Monday, December 31, 2012

CHPP Daily Brief Monday, December 31, 2012




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


The Daily Brief Monday, December 31, 2012

SPECIAL EDITION


"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to His purpose."
(Romans 8:28)



The Daily Brief

1. Secretary Clinton in hospital with blood clot stemming from concussion - Fox News

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to a hospital in New York with blood clot stemming from a concussion she sustained earlier this month.

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines says her doctors discovered the clot during a follow-up exam Sunday. Reines says Clinton is being treated with anti-coagulants. She was admitted to New York-Presbyterian Hospital so doctors can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours.

Reines says doctors will continue to assess Clinton's condition, "including other issues associated with her concussion." (Read more)

- Lift up the medical team at New York Presbyterian Hospital who are caring for Mrs. Clinton, and ask the Great Physician to grant each one His wisdom as they seek to resolve this issue. May she experience a complete recovery from this episode. Amen.

- "By His stripes, we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)


2. Graham: Clinton must testify on Benghazi before Kerry's nomination process - Fox News

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must testify before Congress on the Benghazi issue before the Senate begins confirmation hearings on likely replacement Sen. John Kerry, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. Graham told "Fox News Sunday" that Kerry, D-Mass., agrees. "He needs to know what (Clinton) says," said Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Read more)

- Given the news above, one can only wonder what will happen next. Continue to pray for Ms. Clinton's complete recovery from this blood clot and concussion; and pray that her testimony will be heard the Senate Committee that is requesting this. Pray!

- "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)


3. Reid: 'Significant distance' between sides as fiscal talks stall, carry into Monday - Fox News

Capitol Hill negotiations to avert a fiscal crisis before the New Year's deadline appeared to falter Sunday in the Senate, with Republican leader Mitch McConnell saying he's still waiting for a response to the offer he made on Saturday evening. The stumbling block this time appeared to be a provision in the Republican proposal that would change the way Social Security benefits are calculated.

South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune said Sunday his party added the provision to ensure that Democrats wouldn't spend the revenue generated by ending tax cuts for some of the country's highest earners. "If Democrats don't like that as an offset, they can come up with something else," he said. (Read more.)

- Prayer Request #1 - for Congress:

Take up th+e Sword of the Spirit and decree an end to this impasse, whereby the two sides seem unable to reach an agreement. GOD has a plan; call it forth! Place Him in the middle of this debate and watch the wall of opposition melt in the Presence of the Lord. Pray!

- "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." (Eph. 2:14-17)
- Prayer Request #2: for the White House:

Once Congress reaches an agreement, Obama needs to sign off on it. So far, his attitude has been one of stonewalling ("my way or the highway"), rather than one of negotiation. Take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and smash this stone wall into smithereens. Call forth a new day for this president -- one in which he will be free to listen to others, and reach the best agreement possible for the American people. Pray!

- "Is not My word like a fire?" says the Lord, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:29)

4. 'US drone strike' kills al-Qaeda suspects in Yemen - BBC

At least three suspected al-Qaeda militants have been killed by a US drone strike in Yemen's south-western al-Bayda province, say local officials. The men were reportedly hit as they travelled in a car in el-Manaseh village on the outskirts of Radda.

- Pray against all forms of retaliation from these air strikes. An enemy is an enemy; and we are still at war with al Qaea.

- "There is . . . a time for war." (Ecclesiastes 3:8)


5. Al Qaeda's Yemen branch offers bounty for killing US ambassador, troops- Fox News

Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen is offering a bounty of gold worth $160,000 to anyone who kills Gerald M. Feierstein, the U.S. ambassador to Yemen. According to the Associated Press, the group announced that it will pay tens of thousands of dollars to anyone who kills the U.S. ambassador in Sanaa or an American soldier in the country.

The bounties were set to "inspire and encourage our Muslim nation for jihad," the Al Qaeda statement said, according to the AP. Washington considers Al Qaeda in Yemen to be the group's most dangerous branch. (Read more)

- Pray for the protection of the life of Ambassador Feierstein, and for the troops who are stationed in that region. May God's angels encamp around him to keep him safe. Pray, too, for the safety of his loved ones and of his staff.

