, this four-way military effort to combat the Syrian chemical threat could not have taken off with Ankara and Jerusalem not on speaking terms.
Read article: http://www.debka.com/article/22849/Turkey-badly-needed-to-end-row-with-Israel-Netanyahu's-apology-gave-Obama-a-diplomatic-breakthrough
- Father, this article reveals how badly Turkey needs Israel's help. It shows how much their safety as well as Israel's help in the exportation of Turkish goods for sale elsewhere, depends on this assistance. Lord, we ask that the Turkish people may increasingly grow to understand how You are needed by them as well, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- For whoever finds Me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. (Proverbs 8:35)
9. JERUSALEM SPEECH THROUGH LENS OF ARAB MEDIA: 'OBAMA THE SYCOPHANT'
The Arab world was following US President Barack Obama's historic speech in Jerusalem very closely on Thursday. After a cool meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Obama spoke before hundreds of cheering students in Jerusalem's International Convention Center and asked the young crowd to push the politicians towards the path of peace.
Arab media mentioned that the US president identified with the suffering of the Palestinian people, emphasized his threats toward Iran and Syria but did not spare their criticism for Obama's warm embrace of the Israeli public. "Israeli Obama is a sycophant," said the media.
The Asharq al Awsat newspaper wrote: "President Obama promises the Palestinians a state and pleads with Israelis to put themselves in their (the Palestinians) place." Al Hayat's headline was more tendentious in light of the difference of opinion between the US government and senior Palestinian officials: "Obama is frustrating the Palestinians and fawning over Israelis."
Atwan admitted that "Barack Hussein Obama surprised us in his speech before a group of young Israelis in occupied Jerusalem when he demanded that Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish state and when he entreated with Arabs to normalize relations with Israel, telling those who deny its right to exist that their denial is like denying the earth and the sky." Atwan concluded his piece by saying "We don't know why Obama used these words and why he was so shamefully obsequious - Israel is the one who threatens our existence and denying our rights." He added: "Israel is the one in possession of over 300 nuclear warheads capable of destroying the region."
Meanwhile, Hezbollah responded to US President Barack Obama's speech in Jerusalem on Thursday, in which the US president stated that Hezbollah was a terror group. "Obama is a full partner in the enemy's crimes and is trying to place conditions for Arabs to accept the enemy as a purely Jewish state in the region." Hezbollah further claimed that "Obama spoke as if he worked for the Zionist entity rather than as the most senior official in an independent country.
[Suggestion - read article for more of the different views from Arabic news]
Read article:
See Also: "OBAMA TO ISRAELI YOUTH - PRETEND YOU ARE PALESTINIANS"
by going here.
- O Abba Father, the ongoing animosity between Israel and its neighbors that is recorded in Your Biblical Word is clearly reflected in this news article. The spirits of envy and jealousy are quite evident, and in how they declare the false perception held by them that Your land, Israel, belongs to them. Abba, we ask that You confront them powerfully with Your presence so that they are filled with an overwhelming fear of You! Do this so they know in their spiritual depths, Whom they are acting against, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes. (Deuteronomy 1:30)
10. HISTORIC VISIT COMES TO CLOSE, OBAMA DEPARTS ISRAEL
The last stop on Obama's tour of Israel and the West Bank was the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born. Obama's visit to the site was seen as a message of solidarity to dwindling Christian communities in a turbulent region. Due to strong winds and sand storms Obama changed his plans to fly to Bethlehem in a helicopter, opting instead to travel in a convoy of cars. Highway 1 between Jerusalem was blocked between the hours of 13:30 and 16:00.
Additionally, Obama's official farewell ceremony from Israel's Ben Gurion airport was cancelled due to a sand storm that enveloped central Israel. Instead, there was a small ceremony that took place on the tarmac.
Earlier Friday, while visiting Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial Obama said the state of Israel does not exist because of the Holocaust, but because of its strong existence the Holocaust will never happen again. The statement marked a significant corrective to his speech in Cairo in 2009, where he appeared to argue that the legitimacy of the Jewish state stemmed from the Holocaust.
From Israel, the US president traveled to Amman, where he met with Jordanian King Abdullah II. Obama's talks with Abdullah were expected to focus on the civil war in neighboring Syria and the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace diplomacy.The president's visit to the desert kingdom was aimed at reassuring Abdullah of Washington's support at a time when it is flooded with refugees from the violence in Syria, and battling economic difficulties and tensions from the "Arab Spring" upheaval in the region, aides say. Obama backs the Syrian opposition's effort to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, but has limited its support to non-lethal aid to anti-government rebels despite growing calls from European and Arab allies to take a stronger tack. Also on the agenda was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Jerusalem Post)
Read more.
