Today's Daily Brief
1. U.S. Fifth Fleet In Gulf Exercise For Possible War In Iran - World Tribune
The U.S. Navy launched a series of exercises in the Gulf to enhance skills required in any war with Iran which, according to British press reports, could occur in early 2008. The U.S. Fifth Fleet has been operating two strike groups in the Gulf. The USS Enterprise and USS Kearsarge have also been training in the region.
· Oh Lord, only You know if America will wage war against Iran. Please rule over this potentially explosive situation. May our warships not anger the Iranian government into making hasty decisions about attacking our navy, soldiers or our country. Only YOU know if they have nuclear armament capabilities. Please save Your beloved Israel and her ally, America. Thank You for listening and caring about us.
· "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." (Revelation 19: 11 NKJV)
2. Iran's Top Dissident Cleric Calls For US Talks - Ynet News
Iran's government should hold direct talks with the United States to avoid possible military action against the Islamic Republic, the country's top dissident cleric, said in a speech.
Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, an architect of the Islamic revolution, was among Iranian leaders who endorsed the 444-day occupation of the US embassy shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, when 52 Americans were taken hostage. The event led Washington to break diplomatic ties, which Montazeri said should now be restored.
· My how times have changed from 1979, and how God's Truth is being revealed to those who have opposed Him over the years. We pray for the salvation of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri and for those in the Iranian leadership and government. May all be saved alive for Your glory, and may the waves of Your radiant salvation spill out and over into the rest of the Middle East, including Israel!
· "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50: 20 NKJV)
3. Foreclosure Wave Sweeps America - BBC
A wave of foreclosures and evictions is about to sweep the United States in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis. This could destabilise the US housing market and may also lead to further turmoil in financial institutions, who collectively own $1 trillion worth of sub-prime debt. This could have a worldwide effect as some of the subprime mortgage debt was bundled with good mortgages and sold off to international interests.
· May the God of every good and perfect thing that comes down from the Father of heavenly lights keep this potential disaster in His perfect hands. May those who brought about this economic disaster to America be judged for their greed and may those who in good faith took out mortgages which are now in default, and those who bought these mortgages in good faith, be restored. May Your gift of avoiding worldwide economic calamity happen for Your glory, Lord!
· "Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1: 16-17 NKJV)
4. U.S. Senate Probes Televangelists' Finances - CBS News
Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct. The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University. According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.
· Dear Lord, we don't know if this is the beginning of persecution of ministries in America or if this investigation is warranted. But, we do know that we can ask You to have Your Holy Spirit intercede for the needs of Your Church here on earth. Please reveal the truth about this investigation and the motives of Senator Grassley. As You have taught us, in all things, give thanks!
· "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1Thessalonians 5: 18 NKJV)
5. Full Senate to Vote on Mukasey Nomination "Before Thanksgiving" - AP
The Judiciary Committee advanced Attorney General designate Michael Mukasey's nomination to the Senate floor Tuesday, virtually ensuring confirmation for a former judge ensnarled in bitter controversy over terrorism-era prisoner interrogations. Support for Mukasey from Senators Schumer and Feinstein virtually assured the former federal judge the majority vote he needed to be favorably recommended by the 19-member committee. He was expected to win confirmation handily, and the vote is likely before Thanksgiving. (AP) · Offer praise for the recent breakthrough when Senators Feinstein and Schumer decided to support Michael Mukasey's nomination to serve as Attorney General. That was a direct answer to prayer! Continue to press in, until this nomination has been approved by the full Senate.
· "The effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)
6. Bush to Musharraf: Take Off the Army Uniform - Fox News
President Bush tells Pakistani President Musharraf that he must hold elections; give up post as head of army.
· Continue in watchful prayer over this potentially volatile situation. May our God grant His wisdom to President Bush and his advisors as they attempt to respond in the center of His will to the growing crisis in Pakistan. · "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
7. President And Mrs. Bush Host French President Nicolas Sarkozy - AP
French President Nicolas Sarkozy opened a new, cozier chapter in U.S.-French relations, saying he came to Washington with a simple message: "I wish to reconquer the heart of America in a lasting fashion. I also came to say that one can be a friend of America, and yet win elections in France," Sarkozy joked. Iran and the Middle East peace efforts were likely to dominate Sarkozy's discussions with Bush as the two countries look to build on their warmer relations to look for ways to improve policy coordination.
· Offer great praise for this new, much-improved season in French-American relations! This, too, is another answer to prayer. Ask our Lord to continue to guide these two leaders, President Bush and President Sarkozy, in ways to become aligned with an agenda that will promote the freedoms of peace-loving peoples around the world.
· "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose unto the heavens . . . " (Eccl. 3:1)
8. Pat Robertson Endorses Rudy Giuliani;
Senator Brownback Endorses Senator McCain - AP
Evangelical Christian leader Pat Robertson on Wednesday endorsed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has struggled to bridge with conservatives some of his socially moderate policy positions on abortion and gay rights.
· During this increasingly strange political year, pray the Lord's prayer DAILY over this election!.
· "Thy Kingdom come; THY WILL BE DONE on earth, as it is in heaven . . . deliver us from evil." Amen. (Matthew 6:10, 13)
The Middle East in Focus
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." (Ps 33:10-11)
1. Top US official: Annapolis conference in late November - Ynet News
A senior American official said overnight Monday that the Annapolis peace conference would most likely be held in the last week of November, adding that apart from the main players, participating countries would be represented at the ministerial level.
2. Rabbis warn Bush: Annapolis will bring destruction to US - Ynet News
A fringe group of prominent ultranationalist rabbis issued a harshly-worded letter to United States President George W. Bush earlier this week, warning him that the upcoming Annapolis peace conference would bring destruction upon America.
