CHPP Daily Brief - June 30, 2009

In This Issue
• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Supreme Court Overturns Sotomayor Decision
• Next Sunday: Call2Fall
• The Good News Corner

Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net

The Daily Brief - Tuesday, June 30. 2009

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." (John 4:23)

The Daily Brief

1. Supreme Court Overturns Sotomayor Decision - Citizen Link; Fox News

Firefighters 'Vindicated'

Plaintiff Frank Ricci tells FOX he, colleagues expect 'promotional ceremony' after Supreme Court rules they were unfairly denied promotions due to race, reversing decision endorsed by court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

• Offer praise to the LORD for this victory for these hardworking men in the New Haven fire department. Ask the Lord to cause the members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee - as well as the full Senate - to weigh the Implications of this decision as they consider the nomination of Sonia Sotomayer to serve on the highest court of the land.

• "He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. . . He will defend the afflicted among the people." (Psalm 72:2,4)

2. Obama open to new health-benefits tax - Washington Times

The White House left open the possibility Sunday that President Obama might pay for his health care overhaul by taxing employer-provided health insurance even though he had campaigned on not raising taxes on middle-class families.

• God, regarding this additional heavy tax, we recall the days of Rehoboam who listened not to the counsel of the wise men to lessen the taxes imposed upon the people, but rather followed the counsel of the younger generation of that day saying, "My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins." (I Kings 12:9-15)

We ask you, Father, that you bind under the blood of Jesus every anticipated increase in taxes aimed ultimately at the employer who provides health insurance and to their employees. Pull down every evil word that would put these ungodly health care programs into effect. We speak defeat to the deceptive plans of wickedness through this so-called "new health-benefits tax." We declare that its destructive powers will meet with the host of heaven who will fight this major battle for the people, driving it into derision and total annihilation. In Jesus Name.

3. Acorn Role in Census Challenged - Wall Street Journal

Some Republican members of Congress want the U.S. Census Bureau to end a 2010 Census partnership with Acorn, the community organizing group that was hit by accusations of voter-registration fraud in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

• Father, cause the scales of deception to fall from the eyes of the U.S. Census Bureau that they would see what the affects of being in league with Acorn would bring upon their future status of respectability. Give them clear, unobstructed vision and willing hearts to keep the status quo without reproach. The purposes of both entities are diametrically opposed to one another. In Jesus Name.

• "He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight." (Psalm 101:7)

4. U.S. won't forcibly inspect N. Korean ship - Washington Times

The United States will not use force to inspect a North Korean ship suspected of carrying banned goods, an American official was quoted as saying Friday.

• Our Father, which is in heaven, who oversees all the works of mankind, we plead that the United States not lay down in submission when it is evident that the enemy forces are approaching. Raise up godly officials who will advise the military to hear the direction of the Lord and stand firm to protect our shores and our people. In Jesus Name.

• "So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)

5. Al-Maliki: Iraq ready to take over - USA Today

Iraq's prime minister said Saturday that the full withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities and towns was a message that his country was ready to take over its own security, even as he appealed for national unity after a week of attacks left more than 250 people dead.

• Father, we petition You to bring righteous leaders to the forefront of the Iraqi government. May Al-Maliki see visions of Jesus and repent of his sins and the sins of his nation with all the terrorist activities, and reveal to him that the Lord God is their only answer. May the Holy Spirit circumnavigate around all of Iraq and powerfully fall upon men and women and children everywhere to bow on their faces before the Mighty God in repentance. Deliver this nation by the blood of Jesus and raise it up to be a glorious light in the Middle East. And bring back to America every person in our military who has fought the good fight of faith to a glorious victory. They have maintained their cause to help free the Iraqi people and to protect the shores of America. Reward them freely from the throne of Grace. In Jesus Name.

• "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1, 2)

6. Iran's Mousavi rejects panel for partial recount - AFP; USA Today

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi on Saturday refused to support a panel set up by electoral watchdog the Guardians Council to hold a partial recount of presidential election votes. Meanwhile, several thousand protesters -- some chanting "Where is my vote?" -- clashed with riot police in Tehran on Sunday as Iran detained local employees of the British Embassy, escalating the regime's standoff with the West and earning it a stinging rebuke from the European Union. Iran's supreme ruler has also called for national unity and urged both sides in a bitter election dispute "not to stoke the emotions of the young."

• Continue to maintain a vigilant watch in prayer over all events related to the election and the protests in Iran. We have not seen the end of this story yet. Pray for supernatural protection for those who are voicing their dissent, for they live under a brutal regime. Pray that the government that GOD desires to put in place for the people of Iran will be made known to man. Pray!

• "'For it is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' saith the Lord." (Zech. 4:6)

7. EU Eager to Restart Nuclear Talks With Iran - Fox News

The European Union wants to restart talks on Iran's nuclear program, an official said Sunday, even as Tehran ratcheted up tensions with the bloc by detaining Iranian employees of the British Embassy.

• In the Name of Jesus and by the power of His Shed Blood, we declare that the enemies of God's purposes for the nations be completely brought down to nothing. Send angels into Iran and destroy every nuclear weapon that is aimed primarily at Israel and America. May rats and water seep into every mechanism rendering these weapons useless. Scatter the unity in the camps of the enemies of God and let not one agree with the other. Bring down evil and all wicked imaginations that their plans spin out of control and be defeated.

• "Hear, O Israel, you approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be terrified because of them; For the Lord your God is He that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." (Deuteronomy 20:3, 4)

8. U.S. and Russia Differ on a Treaty for Cyberspace - NY Times

The United States and Russia are locked in a fundamental dispute over how to counter the growing threat of cyberwar attacks that could wreak havoc on computer systems and the Internet.

• Father, we are dealing with two major nations whose agendas often clash. We fully submit the solution of this treaty for cyberspace into Your hands to work out all differences for a mutual plan. In Jesus Name.

• "For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13)

9. Reparations Disclaimer on Slavery Apology Stirs Backlash Among House Dems - AP

A disclaimer at the end of the Senate slavery apology, dealing with the touchy issue of reparations, is causing some dissension among House Democrats and may prevent the two chambers from coming together on the measure.

• Lift up the House version of this bill, which passed the Senate just before this recess period. Ask the Lord to bring forth a spirit of reconciliation between the House and the Senate on this very important and timely piece of legislation, so that differences in its language will be amenable to all. It is time to heal . . .

• ". . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong" (Psalm 30:7a)

1. US professors: Support for Israel eroded - Jerusalem Post

Unwavering support for Israeli policy has eroded dramatically both on American college campuses and within the United States as a whole, according to a group of American university professors who on Sunday concluded an academic exchange program here, sponsored by the Yitzhak Rabin Center.