- "For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways." (Psalm 91:11)


The Middle East in Focus

The Middle East in Focus

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

"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatever He has pleased." (Psalm 115:1-3)


1. New Poll Shows Hamas Will Win Presidential Elections - Front Page Magazine

Hamas won the last round of legislative elections and its PM represents the legal gov't of the Palestinian Authority, not Fayyad, who was appointed by Abbas' Western backers. Abbas' rule has been based on an illegal emergency decree that has gone on for six years now. But at some point the PA will need to hold elections. It has held very few of them so far because Fatah is afraid of Hamas. But if Palestinian statehood is approved and legal elections are held, then the Islamists will beat the Arab Socialists just like they did in Egypt. And what then?


2. Egypt to pursue relationship with Hezbollah - Jerusalem Post

In a dramatic policy shift, Egypt will seek to forge "tight" relations with Hezbollah, Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Hamdy revealed in a candid interview published Saturday in Lebanon's Daily Star. "You cannot discuss politics in Lebanon without having a relationship with Hezbollah," Hamdy was quoting as saying, before describing the terror group as a "real force on the ground" with "big political and military influence."


3. Iran: Navy Begins War Games Near Vital Waterway - New York Times

Iran's naval forces began six days of war games on Friday in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway considered vital to international oil tanker traffic.


Focus on Syria

  1. US, Russia Reportedly Agree to Removal of Assad From Power
  2. Syrian Rebels Report 18 Cases of Chemical Attacks
  3. Russian Forces Take Syrian Chemical, Biological Weapons Under Control
  4. Jabhat Al-Nursa's Plans for a New Syria Under Sharia

1. US, Russia Reportedly Agree to Removal of Assad From Power - Times of Israel

The United States and Russia reportedly agreed to a measure by which Syrian President Bashar Assad would step down after 21 months of violent insurrection, and a transitional government would assume power, Arabic newspaper A-Sharq Al-Awsat cited opposition group members saying on Saturday. According to the report in the London-based paper, the US convinced Russia to change its stance on Syria during high-level diplomatic meetings in Dublin and Geneva. Moscow reportedly consented to tell Assad that he could either step down in an orderly transfer of power and receive international protection, or that his safety would not be guaranteed and negotiations for a transition government would be held without him. Read more. (Read more)

- Father, we ask for a peaceful transition in Syria. May Assad realize his fate, and step down peacefully. We pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done for the new government in Syria. Protect the people of Syria. In Jesus name.

- "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another,agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:11)


2. Syrian Rebels Report 18 Cases of Chemical Attacks - Ynet News

A day after reports surfaced of a mysterious gas being used by the Syrian regime, rebels are claiming it was not the first time chemical weapons were employed by Assad's army. "The opposition recorded 18 separate cases of chemical weapons attacks in the outskirts of Damascus, idlib, Homs and Hama," said Free Syrian Army official Louai Muqdad.

In an interview with the London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat, he noted that the gases used in Homs were used there for the first time but did not provide proof for his claims. On Monday, opposition elements reported that seven people were killed from gas inhalation in Homs. Al-Jazeera reported that dozens were hurt in the EL Biadia neighborhood. According to the reports, the victims suffered from nausea, muscle laxity, blurry vision and shortness of breath. Read more.

- Father, protect the people from these chemical attacks. We pray confusion on Assad's army. May this army be as nothing and perish. In Jesus Name.

- "Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish."
( Isaiah 41:11)


3. Russian Forces Take Syrian Chemical, Biological Weapons Under Control - DebkaFile

The chemical warfare threat looming over Syria's civil war and its neighbors has taken an epic turn with the announcement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Saturday, Dec. 22, that "the Syrian government has "consolidated its chemical weapons in one or two locations amid a rebel onslaught and they are under control for the time being." He added that Russia, "which has military advisers training Syria's military, has kept close watch over its chemical arsenal." Debkafile's military and intelligence sources report: The Russian foreign minister's statement was a message to Washington that the transfer of Syria's weapons of mass destruction to one or two protected sites was under Russian control. This had removed the danger of them falling into the hands of the al Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra ,which had come ominously close Friday, Dec. 21, when the Islamists spearheaded a Syrian rebel assault for the capture of the al-Safira military complex and Bashar Assad's chemical and biological stores. Read more.

