Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"A National Prayer Alliance"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief:
"Praying for All in Authority"
Monday, June 8, 2015
" . . . but all the people shall keep the watch of the Lord."
(2 Chronicles 23:6d)
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A Rainbow Over the Supreme Court
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This photo of the front of the
Supreme Court was taken the night before the hearings on gay marriage: Monday, April 27, at sunset. Please remain with us in prayer over the pending decision on traditional marriage until the verdict has been rendered.
" . . . from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. . . What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mark 10: 6,9)
Thank You, Lord, for watching over this Court. In Jesus' name, amen.
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The Middle East in Focus
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"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10)
1. Insight for Intercessors Weekly Alert - (CHPP)
To read this week's alert, please go here.
2. Hebrew Nation News Weekly Alert - HNN
To read this week's alert from HNN, please go here.
3. Rocket fired from Gaza lands near Ashkelon - Times of Israel
At least one rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in southern Israel Saturday night, moments after sirens signaling incoming missiles sounded off in Ashkelon and the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.
The rocket landed in an open area near Ashkelon where residents reported hearing at least one explosion.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. On Friday, the IDF deployed at least two Iron Dome anti-missile batteries in southern Israel, two days after three rockets were launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip. (Read more)
4. Israel strikes Gaza and closes crossings in response to continued rocket fire - Jerusalem Post
Israel struck a terrorist site in northern Gaza and sealed two border crossings with the Strip on Sunday in response to the latest rocket fire targeting the country's South.
The Israel Air Force launched an overnight air strike Saturday night, hours after a Gazan rocket triggered sirens in Ashkelon and Hof Ashkelon before exploding in an open area. There were no injuries in the rocket attack or the retaliatory strike.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon instructed the IDF to shut down the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings to Gaza and to only allow humanitarian traffic to move across them, the army announced Sunday morning. They will be reopened in line with future security developments, it said. (Read more)
5. Jordan said threatening to renounce citizenship of senior PA officials- Jerusalem Post
Jordan is threatening to revoke the Jordanian citizenship of 30 senior PA officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas and his sons, London- based Alquds Alarabi newspaper reported over the weekend.
It said the threat is seen in the context of the deterioration in relations between Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
The latest crisis erupted after the Jordanians accused Jibril Rajoub, chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, of failing to vote in favor of Prince Ali bin al-Hussein for the presidency of soccer's world governing body, FIFA, during its 65th congress in Zurich last week. (Read more)
6. Hamas to Israel: ISIS-linked rebels trying to spark conflict between us - Jerusalem Post
Israel's defense establishment knows that the recent "trickles" of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel must be stopped before it becomes a routine occurrence. But while Israel has officially placed the responsibility for Wednesday night's rocket fire on Gaza's leadership, Hamas is having a hard time reining in Salafi and jihadist groups in the Strip.
Minutes after Wednesday night's rocket fire, Hamas operatives rushed from their headquarters to find shelter, fearing Israeli retaliation strikes, which came early Thursday morning with as three militant training camps were targeted.
A senior Hamas official sent a message to Israel through Egypt, claiming that an ISIS-affiliated group, which it is currently at odds with, fired the rocket and was using Israel's blaming of Hamas for all attacks coming from Gaza in an attempt to spark an escalation between the two sides. (Read more)
7. Emergency Knesset Session Requested Over Rocket Fire - Israel National News
MK Haim Yellin (Yesh Atid) submitted a formal request for an emergency Knesset session Saturday night, following rocket fire from Gaza which struck a field outside Ashkelon.
"Residents of the south stand firm against the barrage of rocket fire, while the Israeli government does not stand firm against Hamas," the explanatory note for the request states. "In the absence of a formal policy, is no wonder that we can not reach a long-term agreement, and military ping-pong continues - no military victory will not help without a political decision."
"Operation Protective Edge never finished - a war is finished when there is an arrangement that leads to quiet," it continues. "It cannot be that Israel will rehabilitate Gaza without demilitarization; this is a blatant violation of the promise of the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense."
"When leaders need to attack and defend their citizens, they choose to bury their heads in the sand," it adds. "Israeli citizens are entitled to the quiet! In view of the continued rocket fire at Israel, I will raise this issue on the Knesset's agenda." (Read more)
8. BREAKING! Erdogan's ambitions of power reined in by elections blow - Times of Israel
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - In a stunning rebuke of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ambitions to expand his powers, Turkish voters stripped his party of its simple majority in parliament, preliminary election results showed Sunday.