2. Final preparations head of Barak-Mitchell meeting - Ynet News

"The settlements will not be an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians." That is the message Defense Minister Ehud Barak will be carrying with him on his upcoming trip to meet with special US envoy George Mitchell. Barak is being dispatched in an attempt to dissipate the tensions between the White House and Jerusalem, and to allow the renewal of negotiations with the Palestinians.
3. Blair: Peace within reach if Israel compromises - Ha'aretz

Former British prime minister Tony Blair said Friday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be within reach if Israel compromises on issues such as halting settlement expansion.

4. Livni: Deals with Hamas will gravely harm Israel - Ha'aretz

Opposition leader and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni announced on Sunday that "agreements with Hamas clearly, and gravely, harm the interests of the state of Israel," in response to reports in Haaretz Sunday morning that Israel and Egypt were negotiating terms of a new Gaza cease-fire.

5. Report: Israel, Hamas reach compromise on Shalit deal - Ynet News

The London-based Arabic-language al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper quoted European and Egyptian sources Saturday, as saying "real progress" has been made in the prisoner exchange talks between Israel and Hamas, which could expedite the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

Supreme Court Overturns Sotomayor Decision

The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a much-discussed decision by Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's pick to fill a seat on the nation's highest court.

The case, Ricci v. Destefano, involves 18 white and Hispanic New Haven, Conn., firefighters who sued to receive promotions they were denied when the city refused to affirm the results of a Fire Department promotions test. City officials were concerned they might be sued for discrimination because no black individuals and only two Hispanics passed the exam.

The firefighters filed a reverse-discrimination suit, which was dismissed by a federal district court on the grounds that the city was justified under the law in junking the test. Federal nondiscrimination laws presume discrimination when a test has such a disparate impact on minorities.

That's when Sotomayor entered the case -- as part of a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that heard an appeal of the lower-court ruling. The panel upheld the decision, which was overturned today by the Supreme Court on a 5-4 vote. The majority opinion, from Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, said the standard for tossing out a promotions test has to be based on something more than just the test results.

"There is no evidence -- let alone the required strong basis in evidence -- that the tests were flawed," Kennedy wrote.

Some family advocates consider the Ricci case a good example of Sotomayor's "empathetic" approach to judicial decisions.

Gary Marx, executive director of the Judicial Confirmation Network, called the high court's reversal of the 2nd Circuit ruling a "great day for the New Haven firefighters and those who believe in applying the law equally."

"Racial preferences were thrown out," he said. "The identity politics that (Sotomayor) has time and time again practiced have been rejected by the highest court in the land."

Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, said he hopes Sotomayor's upcoming confirmation hearings include a robust examination of her record as a jurist.

"What I would like to see happen," he said, "is a good, thorough discussion of just what the proper role of a judge is and what the proper role of the Supreme Court is." (CitizenLink)

Next Sunday: Call2Fall

Churches and individuals are invited to answer the Call 2 Fall on Sunday, July 5. The initiative is aimed at praying for the healing of America and declaring dependence on God immediately after celebrating the nation's independence from Great Britain.

"It's incumbent upon the church to assume the responsibility for where the nation is and leading us forward, not from a political standpoint but from a spiritual standpoint," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said. "If the spiritual things are in order, the political things seem to be a lot easier to solve."

Family Research Council has set a goal of seeing 8 million Christians in 40,000 churches participate in Call 2 Fall, and church leaders are encouraged to offer their buildings as host sites July 5. FRC will publish an online directory of those churches so that people will know where they can participate.

Observances can take several forms, Perkins said, from a three- to five-minute period during a worship service when people would get on their knees and pray to a full day of praying and expressing dependence on God. Those who commit to participate will receive periodic e-mails linking to resources such as free devotionals, inspirational videos, sermon outlines, bulletin inserts and prayer suggestions.

"From homosexual 'marriage' to proposed curbs on religious speech, there are serious matters for the church to address humbly and with great earnestness before God," Perkins said.

The Good News Corner

Pro-Life Bills Close to Law in Arizona
Two important pro-life bills are one step closer to becoming law in Arizona.

House Bill 2564 -- The Abortion Consent Act --- passed the Legislature and now is on to Gov. Jan Brewer for a signature. If she signs, parental consent will be required for any minor girl intending to abort her baby. The legislation also includes an informed-consent provision offering women information on abortion before they decide whether or not to have one.

Arizona Sen. Linda Gray said she and her colleagues heard testimony from women who did not know enough about abortion before going through the procedure. "They had emotional scars throughout their life," she explained, "because they were not informed of what was going to occur with their abortion procedure."

In addition, the act would require women to wait 24 hours after meeting with an abortion clinic worker before having an abortion. It also protects the conscience rights of health care workers who do not want to participate in abortions.

Another piece of legislation, House Bill 2400, which would ban partial-birth abortions, also passed the Legislature and is headed to the governor's desk. (Citizen Link)

CHPP Daily Brief - June 26, 2009

In This Issue
• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• The Good News Corner

Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net

The Daily Brief - Friday, June 26, 2009

"O, Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart . . ." (Psalm 10:17)

PLEASE NOTE:
Congress will not be in session next week, for its Independence Day recess. Accordingly, we will not publish "On Capitol Hill This Week" on Monday, June 29. The Daily Brief will be published, Tuesday through Friday, as always.

The Daily Brief

1. A. House passes energy overhaul bill: 219-212 - CNN

A sharply divided House of Representatives narrowly passed a White House-backed climate change bill Friday after hours of cajoling and arm-twisting by Democratic leaders among members worried about the legislation's potential economic and political fallout. The bill passed 219-212, with virtually no Republican support. The bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called "cap-and-trade" program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits.

B. Rep. Boehner Reads From 300-Page Amendment to Climate Bill, Delaying Vote - Fox News

Filibusters are not allowed in the House -- they're a province of the Senate -- but House Minority Leader John Boehner may have figured out a way to get around that prohibition Friday, at least temporarily, as the House inched closer to voting on a controversial energy and climate change bill. Overnight, House Democrats tacked onto the bill a 300-page amendment. So when Boehner took his time to speak against the package at the end of the debate, the Ohio Republican then decided to peel through major portions of the bill and read them aloud before his House colleagues.

- Lord, we are disappointed by this development that places the environment over the well-being of people, but we pray that the Senate will stop this bill. We thank You for legislators who listen to the concerns of their constituents and who stand strong even in the face of ridicule.

- "God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:28)

2. Senate Confirms Harold Koh for State Dept. Chief Lawyer - Federal Intercessors

The Koh nomination was confirmed earlier on a vote of 62-35. Republicans voting yes were: Collins, Lugar, Martinez, Snowe, Voinovich.

• Pray first that this man be saved, and that he be convicted to adhere to our Constitution. Pray that he does minimal harm in this position, and that his extremism be exposed for what it is.