- Father, keep these chemical weapons from the hands of Al Qaeda or the Muslim Brotherhood. May the truth be revealed if Russia really has control of the weapons. We speak peace to this turmoil. Maneuver the circumstances to keep these weapons in safe hands.

- "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."(Ephesians 6:10-20)


4. Jabhat Al-Nursa's Plans for a New Syria Under Sharia - Digit Journal

Jabhat Al Nusra has emerged as the most powerful fighting group amidst the Syrian rebel opposition. The Islamist group has outlined its plans to impose sharia law once President Assad is ousted.

Sheikh Abu Ahmed, military commander of Jabhat Al Nusra, spoke with a reporter from the National. The Salafist leader said: "Our first goal is to get rid of Assad. Then we want a state where the Quran is the only source of law. Sharia is the right path for all humanity - all other laws make people unhappy." His vision of Syria under sharia is sure to make the populace happy, with alcohol, tobacco, cinema and immoral television shows banned. Ahmed claimed the people "will get used to it eventually."

Al Qaeda has endorsed Al Nursa as the purest Islamic group in Syria. Read more.


- It now looks like another nation in the Middle East will succumb to the grip of sharia law in its land. Continue to lift up the remaining Christians in that nation for their safety and security -- even if this must be provided by divine intervention. Nothing is too difficult for God. Pray!

- "Nothing is impossible for thee!" (Jer. 32:17)


Please Pray for Maine

Same-sex couples marry in Maine for first time


The first gay and lesbian couples to wed under Maine's new same-sex marriage law exchanged vows early on Saturday in a series of spare but joyous civil ceremonies held shortly after midnight in the only state to welcome such nuptials solely by popular vote. (Toronto Sun) Read more.

- One week after the first gay couples were "legally" married in the State of New York, New York City got hit with Hurricane Sandy. Please pray for God's mercy to be upon the people of the State of Maine, and for this wicked piece of legislation to be nullified in a court of law. Pray!
- "Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb." (Psalm 37:1,2)

Good News from Michigan

Governor signs new law for abortion clinics in Michigan


Michigan's Republican governor on Friday signed into law new rules for abortion providers that supporters say will protect the health of pregnant women but critics say will shutter clinics and restrict access. The law signed by Governor Rick Snyder increases state oversight of abortion clinics and establishes a screening protocol to make sure women are not being forced to get an abortion. (Reuters) Read more.

- Offer praise to the Lord for this new law in Michigan that will serve to protect the lives of the unborn. Praise God!
- "Rejoice in the Lord always . . ." (Phil. 4:4)

The Good News Corner

The Good News Corner

Hospital Staff Marvel at "Miracle" Mom


Crown Point, IN)-The staff at Franciscan St. Anthony Health are calling 25-year-old Stacy Martinez's recovery from an amniotic embolism following a C-section "very much a miracle."

When Martinez's heart stopped, it was estimated that the mother's chances of survival was about 40 percent.

According to a report in NW Times, one nurse, Kim Federico, was so convinced Martinez was a walking miracle that she had a "Believe" sign made for the mother to hold during a recent "tearful" reunion with the nurses.

The report also notes that nurses Jessica Jenkins, Kelley Thompson and anesthetist Jason Ramaker were so worried after they stabilized Martinez and saw her transported to the University of Chicago hospital that they had difficulty eating and sleeping.

Martinez's husband Jason, a U.S. Combat medic, was said to have marveled at the number of people praying for his wife.

"We've always had a strong faith," he said. "What happened has made it stronger. So many people I don't even know, cared so much."

Source: Staff - NW Times
Read more.

[Reported by: Breaking Christian News]

Worship with Us Today!

Worship with Us Today!

"ADONAI Ori" The L-RD is My Light

Psalm 27

Sung in Hebrew; translated into English


This video is dedicated to Israel, a tiny nation struggling to survive; an island surrounded by enemies breathing out lies and threats of destruction. The Holy One of Israel swore by Himself. He keeps His Covenants even when we are unfaithful. Mashiach na! He is our Strong Defender. "Ad mai, ADONAI??"