With 99.9 percent of the vote counted, Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party, the AKP, had the support of around 41% of voters, state-run TRT television said. According to projections, that would give it some 258 seats - 18 below the minimum needed to keep its majority.
The unexpected setback for AKP likely puts an end, for the time being, to Erdogan's hopes of passing constitutional changes that would have greatly boosted the powers of his office. Instead, he faces struggles to retain his pre-eminent place in Turkish politics without the obvious levers to steer the government through his party in parliament. (Read more)
- Father, we offer You praise today for this turn of events in the life of Turkish President Erdogan. Abba, his campaign to recapture the presidency was so vitriolic and hateful against Israel and the Jews . . . this man had to be stopped. Thank You, Lord, that his power has now been greatly curtailed in the nation of Turkey. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.
- "Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment-
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 149:5-9)
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The Daily Brief
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1. President Obama delivers eulogy at Beau Biden's funeral - Fox News
President Obama fought back tears Saturday as he remembered the son of Vice President Joe Biden as the "consummate public servant" who learned through early tragedy what mattered most and resolved to "live a life of meaning." Obama choked with emotion during his moving eulogy to Beau Biden which he concluded by saying, "God bless his memory and all he touched."
Saturday's Mass honoring his own son was a reversal of roles of sorts for Biden, who in 2012 spoke of his son's service in Iraq as he comforted a group of grieving military families.
"When he came home -- it's going to sound strange to you -- we felt almost a little guilty because he came home," Biden said then. "Because there's so many funerals I've attended, so many bases I've visited. And you know, not all losses are equal. Not all losses are equal." (Read more)
- Lord God, there are specific times when You do move in the hearts of kings. We ask that this emotional event over this past weekend, and its meaning, not be lost upon all dignitaries present, but that they would heed and not forget the message of salvation delivered by the officiating priest, repent, turn from their wicked ways, and come to You. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen and amen.
- "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation." (Hebrews 9:27,28)
2. Senator to Obama: Justify keeping trade deal secret - WND
As it becomes apparent that most members of Congress haven't even read the draft of a trade deal criticized by opponents as a monumental surrender of U.S. sovereignty, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., is demanding President Obama explain the legal basis for not releasing the text to the public.
In a letter to Obama delivered Friday, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest noted the president is asking for "fast-track executive authority" to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement and other trade deals. Trade Promotion Authority, Sessions reminded Obama, would take away the most basic congressional powers, including the power to write, amend and fully consider legislation on the floor.
Contending the TPP is more a treaty than a trade deal - creating a "nascent European Union" - the implications are "extraordinary," Sessions said. Ratifying a treaty requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate. With fast-track authority, an agreement like the TPP could be passed with only a majority vote of both the Senate and the House, and no amendments would be allowed. "I would therefore ask that you provide to me the legal and constitutional basis for keeping this information from the public and explain why I cannot share the details of what I have read with the American people," Sessions wrote in his letter, which was first published by Breitbart News. (Read more)
- Abba Father, we thank You for Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama for rising up and asking our US president to share what this Trans Pacific Partnership agreement involves since it is more a treaty rather than a trade agreement. Father, we ask You to rise up and confront our president in the night hours and in his times of reflection to acknowledge the need for Congress to review this agreement, and to acknowledge the public's right to know what this agreement contains and how it will impact all of our lives. We ask this in the Name of Jesus and under His Shed Blood, Amen and Amen.
- "It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness." (Proverbs 16:12)
3. Vets told they can 'buy back' 2nd Amendment rights - WND
A legal team investigating the Obama administration's order that certain American military veterans deemed "incompetent" give up their weapons says the problem is worse than expected.
People who live with veterans now are being ordered not to possess a gun, and some veterans are told they can "buy back" their Second Amendment rights by giving up their veterans' benefits.
"This is simply unbelievable, On the one hand the [Veterans Administration] and the FBI have found veterans to be mentally ill and too dangerous to be allowed to own firearms, while on the other hand allowing these allegedly dangerous people to buy their firearms rights back," wrote Michael Connelly, executive director of the United States Justice Foundation in a report.
"This is illegal and is called extortion."
The organization has been looking into claims by a number of veterans and their family members. The veterans were sent a letter telling them they were being classified as incompetent and the government was assigning someone to help them handle their benefits and payments.