• " . . . if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)

3. Report: Administration plans indefinite detention - UPI

The White House has prepared an executive order to reassert presidential authority to detain suspected terrorists indefinitely, The Washington Post reported.

- Lord, we are thankful that this administration has awakened to the continuing threat of terrorists against this nation. We pray this power will be used only against true threats, and not against Your people.

- "The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned." (Psalm 34:22)

4. U.S. Troops, Iraqi Civilians to Become Less Protected on July 1 - Washington Post

U.S. military officials fear that the closure of inner-city bases and restrictive guidelines that go into effect next week will leave American troops and civilians in Iraq more vulnerable.

- We pray for protection for American troops throughout the world, and especially for those who may be newly exposed as troop levels shift. May those in intelligence be given focus and determination so they can stop evil plans before they are able to be carried out.

- "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him." (2 Chronicles 32:7)

5. International Oil Companies Poise for Return to Iraq - AP

International oil companies poised for a return to Iraq find themselves in an unfamiliar spot, preparing to assist rather than lord over drilling operations and taking risks that at first glance don't appear worth the effort. The bigger risk, however, might be failing to seize whatever opportunity presents itself in a country with the third-largest petroleum reserves in the world. Iraq desperately needs oil revenue for reconstruction, and it wants to double its daily crude output within four to five years. On Monday, the country's Oil Ministry is set to auction off service contracts that in total may pay up to $16 billion over 20 years to the dozens of oil companies that have qualified to bid.

- This is a time of thankfulness for the people of Iraq as they are again taking control of their country. We pray the profits from this oil will be used for Your glory and that Iraqi Christians will be blessed through the funds that will come into their nation.

- "For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem." (Ezra 9:9)

6. Iran's security council tells Moussavi to back off - CNN

Members of Iran's influential National Security Council have told opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi that his repeated demands for the annulment of the June 12 election results are "illogical and unethical," state media reported. Iranians in Dubai hold a candlelight vigil Thursday for Neda Agha-Soltan, who was slain in election protests. Esmaeel Kowsari told the government-run Iranian Labor News Agency in an interview Friday that the council met with Moussavi, former presidential candidates Mehdi Karrubi and Mohsen Rezaie, and former Iran President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who now chairs the Assembly of Experts. The assembly is responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader.

- As this situation in Iran continues, we pray for strength for the people who are daring to stand up to the government. Place Your hands of protection around them and continue to refresh them in the face of adversity. We are thankful that the brutal nature of the Iranian leaders has been exposed and that nations across the world are rising up in opposition. We pray this will begin a new time of understanding of the threat of this regime to the entire world and especially to Israel.

- "Who by the mouth of your servant David have said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?" (Acts 4:25)

7. Iranian embassy in Sweden attacked - MSNBC

Angry demonstrators broke into the Iranian Embassy outside Stockholm on Friday, climbing in through shattered windows and injuring one embassy worker, police said.

- Lord, we pray the demonstrations of the Iranian people across the world will be peaceful, and they will not be used by malcontents to sow trouble.

- "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it." (Job 4:8)

8. Police Chief and 91 Officers Detained in Mexico - Fox News

A police chief and 91 officers were detained Thursday in a sweep on a city in central Mexico. The authorities are suspected of sheltering the Zetas, one of the country's most violent drug gangs. Federal Police Intelligence Coordinator Luis Cardenas told the AFP that the Zetas carried out kidnappings and extortion in liaison with local police around Pachuca. A dozen army soldiers and police officers have been arrested for allegedly harboring organized crime, particularly drug trafficking.

- Thank You for bringing to light the government officials who are corrupt in Mexico. Lord, we pray for the people of that nation. We pray for security and peace and that You will comfort who have lost loved ones to the violence.

- "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!" (Psalm 1:1)

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance." (Psalm 105:4-11)

1. Mashaal rejects idea of demilitarized Palestine as 'pathetic' - Ynet News

Hamas' senior political leader Khaled Mashaal said on Thursday that his organization is willing to cooperate with any international effort to end the occupation but would never accept the notion of a demilitarized Palestinian state.

2. Thousands take part in Jerusalem Pride 2009 - Ynet News

After weeks of anxious preparations, thousands gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday for the annual pride march. Mayor Nir Barkat opted not to make an appearance, as did the usual multitudes of ultra-Orthodox protestors.

3. Hamas leader: Obama must do more for peace - CNN

Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal on Thursday called on the United States to take a more active role in the Mideast peace process "so that America and the rest of the world can take a break from the headache of the region."

4. Nixon administration tried to force Israel to sign NPT - Jerusalem Post

Officials in the US Nixon administration four decades ago weighed options to pressure Israel to declare the existence of its a nuclear weapons program, documents released by the Nixon Presidential Library show.

5. Medvedev Calls for Middle East Peace Conference by Year's End - Moscow Times

President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Moscow aimed to hold a Middle East peace conference before the end of 2009, a move backed by Egypt.

The Good News Corner

"What Happened at the First Self Righteous Church"

The Mississippi Squirrel Revival . . .
It's been a very long week . . . time for a break. Enjoy this short video by going to the link below.

http://travisab1.multiply.com/video/item/73/The_Mississippi_Squirrel_Revival.flv

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21)

CHPP Daily Brief - June 25, 2009

In This Issue
• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• White House Honors Gays
• ObamaCare: Making People Sick
• KOH NOMINATION: URGENT
• URGENT NOTICE
• CALL2FALL: SPREAD THE WORD!
• Today in American History
• The Good News Corner

Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net

The Daily Brief - Thursday, June 25, 2009

"O, Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart . . ." (Psalm 10:17)

URGENT ALERT!!

We learned yesterday that there will be a 'cloture vote' today on the nomination of Harold Koh to be the top lawyer at the State Department. (This Internationalist must be STOPPED in his tracks!!)

Please call (or email) your senator, asking them to vote NO on 'cloture' on Koh today. ('Cloture' means a vote to stop the debate so that a vote on the nomination can be taken. It takes 60 votes for 'cloture'. If 'cloture' doesn't get 60 votes, the nomination will not go forward.)

THIS VOTE MAY TAKE PLACE AFTER 5:00 P.M. TODAY.

You can go HERE

( http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm )

to find and contact your senators. For more information on Harold Koh, please see below -- article titled "Koh Nomination - URGENT." Thank you!! [Source for this alert: Tennessee Eagle Forum]

The Daily Brief

1. Obama to Return U.S. Ambassadors to Syria, Venezuela - Fox News

The Obama administration has decided to return an ambassador to both Venezuela and Syria after a diplomatic hiatus with both countries, FOX News confirmed Wednesday.

• Father, as our nation continues to attempt to negotiate and talk with our enemies, we ask that You guard us from secret agendas and dangerous covenants. Call Your watchmen, Lord, and let us hear Your Voice to pray as You command.