PSALM 17, "ADONAI Ori (The L-RD is My Light)" Music Video. This worship video features the new song by Christene Jackman, "ADONAI Ori (The L-RD is My Light)", Psalm 27. The lyrics, written by King David, are sung in Biblical Hebrew with the melody composed by Jackman.
Listen and worship here . . .

Happy New Year, everyone.
Our God reigns!

Friday, December 28, 2012

CHPP Daily Brief Friday, December 28, 2012




Because Congress is still in session, we will publish an abbreviated edition of the Brief this Monday, December 31st. Happy New Year, Everyone!

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


The Daily Brief Friday, December 28, 2012


"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)



The Daily Brief

1. Obama, lawmakers to discuss short-term fiscal deal - USA TODAY

President Obama and congressional leaders will spend Friday afternoon discussing short-term plans to avoid the tax hikes and budget cuts that kick in next week if the nation goes over the so-called "fiscal cliff." White House officials said they wouldn't comment before a 3 p.m. meeting between Obama and the leaders but noted that the president has offered to work on a short-term deal to beat the Dec. 31 deadline for the cliff.

B.) 'After you' dance on 'fiscal cliff' deadline - Washington Times

House Republican leaders said Thursday that they will bring their chamber back to town this weekend to try to avert the "fiscal cliff" -- the sole optimistic sign on a day when pessimism deepened within both parties on whether Congress can avoid the looming tax increases and automatic spending cuts.

C.) Lawmakers ramp up the rhetoric, with no plan in sight to avert fiscal crisis - Fox News

The rhetoric heated up Thursday as time on the clock wound down for a fiscal crisis deal, with lawmakers trickling back into Washington and no plan of action in place for averting the tax hikes and spending cuts scheduled to hit next week.

- Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, we know that even when financially difficult times come, Your promises are always in effect, and You are faithful to watch over Your Word to perform it. Father, again we ask You to intervene in the affairs of man, to give wisdom to those who are making these decisions. We ask that You be present at this White House meeting of our President and leaders of Congress. We bind up spirits of division, strife, and intimidation. We pray for unity, a consensus of opinion, and fiscal integrity to come forth at this meeting, and in the house and senate, as they work to deal with this crisis. Also, we ask that as they work on a "short term" resolution, that they all realize the necessity of making long-range changes as well, and move in that direction now. In Your name we pray, Amen.

- "Learn to do good; Seek justice, Come now, and let us reason together,says the Lord."(Isaiah 1:17,18)


2. Will 2013 Mark the Beginning of American Decline? - Bloomberg

Sooner or later, it will be America's turn to fall out of favor with investors and to see its own interest rates rise. It is hard to know when that day will come, or precisely what pressures the country will face. Let me only venture one forecast: We will not be ready.

- Abba, we do see our debt soaring out of control now, and our credit rating having been downgraded once already. Surely we do reap what we sow, whether it be good seed or bad. Now that we are "teetering" on the edge of the "fiscal cliff", the world does take notice, and there are consequences for our decisions. We pray for our nation's leaders that they will "reign in" frivolous spending, and that the people will hold them accountable. May fiscal sanity return to Congress and the White House, we pray. Amen.

- "And when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God and said, O Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them, Why did the heathen become wanton and insolent and rage, and the people imagine and study and plan vain (fruitless) things [that will not succeed]?" (Acts 4:24,25)


3. U.S. Drought: Third Highest Severe to Extreme Percentage on Record - Weather Channel

Extreme and exceptional drought, the worst categories on the U.S. Drought Monitor, are on the rise again. The graphic above from meteorologist Matt Sitkowski at the The Weather Channel shows this with the peak occurring back in August followed by a decline in the fall and now a rising percentage as we close out the year. When just examining the worst category "exceptional drought", the United States will end the year with its highest percentage in this category so far in 2012.

B.) Winter snow storm hits New England as '16 die' in US - BBC

Sixteen people have been reported killed by a severe snow storm moving through the north-eastern US after disrupting Christmas in the Midwest. States in New England are seeing heavy snowfall, with over a foot (30cm) already fallen in parts of Massachusetts, weather officials said. Flights were grounded and road collisions reported as the storm moved across the middle of the US.