- Heavenly Father, we are not sure what is being said by first the invasion of the locusts from Egypt into Israel as Obama arrived, and now at the time of his departure, a large sandstorm impacting his visit to Bethlehem and the departure ceremony at the airport. However we sense in the Spirit that You have been very much present during this visit. Lord, we ask that You keep Your land and people surrounded by Your warrior angels, and that You let Your presence be felt by all who will receive You there. If it is Your time, Lord, awaken Your people, removing the veil from their eyes and draw them unto Yourself. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.
- "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it." (Psalm 37:34)
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More International News
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More International News
- SYRIANS TRADE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CLAIMS
- MURSI WARNING STIRS FEARS IN EGYPT OPPOSITION
- NORTH KOREA ISSUES FRESH THREAT TO U.S.
- NORTH KOREAN VIDEO DEPICTS INVASION OF SOUTH KOREA
- U.S. FLIES B-52s OVER SOUTH KOREA AMID NORTH KOREA RHETORIC
- RUSSIA PREPPING MILITARY TO FIGHT U.S.
- CYPRIOT LEADERS, CREDITORS SECURE AGREEMENT, AVOID BANKRUPTCY
- BEAST-TYPE MONEY GRAB SERVES AS PROPHETIC WARNING
- FINALLY! U.S. ASKS FOR JAILED PASTOR'S FREEDOM
- POPE EXTENDS OLIVE BRANCH TO ISLAM
1. SYRIANS TRADE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CLAIMS
Syrian rebels and the government have accused each other of firing chemical weapons, reportedly killing at least 25 people in the north of the country. A Syrian minister said it was a "dangerous escalation" and the "first act" of a new rebel authority. However, both a chemical weapons monitoring body and the US said there was no evidence they had been used. Both sides say the attack happened in the Khan al-Assal region north of the second city, Aleppo. The US says it is looking carefully at the allegations, while Russia has backed the Syrian government's claims. If confirmed, it would be the first time chemical weapons have been used in the two-year Syrian conflict. Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said it was "very seriously concerned by the fact that weapons of mass destruction are falling into the hands of the rebels".This "elevates the confrontation in the country to a new level," a foreign ministry statement said. (BBC) Read more.
- Father, keep America well-informed about the truthfulness of Syria firing chemical weapons and reveal whether an attack happened or whether it is simply a claim made by the Syrian government which is backed by Russia. This alliance is a concern in itself. So we call on God to reveal the true reports and put out the fire of false claims of chemical weapons being fired, which appears to be a status symbol with which country will be the first to fire the first shot using chemical weapons. Rise up, oh God, and dash in pieces the strength of these two countries and the Syrian rebels and bind them to the Lord's timing. In the Name of Jesus we pray.
- "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." (Jude vs. 11-13)
2. MURSI WARNING STIRS FEARS IN EGYPT OPPOSITION
Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi threatened on Sunday to take unspecified steps to 'protect this nation' after violent demonstrations against his Muslim Brotherhood, using vague but severe language that the opposition said heralded a crackdown. In remarks following clashes outside the Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters on Friday, Mursi warned that 'necessary measures' would be taken against any politicians shown to be involved in what he described as violence and rioting. 'If I am forced to do what is required to protect this nation, then I will do it. And I fear that I might be on the verge of doing it,' Mursi said in a statement. He did not elaborate.
Mursi has faced increasing anger since the Brotherhood propelled him to power in a June election, and several spates of protest have turned into violent riots. Mursi's opponents accuse him and the Brotherhood of seeking to dominate the post-Hosni Mubarak era and resorting to undemocratic police powers two years after autocrat Mubarak was brought down by popular protests. (Reuters) Read more.
- Father, as Your will is to save Egypt from the evil of their president and the Muslim Brotherhood, we therefore pray that the almighty power of God will intervene and save this country from their evil government. Cross over the lines of these leaders and raise up a stimulus of strong voices that will have no fear in standing up and taking positive, aggressive action to redeem the people and the country of Egypt out of the hands of their evil leaders. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "Behold, I am against You, O you most proud, says the Lord God of hosts: for your day is come, the time that I will visit you. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him." (Jeremiah 50:31-32)
3. NORTH KOREA ISSUES FRESH THREAT TO U.S.
North Korea said it would attack U.S. military bases on Japan and the Pacific island of Guam if provoked, a day after leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a mock drone strike on South Korea. he North also held an air raid drill on Thursday after accusing the United States of preparing a military strike using bombers that have overflown the Korean peninsula as part of drills between South Korean and U.S. forces. North Korea has stepped up its rhetoric in response to what it calls 'hostile' drills between South Korea and the United States. It has also been angered by the imposition of fresh U.N. sanctions that followed its February 12 nuclear test. (Reuters) Read more.