• "Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon." (Nehemiah 4:17)

2. Obama to Meet the Pope While in Italy for G8 - NewsMax

A Vatican spokesman says Pope Benedict XVI and President Barack Obama will hold a much-anticipated meeting at the Vatican on July 10.

• Lord, we ask that You give the Pope wisdom and the Word of the Lord when speaking with Mr. Obama. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will bring conviction and change to Mr. Obama's heart during his time there.

• "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:11)

3. SC Gov. Mark Sanford admits he's had an affair - AP

After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he'd secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he'd been having an affair. He apologized to his wife and four sons and said he will resign as head of the Republican Governors Association.

• Lord, once again we must repent on behalf of our leaders in America. Yet another leader has fallen into sin. We ask Your forgiveness, and ask that righteousness and true conversion begin to take place in every legislator, governor, and leader in the nation. We pray for Mr. Sanford's family, for Your comfort, and we ask that You will turn this situation for the good.

• "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

4. Climate Bill Set for Vote After Deal Is Reached - Wall Street Journal

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a vote Friday on a sprawling climate-change bill, signaling the Democratic leadership's confidence that it can overcome objections from Farm Belt Democrats.

Climate Bill Pays Billions for Non-U.S. Trees - The Washington Times

If a tree falls in Brazil, it will, in fact, be heard in the U.S. - at least if a little-noticed provision in the pending climate-change bill in Congress becomes law. As part of the far-reaching climate bill, the House is set to vote Friday on a plan to pay companies billions of dollars not to chop down trees around the world, as a way to reduce global warming.

The provision, called "offsets," has been attacked by both environmentalists and business groups as ineffective and poorly designed. Critics contend it would send scarce federal dollars overseas to plant trees when subsidies are needed at home, while the purported ecological benefits would be difficult to quantify.

• Father, as we watch with chagrin our leaders fall under the spell of the "climate change" mantra, we pray that You will pull the portions out of this bill which are designed to further an agenda that is not productive or effective for America. We ask Your wisdom for us as stewards of Your creation, without using fear or socialist policies to accomplish goals.

• "I have made the earth, and created man on it. I- My hands- stretched out the heavens, and all their hosts I have commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways;"(Isaiah 45:12,13a)

5. Obama Leaves Door Open for Tax on Healthcare Benefits - NewsMax

President Barack Obama left the door open to a new tax on health care benefits Wednesday, and officials said top lawmakers and the White House were seeking $150 billion in concessions from the nation's hospitals as they sought support for legislation struggling to emerge in Congress.

"I don't want to prejudge what they're doing," the president said, referring to proposals in the Senate to tax workers who get expensive insurance policies. Obama campaigned against the tax when he ran for president last year.

• Lord, the American taxpayers are becoming overloaded with new taxes to pay for government programs. We ask that You reveal the truth behind these plans for government-run healthcare, and stop the passage of the programs.

• "Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice." (Proverbs 16:8)

6. Church's "Gay Exorcism" Video sparks Outrage - AP

The video shows the 16-year-old boy lying on the floor, his body convulsing, as elders of a small Connecticut church cast a "homosexual demon" from his body."Rip it from his throat!" a woman yells. "Come on, you homosexual demon! You homosexual spirit, we call you out right now! Loose your grip, Lucifer!"

The 20-minute video posted on YouTube by Manifested Glory Ministries is being called abuse by gay and youth advocates, who are demanding an investigation. But a church official this week denied that the teenager was injured or that the church is prejudiced.

• Lord, we repent for any pride issues, or secret plans of wolves within Your Body that might have led to the posting of this video, or the making of a "show" out of a ministry situation. We ask that You grant Your people wisdom, and remind us all of the times in which we live- -that facts are often twisted and incorrectly perceived by those who do not know You. We pray that You will guard Your people from the scrutiny of unbelievers, and grant them grace, forgiveness, and truth.

• "Walk in wisdom towards those who are outside, redeeming the time." (Colossians 4:5)

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance." (Psalm 105:4-11)

1. Netanyahu meets Sarkozy in Paris - Ynet News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

2. Jerusalem expects unprecedented calm at Pride Parade - Ynet News

Thousands are expected to march in the Jerusalem Pride Parade Thursday, and in contrast to previous years no violent threats have been heard from the ultra-Orthodox community, which has a history of aggressively objecting to the parade.

3. Netanyahu trying to reach compromise on settlements with U.S. - Ha'aretz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing with efforts to advance compromise formulas that will win support in the Obama administration on the issue of settlement construction. Ahead of the visit to Washington by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Netanyahu is planning to propose that increased construction in the settlements be allowed for "natural growth."

4. Assad: No Israeli partner for peace - Jerusalem Post

The US State Department on Wednesday praised Syria for its "constructive role to promote peace and stability" as it announced plans to return an ambassador to Damascus after a four-year absence.

5. Italy endorses demilitarised Palestine - EU Observer

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has given his backing to Israel's plan for a demilitarised Palestinian state as a solution to the decades-old Middle East conflict.

White House Honors Gays

Gay-Activist Movement to be Honored at White House

The Obama administration, which refused to send a representative to a Capitol Hill commemoration of the National Day of Prayer, is hosting a White House celebration of what most gay activists regard as the birth of their movement.

President Barack Obama has invited key leaders in the gay community to the East Room on Monday to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 28, 1969, during which hundreds of homosexuals threw bottles and garbage at police and set a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, on fire.
Tim Goeglein, Focus on the Family's vice president of external relations and a former special assistant to President George W. Bush, said the White House event is a boon to the gay lobby, which has been becoming impatient with Obama.

"The president of the United State has the largest bully pulpit in the country and clearly gets to pick and choose among the issues that he would want to highlight," Goeglein said. "There's an enormous amount of pressure (to advocate for pro-gay policies). The president has partially extended health benefits to homosexual partners. The president is of course now doing a commemoration, a very important commemoration.

"But I think the larger goals are the ones that he's already committed to doing --- overturning the DOMA , which is the protection of marriage in the states, and lifting the ban on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' " which prohibits "out" homosexuals from serving in the armed forces.

What's interesting about the Stonewall event, Goeglein added, is that it comes just months after the White House did not commemorate the National Day of Prayer.

"It's disappointing," he explained, "that after several years of celebrating the National Day of Prayer in the East Room at the White House, the day unfortunately in this instance does not get equal billing. "It's a mistake not to be able to commemorate the National Day of Prayer at the highest possible levels, and we're very hopeful that this will be rectified next year." (Citizen Link)

ObamaCare: Making People Sick

More Americans Sickened at Thought of ObamaCare

The two Senate committees that have written health care "reform" plans are drawing closer to having their final products ready after the July Fourth recess--despite the fact that the Senate Finance Committee hasn't held a single hearing on its legislation. The bills may be moving quickly, but the drive to find support for them has not.