- Father, while the nations rage with economic and political unrest, the weather is also groaning with extremes. Places that are already flooding, receive more rain or snow. Places that need rain, find that drought conditions continue. O Lord, we cry out to You for Your solutions. We humble ourselves and ask for rain or snow in those dry, parched areas of our nation. We also ask for relief from "inordinate" rain or snow, in flood ravaged areas of our nation, especially in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. We repent, Lord, for our national sins, and our individual sins, as well. We call on Your grace and mercy to cover us. Amen.

- "As high as the sky is above the earth are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For just as rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return there, but water the earth, causing it to bud and produce, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is My word that goes out from My mouth - it will not return to Me unfulfilled; but it will accomplish what I intend, and cause to succeed what I sent it to do." (Isaiah 55:9-11)


4. Renewal of surveillance law set for vote in Senate - Washington Times

With talks stalled on averting the "fiscal cliff" ahead of Tuesday's deadline, the Senate spent hours Thursday debating whether to renew an antiterrorism measure that has led to warrantless wiretaps of Americans.

- Lord, we ask that our Constitutional rights would be protected and honored by those in this administration, from the President, on down throughout Congress, and the Supreme Court. We understand the need to track criminals or those who wish to cause harm. However, we ask that any surveillance would be limited to those who have given sufficient concern to warrant their being watched. Protect us Lord from unlawful search and harassment. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

- "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14)


5. National Rifle Association vows to fight arms trade treaty at U.N.- UNITED NATIONS (Reuters)

The leading U.S. pro-gun group, the National Rifle Association, has vowed to fight a draft international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global arms trade and dismissed suggestions that a recent U.S. school shooting bolstered the case for such a pact. The U.N. General Assembly voted on Monday to restart negotiations in mid-March on the first international treaty to regulate conventional arms trade after a drafting conference in July collapsed because the U.S. and other nations wanted more time. Washington supported Monday's U.N. vote.

- Lord, we come against a "one world government" that involves the losing of our sovereignty as a nation, and the ability to enact our own laws. We ask that You would cause the members of Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court, to not cite laws in other nations having any relevancy to our laws. We ask that the NRA would be successful in fighting any agreements within the United Nations from being incumbent upon our nation. We pray for the preservation of our Constitutional right to bear arms and defend ourselves. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

- "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love." (I Corinthians 16:13,14)


6. After Newtown, Americans want their guns, with some restrictions - Yahoo

Nearly seven in 10 Americans support the idea of placing strong or moderate limits on gun ownership following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a Reuters/Ipsos poll said on Thursday. But laws that permit citizens to carry concealed weapons or use lethal force for protection while in public were just as popular, the poll said. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which surveyed 1,477 Americans online between December 23 and 27, highlighted the difficulty U.S. policymakers face in devising ways to curb gun violence: gun control laws enjoy fervent support in the abstract, but laws preserving specific gun ownership privileges are also well liked.

B.)Teachers learn how to use guns in Utah- MSN

Gun-rights advocates on Thursday provided six hours of training in the use of concealed weapons for 200 Utah teachers in the latest effort to arm teachers to confront school assailants. "We are providing a class for educators within the state of Utah, pre-school through secondary schools, to learn about concealed carry and proper gun handling and gun laws," said Clark Aposhian, President of the Utah Shooting Sport Council, the state's leading gun lobby.

~Father, we admit that all of us were horrified by the massacre of our children in Ct. two weeks ago, especially those of us who are parents and grandparents. We all have experienced intense emotions as we have tried to cope with this terrible tragedy. We do pray, however, that there will not be an impulsive reaction..by directing our attention and anger at the weapons, instead of the perpetrators. Abba, we have a sin problem in our nation. We have excluded You from our schools and much of our government. We have glorified violence through games and entertainment, numbing the minds of our young people and desensitizing them to scenes of violence. Lord, we ask, first and foremost, for Your forgiveness, and for revival to sweep this nation. We do pray for Your wisdom to be given to our national and state leaders, who wish to make positive changes in increasing security at all levels of our society. Lord, we do ask You to bring some good out of this terrible tragedy. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

- "The Lord says, "Whoever loves Me, I will save. I will protect those who know Me. They will call to Me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them. I will give them a long, full life, and they will see how I can save." (Psalm 91:14-16)


The Middle East in Focus

The Middle East in Focus

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

" . . . the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will." (Daniel 4:25)


1. Netanyahu says J'lem watching Syria carefully, warns that IDF's "long arm" will strike those who threaten Israel - Jerusalem Post

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Syrian pilots were using against their own people weapons forbidden under an international convention, and warned that Israel would act if necessary against any threat.


