Capitol Hill Prayer Partners "Daily Brief": On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 17a May 20

Note: The "OCAP" will not be
published next weekend, in honor
of the Memorial Day holiday.

Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970

On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 17a May 20 - 24, 2013

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

"Having done all . . . stand!" (Eph. 6:12)

News from Israel

News from Israel

NETANYAHU: WE MUSTN'T SURRENDER OUR FATE TO OTHERS

NETANYAHU: I'LL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP ISRAEL SAFE

REPORT: ISRAEL WARNS ASSAD NOT TO RETALIATE TO AIRSTRIKES

PALESTINIANS MARK 'NAKBA DAY'

RADICAL MUSLIM CLERIC IN GAZA: 'PALESTINE' WAS NEVER JEWISH

PA OFFICIAL SUPPORTS DROPPING NUCLEAR BOMBS ON ISRAEL

EX-JORDANIAN SPY SAYS JORDAN REGIME IS ANTI-ISRAEL

MUDDLED ISRAELI-US POLICIES ON ASSAD SET STAGE FOR GOLAN OFFENSIVE AGAINST ISRAEL

KERRY TO PRESENT PEACE FRAMEWORK IN EARLY JUNE

REPORT: ISRAEL THE MEMBER WITH HIGHEST POVERTY RATE

1. NETANYAHU: WE MUSTN'T SURRENDER OUR FATE TO OTHERS

A national memorial ceremony, honoring Israel's deceased prime ministers and presidents, was held Sunday [May 12] at the Presidential Residence in Jerusalem, in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres.

Speaking at the ceremony, Netanyahu said "We mustn't surrender our fate to the hands of others. Our ability to protect ourselves-against Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, or any other source that threatens to harm us-is where our deterrence lies. "At the same time," the prime minister added, "we must work to gain allies in the region and beyond."

The ceremony, held annually, was dedicated this year to Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and sixth president Chaim Herzog.

President Shimon Peres spoke of the two leaders, noting that Israel's first prime minister was "an outstanding leader," and that the sixth president was led by national considerations rather than by partisan ones, when he decided to form a national unity government in the face of inflation. Activists and scholars were awarded for memorializing Ben Gurion and Herzog.

Source (By Noam (Dabul) Dvir, Ynetnews, May 12, 2013)

[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

Read article:
- As Israel remembers its leaders of the past, pray that they would also remember the many ways God has protected them from their enemies. Thank the Lord for the many promises He has made to Israel regarding their existence and their future.

- I will mention the lovingkindness of the Lord and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindness. (Isaiah 63:7)

2. NETANYAHU: I'LL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP ISRAEL SAFE

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he would travel wherever is needed and will talk to whoever is needed to keep Israel safe and secure. Netanyahu, who met with visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, said, "It is always a pleasure to host you here in Jerusalem. You are a friend of Israel, Chancellor Merkel is a friend of Israel, Germany is a friend of Israel.

"Today the Middle East is undergoing a period of tremendous and unprecedented instability," said Netanyahu. "We have not seen such an upheaval in this region for many decades. I follow closely, day and night, the rapidly changing situation around us. I follow closely the very real challenges that this rapidly changing situation poses for the security of Israel. I will travel to where ever needed; I will meet with whoever is needed and I'm doing whatever is needed to protect the security of the citizens of Israel, and I will continue to do so."

Westerwelle replied, "It is really a great pleasure to be here once again, but we all know that these are very challenging times, for the whole region but especially of course for our friends in Israel. I want to underline that in these challenging times Germany stands by its Israel partners. We want to work together and we want to support you. This is what our friendship is about and I'm using the word friendship, which is from our understanding, more than a partnership. This is not only a strategic alliance; this is a friendship between societies, between peoples and between governments."

Read article:
- Abba Father, we ask You to let PM Netanyahu clearly discern from You to whom he is to negotiate, and where and when he is to do this to navigate for the safety of Israel and her people. Be in the midst of all talks and discussions, Lord. Confront the factions within Israel and draw them together to be united for all that is a threat to their very existence as a nation. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3) You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield (Psalm 115:11)

3. REPORT: ISRAEL WARNS ASSAD NOT TO RETALIATE TO AIRSTRIKES

A senior Israeli official signaled on Wednesday [May 15] that Israel was considering further military strikes on Syria to stop the transfer of advanced weapons to Islamic militants, and warned Syrian president Bashar Assad, that his government would face crippling consequences if it retaliated against Israel, the New York Times reported.

"Israel is determined to continue to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah . The transfer of such weapons to Hezbollah will destabilize and endanger the entire region," the official said in an interview. "If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies," the official said, "he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate."

Foreign reports claim Israel carried out a total of three airstrikes in Syria since the civil war there began two years ago. The first allegedly took place in January when a convoy was bombed near the Syria-Lebanon border.

The second airstrike allegedly occurred in early May and was reported by US media. The target was an arms shipment from Iran to Hezbollah. Another strike was reported 48 hours later. According to Syria, the Jamraya military center had been bombed again.

Source (By Ynetnews, May 15, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

Read article:
- Pray that "game-changing" weapons would not be used against Israel or to escalate the internal fighting in Syria. Pray that Israel would continue to receive concrete intelligence regarding this situation.

- The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.(Proverbs 11:8)

4. PALESTINIANS MARK 'NAKBA DAY'

Unrest in Jerusalem on Nakba Day and in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], Gaza and refugee camps across the Arab world, Palestinians marked "Nakba (the catastrophe) Day"-the day Israel was founded on Wednesday [May 15].

In Palestinian towns, at exactly noon a memorial siren was sounded, its length 65 seconds, one second for every year Israel has existed. In the afternoon hours, Palestinian youths began clashing with Israel Defense Forces [IDF] forces in a number of locations in the West Bank. They hurled stones at security forces who returned fire with riot dispersing equipment.

Clashes broke out near Jerusalem's Old City, where eight Arab protesters were detained so far. Three officers were injured in rock-hurling incidents, all lightly.

In Ramallah, hundreds took part in the main procession, from the grave of Yasser Arafat towards the city's square bearing his name. There, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave a televised speech.

In the Gaza Strip, "Nakba Day" was marked with a memorial siren in the morning hours. Afterwards, processions were held in a number of districts in the [Gaza] Strip.

Source (By Elior Levy, Ynetnews, May 15, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

Read article:
- Pray that the Palestinians would come to recognize that violence is not the solution to their situation. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to those with open hearts.

- I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

5. RADICAL MUSLIM CLERIC IN GAZA: 'PALESTINE' WAS NEVER JEWISH

Israel has no right to exist, a radical Muslim cleric visiting Gaza declared on Thursday, encouraging rocket attacks on the Jewish State. Yusuf al-Qaradawi warned that nobody was allowed to cede "any part of Palestine" during his visit to the Hamas-controlled region, according to AFP. "No one is allowed to give up any part of Palestine," the Egyptian-born Qardawi said during a meeting with Gaza's prime minister Ismail Haniyeh and members of the government.

Qaradawi, who is a citizen of Qatar and close to the Muslim Brotherhood, was heading of a delegation of 50 clerics from 14 countries. "Palestine was never Jewish," he said. "Palestine is Arab and Muslim and will remain Arab and Muslim, and Islam will prevail." "The rockets made in Gaza are more powerful than the occupation's rockets," added Qardawi.

Haniyeh, who handed Qaradawi a "Palestinian" passport, reaffirmed that his would "never give up or recognize Israel." "We will not give up our rights, we will never give up an inch of Palestine and won't allow anyone to cede a grain of Palestinian land," he said, according to AFP.

Read article:
- O Heavenly Father, it is obvious that this muslim cleric is not aware of long term history. Even non biblical historians know that Palestine was the name given by Rome to the Jewish homeland. Confront him, Lord, for the viciousness of his thoughts and speech, and let him 'meet' You, the true owner of this land. Instill the fear of You into his entire being and close his mouth. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul (Proverbs 22:24-25)

6. PA OFFICIAL SUPPORTS DROPPING NUCLEAR BOMBS ON ISRAEL

Palestinian Media Watch has reported that Jibril Rajoub, the deputy secretary of the Fatah Central Committee and the chairman of the PA Olympics Committee, declared on Lebanese television, "Listen. We as yet don't have a nuke, but I swear that if we had a nuke, we'd have used it this very morning." This was his explanation for why the Palestinian Authority was willing to consider negotiations with Israel, provided Israel met all of the Palestinian Authority's preconditions, which he listed as meeting Palestinian demands on "Jerusalem, the fence, settlements and prisoners."