- These threats being issued from North Korea must be taken seriously. Ask the Lord to give favor to His saints, and, as we stand in repentance, to confuse His enemies. The Lord is our hope . . . He reigns!
- "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4)
4. NORTH KOREAN VIDEO DEPICTS INVASION OF SOUTH KOREA
North Korea has produced another provocative video on its official website, Uriminzokkiri, this one showing how its troops could invade South Korea and capture Americans. The video, entitled 'A Short, Three-Day War,' is filled with images of North Korean military forces engaged in battle, including barrages of artillery, armored movements and infantry charges. During the four-minute production, a narrator describes how 'crack storm troops will occupy Seoul and other cities and take 150,000 U.S. citizens as hostages.'
At one point, images of North Korean paratroopers jumping from airplanes and soldiers rappelling from helicopters are superimposed over the Seoul skyline. Another scene shows an image of a U.S. aircraft carrier superimposed over several explosions. According to the narrator, forces under the U.S. Pacific Command would be destroyed with 'powerful weapons of mass destruction.' The narrator says the invasion would bring about chaos in the south, but that the Korean People's Army would intercede to 'stabilize' the situation. 'Like this, we have a Unification War scenario that will be wrapped up in just three days,' the narrator says.
In February, Uriminzokkiri posted a video showing what appears to be a U.S. city in flames after some kind of attack from space. Earlier this week, it posted a video showing a drone striking the U.S. Capitol building. (Voice of America) Read more.
- Father God, we see here the fulfillment of scripture that says the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth and walk in the counsels and imagination of their evil heart and have gone backward and not forward. Lord God, we call forth myriads of heavenly angels to render powerless every evil-thinking man in North Korea and destroy every plan in this video from the roots up by unquenchable fire. Erase it from existence. In the powerful Name of Jesus we pray, amen.
- "For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against us, they devised to take away our lives. But we trusted in You, O Lord: we said, You are our God. Our times are in Your hand: deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and from them that persecute us." (Psalm 31:13-15)
5. U.S. FLIES B-52s OVER SOUTH KOREA AMID NORTH KOREA RHETORIC
The US is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea, in what it says is a response to escalating North Korean rhetoric. US officials said the B-52 flights demonstrated 'extended deterrence capabilities' amid rising tension on the peninsula. The aircraft, which can also carry conventional weapons, flew on 8 March, with another mission set for Tuesday.
Regional tension remains high after the North's third nuclear test last month.
This is not the first time that B-52 bombers have been used as part of regular military drills between the US and South Korea. 'We're drawing attention to the fact that we have extended deterrence capabilities that we believe are important to demonstrate in the wake of recent North Korean rhetoric,' US Pentagon press secretary George Little said. 'As North Korea threatened to attack South Korea with nuclear weapons, the exercise involving B-52s is meaningful, as it shows US commitment to provide its nuclear umbrella on the Korean peninsula,' said Kim Min-seok, spokesman for South Korea's Defense Ministry.
US Deputy Defence Secretary Ashton Carter affirmed this commitment on Monday during a visit to Seoul. (BBC) Read more.
- Father God, we bless the Name of the Lord for equipping the United States of America with such powerful aircraft which can also carry conventional weapons demonstrating excellent deterrence capabilities against enemy forces. The Lord God of America is powerful in equipping our country with excellence in all fields of service to those in need. We thank You, Lord. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "Lord, by Your favor You have made our mountain to stand strong: to the end that our glory may sing praise to You, and not be silent, O Lord our God, we will give thanks unto You forever." (Psalm 30:7,12)
6. RUSSIA PREPPING MILITARY TO FIGHT U.S.
The Russian military doctrine adopted in 2010 after the 'reset' with the Obama administration considers the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, the main threats Moscow must be prepared to fight, according to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin. This is the assessment of Alexei Arbatov, a former Duma, or parliament, deputy and currently head of the Center for International Security of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Recent events have underscored the prospect due to the firing of Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who served under then-President Dmitry Medvedev, who now is the Russian prime minister. Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced Serdyukov with Sergei Shoigu, who is more in line with Putin's outlook on the future role and capabilities of the military. Under Medvedev, Serdyukov had a different approach, which was to more closely work with the West in an effort to obtain Western technologies and know-how to modernize not only Russian infrastructure but also the military.