Conservatives are doing all they can to response to the unusually opaque situation take advantage of the situation on Capitol Hill. This morning, I joined a health care panel discussion on Capitol Hill, sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform and the Media Research Center. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) participated, rolling out his Health Care Freedom Act, a plan that offers more choices, lower cost, and no tax hikes.

Meanwhile, the President's push took another big hit at the hands of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which sent an email blast to members urging them to oppose Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) "dangerous proposal." Apparently, even Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) was listening. During yesterday's Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) mark-up, which Dodd chaired, the Connecticut Senator sounded like a Republican when he said that no one on the HELP Committee would vote for Kennedy's plan if it cost $2.3 trillion to cover 16 million people.
Dodd may have retreated on the HELP proposal, but his committee still made plenty of waves. During yesterday's hearing, Democrats defeated three amendments that should frighten every American. As the Health Care Freedom Coalition describes it, "One amendment would have required health care price disclosure and health care quality results (i.e., which doctors and hospitals are good). Two other amendments sought to ensure that the government could not ration health care..." The Democrats voted against each amendment, meaning that they support the rationing system.

As FRC has argued, rationing would mean limited treatments and delayed service for patients. Under the government-run plans in England and Canada, the countries' sick and elderly aren't getting the care they need. As a result, their system isn't improving lives but prematurely taking them. Here in the United States, Obama's rationing would mean that you and I could be denied basic care while our tax dollars are used to underwrite a mother choosing to end the life of her unborn child.

At least we can all keep our health care plans if we like them, right? Wrong. In this exchange between ABC's Jake Tapper and President Obama, it appears the White House is backing off of that promise too.

JAKE TAPPER: " . . . If the government is offering a cheaper health care plan, then lots of employers will want to have their employees covered by that cheaper plan. And then their employees would be signed up for this public plan, which would violate what you're promising the American people, that they will not have to change health care plans if they like the plan they have. [W]hat about keeping your promise to the American people..."

OBAMA: "When I say if you have your plan and you like it, and your doctor has a plan--or you have a doctor and you like your doctor, that you don't have to change plans, what I'm saying is the government is not going to make you change plans under health reform."

That's quite a shift from last Monday, when the President swore, "No one will take [your plan] away, no matter what." Under Obama, the private sector is dying the death of a thousand cuts, not one killing stroke. More tomorrow . . . (Family Research Council)

KOH NOMINATION: URGENT

Harold Koh Is Too Dangerous for America

[Source: Human Events.]
Does Barack Obama really want to make Americans subject to foreign law and courts? That is the question Senators should ask when they vote on his nomination of Harold Hongju Koh, former dean of the Yale Law School , to be the top lawyer at the State Department.

Koh is encumbered by a long paper trail that proves he is eager to use foreign and international law to interpret American law. He calls himself a transnationalist, which means wanting U.S. courts to "domesticate" foreign and international law, i.e., integrate it into U.S. domestic law binding on U.S. citizens. Koh wants to put the United States under a global legal system that would diminish our "distinctive rights culture" such as our broad speech and religion rights, due process and trial by jury. Koh complains that our First Amendment gives "protections for speech and religion . . . far greater emphasis and judicial protection in America than in Europe or Asia ."

Yes, our Constitution does give individuals more rights and freedom than any other country, and we Americans like those rights and freedoms. But Koh thinks we should bow to foreign rules and court decisions, and to United Nations treaties whether or not we have ratified them.

The State Department's chief lawyer is not just any lawyer. He becomes the voice of the United States on international legal issues such as the negotiation and U.S. interpretation of treaties and UN pronouncements. Importing treaties and foreign law into American law could impose lots of rulings that the American people don't want, such as approval of same-sex marriage, unlimited abortion, legalized prostitution, and abolition of the death penalty. This would be a broadside assault on American sovereignty. . .

During his confirmation hearings, Chief Justice John G. Roberts pointed out a particular danger of using foreign law. He said that reliance on foreign law wrongly "expands the discretion of the judge" and substitutes a judge's "personal preferences" for the U.S. Constitution. Citing foreign law gives a veneer of respectability to liberals who espouse the "living Constitution" heresy and want to change it without obtaining the approval of the American people through the amendment or legislative processes.

The Senate should reject the nomination of Harold Koh. Then, the Senate should require all judicial nominees to proclaim their adherence to the U.S. Constitution as written, and their rejection of the use of foreign or international law to interpret American law.

URGENT NOTICE

"CAP AND TRADE" VOTE TOMORROW IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


Dear Friends,

Another urgent issue for prayer and action is the vote tomorrow in the House of Representatives on the "Waxman-Markey Cap and Trade" bill, otherwise known as the Climate Change Bill; also derisively known as the "cap and tax" bill, or the "knee-cap trade" bill.

This bill is beyond idiocy. As Congressman Ted Poe said this morning, the bill is longer than the Bible, no one has read it in its entirety, and it still includes a ban on ALL DOMESTIC DRILLING! Not to sound alarmist, but that provision alone is an almost unspeakable assault on the American economy and our security. Not only do we cut our own throats on energy availability, but the economic downturn based on the resulting huge increase in unemployment and in fuel prices will likely prove disastrous. Older people on fixed incomes will not be able to pay their electric bills. Gasoline prices will likely increase by at least a dollar a gallon in the fairly short term.

Even democrats are backing off of this, and the votes to pass it are not guaranteed. It is an urgent matter to pray for God's intervention, and to take action yourselves by calling your Representative - regardless of party - and let them know you do NOT want this bill passed!

Mark Williamson, President
Federal Intercessors

• Pray in agreement with these requests. Pray that this vote FAILS in the House tomorrow.

• "He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." (Job 5:12)

CALL2FALL: SPREAD THE WORD!

SUNDAY, JULY 5TH -- IN EVERY CHURCH IN THE NATION

"Return to Me and I will return to You" -- Zech 1:3

More than 20,000 individuals and churches have registered! "The Lord has been very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, 'Return to Me,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and I will return to you.'" (Zechariah 1:2-3) We are being offered a marvelous and merciful window of opportunity to demonstrate united repentance and prayer on Sunday, July 5. While there are many good movements and agendas of political concern and action asking for attention and participation, the simple Call2Fall on Sunday, July 5 - - the day after the United States celebrates her God-given liberty and freedom - - represents a diverse coalition of leaders spanning many denominations, para-church ministries and ethnic backgrounds. The Call2Fall represents a cross-section of the John 17 unity that IS arising in the body of Christ!

Repentance is the first word of Jesus' gospel! (Matthew 4:17) Re-turning to Abba, our Father, and seeking His forgiveness, cleansing and a life of righteousness through the atoning death and transforming grace of Jesus our Messiah is to be the normal daily lifestyle for every follower and disciple of Christ. Let us "bow low" and seek the face of God together on July 5.

