In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Moslem Event Organizers Have Terrorist Ties
• ENDA Hearing Set for Tomorrow
• Israel, PA Meet at U.N.
• The Good News Corner
• Thoughts on Prayer
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Tuesday, September 22, 2009
"And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." (Revelation 14:15)
The Daily Brief
1. Obama won't halt Justice's probe of CIA - Washington Times
President Obama said Sunday he will not intervene to halt a Justice Department investigation into harsh tactics used by Central Intelligence Agency agents when questioning terror suspects.
• Heavenly Father, we pray that this probe into the CIA which has already been investigated will not go forward. We pray that this type of persecution of people who are protecting our country will not be achieved. Confound their schemes!
• "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans." (Job 5:12)
2. Obama: Immigration Reform Will Allow Illegal Immigrants to Become Legal and Get Health Care Coverage - CNS News
President Barack Obama told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) on Wednesday evening that illegal immigrants would not get government funded health insurance under his health care reform, but said the debate over that plan underscores the need to legalize illegal immigrants so they can get that coverage.
• Lord, we bind the deception in our current government and pray that these leaders in authority, who do not have the concern of its citizens, will be bound from incorporating their plans and voted out of office as soon as possible. Let people cry out against these tactics.
• "They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception." (Job 15:35)
3. Gates lashes out at critics of U.S. missile plan - Reuters
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday lashed out at critics of a new missile defense plan for Europe and insisted it was not a concession to Russia, as some charge.
• Heavenly Father, You know the best defense plan for this nation. Reveal your plan to our leaders. We pray no plans will be enacted that would jeopardize our security.
• "For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord." (Psalm 89:17, 18)
4. Huckabee Wins 2012 Straw Poll at Values Voters Summit - Fox News
Prominent Republican leaders, including House Minority Leader John Boehner and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, took to the stage at the Value Voters Summit to blast President Obama's spending policies and announce the top 2012 presidential pick among conservative voters.
• Lord, we know You have the best candidate in mind to lead our nation. Let no unrighteous person be elected to lead our nation. Give us godly officials to govern our land.
• "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)
5. New York Imam Ordered Held Without Bail in Connection to Alleged NYC Terror Plot - Fox News
A New York imam accused of lying to officials investigating an alleged plot to bomb the city's transit system has been ordered held without bail following a hearing Monday.
• We thank You Lord, for revealing the plans of those who seek our destruction! We pray for a hedge of protection around our nation, our military, and everything that pertains to us.
• "Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction, Oh, how they are brought to desolation as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors." (Psalm 73:18, 19)
6. Health Insurance Mandate Includes 'Tax' Despite Obama Denial - Fox News
President Obama gave ABC News' George Stephanopoulos a stern talking-to Sunday for suggesting that a mandate to buy health insurance would amount to a tax. A proposed requirement that all Americans buy health insurance does in fact include a "tax" increase, according to the Senate - even though President Obama insisted Sunday that it "absolutely" does not.
• Lord, You said that you hate lying and we are praying for the truth to be revealed in this healthcare bill. Let every ungodly lie be revealed to the people and rejected by the nation.
• "The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous will come through trouble." (Proverbs 12: 13)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"You shall arise and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yes, the set time has come." (Psalm 102:13)
1. Carter says Israel must stop building settlements - Ynet News
Israel must stop building settlements in Palestinian territories if peace is ever to be achieved in the Middle East, former President Jimmy Carter said Monday night as he received an award at a Virginia university for his humanitarian efforts.
2. Hamas: Abbas 'stabbing Palestinians in back' by meeting Netanyahu, Obama - Ha'aretz
The Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers on Tuesday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of "stabbing Palestinians in the back" by meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
3. US ships arrive in Israel ahead of joint drill - Jerusalem Post
US Navy missile ships started arriving in Israel on Sunday ahead of next month's joint missile defense exercise between the IDF and the American military's European Command.
4. Israel: Military Strike on Iran Still 'On the Table' - Fox News
Israel has not given up the option of a military strike on Iran's nuclear program, the chief of Israel's military and a senior Israeli official said on Monday, refuting remarks made over the weekend by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Moslem Event Organizers Have Terrorist Ties
Some Moslem Event Organizers Have Terrorist Ties (From: Tony Perkins: Family Research Council)
"Our Time has Come" - - Islam on Capitol Hill
Muslims are preparing for a Friday gathering on Capitol Hill. Group organizers are touting a possible 50,000 attendees for what they say will be a peaceful assembly for purposes of prayer only. We shall see. Their website proclaims their theme: "Our Time has Come."
Robert Spencer--a longtime student of jihadism--notes in Human Events that some of the meeting organizers have an interesting history. New Jersey Muslim attorney Hassen Abdellah draws inspiration from President Obama's Inaugural Address and Obama's victory statement, which included their signature phrase: our time has come. Abdellah emphasizes his peaceful purposes. Spencer knows Abdellah as the attorney who has represented Mahmud Faruq Brent, a Baltimore cabdriver who pled guilty in 2007 to charges he attended a jihadist training camp in Pakistan. Another Abdellah client, Numan Maflahi, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2004 for lying to investigators about terrorist financing in Brooklyn. Abdellah chose Sheikh Ahmed Dewidar to lead prayers on Capitol Hill this Friday.
The Sheikh "stood with President George W. Bush...to condemn the September 11 attacks," his website tells us. Sounds good. But the Sheikh notably does not object when fellow Muslims publicly call for making the White House "a Muslim House" and seek the "domination of Islam." Will any of the expected 50,000 attendees affirm loyalty to the U.S. and our constitutional liberties? Or will they pray for shari'ah law to come to America? Join us in praying that the conversion of Muslims to Christianity would not only continue, but accelerate.