2. Israel will do everything to protect itself from Syrian chemical weapons, PM says - Times of Israel

Israel will do everything in its power to prevent a Syrian chemical weapons attack on it, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday, a day after reports emerged that he had met with Jordan's king to discuss a preemptive strike on Damascus's chemical arsenal.


3. IDF contingency plans may have to be activated soon - Jerusalem Post

The Assad regime appears to be edging ever closer to disintegration, and the US and its allies may soon have to activate military contingency plans to secure or destroy Syria's arsenal of deadly chemical weapons.


The Daily Jot

You Decide--The facts surrounding gun related deaths


The Second Amendment to the US Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." In the early days of the nation, the Founding Fathers were terribly concerned that any government formed would become a tyranny such as that of Britain. Britain's military was brutal on the colonists. The Founders did not want this repeated. In fact, they did not want a standing army during peacetime. They believed it was the duty and honor of every citizen to defend the homeland and their property during times of armed crisis. They also believed that an armed citizenry would keep government in check.

The opposing forces of liberty always attack this premise of an armed citizenry. Nazi Germany sought to not only disarm the Jewish population prior to World War II, but also to remove from society those who they knew had guns. The result is the near extermination of Jews from the face of the earth. They could not defend themselves or their property, making them easy targets. Same is true for communist regimes around the world--they disarm the population, move to kill anyone they believe to be a threat, and then establish tyranny over a defenseless people. One place I know of that was not disarmed is Afghanistan. The Soviets tried for a decade to suppress them to no avail. The US has had no better results.
An armed citizenry is necessary to the security of a free state. That doesn't mean hunting rifles. It means an armed citizenry. The opposing forces of liberty, including the occupant of the Oval Office and his progressive minions in Congress, are set to use the Sandy Hook massacre and other shootings across the country to disarm the citizenry. This is exactly what the Founding Fathers stood to prevent with the 2nd Amendment. Guns kill people, they cry, omitting any amount of personal responsibility for those murderous cowards who pull triggers against the innocent. Let's look at the facts. According to the Department of Justice there were 9,203 deaths in 2009 resulting from firearms use.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2010 there were 32,993 deaths involving automobiles, of which 10,228 were from drunk driving. Your chance of dying as an American is over 300% higher from a car or truck than from a gun. Criminals or crazy people kill people with guns. They will get guns any way they can--legally or illegally. Responsible citizens don't take people's lives unless their lives or lives of loved ones are threatened. It comes down to personal responsibility. No one talks about outlawing automobiles.
The gun control debate boils down to one thing: Opposing forces of liberty will use any and all opportunities to disarm the public--the very thing second only to freedom of speech and religion that the Founding Fathers sought to prevent. When studying the hard statistics, we see that the debate is a fallacy. The pacifist Quakers who run Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, have an 11 member security team, many who are armed. Celebrities and politicians send their kids there, including the first family and many members of the media. Yet they ridicule those who suggest arming school personnel to protect kids. There were 1.21 million abortions in 2007, according to the Census Bureau. Let's get real.
2 Timothy 3 describes perfectly the political and spiritual times in which we live. Verse 13 says, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." The gun control debate isn't about saving your kids from the bad guys. It's about taking away the security of your freedom. See to it that you are not deceived. The lives of your children depend on it.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com


Goodbye, General Schwarzkopf

Goodbye, General Schwarzkopf


General Norman Schwarzkopf passed away yesterday at the age of 78. General Schwarzkopf commanded the U.S.-led coalition that defeated Saddam Hussein's forces and liberated Kuwait in the First Gulf War, known as Operation Desert Storm.

While much of the credit for winning that war often goes to then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Colin Powell, Schwarzkopf was the battlefield commander. So brilliant were his tactics and so decisive was the victory that the ground war lasted all of 100 hours.