We can teach our children repentance by example on July 5.
(Source: Intercessors for America; Family Research Council)

Today in American History

American Minute with Bill Federer

June 25, 1950: THE KOREAN WAR BEGAN
The Korean War started JUNE 25, 1950.

Communist North Korea invaded South Korea, killing thousands.

General Douglas MacArthur was given command of the U.N. Forces and after a daring landing of troops at Inchon, MacArthur recaptured the city of Seoul.

Political involvement prolonged the war, resulting in high casualties.
President Truman stated in his 1952 Christmas Message:

"Our hearts turn first of all to our brave men and women in Korea. They are fighting and suffering and even dying that we may preserve the chance of peace in the world."

Truman continued:

"Let us remember always to try to act...in the spirit of the Prince of Peace. He bore in His heart no hate and no malice - nothing but love for all mankind.

We should...follow His example...As we pray for our men and women in Korea...let us also pray for our enemies. . .

Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place."

To the Salvation Army, December 12, 1951, General Douglas MacArthur said:

"History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline.

There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster."

The Good News Corner

Tennessee Ends Planned Parenthood Funding

Tennessee lawmakers have decided about $1.1 million normally allocated for Planned Parenthood will now go to local health organizations. Both houses of the Legislature overwhelmingly approved House Bill 1756, proposed by Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Brentwood, which removes a clause in existing law naming Planned Parenthood as the primary provider of family-planning services in the state.

The bill also adds language giving priority for funding to local community health centers. Planned Parenthood would be eligible for some of the money, but only after local organizations' needs are filled.

Tennessee Right to Life President Brian Harris praised legislators for their actions.

"Giving first priority to local health departments strengthens the provision of service to vulnerable populations," he noted, "without favoring an entity which has a significant financial interest in the success or failure of those services."

Passage of the bill caps a successful session for pro-life legislation in Tennessee. Lawmakers also passed SJR 127, a constitutional amendment restoring informed consent, a 48-hour waiting period and regulation of abortion clinics in the state.

CHPP Daily Brief - June 24, 2009

In This Issue
• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• SEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY

Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net

The Daily Brief - Wednesday, June 24, 2009

"O, Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart . . ." (Psalm 10:17)

The Daily Brief

1. Red Line Train Operator Used Brakes In Failed Bid to Stop Six-Car Train - Washington Post

The operator of the Metro train that slammed into a stationary train in front of it apparently had activated the emergency brakes in a failed effort to stop before the accident, federal officials said yesterday as they searched for the cause of Monday's Red Line wreck that killed nine and injured 80.

Debbie Hersman of the National Transportation Safety Board said the emergency brake button, known as the "mushroom," was depressed, and the steel rails showed evidence that the brakes were engaged. Investigators also said the striking train was in automatic mode, which means onboard computers should have controlled its speed and stopped it before it got too close to the stationary train. In addition, Metro sources said, the first two cars of that train were two months overdue for scheduled maintenance of some braking components.

. Father, as this investigation continues on these nineteen year old trains and the circumstances of this horrible event, we pray for the families of those that were lost and injured to be comforted and lifted up as they face the days and months ahead. We ask for speedy recovery for all those who were injured. Please pray that authorities will get to the bottom of this. Intercede that this will serve as yet another lesson that conscientious efforts and diligent maintenance is the best precaution that can be taken in the Transportation Industry.

. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. (Proverbs 21:5)

2. Palin Likely Prepping for 2012 Presidential Run - Newsmax.com

Beltway tongues are starting to wag that Sarah Palin is likely to opt out of a 2010 bid for re-election as Alaska's governor, in order to free herself for a presumed run on the national GOP ticket in 2012. "There is nothing that she has done that leads me to believe she will seek reelection," a prominent former GOP state legislator, Andrew Halcro, told Politico's Andy Barr. "If you're Palin, once you've flown first class, you don't go back to coach. She's been to the show and certainly seemed to like it there," he adds.

Politico also quotes a DC-based Democratic strategist who concludes, "We don't think she's running." If Palin does bow out, it would free up her time to organize a broader campaign for national office. In so doing, she would appear to be following the course set by conservative GOP Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a frequently touted presidential hopeful. According to the Alaska Public Offices Commission, no candidate, including Palin, has yet to file the paperwork to toss their hat in the political ring for the Alaska governorship. Politico quotes a former Palin staff member who estimates there's a 50-50 chance Palin will shoot for another term as governor.

. Father, Your Word is forever settled in heaven and we so declare and decree that the United States of America will have a government that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people". Please give the people a man or a woman who understands Your heart and the American dream. We ask for one who would uphold Your truth and the truth of the Constitution, a light which has governed and guided us for over 200 years.

We ask for one who would take You at Your Word and trust in You once more, just as our Forefathers did. We ask for protection over that one even now, as You prepare their heart and preserve the way for them to be allowed to, not dictate, but govern this great land, to build our lives on Your values and share them with the next generation, for it is in God we trust.

. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts. (Mal.3:1)

3. Vietnam Continues Crackdown On Protestant Christians - Worthy News

Several Protestant Christians in Vietnam, including Degar-Montagnards, were uncertain Monday, June 22, where to worship as government forces raided and destroyed churches in recent weeks, church sources and rights investigators said. In the country's Central Highlands, Christians anticipated more arrests after police reportedly summoned a dozen people involved in last month's three-days of mourning and prayers following the recent destruction of the first church of the Degar-Monagnards, a mainly Christian ethnic group.

Over 80,000 Degar-Montagnards in the area and abroad stayed home between May 1 and May 4. We did "not go anywhere for three days and three nights, to mourn for our church because we have failed in protecting our Historical Church at Buon Ale 'A' [area] in the city of city of Buonmathuot in the Central Highlands," said the Montagnard Foundation Incorprated (MFI), which supports the Christians. Government work crews destroyed the Protestant church building of Evangelical Church of Vietnam (South), or ECVN(S), in the area of Banmethuot in March, MFI and Christians said.

. Please ask for a "Road to Damascus" experience for dictators who smother the people of their countries. Intercede on behalf of those oppressed by governments and ideologies that produce a life and a people that cannot properly sustain themselves. Ask the Father for His Holy Spirit to invade the hearts of men everywhere, that believers might live a quiet and peaceable life, in truth and freedom.

Ask for a spirit of endurance and courage for those being "hunted" and "preyed upon" for their beliefs. Pray that the destruction of human life and property will come to an end, knowing that God is the ultimate Authority. Intercede that the liberating Word of Truth, being spoken, will go forth and advance in every country, regardless of men's agendas. Pray for a work that is wrought by the spirit of God alone.

. Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

4. Barack Obama strikes out as Tehran tightens its 'iron fist' - Cross Action News

In his strongest language yet on the post-election crackdown, Mr Obama said that America had been "appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings and imprisonments" of recent days. He also invoked the death of Neda Salehi Agha Soltan, the 26-year-old student shot dead on Saturday, saying: "Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history."

His comments came on a day when Tehran tightened its grip on power and the West hardened its position. Mr Obama, who has been criticized for his muted response so far, used a White House news conference to praise the "timeless dignity" of tens of thousands of Iranians marching in silence.

. Father, we thank You that we can now rejoice in that Mr. Obama has come out with a right response to the threats, beatings, murders, and imprisonments of the Iranian people endeavoring to peacefully march toward freedom. Thank you, Father, that America has now done the right thing for the citizens of Iran.

Pray for the steadfastness and stamina of the Iranian people. Ask the Father to give them a resolve beyond that of human nature. Intercede for every soul and every family to come to a saving knowledge of the truth through this hard-fought battle. Thank God for all of His promptings toward freedom, and that, through Him, the United States and this administration will stand up to assist and advance the cause of freedom everywhere.

. For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. (Proverbs 28:2)

5. Islamic regime seen to be driving Iranians to Christ - AP

The pastor of the Iranian Christian Church of Colorado says Iran's hardline Islamic regime has caused many Iranians to turn their backs on Islam and become Christians. The Rev. Ashton Stewart, who grew up in Iran, says God also has been converting Iranians through miraculous healings and visions of Jesus Christ.

While many Iranians hoped for the defeat of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhahd), Stewart says his main prayer is that the post-election crisis will help grow the church in Iran. He's also asking American Christians to "pray for the persecuted" in Iran, where he says "there are many Christians in jail today, and some of them are being treated very, very brutally."

. Oh Lift your voice to the Father for His Divine Mercy to cover these precious ones in Iran and around the world, who refuse to sit in fear any longer. Pray that the Lord would continue to visit, move in, and draw the hearts of all who are suffering, that they might receive His invitation to abundant and everlasting life. They are risking so much, knowing now that no man and no regime can take their freedom of choice away unless they allow it.

Ask the Father to give the Iranian people, and all those in bondage under repressive regimes, more courage and a resolve to face their current situation and their eternal prospects with great hope in His promise. Rejoice with the angels for each one coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Ask for laborers to engage in the powerful work that is yet to be done, that His people around the globe might rise, strong and stable, for His name sake.

. I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12. 32)

6. BREAKING! N. Korea threatens US; world anticipates missile - AP

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea accused Washington of seeking to "provoke a second Korean War" as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast. U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard. "If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will . . . wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," a dispatch from the official Korean Central News Agency said. The warning came on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.

• Father, it seems at times that the world can be a "hotbed" of unrest. We ask for a major "scaling down" of this tension and a cooperation between the nations for the disarming necessary to promote unilateral talks and resolutions, without the threat of nuclear war.

SPECIAL PRAYER POINTS FOR THIS ISSUE:

Please pray for the Defense Department to know exactly what is needed to avert an incident, keeping the American people safe as well as other countries. Thank the Lord that, that in every scheme that our enemy plans, He has promised to bring about good.

As the remnant of remains on its knees and prays, ask the Lord for guidance now for the US and the UN, that they would not be moved by threats alone, but by prudence and wisdom given from above, that this hazardous and dangerous situation would come to naught. Ask the Father for more hearts and lives to turn to Him in the days and months coming, that the work of the wicked is turned on its head as a result of intercession, prayer and praise.

• Then they took an oath before the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams' horns. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around. (II Chronicles 15:14-15)

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance." (Psalm 105:4-11)

1. Jewish Leader: Obama May Be 'Most Hostile President to Israel' - Newsmax

President Barack Obama's refusal to take a stand on protests in Iran stands in sharp contrast to demands he has made on Israel, Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, says in a Newsmax interview. "I think he should take a strong stand to support the protesters in Iran who want to transform that society into one that promotes democracy and human rights," Klein says. "But while meddling in Israel's affairs and making specific demands, he explicitly states he refuses to meddle in Iran's policies and has said almost nothing." Klein says leaders of Jewish organizations are rethinking their support of Obama in light of his attitude toward Israel.

• Father you said a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways. We ask You, Father, for a clear "thumbs up" on goodness and a clear, resounding "thumbs down" on evil to come from this administration. Pray that the only voice heard out of the mouth of this President will be the "voice of democracy", without partiality, as all are entitled to fair treatment, including their right to exist.

• A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes. (Proverbs 20:8)

2. Can Third Temple be built without destroying Dome of the Rock? - Jerusalem Post

A new Jewish interfaith initiative launched last week argues building the Third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would not necessitate the destruction of the Dome of the Rock.

3. Israeli PM postpones Mitchell meeting - USA Today

A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama's special Middle East peace envoy, former Sen. George Mitchell, has been postponed.

4. Report: Israel Plans to Legalize, Expand Outpost - NewsMax

The Israeli government has formulated plans to legalize 60 existing homes at an unauthorized settlement outpost in the West Bank and allow the construction of 240 other residences, an Israeli group said Tuesday.

SEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY

"The Quartet" Introduced THE ROAD MAP TO PEACE

Seven years ago today, four entities jointly announced a "Road Map to Peace" -- one that promised "peace" in the Middle East . . . in exchange for the DIVIDING OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL. (From Wikipedia)

The "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service Officer Donald Bloome, were first outlined by U.S. President George W. Bush in a speech on June 24, 2002, in which he called for an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace: "The Roadmap represents a starting point toward achieving the vision of two states, a secure State of Israel and a viable, peaceful, democratic Palestine. It is the framework for progress towards lasting peace and security in the Middle East."

Now, seven years later and several plans later, too (Road Map II, the Annapolis Accords; now the Arab Peace initiative), peace has NOT come to the Middle East, and the powers that be are still demanding the division of the land. Under both the Bush and the Obama administrations, the United States has often taken the lead in these failed initiatives.

PRAYER POINT:

• Cry out to the God of Mercy, who IS mercy, that He might yet show us His Mercy in the midst of judgment. As citizens of this once-great nation, repent before the Lord on behalf of our elected leaders, "who know not what they do." May Father yet show Mr. Obama, in particular, the danger of his ways, and may Barack Hussein Obama bow his knee to the Most High God, for salvation. Amen.

• " . . . the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes." (Daniel 5:21b)

CHPP Daily Brief - June 23, 2009

In This Issue
• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Obama Disbands Bush Bioethics Panel
• Obama: Finding His Voice
• The Good News Corner

Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net

The Daily Brief - Tuesday, June 23. 2009

"O, Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart . . ." (Psalm 10:17)

The Daily Brief

1. Fannie, Freddie Were at Center of Financial Crisis But Are Not Included in Obama's New Financial Reg - CNS News

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-run mortgage giants, are absent from the Obama administration;s sweeping new financial regulations, despite the fundamental role played by both organizations in the financial system's collapse.