- Given the facts that are now coming to light about the backgrounds of some of the key players in Friday's event, pray for the Capitol Park Police, asking that they review the permit that has been granted for this event to take place. Wisdom dictates that the security needs of all of our citizens in the District of Columbia (including the moderate Moslems) must come first. Pray!
- "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
ENDA Hearing Set for Tomorrow
Let Employers Set Their Own Standards of Behavior and Dress
Efforts to equate being a homosexual or a transvestite with being African American or female, by providing federal civil rights protections for "sexual orientation" and "gender identity," will be promoted on Capitol Hill tomorrow. The House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on H.R. 3017, the "Employment Non- Discrimination Act" (ENDA).
This bill would interfere with private employers' rights to set their own standards for employment to an unprecedented degree, offering protections for a voluntary behavior (unlike those for race or sex) with no foundation in our Constitution (unlike protections for religion). While ENDA is wrong in principle, there's also little need for it.
The state of Oregon saw only 62 complaints in the first 18 months that a similar state law was in effect, which was only 2% of the total number of complaints in all categories. One man who filed a complaint had been fired for cheating on an exam and showing up late for work. One man who is not a homosexual sued based on his "perceived" orientation because colleagues criticized him for wearing earrings. And these were considered some of the stronger cases! ENDA would only invite persecution of Christians who stand up for their beliefs in the workplace. Urge your U.S.
Representative to oppose H.R. 3017. (Family Research Council)
- Pray for an END to ENDA.
- "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)
Israel, PA Meet at U.N.
PM: Israel, PA agreed to begin talks without preconditions
Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to relaunch peace negotiations without any preconditions, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday.
Earlier, US President Barack Obama expressed a similar sentiment, emerging from bilateral meetings with both Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas vowing to move ahead with the diplomatic process, while seeming to step back from his call for a total settlement freeze, saying that Israel now is discussing "restraining settlement activities."
"Permanent status negotiations must begin and begin soon. And more importantly, we must give those negotiations the opportunity to succeed," Obama said. "It is past time to talk about starting negotiations; it is time to move forward. It is time to show flexibility and common sense and sense of compromise that is necessary to achieve our goals," he continued, adding that leaders in the Middle East could not continue "the same patterns, taking tentative steps forward, then taking steps back."
Obama pointed out that although both sides have taken some steps, they have not done enough. "The Palestinians have strengthened their efforts on security," he said, adding that they need to do more now about incitement and move forward on negotiations.
Regarding Israel, Obama said it has "facilitated greater freedom of movement for Palestinians, and discussed important steps to restraining settlement activity, but they [Israel] need to translate the discussion into actions on that and other issues."
Following his remarks, both Netanyahu and Abbas shook hands - the first time the gesture was made between the two leaders. (Jerusalem Post). [Prayer requests from a private source.]
- As you may or may not know, President Obama met today in New York City with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Although this was a largely symbolic meeting and nothing official took place, it was the first time that the three have met since President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu came to office. Please pray that Prime Minister Netanyahu will not bow to international pressure in the days ahead especially from the United States to relinquish any more of the land that God has given to His people.
- PRAYER FOR THE U.N.
Tomorrow begins the General Assembly at the United Nations. It is a perilous time in the world but also a time where God is greatly at work. The President of Iran is coming to the UN for his annual "rant" against the Jewish people and the Western world. Please pray that forces of evil at work in the world will be restrained and defeated and pray that the Spirit of God would permeate the UN General Assembly, convicting hearts and souls and that the many Christians working and ministering at the UN would have divine appointments during these days. President Obama will also address the UN tomorrow and Prime Minister Netanyahu will speak on Thursday.
- "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (2 Chronicles 6:40)
The Good News Corner
60,000 pray in Times Square!
NEW YORK - You can see most anything at Times Square in Manhattan.
But 60,000 people praying? That's an unusual site in the heart of Broadway.
Yet, that's just what happened there on Sunday for one hour - from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in a Christian rally called Prayer in the Square.
Event organizers from Time Square Church had expected some 15,000. But their expectations were far exceeded at the third event of its kind in the last three years.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who helped the church cut through the red tape necessary to hold such an event, addressed the crowd.
"It's a little strange for me to be up here," he said. "I'm a Jew. But I just celebrated Rosh Hoshana, our new year. So I guess it's appropriate for me to wish you all a happy new year."
Despite the magnitude of the event, no major media covered it - even in the center of the media world on a slow news day.
More than 200 churches joined with the Times Square Church in promoting the rally to pray for the city and the nation.
A 180-voice choir sang worship songs and the entire event was simulcast on the News Astrovision screen at One Times Square and on several radio stations. Carter Conlon, pastor of the Times Square Church, said preceding the event that this Prayer in the Square might be the last.
"The Lord called us to host, fund and organize this event for the last three years," he said. "He told us that the first year would establish credibility with the city, and we have received positive feedback from various city agencies, including the office of the Mayor himself, commending us for honesty, order, and keeping our word. The second year confirmed to local churches that this was not the beginning of some new ministry but rather a gathering for the sole purpose of one hour of prayer, in humility, with all denominations represented and no personalities or ministry showcased. Those who have attended can attest to the fact that this has been so. Everything has unfolded exactly as the Lord impressed upon our hearts it would." (WorldNetDaily)
Thoughts on Prayer
"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go." -- Abraham Lincoln