Unfortunately, Rajoub is not the only PA official to support violence against Israel and the Jewish people. According to Palestinian Media Watch, Sultan Abu Al Einein, who is head of the Palestinian Council for NGO Affairs, proclaimed on Palestine Live TV, "Praise Allah who honored us and designated us to be in Ribat (religious war defending or liberating "Islamic" land) until Judgment Day, until the dawn of freedom and national independence will shine [on us]"

Despite Palestinian leaders within Fatah continuing to openly call for violence against Jews and Israelis and rewarding Palestinian terrorists, western countries friendly towards Israel, including the United States continues to fund the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority. Last March, President Obama even released $500 million in foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority that had been frozen for the Palestinian Authority violating the Oslo Agreements by unilaterally seeking statehood at the United Nations in the absence of a peace agreement with Israel.

Read article:
- Forgive our nation Lord, for giving support to the Palestinian Authority when the words reported here so clearly reflect the intense hatred that this group has towards Israel and her people. We ask You to confront and fill them with fear of You, but also save those in this group who will repent and come to You. Lord, may You continue to keep Your hedge of warrior angels firmly around Israel, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good. (Proverbs 14:22)

7. EX-JORDANIAN SPY SAYS JORDAN REGIME IS ANTI-ISRAEL

Ouni Abed Botrous Hadaddeen is a former senior level Jordanian agent who is Christian. He defected from Jordan because he objected to the Jordanian monarchy's practice of assassinating Jordanian citizens who have protested against the current regime. Ouni was born to the tribe of Hadadeen, which is supportive of the Hashemite dynasty that has traditionally filled significant positions within the Jordanian government and armed services. While he worked as a senior level Jordanian intelligence "collaborator" (spy), Ouni was ordered by the Jordanian government to confront anti-government protests and to lead counter protests in support of the Jordanian monarchy. In addition, he was told to write articles within the Arab media in support of the Jordanian government to prevent Jordan's power base from collapsing, as was the case in Egypt during the "Arab Spring". Hadaddeen claims that supporting the current Jordanian regime is not in the best interest of Israel and has accused Jordan's King Abdullah of manipulating the Jordanian people to have negative views and even hatred of Israel.

There is evidence to back up Ouni's claim that the Jordanian regime is fomenting hatred for Israel among the Jordanian people. The Jordanian educational system, instead of teaching the country's youth to peacefully co-exist with Israel, educates youngsters that Palestine was stolen by the Jews. However, according to Hadaddeen, it seems that the Jordanian regime doesn't merely publish anti-Israel textbooks. "One of the main foundations of King Abdullah's regime is establishing the hatred for Israel under the table," Hadaddeen reports.

Unlike the situation in Egypt during the Arab Spring, the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan was and is on the same side as the regime. As Zaki Bani Rushied -leader of the Islamic Action Front Party-the Brotherhood's political arm-informed the media, "The people of Jordan have chosen to reform the regime; people can choose to topple the regime or reform it, and here in Jordan we have chosen to reform the regime." Indeed, Hadaddeen asserts that in Jordan the Muslim Brotherhood is a "tool used by the king himself." He said that the Jordanian king is "using the Muslim Brotherhood to terrorize Israel. He would meet them, and this is documented by media, and one day after they would start massive protests against Israel. It is not even a secret."

Read article
- Abba Father, deceit and intrigue are words that arise when reading this report. May Israeli leaders be made acutely aware of this deception and prepare their nation accordingly. We ask You to stay in the midst of Israel and their people, as Your word promises, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- Whoever rewards evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. (Proverbs 17:13) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. (Psalm 138:7)

8. MUDDLED ISRAELI-US POLICIES ON ASSAD SET STAGE FOR GOLAN OFFENSIVE AGAINST ISRAEL

Four days after a "senior Israeli official" warned Assad through The New York Times of Wednesday, May 15 that he risks forfeiting power if he retaliates for Israeli attacks on weapons supplies to terrorists, "Israeli officials" were telling the London Times of Saturday, May 18 something quite different: "An intact, but weakened, Assad regime would be preferable," they said. "Better the devil we know than the demons we can only imagine if - extremists from across the Arab world gain a foothold there."

The night before this report, Fox News aired footage appearing to show Israeli commandos inside Syria racing back on foot to Israeli territory. Without going into whether the two sets of "Israeli officials" were one and the same, their utterances are clearly making Israel's policy-makers and defense leaders look muddled and uncertain - or, worse, unable to think clearly - about how to cope with the menace building up on the Syrian Golan. This could take the form of a Syrian war of attrition and/or a Hizballah offensive against Upper and Western Galilee.

What Washington achieved by its hands-off stance on Syria was the very opposite: Instead of weakening the triple alliance, Obama has allowed it to be bolstered by Russian and Iraqi increments.

It is no wonder, therefore, that Moscow, Tehran, Damascus and Hizballah are behaving like winners and gearing up for the next stage of the Syrian war, which, if Tehran and Hizballah have their way, will evolve into a war of attrition against Israel waged from the Syrian Golan.

The opening shot was fired Wednesday, May 15 by a Palestinian terrorist front under Syrian, Iranian and Hizballah tutelage, which shelled an Israeli military observation post on Mt. Hermon. This attack drew no direct Israeli response - par for the course.

This time, the big difference is that Moscow can leave the heavy-lifting for a limited war on Israel to Tehran and Hizballah. Once they begin, it will be hard to stop the violence from spreading to Israel's borders with Lebanon, from Syria into Turkey and from Jordan into Syria and Iraq.

Read article:
- Lord, it is obvious the war drums are sounding and it is just a matter of when. We fall before You Lord, to ask that this occur according to Your timing only. We ask You to rise up and extend Your right arm to do battle with all who are churning up this war. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven, with the saving strength of His right hand. (Psalm 20:6) Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make His Mighty power known. (Psalm 106:8)

9. KERRY TO PRESENT PEACE FRAMEWORK IN EARLY JUNE (ANALYSIS)

US Secretary of State John Kerry's first two months of assessing and gauging prospects for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians has not dissuaded him from the task, but a senior Palestinian official has told The Media Line that Kerry has asked to defer revealing his plan from the promised date of May 23 until around June 7.

While many Palestinian officials are skeptical about Kerry's attempts, many others hope he will succeed. "Mr. Kerry's success is success for us, the Palestinians," one senior Palestinian official told The Media Line. Secretary Kerry is working on the economic component of his plan with Tony Blair, the representative of the Quartet, the international sponsor of the peace process that includes the US, United Nations, European Union and Russia.

The difficult political component is expected to concentrate on the need to reach an agreement on security and borders first, and it is believed that Kerry will place a major emphasis on the so-called Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 that is based on an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders with comparable and mutually-agreed land swaps.

Palestinians and Israelis are waiting to see what will be the outcome of Secretary Kerry's work, as are officials from around the world. "We respect him, we support him and are waiting to see the outcome to work with him," a senior European official told The Media Line.

Source (By Abed Daoud, The Media Line, May 9, 2013)

[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]
- Pray that Israel's leaders will look to the Lord for wisdom, and that they will remain strong in the face of worldwide pressure for "peace." Thank God in advance for the fulfillment of His perfect plan for His people and the Land of Israel.

- I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's demand.(Daniel 2:23)

10. REPORT: ISRAEL THE MEMBER WITH HIGHEST POVERTY RATE

One in five Israelis and one in three Israeli children live in poverty according to a report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which placed Israel first place in poverty rate among developed nations.

The alarming findings show Israel's poverty rate standing at 21% of the entire population, in comparison to only 13.8% in 1995. In a report examining how the developed world copes with the global downturn, the OECD warned the "financial crisis is squeezing income and putting pressure on inequality and poverty" across the board. In last year's report Israel came second behind Mexico in the number of poor families in the OECD.

Another statistic placed Israel, which joined the OECD in 2010, fifth in regards to income gaps between the rich and the poor, following Chile, Mexico, Turkey, and the US. In Israel, as elsewhere, those hit hardest by the global slowdown were the vulnerable, low-earning demographics, with many families being pushed below the poverty line.

"There is no doubt the constant growth in poverty in Israel indicates a fundamental change is needed. Poverty represents a threat of the first order," said Welfare Minister Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid ), noting he intends to introduce a national plan to combat the issue.

Source (By Omri Efraim, Ynetnews, May 15, 2013)

[Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

Read article:

- Bridges for Peace has been privileged to provide food and other "helps" to many of Israel's poorest families. Pray that we will continue to fill this role with wisdom and resources from the Lord alone.