3. IDF: Nuclear Iran by end of 2009 - Ynet News
In a briefing to the Knesset's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee Tuesday, Yossi Baidatz, head of research at Military Intelligence, updated government officials on the strength of Israel's foes. According to the brigadier-general, Iran's current regime is not in danger of collapsing and may go nuclear by the end of 2009, Syria is upsizing its weapons arsenal and Hizbullah is getting stronger.
4. Fragment of ancient parchment from Bible given to Jerusalem scholars - Ha'aretz
An eight-centimeter-square piece of the 1087-year-old Aleppo Codex will be given to a representative of the Ben Zvi Institute in Jerusalem on Thursday, following 18 years during which Israeli scholars tried to retrieve it from businessman Sam Sabbagh.
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Rabbis warn Bush: Annapolis will bring destruction to US
Group of right-wing rabbis writes open letter to US president demanding he cancel Annapolis summit or risk provoking 'wrath of the almighty.' Rabbis assert Katrina disaster a result of America's support of 2005 disengagement, say California fires a warning
A fringe group of prominent ultranationalist rabbis in Israel issued a harshly-worded letter to United States President George W. Bush earlier this week, warning him that the upcoming Annapolis peace conference would bring destruction upon America. The rabbis evoked their previous prediction in 2005, when they published an open letter to Bush in the New York Times, demanding the US rescind its support of the disengagement plan.
"We wrote to President Bush, a man who believes in the Bible, to warn him against the terrible danger to which he is exposing his country by hosting such a conference," said Rabbi Meir Druckman, one of signatories to the letter. "The land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. God punishes anyone who coerces Israel to give up its land," he said. "There is no doubt the New Orleans flood from the Katrina hurricane was God's punishment for evicting the settlements," said Druckman, "with hundreds of thousands left homeless, hundreds killed or wounded and billions of dollars sent down the drain - can we really ignore God's hand collecting an eye for an eye?"
The disengagement from Gaza and the northern West Bank was completed August 23rd, 2005 - which was also the date Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas.
"Despite those consequences, yet again we find ourselves facing an initiative to expel Jews from Judea and Samaria and cede their cities to terror organizations. And once again the patrons of the event are President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "This time the Almighty is warning the US in advance: if the plague of water was not enough now he shall send flames. While hundreds of thousands of families have already fled the terrible fires in California, and we ask you, will you really forge ahead with this malevolent plan?" added Druckman.
The rabbis urged Bush's administration to back down from the current direction of the peace process, saying that not an inch of Israeli land should be ceded. "Be merciful to yourselves and the beloved America and its citizens. Lay down the hand you have raised against the Creator in war. Help the people of Israel fight without compromise against the terrorists who rise against it, and then, with a pure heart, you will truly be able to pray: May God bless America," the rabbis said.
The letter was authored by SOS Israel, a . . . movement which earlier this year distributed citations to IDF soldiers who disobeyed orders and refused to take part in the disengagement. Among the rabbis who signed the letter are several leading religious figures, including Rabbis Dov Wolfa, Yekutiel Rap, Gedalia Axelrod as well as the chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba and Hebron, Dov Lior and the son of former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Yaakov Yosef. (Ynet; AFP)
· El Shaddai, God Almighty, we thank you for this warning once again to our president to stop any pressure on Israel to give up land. You alone, O Lord, know what the future holds for each nation. Your saints, O Lord, in the USA pray that You will move on the hand and mind of President Bush to withdraw any plans to hold any conference in the boundaries of the United States that impinge on the land of Israel. Lord, our desire is to support your land and her peoples. Help us, Lord, to hold back the forces of evil that threaten to destroy not only Israel but also the United States.
· "He exalteth the horn of His people, the praise of His saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto Him. Praise ye the Lord." (Psalm 148:14)
Rice, Abbas Build a New Terrorist State
Rice And Abbas Building A New Terrorist State
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been in Ramallah ginning up support for her so-called Peace Summit to be held in Annapolis, Md. sometime before the end of the year, but the more Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas talks, the further away any peace solution looks. Abbas opened his remarks with Rice by demanding three things be accomplished before the Annapolis talks: First, that Israel must withdraw from the West Bank and freeze any settlement activity; Second, the giving up of Jerusalem by Israel; and Third, the ending of Israeli hostilities against Palestinians in Gaza.
Essentially ignoring these one-sided and arrogant demands, Rice responded with the typical diplomatic drivel that has characterized the Bush Administration's naivety regarding a Palestinian state. Rice said, "As I've said many times, the Palestinian people have waited a long time for the dignity that will come with an independent state, and the Israeli people have waited a long time for a peaceful neighbor that can help to provide real security. And I believe that those two neighbors living side by side would make a very big difference in the very nature of the Middle East itself, a region that has too long been torn by strife and by turmoil and by deprivation."
Rice repeated that the goal of the Annapolis talks will be to create a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel before the end of the Bush Administration's term in office. Abbas agreed with the time frame, but his concept of a Palestinian state is slightly different than that of Rice and the Bush Administration. Abbas told reporters, "And I would like to add we are very serious in seizing this opportunity in order to reach this historical peace that would lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state with its capital East Jerusalem, that would live alongside the state of Israel."
Abbas is saying that he supports a historical peace that would allow the creation of a Palestinian state that would live alongside Israel. That is not the same as the Bush Administration's goal of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel. The quintessential example of just how the Palestinian state would operate is Gaza, where Israel left its settlements and turned it over to Palestinian rule. It has become a staging ground for terrorist activity against Israel with an estimated $20 million per month in weapons smuggled from Egypt to Palestinian terrorists. Jeremiah 8:15 says, "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of deliverance, and behold, trouble." These are the wages of appeasement with Islam.
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
www.dailyjot.com