Schwarzkopf was a genuine patriot with a distinguished military career. A graduate of West Point, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam and earned three Silver Stars for valor, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and three Distinguished Service Medals. He was described by one reporter as having "a John Wayne swagger and a growl like a grizzly."
Former President George H. W. Bush released the following statement from the hospital where he is recovering from a stubborn fever:

"General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises. More than that, he was a good and decent man -- and a dear friend."

Please join Carol and me in praying for his wife, Brenda, and their three children. (Gary Bauer)


U.S. Encourages Travel to Israel

US ADVISORY ENCOURAGES TRAVEL TO ISRAEL


The US has toned down previous advice against travel to Israel. The latest advisory replaces a previous August warning, and in an unusual note of encouragement, it continues, "Over three million foreign citizens, including hundreds of thousands of US citizens, safely visit Israel and the West Bank each year for study, tourism and business. The Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority make considerable efforts to protect US citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations. Personal safety conditions in major metropolitan areas, including Tel Aviv and Haifa and their surrounding regions, are comparable to or better than those in other major global cities. Tourists, students, and business people from around the world are welcome." No similar assurances were issued for Palestinian Authority areas, including Bethlehem, where the PA is supposed to control terrorism, although official PA media frequently incite terror by praising suicide bombers and other "martyrs." (Arutz-7)


Good News in Israel

LOST TRIBE OF INDIA JEWS ARRIVES IN ISRAEL


An Israeli chief rabbi recognized Bnei Menashe as a lost tribe in 2005 and about 1,700 moved to Israel before the government stopped giving them visas. Now that Israel has reversed that policy, 7,200 more are expected to immigrate. Dozens immigrated to Israel on Monday from their village in northeastern India. "After waiting for thousands of years, our dream came true," said 26-year-old Lhing Lenchonz, who arrived with her husband and 8-month-old daughter. Nearly 300 more members of the community will arrive in the coming weeks, according to an activist on their behalf. (Ha'aretz) 


"See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return." (Jer 31:8)
 
[Reported by JNN News]

The Good News Corner

The Good News Corner

Federal Appeals Court Hands Victory to Religious Colleges


(Washington, DC)-Last week, a federal appeals court in Washington, DC handed Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College a major victory in their challenges to the HHS mandate. Last summer, two lower courts had dismissed the Colleges' cases as premature. Last week, the appellate court reinstated those cases, and ordered the Obama Administration to report back every 60 days-starting in mid-February-until the Administration makes good on its promise to issue a new rule that protects the Colleges' religious freedom. The new rule must be issued by March 31, 2013. 


"The DC Circuit has now made it clear that government promises and press conferences are not enough to protect religious freedom," said Kyle Duncan, General Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who argued the case. "The court is not going to let the government slide by on non-binding promises to fix the problem down the road."
 
The court based its decision on two concessions that government lawyers made in open court. First, the government promised "it would never enforce [the mandate] in its current form" against Wheaton, Belmont Abbey or other similarly situated religious groups. Second, the government promised it would publish a proposed new rule "in the first quarter of 2013" and would finalize it by next August. The administration made both concessions under intense questioning by the appellate judges. The court deemed the concessions a "binding commitment" and has retained jurisdiction over the case to ensure the government follows through. 

"This is a win not just for Belmont Abbey and Wheaton, but for all religious non-profits challenging the mandate," said Duncan. "The government has now been forced to promise that it will never enforce the current mandate against religious employers like Wheaton and Belmont Abbey and a federal appellate court will hold the government to its word."
While the government had previously announced plans to create a new rule, it has not yet taken the steps necessary to make that promise legally binding. Lower courts dismissed the colleges' cases while the government contemplated a new rule, but the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided the cases should stay alive while it scrutinizes whether the government will meet its promised deadlines. The court acted quickly, issuing Tuesday's order just days after hearing lengthy arguments.
Source: Becketfund.org
[Reported by: Breaking Christian News] 


Worship with Us Today!

Worship with Us Today!

The Mighty One Of Israel
Randy Rothwell

The Lord shall cause His
glorious voice to be heard
And you shall have a song in the night
Come to the mountain of the Lord
See His glory and His might