- The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.(Deuteronomy 28:8 )

More International News

More International News

AL-QAEDA'S SYRIAN WING TAKES OVER THE OILFIELDS
SYRIA CRISES: US RUES RUSSIAN MISSILES
IRAN DISPATCHES WARSHIP TO SHADOW GULF
EGYPT KEEPS GAZA BORDER CLOSED DUE TO KIDNAPPING
ARMED GROUPS BOMB LIBYAN MILITARY POSTS IN BENGHAZI
CHINESE PREMIER HEADS TO INDIA TO BOOST TIES
MILITARY MISSILE PASSES BY A BARBED-WIRE FENCE IN PAJU, SOUTH KOREA,
FOR AMERICAN IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA LABOR CAMP, IT COULD BE WORSE

1. AL-QAEDA'S SYRIAN WING TAKES OVER THE OILFIELDS ONCE BELONGING TO ASSAD

The Telegraph.co.uk reports: "Up to 380,000 barrels of crude oil were previously produced by wells around the city of Raqqa and in the desert region to its east that are now in rebel hands - in particular Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda off-shoot which is the strongest faction in this part of the country. Now the violently anti-Western jihadist group, which has been steadily extending its control in the region, is selling the crude oil to local entrepreneurs, who use home-made refineries to produce low-grade petrol and other fuels for Syrians facing acute shortages. The ability of Jabhat al-Nusra to profit from the oil locally, despite international sanctions which have hindered its sale abroad, will be particularly worrying to the European Union, which has voted to ease the embargo but at the same time wants to marginalise the extremist group within the opposition. In the battle for the future of the rebel cause, the oil-fields may begin to play an increasingly strategic role. All are in the three provinces closest to Iraq - Hasakeh, Deir al-Zour, and Raqqa, while the Iraqi border regions are the homeland of the Islamic State of Iraq, as al-Qaeda's branch in the country calls itself.

(The Telegraph.co.uk)
- Father, remove the control of oil from this al-Qaeda group. Strategically place the oil in the hands of the right people, who will use it for good and not evil. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in this situation.

- Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

2. SYRIA CRISES: US RUES RUSSIAN MISSILES SENT TO DAMASCUS

"The US has chided Russia for what it calls an 'unfortunate decision' to send missiles to the Syrian government.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey said the shipment 'will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering' that has killed 80,000. The sophisticated anti-ship missiles could be used to counter any future foreign military intervention, US officials told The New York Times.

Some 1.5 million people have fled the conflict, says the UN refugee agency. Most have fled to Jordan and Lebanon, but not all have been registered yet, meaning the true total is likely to be far higher, according to the UNHCR.

Meanwhile, Syria's national production has dropped by 40% and the number of people living below the poverty line has risen from two million to five million in just two years, according to the man in charge of the UN's plans for reconstructing Syria after the conflict.

(BBC News)
- Father, we cry mercy on this conflict. Have mercy on the people affected by this fighting. Provide for the families who have fled the land.

- Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. (Psalm 37:1-11) (NIV)

3. IRAN DISPATCHES WARSHIP TO SHADOW GULF EXERCISES

"The frigate Jamaran cruised to within a mile of the western vessels, placing her 'almost on top of' the fleet conducting exercises to secure shipping, naval sources said.

Commanders stressed they did not view the frigate as a threat and said day to day relations with the Iranian navy were cordial, but its presence underlined the sensitivity of the exercise in one of the world's most strategically important waterways.

The Jamaran, armed with missiles and torpedoes, was built in Iran and launched in 2010, though it is based on a far older design.

Capt Jon Rodgers, commander of the USS Ponce which is one of 35 ships taking part in the exercise, said the Iranian and American navies regularly photographed each other as the two navies - widely seen as potential foes - run up against one another in the congested waters which many believe could be a future flashpoint. He said: 'As long as we are only taking pictures, then we are good.'

The fortnight-long exercise in the Gulf has seen 41 nations take part in drills aimed at protecting shipping from mines, attack by small ships and guarding oil platforms. Most of the vessels belong to Nato members but Australia and some Arab states have also contributed ships.

(The Telegraph.co.uk)
- Father, keep these congested waters filled with warships, peaceful. We pray protection upon this important waterway. Keep these waters clear of hostile activity. In Jesus Name.

- And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion [shall be] from sea [even] to sea, and from the river [even] to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10)

4. EGYPT KEEPS GAZA BORDER CLOSED DUE TO KIDNAPPING

Egyptian policeman says crossing will remain closed until the seven hostages are freed. Egyptian police angered by the kidnapping of seven colleagues by Islamist gunmen kept a crossing into the Gaza Strip closed again on Saturday, stranding hundreds of Palestinian travelers, witnesses said.

The protest began on Friday when police strung barbed wire across the Rafah border post and chained up the gates, local residents said, a day after the abductions.

Gunmen demanding the release of jailed Islamist militants had seized seven policemen and soldiers on a road between the Sinai towns of el-Arish and Rafah. Three of those abducted had worked at the Rafah border crossing, locals said. "We will not open the crossing until the kidnapped soldiers are freed and the interior minister arrives to listen to our demands so that these attacks on us are not repeated," one of the protesting policemen said on Saturday.

Hardline Islamist groups in North Sinai have exploited the collapse of state authority after the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 to launch attacks across the border into Israel and on Egyptian targets. The protesting policemen called on President Mohamed Morsi, who belongs to the Muslim brotherhood, to help free their colleagues.

Security sources said on Saturday all seven hostages remained missing, retracting their report the previous day that one policeman had been released. A spokesman for the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, which runs the Gaza Strip, criticized the Egyptian police action and said contacts were under way to resolve the standoff. "There are promises to follow up on the matter, but in spite of these promises the suffering is still building up. We consider the continued closure of the crossing unjustified and incomprehensible," Sami Abu Zuhri told Al Jazeera television.

(The Jerusalem Post)
- How odd to learn that Islamist are kidnapping other Islamist. But this is a better action than of innocent citizens. Please pray for peace around the Egyptian border. The citizens of Gaza wanted to build resorts next to the Mediterrean and to keep the green houses established by the Israelis. Gaza was neat, well-planned and well organized, but neither occurred because radical Islamists would not allow either. Also, praise the Lord for the Egyptians closing the border to stop the chaos.

- "Discretion will guard you; understanding will watch over you to deliver you from evil, from the man who speaks perverse things." (Proverbs 2: 11,12).

5. ARMED GROUPS BOMB LIBYAN MILITARY POSTS IN BENGHAZI

Armed groups attacked military posts in Libya's second city Benghazi with bombs and a rocket-propelled grenade, an army commander said on Saturday. Nearly two years after the uprising that ended Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule, the government still exerts little control over the armed brigades that helped overthrow him.

Oil-producer Libya is largely split into fiefdoms of such brigades that are competing for influence. No one was hurt in the four overnight attacks on three Benghazi army posts, said the military commander, Hamed Belkhair. Homemade bombs were thrown in three of the attacks and a rocket-propelled grenade was fired in the fourth, he said.

The army had sent extra forces to the eastern city after a car laden with explosives blew up near a hospital there on Monday, killing three people. Attacks on police stations have become a frequent occurrence in recent weeks. "The national army is being subjected to these attacks because they are doing a great job of cleaning the city of criminals' shelters," said Belkhair.

(Reuters)
- Pray for the city of Benghazi, as it seems to be a target of choice for terrorists. Maybe the terrorists are still annoyed that Americans still have a consulate there or are capitalizing on the hearings in our Congress. Whatever the cause, the terrorists resent Americans' association in their city. Pray for peace in the city and for safety for its residents. Pray for the terrorists to come to the knowledge of the value of life through Jesus Christ.

- "You have given the necks of my enemies. So that I destroyed those who hated me." (2 Samuel 2: 22)

6. CHINESE PREMIER HEADS TO INDIA TO BOOST TIES

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang heads to India to seek improved ties after border standoff. Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China's new premier is heading to India on his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to expedite efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost economic ties. China says Li's choice of India for his first trip abroad since taking office in March shows the importance Beijing attaches to improving relations with New Delhi.

China says Premier Li Keqiang's choice of India for his first trip abroad since taking office in March shows the importance Beijing attaches to improving relations with New Delhi. "We think very highly of this gesture because it is our view that high-level political exchanges between our two countries are an important aspect and vehicle for our expanded cooperation," said India's external affairs ministry spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin.

Jasjit Singh, a defense analyst and director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in New Delhi, said last month's border standoff was unlikely to overshadow Li's three-day visit, the first stop of a foreign tour in which he will also visit Pakistan, Switzerland and Germany.

Singh said Indian and Chinese leaders are likely to review border talks that have failed to produce a breakthrough despite 15 rounds of discussions over the past 10 years. The two sides also will probably discuss working together in Afghanistan after next year's U.S. pullout and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, he said.

But tensions run high between the two nations. China already sees itself as Asia's great power, while India hopes its increasing economic and military might - though still far below its neighbor's - will eventually put it in the same league. While China has worked to shore up relationships with Nepal and Sri Lanka in India's traditional South Asian sphere of influence, India has been venturing into partnerships with Southeast Asian nations.

