Tuesday, August 7, 2007

The Daily Brief - Tuesday, August 7, 2007

"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever and ever." (Daniel 7:18)


1. First Alarm About Bridge Raised in 1990 - AP

It was 1990 when the federal government first issued an ominous label for the state's busiest bridge: "structurally deficient." In the ensuing years, inspectors found cracks and corrosion on the Interstate-35W bridge. They stepped up inspections from once every two years to every year, and made what they thought were the necessary repairs. They were convinced that the bridge had no safety issues at all.

· Now that the federal government has ordered that all bridges be inspected across the nation that have been built with the same structure as the one that collapsed, pray for those who will supervise and carry out these inspections in every such bridge in the country. Pray that these inspectors be graced with an unusual alertness to detail, so that nothing is missed that might endanger the lives of others in the days ahead. Pray!!

· Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. ( Mark 11:24)

2. Al Qaeda Cell May Be Loose in U.S., British Plot Hints - NY Sun

As an American-born spokesman for Al Qaeda threatens to blow up American embassies abroad, intelligence gleaned from last month's British "doctors plot" of car bombers suggests that a Qaeda cell is on the loose in the American homeland.

· Continue in prayer, that ALL hidden plots, schemes and plans designed to do us evil will be discovered, thwarted and destroyed before they can be carried out. Pray for the very souls of these wicked ones who design these terrorist plots, for they are indeed in the hand of the one who would terrorize them -- Satan himself. Pray for their salvation -- that the grace of God would so impact each life that they would repent, turn aside from their wicked ways, and come to Him for salvation, healing, cleansing and new life in Christ. Pray!

· "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light." (Job 12:22)

· "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

3. Bush, Karzai Vow to Root out Taliban - Reuters

U.S. President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai vowed on Monday to finish off the Taliban, which Karzai said was a defeated force that attacks civilians but is not a threat to his government. Karzai, visiting the United States amid renewed concern about worsening violence in Afghanistan and the threat from militant hide-outs across the border in Pakistan, said he was building up his army and police with U.S. help. "Our enemy is still there, defeated but still hiding in the mountains. And our duty is to complete the job, to get them out of their hide-outs in the mountains," he said in the second day of meetings with Bush at the Camp David presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains.

· Continue in prayer that Osama bin Laden be found -- rumored to be hiding in the caves of the Afghan-Pakistani borders. Pray that no political wrangling would be used by our enemy to impede the pursuit of this search, for lives are truly at stake in this battle.

· "I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight." (Is. 42:16)

4. Bush, Karzai Agree: No Concessions on Hostages - Reuters

In discussions of Afghanistan's newest crisis, Bush and Karzai agreed that the Taliban should not get concessions for the release of the 21 hostages they seized last month, a White House official said. "Both leaders agreed that in negotiations for the release, there should be no quid pro quo for the hostages. The Taliban are brutal and should not be emboldened by this," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said after the talks. The kidnappers have killed two of the 23 initially captured and are demanding the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange. South Korea has appealed to the United States and the Afghan officials to negotiate the release.

· Pray for a hedge of protection around the hostages and that God will intervene quickly to have them released safely. Continue to pray for the gospel to go and be rooted deeply into the Middle East nations!

· For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to release those appointed to death. (Psalms 102:19, 20)

5. U.S., Iraqi forces kill organizer of attacks on Golden Mosque - Baltimore Sun

U.S. and Iraqi forces announced yesterday that they had killed the mastermind of attacks on Samarra's famed Golden Mosque, which sparked sectarian violence across the country.

· Praise You Lord, that You are bringing down all those who gather together against the Western nations! We pray that fear will come upon them and they will give up the insurgency!

· "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. (Exodus 23:27)

6. Weapons Given to Iraq Are Missing - Washington Post

The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a new government report, raising fears that some of those weapons have fallen into the hands of insurgents fighting U.S. forces in Iraq.

· Pray that this loss of weapons will not be an actual loss but rather an error in accountability of those weapons. Pray that they will be found quickly!

· "You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: for with you I will break the nation in pieces; with you I will destroy kingdoms; with you I will break in pieces the horse and its rider; with you I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider; (Jeremiah 51:20, 21)

7. Bush sets global climate meeting - ABC News

The Bush administration on Friday unveiled plans for a high-level conference on global warming in September that would bring together the world's biggest polluters to seek agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

· Lord, we pray that as You gave us the world for us to take care of, polluters of this planet will no longer be able to do so. We pray that the right regulations will be put into place that all nations can abide by.

· So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. (Genesis 9: 1, 2)

8. 2 Charged with Pipe Bombs Near Navy Base - AP

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. - Two men found with several pipe bombs in their car near a Navy base were charged Monday with possession of an explosive device, authorities said. The two men were stopped for speeding Saturday night on U.S. Highway 176 near Goose Creek, which is the site of the Naval Weapons Station and houses the U.S. Naval Consolidated Brig, a military prison where enemy combatants have been held.

· We praise and thank You, Lord, that You watch over us and give us discernment about situations and people that might seek to harm us in America. We pray that it will always be so!

· Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalms 127:1)