All of that went away with Putin's more confrontational approach with the U.S. and his efforts to blunt American influence in Central Asia, which Moscow claims is in its sphere of influence.Putin also aims to recreate a post-Soviet empire by incorporating the former Soviet republics into a Eurasian Union, a duty-free zone that he sees rivaling the European Union in years to come. (WND) Read more.
- Father, defeat Russia in all their attempts to close out American influence in Central Asia. They are a big country with a short stick. We pray for the soul of Vladimir Putin to turn to the Lord God of Israel and to Jesus Christ, the Savior of all mankind. May the Holy Spirit deal with his conscience and pierce the evil in his heart to bow to the Lordship of God. Open his eyes to see the smallness of his vision as compared to the mightiness of the God in heaven. In Jesus' Name.
- "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)
7. CYPRIOT LEADERS, CREDITORS SECURE AGREEMENT, AVOID BANKRUPTCY
BRUSSELS - Cyprus secured a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) package of rescue loans in tense, last-ditch negotiations early Monday, saving the country from a banking system collapse and bankruptcy. "We've put an end to the uncertainty that has affected Cyprus and the euro area over the past week," said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs the meetings of the 17-nation eurozone's finance ministers.
In return for the bailout, Cyprus must drastically shrink its outsized banking sector, cut its budget, implement structural reforms and privatize state assets, he said.
The finance ministers accepted the plan reached in 10 hours of negotiations in Brussels between Cypriot officials and the so-called troika of creditors: the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank. "We believe that this will form a lasting, durable and fully financed solution," said IMF chief Christine Lagarde.
The cash-strapped Mediterranean island nation has been shut out of international markets for almost two years. It needs the bailout to recapitalize its ailing lenders and keep the government afloat. The European Central Bank had threatened to cut crucial emergency assistance to the country's banks by Tuesday without an agreement.
Without a deal by Monday night, the tiny Mediterranean island nation of about 1 million would have faced the prospect of bankruptcy, which could have forced it to become the first country to abandon the euro currency. That precedent would have roiled markets and spurred turmoil across the entire eurozone of 300 million people, analysts said, even though Cyprus only makes up less than 0.2 percent of the eurozone's 10 trillion euro economy. (Fox News) Read more.
- Pray without ceasing over this situation in Cyprus. Details continue to change here hour by hour. Pray!
- "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." (Psalm 50:15)
8. BEAST-TYPE MONEY GRAB SERVES AS PROPHETIC WARNING
Revelation 13:17 speaks of the mark of the beast--commonly known these days as the antichrist: "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Often prophecy is revealed a layer at a time, seemingly to give YHVH God's people more understanding of what is about to come. The tiny island of Cyprus may well serve as a modern petri dish for what could happen under a "beast" empire. The European Union has required Cyprus to shut down its state-owned bank and raid 40% of accounts above $130,000 to raise about $5.5 billion in exchange for a $13 billion bail out. Leading up to the deal, Cypriots were only allowed $130 per day in bank withdrawals.
Cyprus is divided into two parts--one is recognized by the United Nations as a "democratic republic" and the other part is recognized by only Turkey. UN peacekeepers provide a buffer between the Muslim and Christian sides. The Communist party controls the politics in Cyprus. Cyprus is a popular destination for "Arab" visitors. Sex trafficking and slavery is a problem in Cyprus, according to the US State Department Trafficking in Persons report. It is also considered a "Casino" economy. In other words, Cyprus, like the United States is in a fallen moral condition as well as a debt-ridden economic state. The Cyprus national debt is $21 billion, or about $18,000 per person living in Cyprus.
In comparison, the US National Debt is $16.7 TRILLION. With interest, it is $59.2 TRILLION, which is $187,645 per taxpayer. This, according to US Debt Clock, which obtains its figures via the US Department of Treasury. If the European Union is willing to confiscate bank accounts over $18,000 of debt for every person living in Cyprus, what would the occupant of the Oval Office be willing to do over $187,645 in debt from each taxpayer--10 times the amount in Cyprus? The US is a large reflection of Cyprus--a tax and spend socialist government and moral decay combining for a "beast"-type government takeover.
The EU action in Cyprus should serve as a stiff warning to all of what a powerful government can do when the people are unable and/or unwilling to defend themselves against it. For example, Cyprus has the same gun policy that the federal government is proposing in America--gun owners must be licensed and prove a genuine reason to possess a gun. The Cyprus population is essentially disarmed. It had no will nor ability to prevent the EU action. While we cannot stop the march of prophecy, we can determine our place in it. As the people of Cyprus have determined their place in the EU, the citizens of America can look at this example and decide--beast submission or self determination. Best decide before it's too late.