(AP)
- Pray that India and China can find the ability to live together peacefully, and that the trade can grow between the two nations. The Moslems and Sikhs generally do not like communism. Why are Russia and China discussing since Americans are busy fighting there? Pray that trouble is not brewing. Shouldn't the USA be part of any discussions?

- " Let mercies come also come to me- Your salvation according to Your word." (Psalm119: 14)

7. MILITARY MISSILE PASSES BY A BARBED-WIRE FENCE IN PAJU, SOUTH KOREA, NEAR THE BORDER VILLAGE OF PANMUNJUN

North Korea fired a projectile into waters off its eastern coast Sunday, a day after launching three short-range missiles in the same area, officials said.

North Korea routinely test-launches short-range missiles. But the latest launches came during a period of tentative diplomacy aimed at easing recent tension, including near-daily threats by North Korea to attack South Korea and the U.S. earlier this year. North Korea protested annual joint military drills by Seoul and Washington and U.N. sanctions imposed over its February nuclear test.

The fourth launch occurred Sunday afternoon, according to officials at Seoul's Defense Ministry and Joint Chiefs of Staff. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing department rules, refused to say whether it was a missile or artillery round.

On Saturday, North Korea fired two short-range missiles in the morning and another in the afternoon. The U.S. responded by saying threats or provocations would only further deepen North Korea's international isolation, while South Korea called the launches a provocation and urged the North to take responsible actions.

The North has a variety of missiles but Seoul and Washington don't believe the country has mastered the technology needed to manufacture nuclear warheads that are small and light enough to be placed on a missile capable of reaching the U.S.

U.S. officials said the North has recently withdrawn two mid-range "Musudan" missiles believed to be capable of reaching Guam after moving them to its east coast during the recent tensions.

The Korean Peninsula officially remains in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. South Korea's Defense Ministry said Sunday it has deployed dozens of Israeli-made precision guided missiles on front-line islands near the disputed western sea boundary as part of an arms buildup begun after a North Korean artillery strike on one of the islands in 2010 killed four South Koreans.

(Fox News.com)
- North Korea seems to playing with its missiles like a child playing with a toy. No doubt, the idea is to intimidate the area. Keep praying with the South Koreans as they cry to the Lord from their prayer mountain at the DMZ. Pray that China becomes disgusted with North Korea and stops any threat.

- " Be strong and of good courage. Fear not; do not be afraid of them, for the Lord goes with you; He will not fail you, nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31: 6)

8. FOR AMERICAN IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA LABOR CAMP, IT COULD BE WORSE, EXPERTS SAY

It's bad for Kenneth Bae, the Washington man arrested in North Korea last year and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but it could be worse, according to people familiar with the workings of one of the world's most secretive and repressive regimes. Bae began serving a 15-year, hard labor sentence on Tuesday for what Pyongyang has described as hostile acts against the state. But word from the Pyongyang-controlled Korean Central News Agency that he would be held in a "special prison" signal to Kang Chol-hwan, a survivor of North Korean gulags, that Bae is being used as a bargaining chip. "Normally a person dies in three years after being sent to a real camp." Kang Chol-hwan, who spent a decade in a North Korean prison. "These are not really camps like the political prison camps used for the North Korean people," said Kang, who was sent to a prison camp at age 9 because his uncle had insulted the government. "If Kenneth Bae was really sent to a prison camp, he would not survive and that would not be good for the Kim regime.

Experts said North Korea is likely planning to use Bae to leverage aid or concessions from the West, or simply in an effort to raise its stature by appearing to be humanitarian when it ultimately frees him. "North Korea, by having a show trial and causing all this tension in the international media, will be preparing for big negotiations with the United States," said Kang, who wrote about his experience in a memoir titled, "The Aquariums of Pyongyang."

Bae was arrested in November and accused of trying to establish an anti-Pyongyang base in the North. Pyongyang claims that Bae later confessed. But Bae's friends say he worked as a Christian missionary in Dalian, a Chinese city near the North Korean border, and that he crossed the border to bring food to starving orphans.

Writer Secilia Oh, commenting on dailyNK.com, a Seoul-based dissident website, said Bae remains in danger until he is freed and back on American soil.

"What the DPRK means, when they say they will be keeping Mr. Bae in a 'special' prison, is that he is being kept at a safer - not actually a 'safe' place," wrote Oh. "We [at least] know that he is not at a labor camp - cutting wood or digging holes for the authorities."

(Fox News.com)

Read more:
- Please pray that Kenneth Bae will soon be released from North Korea without any harm done to his mind and body. Continue to pray for the political prisoners in North Korea and the population at large. Praise the Lord for Bae's humanitarian efforts. Pray for the leader of the country that he may come to know the Lord and give up his wicked treatment of his people.

- "You stretched out Your right hand: the earth swallowed them. You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; and guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation." (Exodus 15: 12,13)

On Capitol Hill This Week ("The OCAP") Volume XX, Number 17b

DOMESTIC ISSUE
URGENT!!

Please pray for survivors to be found in the rubble left after a huge devastating tornado near Oklahoma City. Two elementary schools were destroyed as well as many, many homes. 37 people are confirmed dead so far, some of them children. They are still searching for survivors. Pray for God to miraculously keep the trapped people alive until rescuers can get to them. Pray for provision for those who have lost homes and adequate treatment those who are injured.

On the Hill

On the Hill

SOME "NOT WILLING" TO TAKE OBAMA IMPEACHMENT OFF THE TABLE
DID OBAMA DOJ SPY ON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES?
LAWMAKERS RIP JUSTICE DEPT. OVER AP PHONE RECORDS GRAB
REPUBLICANS FILE BILLS TO STOP IRS FROM ENFORCING OBAMACARE
HOUSE VOTES TO REPEAL OBAMACARE
HEALTH CARE CONSCIENCE RIGHTS ACT INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS
NO TAXPAYERS' ABORTIONS ACT TO CONGRESS
REP. FRANKS TO OFFER LATE-TERM ABORTION BAN
FEDERAL BILL WOULD PENALIZE ADOPTION AGENCIES THE PRIORITIZE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNITS
BIOMETRIC DATABASE HIDDEN IN IMMIGRATION BILL

1. GOP REP.: "NOT WILLING" TO TAKE OBAMA IMPEACHMENT OFF THE TABLE

"I would say yes - I'm not willing to take it off to take it off the table," representative Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah) said about the possibility of seeking the president's impeachment in the Benghazi scandal. "Look, it's not something I'm seeking, it's not the endgame, it's not what we're playing for," Chaffetz explained in an interview with CNN. "I was simply asked if that's within the realm of possibilities." Earlier this week, Chaffetz told the Salt Lake Tribune that impeachment is "certainly a possibility," which drew attention but added, "that's not the goal." (National Review Online) Read more.
- Father, as You have said, the shaking of all things that can be shaken by the hand of Almighty God has engulfed this issue also. Where there has been sin in the camp, the door has swung open and the Lord has taken over. All things are in Your hands, Lord God, and what You desire will happen. We trust our God. In the Name of Jesus we pray.

- "For we know Him who has said, 'Vengeance belongs unto Me. I will recompense, says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord shall judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:30-31)

2. CONGRESSMAN SAYS OBAMA DOJ SPIED ON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Last night, Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA), who sits on the House Ways And Means Committee, dropped a bombshell on the Hugh Hewitt show. Jack Langer, communications director for Congressman Nunes issued a clarification of what the Congressman said:

"What Rep. Nunes meant by "tapped" was that the Department of Justice seized the phone records, as has been widely reported. He did not mean to refer to phone records of the cloakroom, but of the Capitol. This refers to the phone records for the AP from the House press gallery, which the DOJ admitted looking at. He was explaining that those phone records would reveal a lot of conversations between the press and members of Congress, since reporters often speak to Members from the press gallery phones. The notion of the DOJ looking at phone records from the Capitol of conversations between Members of Congress and reporters is something that concerns Rep. Nunes, bringing up issues related to the separation of powers."

I'll say. It should concern every single American. If this administration will do this to them, then you can be sure they wouldn't think twice of doing it to the "average Joe" like you and me. When people reference this criminal administration as being involved in scandals bigger than Watergate, they are kidding. Nunes and his committee held hearings on the IRS-gate scandal on Friday. (Freedom Outpost) Read more.
[Editorial comment: We find it interesting that the mainstream media never picked up this story when it broke on Thursday night last week. Drudge, however, and others did cite the remarks of Congressman Nunes. Please agree with us in prayer that, if there is anything to this story, this too will come to light.]

- Father in heaven, You are allowing this shaking in the House of Representatives and ultimately a shaking of the guilty who are performing illegal and invasive acts. You have said, 'I will shake that which can be shaken, and that which cannot be shaken will remain.' God, awaken those who will stand for the righteous cause of God and open their eyes to pay attention to the fishing trawlers wallowing in the swell of the boats containing sophisticated electronic equipment capable of monitoring telephone conversations. Lord, we put our trust in You to protect the good, the innocent, and destroy the guilty. In the Name of Jesus.