. Father, we praise You that You will reveal the real truth underlying how these two organizations were responsible for the role they played in the financial collapse. Is it possible that You will appoint new managers to lead them in the right direction and recovery with stability and honesty to bring godly restoration to the housing situation in the United States? Were they taken down as a massive plan to bring upheaval to the foundation of our homes? "Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens." Lamentations 5:2

. "And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and behold the plague has not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed." (Leviticus 14:48) "Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens." (Lamentations 5:2)

2. Key Senator, White House Strike Deal With Drug Industry for Health Coverage - Fox News

The deal, expected to be announced later in the day, marked a major triumph for the Obama administration and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who has been negotiating with numerous industry groups for weeks.

. Father, we ask for Your protection over the entire spectrum of the health coverage issue and bring down any and all negotiations that would bring ruin to solid health care insurance. Steer the final agreements to agree with Your Word and Your will, which will ultimately save countless lives worldwide.

. "In what place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort you thither unto us: our God shall fight for us."(Nehemiah 4:20)

3. Rocket Attack on U.S. Base in Afghanistan Kills 2 Troops, Wounds 6 Americans - Fox News

A rare rocket attack on the main U.S. base in Afghanistan early Sunday killed two U.S. troops and wounded six other Americans, including two civilians, officials said.

. Lord, we grieve the loss of these two American soldiers who served protecting our country. We ask for Your hand to be upon their families and walk with them through this difficult time. We pray You heal and raise up the other six Americans who were wounded. Lord, set a wall of fire around all our military in the Middle East and protect them from harm's way. Bring the fear of God upon the enemy and restrain their power until they repent and are saved by the blood of Jesus.

. "My flesh and my heart fails: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26)

4. News from Iran

A. Peres: Iran's freedom precedes nuke issue - Jerusalem Post

President Shimon Peres on Sunday expressed hope that the Iranian leadership would "disappear" before the Islamic republic makes use of its enriched Uranium, saying it was more important to fight the Iranian regime than the country's nuclear program.

B. Iran protests: at least 70 more deaths - London Telegraph

Iran's leading presidential challenger prepared to back a new round of protests as state media reported at least 70 more people have died in clashes between opposition supporters and the security forces.

C. Iran Rebukes U.S., Britain for Meddling in Election Affairs - Fox News

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the United States and Britain Sunday to stop meddling in Iran's internal affairs, the ISNA news agency reported.

• May all the Saints of God be encouraged to stay on top of this situation as news unfolds and "pray without ceasing." Amen!

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance." (Psalm 105:4-11)

1. Netanyahu makes 1st Europe trip as PM - Jerusalem Post

Following trips to Egypt, Jordan and the US, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday will make his first visit to Europe since assuming office in March, for talks in two countries whose leaders are among the friendliest on the continent: Italy and France.

2. PA to free hundreds of Hamas detainees - Jerusalem Post

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to free hundreds of Hamas members being held without trial in PA prisons in the West Bank, officials here said on Monday.

3. US insists settlement freeze demand includes east Jerusalem - Jerusalem Post

Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem are included in the US demand that Israel halt "settlement" construction, including for natural growth, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told The Jerusalem Post during a press briefing on Monday.

Obama Disbands Bush Bioethics Panel

The remnants of President George W. Bush's pro-life policies are fading quickly now that the Obama administration is in office. The latest casualty? The President's Council on Bioethics. The irony in Obama's dismantling of the group is that it was actually filled with experts from both sides of the life issue. Topics covered included embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning and organ donation.

David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council, said the council may not be dead for long. "I'm afraid what we're going to see from President Obama is a much-stacked ideological bioethics council," he explained. Such a council could likely support destructive embryonic-stem research, human cloning and experiments that might include animal-human hybrids. (CitizenLink)

Obama: Finding His Voice

President Obama struggled this weekend to catch up with Congress and the American people in voicing his support for freedom in Iran and expressing moral outrage for the oppressive tactics of the tyrants in Tehran. Friday, the House voted 405-to-1 to condemn the regime and support the Iranian people seeking liberty. Hours later, the Senate unanimously approved a similar resolution. Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Lieberman (ID-CT) issued a joint statement Friday, which read, "By acting now, Congress sent an unmistakable message of support to the courageous Iranian people at a critical moment in their history." By staying silent, the Obama White House had been sending a message of support to the mullahs.

Saturday, the White House released a statement from the president. Here is an excerpt:

"The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights. . . If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion."

While Obama's rhetoric is getting better, his policy toward outlaw states like Iran is way behind reality. He still thinks he can negotiate with Ahmadinejad to end his nuclear weapons program. By the way, that would be a form of "meddling" that would only serve to offer legitimacy to the Holocaust-denying dictator. Meanwhile, a North Korean ship continues on its way, while suspected of carrying contraband materials in violation of U.N. sanctions. What will Obama do?

There's another area where Obama is hopelessly behind and Big Media won't tell you about this. For years, the Bush Administration spent money to promote pro-democracy movements in Iran. And now, just as those efforts are beginning to bear fruit, what does the Obama Administration do? The president cut the funding for those programs in his first budget to Congress.

And if you don't think that it matters one iota if Iran becomes a free nation or if the Islamic fanatics currently running Iran are allowed to develop nuclear weapons, consider the latest statement from Al Qaeda: "God willing, the nuclear weapons [in Pakistan] will not fall into the hands of the Americans, and the Mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans." If we ignore reality and pretend the rest of the world doesn't matter, our next 9/11 won't be 3,000 dead, but hundreds of thousands. (Gary Bauer)

If you are interested in receiving Mr. Bauer's daily report by e-mail, please visit SIGN UP FOR GARY BAUER'S "END OF DAY REPORT" by going here.

The Good News Corner

Texas Supreme Court Supports Home Ministry for Ex-Prisoners

The Texas Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of a church ministry that serves ex-prisoners. The case, Pastor Rick Barr & Philemon Homes, Inc. v. City of Sinton, was the first to come before the high court asking for interpretation of the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act (TRFRA).

In 1999, Pastor Barr, a city resident, offered men recently released from prison free housing and free religious instruction in two homes he owned. As a result, the city passed a zoning ordinance precluding the use of homes for that purpose and effectively banned his ministry from the city. Courts have repeatedly ruled against Barr -- until the Supreme Court got the case.
"The Texas RFRA is a reflection of the strong belief in religious freedom shared by almost all Texans," said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel of the Liberty Legal Institute. "The Texas Supreme Court has upheld and respected the will of the people of Texas and rejected the City's attempt to circumvent the law.

"This case drew national and international attention because TRFRA was signed into law by then-Gov. George Bush and because interpretations of the Texas law will have implications on a national level." (CitizenLink)