(Bill Wilson; The Daily Jot; March 25, 2013)
- Let us heed the warning of the watchman. It is time to get our own houses in order. Seek the Lord while He may be found, and prepare as He ordains. Pray!
- "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19,20)
9. FINALLY! U.S. ASKS FOR JAILED PASTOR'S FREEDOM
The wife of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini says she's 'very encouraged' by Secretary of State John Kerry's call for Iran to release Abedini from prison.
Kerry released the statement while traveling in the Middle East with President Obama.
'I am deeply concerned about the fate of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini, who has been detained for nearly six months and was sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs. I am disturbed by reports that Mr. Abedini has suffered physical and psychological abuse in prison, and that his condition has become increasingly dire. Such mistreatment violates international norms as well as Iran's own laws,' Kerry's statement said.
'I am also troubled by the lack of due process in Mr. Abedini's case and Iran's continued refusal to allow consular access by Swiss authorities, the U.S. protecting power in Iran. I welcome reports that Mr. Abedini was examined by a physician and expect Iranian authorities to honor their commitment to allow Mr. Abedini to receive treatment for these injuries from a specialist outside the prison. The best outcome for Mr. Abedini is that he be immediately released,' the statement said.
The high-level intervention, should it actually produce results, may be coming just in time. In a letter Abedini was able to have delivered to his family, he said, 'I did not recognize myself.' 'My hair was shaven, under my eyes were swollen three times what they should have been, my face was swollen, and my beard had grown,' Abedini wrote on scraps of newspaper - the only paper available. (WND) Read more.
- Offer a great chorus of praise that Secretary of State John Kerry is now speaking up on behalf of the release of Pastor Abedini from his imprisonment in Iran. This is a direct answer to prayer! Pray that the pressure to see his release not decrease, but increase, until the time that Saeed Abedini will see the light of day again. Pray!
- "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free . . ." (Luke 4:18)
10. POPE EXTENDS OLIVE BRANCH TO ISLAM
The Pope has called for the Catholic Church to "intensify" its dialogue with Islam and with non-believers, condemning the "spiritual poverty" of the developed world.
"It is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam," new pontiff Francis said in an address to foreign ambassadors at the Vatican. "It is also important to intensify outreach to non-believers so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail, but rather the desire to build true links of friendship," he said.
The Argentine pope said he wanted to "build bridges connecting all people" and said this was particularly significant for him personally because of his own Italian immigrant roots."This dialogue between places and cultures a great distance apart matters greatly to me," he said.
The Pope also returned to a favoured theme of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who battled against rising secularism in Europe in his pontificate."It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called rich countries particularly seriously," the 76-year-old said, adding that this "endangers the co-existence of peoples." (News.com.au) Read more.
- Pray that the leaders of different Christian faiths not fall prey to moving into a position that might compromise our faith with that of Islam. The two are entirely different; and oil and water do not mix. Pray that wisdom be granted to the "governing authorities" in the various denominations. The voices of wolves these days in sheep's clothing are growing louder and more difficult to discern. Pray!
- "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
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Updates: Prayer for the Supreme Court
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Updates: Prayer for the Supreme Court
Update #1 -- Two More Prayer Guides from the Reformation Prayer Network
As we continue to pray for the hearings, that will begin tomorrow hearing arguments for and against DOMA and Proposition 8, we once more commend this excellent prayer guide to you from the RPN. For Day 4, go here.
For Day 5 (today), go here.
Update #2 -- Summary of Weeks 1 - 8 of Intercession offered by the Alliance Defense Fund and Family Research Council
To access this excellent, detailed summary of eight weeks of intercession for both court cases this week, go here.
Update #3 - Correction for Bob Long's ministry
On Friday, we posted an urgent alert for prayer for the court, quoting a message from Bob Long in Austin, Texas. Please note that the correct name of his ministry is:
Rally Call Ministries
Austin, Texas
www.rallycall.net
You can contact Bob directly by sending an email to him at: bob@rallycall.net
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Video for the Week
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Video for the Week
Holy Week
Monday of Holy Week:
Let us walk with Jesus on His final journey to Jerusalem through the Gospel of Matthew.
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This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
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This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LIGHT OF ISRAEL
(Or Yis-rah-el)
"The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame . . ."
(Isaiah 10:17)
(Source: THE NAME- HaShem: Daily Devotional Worship by Dr. Barri Cae Mallin)
Available on Amazon.com by going here.