- "And this Word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:27-29)

3. LAWMAKERS RIP JUSTICE DEPT. OVER AP PHONE RECORDS GRAB

Lawmakers from both parties sharply questioned the Justice Department late Monday over its reported effort to secretly obtain two months of phone records from Associated Press journalists, with House Speaker John Boehner's office saying "they better have a damned good explanation." "I am deeply concerned by numerous reports of misconduct by the administration, from (whistle-blower) testimony regarding Benghazi to the Internal Revenue Service targeting groups based on political ideology and now the Department of Justice monitoring journalists with the Associated Press," he said. (Fox News) Read more.
- Once again, praise God that Congress is standing up and taking notice of this scandal, too. We are suddenly experiencing a tsunami of answers to prayer!! Press on!

- "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

4. REPUBLICANS FILE BILLS TO STOP IRS FROM ENFORCING OBAMACARE

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit the Treasury Secretary and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from enforcing ObamaCare. Cornyn introduced the Keep the IRS Off Your Health Care Act, S. 983, on Thursday. Lawmakers have been calling for investigations and limitations on the IRS since it admitted to applying extra scrutiny to conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. "I do not support ObamaCare, and after the events of last week, I cannot support giving the IRS any more responsibility or taxpayer dollars to implement a broken law," Cornyn said.

Republican have expressed concern that the Affordable Care Act gives the IRS more power at a time when the agency abused its current authority by targeting Tea Party groups. "The official who oversaw the targeting of Tea Party groups is now in charge of implementing ObamaCare at the IRS," Cornyn said. "Now more than ever, we need to prevent the IRS from having any role in Americans' healthcare."

The IRS is involved in ObamaCare because it will enforce the requirement that most people buy health insurance or face fines for failing to meet this mandate. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the law is constitutional, and that these fines for failing to buy health insurance are allowable when viewed as a tax.
Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) introduced a similar bill in the House on Thursday. Her bill, H.R. 2022, would stop the IRS from implementing the tax under ObamaCare until it guarantees that taxpayer information will not be used to politically target any individual or group that provides information to the IRS. The IRS targeting scandal underscores the urgent need to prevent future abuses of taxpayer information at all government agencies involved with ObamaCare," Black said Friday. "Government bureaucrats are currently building the largest personal information database of U.S. citizens, known as the federal data services hub, which will be used for the implementation and enforcement of ObamaCare. "ObamaCare's data hub is a ticking time bomb. Unless action is taken to protect the American people, the IRS scandal will only be the beginning of many more abuses of power by government bureaucrats." (The Hill) Read more.

- Lord God, the shaking of everything that can be shaken is now overtaking the Internal Revenue Service because sin has surfaced in the camp and God will not tolerate their usurping the limitations of their authority. Father God, strengthen those who will stand up in the power and direction of the Lord to embolden the rights of the people and secure their protection. Cast down the overpowering warrior god-like nature of the IRS that has ruled with an iron hand and bring every facet of their operation under the subjection of Almighty God that they all personally witness Your heavenly strength over the affairs of men. In Jesus' Name we pray.

- "Because I will proclaim the Name of the Lord; ascribe greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." (Deuteronomy 32:3-4)

5. HOUSE VOTES TO REPEAL OBAMACARE

ObamaCare is falling apart. Two-thirds of the states have refused to set up the health insurance exchanges. Only 26 Governors support Medicaid expansion. And, as Phyllis noted in a recent column, even one of ObamaCare's leading architects, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana), admits it is heading for a "train wreck" later this year. ABC News reported that the IRS official in charge of tax-exempt organizations from 2009 to 2012, when tea party conservative groups were improperly targeted for scrutiny and harassment, is now in charge of the office responsible for enforcing ObamaCare! The IRS official, Sarah Hall Ingram, received over $100,000 in bonuses during the years 2009-2012 on top of her $170,000 annual salary.

Last Thursday evening, in the House of Representatives, two Democrats voted with 227 Republicans and passed another full repeal of ObamaCare. This is the 37th bill to pass the U.S. House that repeals or rescinds funding for all or part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Seven of these bills have been passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President. See that list here.

It is important to follow up with your Representative on this vote by either thanking them or disapproving of their position. Click here to send your member a note, with talking points provided, according to their vote. (Eagle Forum)
- Mighty God, we thank our Most Holy God for standing tall to affirm the prophetic vision which showed ObamaCare turning to sawdust as Jesus held it in His hands. It was a spectacular sight to watch ObamaCare sift through the fingers of Jesus onto the floor as it became a mound of sawdust at His feet. Nothing known to man can put together what Jesus turned to sawdust. This is established in heaven. End of fight. Blessed be the Name of Jesus.

- "And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." (Genesis 41:32)

6. HEALTH CARE CONSCIENCE RIGHTS ACT INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Several conservative members of the US House of Representatives have introduced new legislation that will protect Americans' First Amendment rights and put an end to the Obama Administration's assault on religious liberty.

It is called the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (HCCRA), and it would give full exemption from the Obamacare mandate to provide abortions and abortion related drugs in health care coverage, as well as protect individuals and health care entities that refuse to provide, pay for or refer patients to abortion providers because of their religious beliefs. In other words, it will prevent the violation of our right to religious conscience and to live our faith in our daily lives.

Since these mandates have been put in place, businesses all across our country are facing millions of dollars in fines unless they agree to pay for abortion-inducing drugs. (Christian Coalition of America; CCOA) > > > The Coalition is sponsoring a petition to ask your own member of Congress to support this bill. To sign that petition (at no cost to you), please go here.
- Father God, organizations seek to be free to follow their consciences in healthcare and know that, as written, this huge healthcare law will not allow that. We ask that You would come strongly against any hindrance to this bill passing in both Houses of Congress and that it would become law immediately. Thank You that our leaders are standing up to tyranny.

-"So you will purge from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 21:9)

7. NO TAXPAYERS' ABORTIONS ACT INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

"Even the Guttmacher Institute, the former research arm of Planned Parenthood, confirms that taxpayer funding bans are a proven abortion reduction method. According to Guttmacher, studies show that when abortion is not publically funded, abortions in the covered population are reduced by roughly 25 percent." - Congressman Chris Smith.

(Washington, DC)-On May 15, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), announced the introduction of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The legislation, which has been introduced as H.R. 7 in the House and S. 946 in the Senate, has the support of 95 cosponsors in the House and 21 in the Senate.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" will eliminate the need for numerous, separate, annual abortion funding prohibitions (called riders) and ensure that no other program or agency is exempt from this important safeguard.
Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) said: "The overwhelming view of Americans is their tax dollars should not be used to pay for abortions. Yet taxpayer dollars are poised to pay for abortions through the Affordable Care Act and we continue to rely on the dangerous practice of passing annual riders to carry out the desire of the American people that taxpayer-funded abortions should be prohibited," Rep. Lipinski said. "This legislation makes perfect sense by answering to the public's wishes, making longtime federal policy permanent law and protecting innocent life that deserves to be protected."

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) said: "The sanctity of human life for all, including the unborn, is deeply rooted in my beliefs and reflected in American values. For more than 30 years, Congress has enacted annual provisions in appropriations bills to make certain American taxpayers are not funding abortions. It is past time for a single, government-wide prohibition on abortion funding. This legislation accomplishes that goal by establishing a comprehensive policy prohibiting public funding for abortion in all federal programs. This approach will reduce the need for separate abortion funding policies and ensure that no federal program is exempt from this prohibition."

- Praise You, Lord, for the continued march against the horror of abortion by the introduction of this bill in the House and the Senate. We speak success to this effort and pray that it will have so much support that its passage would be assured. We pray for You, oh Lord, to work by Your Spirit in the hearts of the members of Congress to vote for this bill that promotes life and not death.

- "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)

8. REP. FRANKS TO OFFER LATE-TERM ABORTION BAN AFTER GOSNELL CASE

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) will offer a bill to ban late-term abortions in response to the gruesome case of Kermit Gosnell, an abortion provider recently convicted of killing three viable infants. Franks announced Friday that he will revise his measure banning late-term procedures in the District of Columbia to apply to the nation as a whole. The bill will criminalize abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the disputed premise that fetuses can feel pain at that stage.

In a statement, Franks compared late-term abortions to Gosnell's killing of three infants born alive after failed abortion procedures. The conviction took place last Monday. "Had Kermit Gosnell dismembered these babies before they had traveled down the birth canal only moments earlier, he would have, in many places nationwide, been performing an entirely legal procedure," Franks said.

Franks is a leading opponent of abortion rights in the GOP-led House, known for his bills to ban sex-selective abortions and late-term abortions in D.C. His forthcoming legislation promises to create a major fight between House Republicans and supporters of abortion rights, who argue that prohibiting abortion before fetal viability is unconstitutional.
The bill could pass the House but has little chance in the Democrat-led Senate.

Franks will revise his measure next Thursday at a hearing of the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, which he leads. (The Hill) Read more.

- Our Mighty God, we rejoice that pro-life Congressmen are seeking to save the lives of the unborn in our nation. We ask that the hearts of those in Congress would be moved by the recent revelations of what really happens in an abortion center and that they would have mercy on the preborn. We overrule the declaration in this report that this bill "has little chance (of passage) in the Democrat-led Senate" and we ask for its passage in both Houses of Congress. Thank You for the leadership of Rep. Trent Franks, Lord, and please protect him and his family in the days ahead. In Jesus' Name, amen.

- "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

9. FEDERAL BILL WOULD PENALIZE ADOPTION AGENCIES THE PRIORITIZE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNITS

The bill, H.R. 1681, co-sponsored by Reps. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), would cut off the federal funding of any agency -- including faith-based charities -- that seek the safest and most nurturing home for kids. If it passes, the official policy of the U.S. government would be to penalize organizations who take the well-being of children into account in adoption placement. . . If H.R. 1681 became law, faith-based groups would be driven out of the adoption business all across America -- leaving children and prospective parents with even fewer options for building families. (LifeSiteNews) Read more.

- Build a FIREWALL OF PRAYER around the faith-based adoption agencies in our nation, that they be protected and free to serve the best interests of adoptive children. Then, take the HAMMER OF GOD and decree an end to this wicked bill, in Jesus' Name. Please remember to ask God to forgive its sponsors, for they know not what they do. In Jesus' Name, amen.

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

10. BIOMETRIC DATABASE OF ALL ADULT AMERICANS HIDDEN IN IMMIGRATION BILL

The immigration reform measure the Senate began debating yesterday would create a national biometric database of virtually every adult in the U.S., in what privacy groups fear could be the first step to a ubiquitous national identification system.

Buried in the more than 800 pages of the bipartisan legislation (.pdf) is language mandating the creation of the innocuously-named "photo tool," a massive federal database administered by the Department of Homeland Security and containing names, ages, Social Security numbers and photographs of everyone in the country with a driver's license or other state-issued photo ID. Employers would be obliged to look up every new hire in the database to verify that they match their photo. (Wired.com) Read more.
- Pray that policies that need to be exposed and examined by the American public be brought forward for discussion in the pending immigration bill. Pray that this nation's citizens would not be suppressed by an unwanted database of personal images if unwarranted by Congressional analysis and public debate.

- "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart." (Proverbs 21:2)

At the White House

At the White House

WHITE HOUSE IN DAMAGE CONTROL
"D.C. TURNS ON OBAMA"
TRYING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT: FROM BENGHAZI TO IRS
GOVERNMENT OBTAINS WIDE AP PHONE RECORDS IN PROBE
DO BENGHAZI EMAILS . . . CONTRADICT HILLARY'S TESTIMONY?
SECOND COURT INVALIDATES OBAMA APPTS.TO LABOR BOARD
PUBLIC BACKLASH AGAINST DOE'S COMMON CORE CURRICULUM
STATES FIGHTING BACK AGAINST COMMON CORE STANDARDS
ON JOBS TRIP, OBAMA TRIES TO LEAVE PROBLEMS BEHIND

1. WHITE HOUSE IN DAMAGE CONTROL

White House in damage control mode as potential scandals pile up

The White House was in damage control mode Tuesday as an escalating series of potential scandals raised questions about whether officials abused their authority -- all while threatening to undermine President Obama's second-term ambitions.

The latest controversy to hit the headlines was the allegation that the Justice Department secretly obtained two months of phone records from Associated Press journalists. The AP went public with the charge Monday, and quickly earned sympathy from lawmakers on both sides who widely agreed that the record grab appeared to be unnecessarily intrusive.

This came on top of acknowledgement by the IRS that its agents had singled out conservative groups for additional scrutiny. In response, the administration made a series of announcements on Tuesday.

. . . Obama, in a press conference on Monday, downplayed the scandals. He called Benghazi a political "sideshow" driven by partisan motives. As for the IRS, he made clear that he found the alleged conduct to be unacceptable and would not tolerate it.
But the administration has distanced itself from that controversy, attributing it to the actions of low-level staffers. The White House also distanced itself from the AP phone record grab, referring questions to the Justice Department. (Fox News) Read more.

- - In His Word, our Lord instructs us to "rejoice always" - no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. Let's continue to rejoice in Him, and in the fact that we can, indeed, call Him our Father, if we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Lord. Amen.

- (Please heed this word of caution) "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them." (Proverbs 24:17,18)

2. "D.C. TURNS ON OBAMA"

The town is turning on President Obama - and this is very bad news for this White House.

Republicans have waited five years for the moment to put the screws to Obama - and they have one-third of all congressional committees on the case now. Establishment Democrats, never big fans of this president to begin with, are starting to speak out. And reporters are tripping over themselves to condemn lies, bullying and shadiness in the Obama administration. Buy-in from all three D.C. stakeholders is an essential ingredient for a good old fashioned Washington pile-on - so get ready for bad stories and public scolding to pile-up.

Obama's aloof mien and holier-than-thou rhetoric have left him with little reservoir of good will, even among Democrats. And the press, after years of being accused of being soft on Obama while being berated by West Wing aides on matters big and small, now has every incentive to be as ruthless as can be. (CowboyByte.com) Read more.
- Father in heaven, the prophetic Word of the Lord holds true. From the beginning, God prophetically showed the vision that the man appeared as a life-size two-inch thick cardboard poster, which after a little while began to become smaller and smaller in size as the poster gradually turned to sawdust in a heap on the floor. This vision is being fulfilled as we speak. He is in the hands of a mighty God who will bring it to pass. In Jesus' Name.

- "The vision. Thus says the Lord God concerning this man: We have heard a message from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against him in battle. Behold, I have made you small among the heathen: you are greatly despised. The pride in your heart has deceived you, you that dwell in the cleft of the rock, whose habitation is high: that says in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though you exalt yourself as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, thence will I bring you down, says the Lord." (Obadiah 1:1-4)

3. TRYING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT: FROM BENGHAZI TO IRS

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann accused the Obama administration of orchestrating yet another information dump on a "Friday dump day" at the end of last week. Indeed, this was one of their most clever Friday dumps yet.

Two days following shocking revelations about what is arguably the worst presidential (cover-up) scandal in American history, the BenghaziGate scandal -- involving the dereliction of duty by the Obama administration regarding the September 11, 2012 Islamic terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya and the preventable assassinations of Obama's Ambassador to Libya; his fellow diplomat, and two Navy Seals -- the Obama administration tried to change the subject to what has become another new Obama scandal.

The Internal Revenue Service -- obviously now under the thumb of the Obama administration -- revealed that it has been playing politics in the two years leading up to last year's presidential election by targeting conservative and tea-party organizations. The IRS's intimidation of conservative groups scared possible donors into not donating to conservative and Tea Party groups. Likewise, the IRS intimidated grassroots groups into doing nothing to support conservative candidates for all sorts of offices including the presidential race. And that is exactly what some officials in the Obama administration wanted.

And change the subject it has. Yesterday's top story in many newspapers and other media outlets around the country featured the IRS attack on Tea Party and conservative groups. Monday's "USA Today's" front-page headline blared: "GOP Demands Obama Apology; Seeks Probe of IRS for Singling out Tea Party." A headline in "The Wall Street Journal" said: "Chiefs at IRS Knew of Targeting." The past two editions of "The Washington Times" had front-page headlines: "Outraged GOP: It's time to audit IRS; Conservative group targeting 'chilling,'" and "Congress pounces on IRS target revelations." (Christian Coalition of America) Read more.

- We all learned our lesson under President Clinton, who showed us how to "wag the dog:" -- when trouble hit, just create a crisis somewhere else to divert attention away from the problem. BUT NO MORE. We have learned our lesson; we remain on watch; and we pray.

- "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved." (Habakkuk 2:1)

4. GOVERNMENT OBTAINS WIDE AP PHONE RECORDS IN PROBE

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department secretly obtained two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press in what the news cooperative's top executive called a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into how news organizations gather the news.

The records obtained by the Justice Department listed outgoing calls for the work and personal phone numbers of individual reporters, for general AP office numbers in New York, Washington and Hartford, Conn., and for the main number for the AP in the House of Representatives press gallery, according to attorneys for the AP. It was not clear if the records also included incoming calls or the duration of the calls.

In all, the government seized the records for more than 20 separate telephone lines assigned to AP and its journalists in April and May of 2012.

The exact number of journalists who used the phone lines during that period is unknown, but more than 100 journalists work in the offices where phone records were targeted, on a wide array of stories about government and other matters.
In a letter of protest sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday, AP President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Pruitt said the government sought and obtained information far beyond anything that could be justified by any specific investigation. He demanded the return of the phone records and destruction of all copies. (AP) Read more.

- For years now, we have been crying out that the media, the Fourth Estate in our nation, be awakened from its slumber and begin to report the truth to the American public. It seems our time has come. Call forth Romans 8:28 over this debacle; God has a redemptive purpose in this story! Amen!

- "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 )

5. DO BENGHAZI EMAILS . . . CONTRADICT HILLARY'S JANUARY TESTIMONY?

Problems continue to be mounting for the former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. When the Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes identified former State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland as being involved in the altering of Benghazi talking points, the mouthpiece for Hillary was implicated. Now that the White House has released more emails, it appears Hillary's former Deputy Chief of Staff has been further implicated in changing those talking points as well and with a high level White House official.

Let's go back to Hillary's written testimony / opening statement on January 23rd at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. In it, she said, in part:

"First, let's start on the night of September 11 itself and those difficult early days. I directed our response from the State Department and stayed in close contact with officials from across our government and the Libyan government. So I saw first-hand what Ambassador Thomas Pickering and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen called "timely" and "exceptional" coordination. No delays in decision-making."

Apparently, 'no delays in decision-making' appears to have also been applied to altering Susan Rice's talking points. (Shoebat Newsletter) Read more.

- Sovereign Lord of the Universe, we beseech You to help us as a nation expose the unrighteous acts done in darkness. We ask that You bless the families of those who have lost loved ones in this tragic event. You know all things O Lord. Bring Your righteousness to this whole event. Do not let unrighteous intent rest until it has all been revealed and brought to a rightful conclusion with justice satisfied.

- "The righteousness of the blameless shall rectify and make plain their way and keep it straight, but the wicked shall fall by their own wickedness." (Proverbs 11: 5)

6. SECOND COURT INVALIDATES OBAMA APPOINTMENTS TO LABOR BOARD

A national labor board which has long been accused of making union-friendly decisions was dealt another blow Thursday, after a second federal appeals court found President Obama exceeded his power when he bypassed the Senate to appoint its members. The ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia once again threatened.

For now, the Obama administration has tried to disregard the court decisions -- it has already appealed a similar ruling, from a Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to the Supreme Court.

In the 2-1 decision from the Philadelphia court, judges said Obama had no constitutional authority to install attorney Craig Becker to the labor board in 2010 while the Senate was adjourned for two weeks. This is what's known as a recess appointment. But the court said that under the Constitution recess appointments can be made only between sessions of the Senate, not any time the Senate is away on a break. (Fox News) Read more.
- Abba, we thank You for this ruling in keeping with our Constitution, that has established a governmental system of "checks and balances" between the three branches . . . Judicial, Legislative, and Executive. We have been increasingly concerned about our President deliberately by-passing Congress, in order to further his own individual political goals. We ask that an investigation take place to ensure that the naming of "Czars", and appointments circumventing the Congress, would be studied and remedied, in accordance with our Constitution. Amen.

- "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and loving-kindness and truth go before Your face." (Psalm 89:1)

7. PUBLIC BACKLASH AGAINST DOE'S COMMON CORE CURRICULUM

The national news media haven't discovered it, but the issue that is bringing out hundreds of citizens who never before attended political meetings is Common Core (CC). More precisely, it is the attempt of Barack Obama's Department of Education to force all states and schools to adopt specified national education standards for each grade level that will dictate what all kids learn and don't learn.

Common Core means federal control of school curriculum, i.e., control by Obama Administration leftwing bureaucrats. Federal control will replace all curriculum decisions by state and local school boards, state legislatures, parents, and even Congress because Obama bypassed Congress by using $4 billion of Stimulus money to promote Common Core.

It's not only public schools that must obey the fed's dictates. Common Core will control the curriculum of charter schools, private schools, religious schools, Catholic schools, and homeschooling. . . (Eagle Forum) Read more.
- Thank You Father that You hear us when we cry out to You. We stand in the gap in one accord asking You to step into the deception that is Common Core. We thank You for the spirit of truth and righteousness to dismantle the lie: that You God are not the true God and our children belong to the state and not to their parents. Lord, we know that Common Core works to remove the hearts of the children from their parents teaching them to dishonor their parents because they think in an old way, which has no place in the New World that we want. But we know that it is written: "Honor thy father and thy mother," so we come against this lie in the Name of Jesus.

Father we ask and trust You now to raise up a standard against this evil. We now call parents forth from the north,south, east and west to come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and train up their children in the way they sould go. We do charge the United States Department of Education with trying to kidnap the minds of our children, thanking You Jesus that by Your mighty right hand You will cause the wicked to fall into a pit of their own making. Father we thank You for teachers that will stand up and tell the truth of what is happening in the schools. We ask that all who developed CSCOPE to be found in the wrong and this program will be dismantled. God's 10 Commandments will not be replaced by the 10 Planks of Marxism in these United States of Christ! "Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not lie." May the FEAR of the Lord fall on all who have taken taxpayers' money to deceive our children, and their parents. May God grant them grace to repent of their sin against We The People of the United States of Jesus Christ, let it be so, AMEN.

- It is written: "If anyone causes one of these little ones to sin who believes in me it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and thrown in to the sea." (Matthew18:5) Let it be so now in the name of Jesus.

8. STATES FIGHTING BACK AGAINST COMMON CORE STANDARDS

Bills to repeal CC have been filed in Oklahoma, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama, South Dakota and Georgia, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence just signed a law to "pause" the CC implementation and hold public hearings:

On May 11, 2013, the Governor signed the Indiana Common Core bill. This bill requires the State Board to take no further actions to implement any common core standards and calls for the state board, the legislative study committee, and the office of management and budget to conduct "comprehensive evaluations" of the common core standards. In addition, the state board of education is to hold at least three public meetings. (Eagle Forum) Read more.
- Offer praise that the public IS beginning to sit up, take notice, and block the implementation of these Common Core standards. Research has shown that CC also has a hidden agenda: the United Nations, through this stealth curriculum, will teach our children they are Global citizens rather than citizens of the United States of America. Thank You, Lord, that this wicked agenda is being revealed. We ask now that this plan be STOPPED, in Jesus' Name, amen.

- "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong . . ." (Psalm 5:5)

9. ON JOBS TRIP, OBAMA TRIES TO LEAVE PROBLEMS BEHIND

President Barack Obama tried on Friday to leave behind the political battles that have overshadowed his second-term agenda, saying lawmakers should work on creating more middle-class jobs in the slowly growing economy. "Our work is not done, and our focus cannot drift," Obama said.

Obama's jobs tour took him to Baltimore after riding through one eruption after the other during the past few weeks, from new questions over his administration's handling of last year's deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, to revelations of political targeting at the Internal Revenue Service and a secret probe of The Associated Press and its confidential sources.

"Others may get distracted by chasing every fleeting issue that passes by, but the middle class will always be my No. 1 focus," Obama said at Ellicott Dredges, maker of equipment for digging and pumping projects including mining.
Obama also highlighted his proposal to provide preschool for all low-income families by visiting an early childhood program at Baltimore's Moravia Park Elementary School. He sat at a table in the library with 4- and 5-year-olds learning to draw and write about their favorite zoo animals. "I've got to say, my tiger was not very good," Obama joked later. "The kids were unimpressed." (FresnoBee) Read more.

- It is a sad day when the President of the United States has to flee Washington and escape to a classroom full of innocent kindergarten children to find relief from the pressures he is facing. During his visit with the children, Obama seemed delighted when one child piped up and said, "I see you on TV!" Lift up Barack Hussein Obama, as facts continue to be exposed which point to the corruption of this adminstration. Ask our Lord to give this man no rest, until he turns to the King of Kings to find grace to help in time of need, leading to repentance and salvation through the Shed Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

- "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Focus on the IRS Scandal

Focus on the IRS Scandal

FBI BEGINS CRIMINAL PROBE OF IRS
ACLJ TO SUE IRS ON BEHALF OF PRO-LIFE, TEA PARTY CLIENTS
DETAILS EMERGE RE: IRS "BOLO" ("BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR . . .")
SOROS LINKED TO GROUPS PRESSURING IRS TO TARGET CONSERVATIVES
IRS ASKED PRO-LIFE GROUP ABOUT "THE CONTENT OF THEIR PRAYERS"
A SUMMARY OF IRS ISSUES FROM LAST WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE DAILY BRIEF

1. FBI BEGINS CRIMINAL PROBE OF IRS

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday he had ordered the FBI to open a criminal probe in a growing scandal over the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups for extra tax scrutiny. Holder's announcement came about four hours before an inspector general's report on the IRS portrayed the tax agency as plagued by disarray and "insufficient oversight" during its struggles to review the cases of hundreds of advocacy groups that claimed they should be tax exempt.

The audit, which drew some backlash from IRS officials, also underscored what the agency had acknowledged last Friday: that the IRS had used "inappropriate criteria" for evaluating tax-exempt groups, in part by singling out scores of conservative Tea Party and "Patriot" organizations for increased scrutiny.
Holder said the FBI is coordinating with the Justice Department to see if any laws were broken with the IRS targeting of conservative groups, calling it "outrageous and unacceptable." "I have ordered an investigation to be begun. The FBI is coordinating with the Justice Department to see if any laws were broken in connection with those matters related to the IRS. Those were, I think as everyone can agree, if not criminal, they were certainly outrageous and unacceptable, but we are examining the facts to see if there were criminal violations," Holder said. (Reuters) Read more.

- Heavenly Father, our trust is totally in You. You know the hearts of men and have all authority over all principalities and powers according to Your Word. Please deal with the hearts of these leaders who are in deep need of Your Sovereign wisdom. Deliver us as a nation from any evil and deal exercise Your will over any unexposed tyranny.

- "God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you."
(1 Corinthians 5:13)

2. ACLJ TO SUE IRS ON BEHALF OF PRO-LIFE, TEA PARTY CLIENTS

IRS Will Face Lawsuit Over Targeting of Pro-Life, Conservative Groups

The IRS will soon face more than controversy and Congressional hearings over its discrimination of pro-life and conservative groups. The federal agency will soon find itself in court.

This week, the ACLJ will directly confront the IRS with a lawsuit representing dozens of victims of its discriminatory actions. "As the IRS scandal escalates, with new evidence showing that the IRS even targeted people who "criticize how the country is being run" for extra and unconstitutional scrutiny, our message is clear," Jay Sekulow of the ACLJ says. "Enough is enough."

The head of the pro-life legal group adds: "Today, we're working closely with Members of Congress to demand full information and full accountability from the Obama Administration. But this week we're escalating our attack. We intend to file suit against key officials in the IRS on behalf of potentially dozens of conservative organizations. . .While Congress is doing critical work, this fight is too important to leave in its hands. We have to take the fight directly to the IRS in federal court," Sekulow said.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced he will hold a hearing on the IRS scandal. The federal agency has targeted pro-life groups as well as conservative and religious organizations. In one case LifeNews has profiled, a pro-life group was told it had to promote abortion. A top pro-life legal group also informed LifeNews that cases it handled support mounting accusations that demonstrate the agency's abuse of pro-life organizations. (LifeNews) Read more.

- Lift up Jay Sekulow and his legal team as they prepare lawsuits on behalf of these pro-life groups. Thank goodness, now the shoe is on the other foot and the IRS itself can be sued! Come against all forms of backlash -- from any source -- against ACLJ and the clients that will be named in this suit. Praise God.

- "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" (Isaiah 41:10)

3. DETAILS EMERGE RE: IRS "BOLO" ("BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR . . .")

Internal IRS Mandate: 'Be on the Lookout' for 'Organizations Involved In . . . Educating on Constitution and Bill of Rights'
. . . early last year--as the nation was headed toward a presidential election--the IRS issued a "be on the lookout order" (BOLO) for officials in its "Determinations Unit" to ferret out for heightened scrutiny organizations applying for tax exempt status that were involved in educating Americans "on the Constitution and Bill of Rights." The inspector general's timeline indicates that as early as March 2010 the IRS's "Determinations Unit" had begun targeting for special scrutiny organizations that used in their tax-exempt applications the words "Tea Party" or "Patriots." (CNSNews.com) Read more.
- As chilling as this news is, we are nevertheless praising our God that all of these nefarious schemes are now coming to light. Let the nation cringe in horror at how close we have come to a Stalinist-type regime; and let these culprits now be stopped in their tracks. Enough . . . enough. No more!

- "This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!"
(Job 38:11)

4. SOROS LINKED TO GROUPS PRESSURING IRS TO TARGET CONSERVATIVES

Gave $6.1 Million to Groups Linked to Pressure on IRS to Target Conservative Nonprofits

As IRS efforts targeting politically-conservative groups gained momentum, George Soros-funded liberal groups repeatedly called on the IRS to investigate conservative nonprofit organizations.

While the first reported instances of extra IRS scrutiny for conservative groups began in Cincinnati in March of 2010, the attacks began to pick up steam on a national level soon after Soros-funded groups began firing off letters to the IRS in October of that year - following the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling.
The talking points of these groups then bounced around a carefully created progressive "echo chamber," until they eventually made their way into established media outlets. Key IRS policy changes about how it investigated conservative groups took place soon after it received three separate letters sent by Soros-funded liberal organizations.

Several Soros-funded groups including the Campaign Legal Center, Democracy 21, the Center for Public Integrity, Mother Jones and Alternet have worked to pressure the IRS to target conservative nonprofit groups. The subsequent IRS investigation flagged more than 100 tea party-related applications for higher scrutiny, including applications that included the words "Tea Party" and "patriot." (CNSNews.com) Read more.

- There's that name again . . . George Soros. What a pitiful man this is! But praise God, He died for him, too . . . amazing.

In all honesty, we cannot forgive this man for his wicked deeds; we do not have it in us to do so. But we CAN and we must follow Christ's example at the Cross, when He, too, had come to the end of Himself. As men bartered for His garment as He lay dying, in agony, on that Cross, our Lord LOOKED UP and He said "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
- Today, let us each die to ourselves and LOOK UP, asking our Lord to forgive George Soros, "for he knows not what he does." (Luke 23: 34) Amen.

5. IRS ASKED PRO-LIFE GROUP ABOUT "THE CONTENT OF THEIR PRAYERS"

During a House Ways and Means Committee hearing today, Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., grilled outgoing IRS commissioner Steven Miller about the IRS targeting a pro-life group in Iowa. "Their question, specifically asked from the IRS to the Coalition for Life of Iowa: 'Please detail the content of the members of your organization's prayers,'" Schock declared. "Would that be an inappropriate question to a 501 c3 applicant?" asked Schock. "The content of one's prayers?" "It pains me to say I can't speak to that one either," Miller replied. After Schock pressed him further, Miller explained that although he couldn't comment on the specific case, it would "surprise him" if that question was asked. The report comes from the Thomas More Society, a national public interest law firm for religious liberty.
- My Father, those from the IRS who would specifically ask the Coalition for Life of Iowa group or any other group what is the content of one's prayers is blatantly admitting their insolence and disregard toward the very significance of prayer between one person in communion with the Almighty God in heaven. This power from on high is not the force of intellect, nor is it acquisition of great learning, nor is spiritual power in prayer the keeping of any earthly source of power, but is the result of such power directly from God, bestowed on the soul before the Master and seeks the omnipotence of the Lord they serve. This is hallowed, set apart, for holy use. God, we pray that nothing from the IRS will be able to step into this realm of communion of prayer to our God. In Jesus' Name.
- "Likewise the Holy Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)

6. A SUMMARY OF IRS ISSUES FROM LAST WEEK'S EDITIONS OF THE DAILY BRIEF

All during this past week, as the IRS scandal surfaced and became more and more complex, our editors were tracking all the key events on this news for prayer. In case you missed our alerts, we are going to copy them here, for your review.

To read these headlines, and the prayers that go with them, please go here. Thank you.
- Father God, the sins of the Internal Revenue Service are now coming out of hiding into the light of disclosure and the truth is being revealed. Knowledge gives strength. We pray for the Lord's heavenly presence to come upon all the innocent people tagged by the IRS as Tea Party or Patriots making tax-exempt applications. Protect all their records and personal information and let them all come under Your hands. Lord, dispatch myriads of holy angels to come upon all Americans being attacked by this vicious attempt to quell the gospel and the work of the Lord. In Jesus' Name.

- "God suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; saying, 'Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm." (Psalm 105:14-15)

This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .

This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .

ETERNAL KING
(Meh-lekh O-lahm)

"But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King."
(Jer. 10:10)

You are the Everlasting King. Before time began, You reigned. You reign today. You will reign forevermore. Eternal King, I praise You. What assurance and peace this truth is, that no matter what assails me, Your power will ultimately conquer. Thank You for this perfect divine plan. Amen.

( Source: THE NAME- HaShem: Daily Devotional Worship by Dr. Barri Cae Mallin)
Available on Amazon.com by going here:

http://www.amazon.com/THE-NAME-HaShem-Devotional-Worship/dp/1439263396

Capitol Hill Prayer Partners "Daily Brief"

Monday, May 20, 2013

On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 17a May 20 - 24, 2013