Consequently, they were told, they could no longer own weapons, under penalty of fines and jail time. The problem was that the veterans were being determined guilty without a hearing regarding the potential loss of their constitutional rights, USJF said at the time. (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, this news is quite ugly and contrary to all previous actions regarding veteran's benefits. These veterans are being prejudged without a hearing or firm evidence but solely based on them being a veteran. We see that a few veterans are even being told that they have to give up their veteran benefits if they want to 'buy back' their right to own a gun. We cry forth mercy for them, Father. This is truly evil. We take the Blood Bought Cross of Jesus Christ and drive it down through all this vileness so that these wicked requirements are shattered and of no effect, praying this in the Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
- "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 16:25 )
4. Nearly Half of U.S. Citizens Can't Afford Unexpected $400 Bill - Forgo Medical Treatment - CNSNews.com
Nearly half of American households would not be able to afford a $400 emergency, according to a recent report from the Federal Reserve.
The Federal Reserve Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2014 says that 47 percent indicate that they would have great difficulty handling an unexpected $400 expense.
"Specifically, respondents indicate that they simply could not cover the expense (14 percent); would sell something (10 percent); or would rely on one or more means of borrowing to pay for at least part of the expense, including paying with a credit card that they pay off over time (18 percent), borrowing from friends or family (13 percent), or using a payday loan (2 percent)," the report says.
Even though it has been over 5 years since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, 47 percent of Americans responding to the Federal Reserve study claimed that they "avoided medical treatment because of the cost." (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, we again stand in repentance for our sins and the sins of our nation that have allowed us to be subjected to this destructive healthcare bill called 'Obamacare'. It seems we constantly hear of how people are not getting healthcare services that they need as they just do not have the funds to pay for it. As You know, Father, there is such a high percentage of people who cannot find work despite trying and others who do work but do not earn sufficient pay to meet the costs for both healthcare plus other necessities. Help us, Father, we pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- "You will save the humble people; but Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down." (2 Samuel 22:28)
5. NYT: Billionaire George Soros Financing Dems' Voter Rights Lawsuits - CNSNews.com
Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has agreed to spend as much as $5 million on Democrats' court battles against voting laws passed in recent years by Republican-controlled state governments such as in Ohio and Wisconsin.
"We hope to see these unfair laws, which often disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our society, repealed," the Hungarian-born investor has said about the legal battles, describing himself as being "proud" of his involvement, reports The New York Times.
Soros political adviser Michael Vachon said the billionaire has given $1 million so far this year to the liberal research super PAC American Bridge. The lawsuits include attacks on voter ID requirements, time restrictions on early voting that make it difficult to cast ballots on the weekend before Election Day, and rules nullifying ballots that are cast in wrong precincts. (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, we again bring this man, George Soros, before Your throne, asking for You to awaken him into Your glorious truths and light if he will come as he acts so often to destroy and damage lives. For states to require someone to show this is the one and only time this person intends to vote and that they are a citizen of the state who has registered to vote is a logical set of requirements. However this man, it appears, wants the voting process to be open to deception and voter fraud. Father, if he will not repent and seek Your forgiveness, then we ask that You move him quickly aside and stop his constant destructive actions, praying this in the Name of Jesus and under His Shed Blood, Amen and Amen.
- "An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire." (Prov. 16:27)
6. Chuck Norris: Did ISIS give a clue about Jade Helm 15? - WND
. . .The exact words in my past column about Jade Helm 15 were: "I do believe, in addition to the largest domestic military training, it is also a display of power (near the southern border) intended for deterrence of enemies like ISIS and other terrorists, whom the FBI has already said have tentacles in all 50 states."
And guess who just released its intent to smuggle nuclear weapons across the U.S.-Mexico border? You guessed it. Granted, ISIS is a band of liars following the father of lies, but that doesn't mean there isn't a nugget of truth in its propaganda, especially when experts agree. ISIS even has a nuclear plan. (Read more)
- Lord, we cannot begin to know the full extent nor the actual agenda of Jade Helm 15, but we do find this article to be of interest. If ISIS can, indeed, begin to procure nuclear weapons and then smuggle them across our southern border, then we have an urgent need to pray. Help us, Lord, we ask in Jesus' name, amen and amen.
- "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD." (Proverbs 21:31)
7. ISIS is turning US Humvees into Iraq's worst nightmare - Business Insider
More than two-thirds of the Humvees the US supplied to Iraq to fight terrorists have ended up in the hands of Islamic State militants.
And the Islamic State (aka ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh, has not wasted any time in converting those vehicles into one of its deadliest and most nightmarish tools: suicide car bombs.
According to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, ISIS controls about 2,300 armored US Humvees. Most of those vehicles were seized after ISIS overran Mosul in June 2014.
In addition to being used in further attacks against Iraqi forces, these vehicles were sent over the border to Syria to help ISIS solidify its foothold there. (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, we ask that You rise up and extend Your righteous right hand, bringing that mighty hand down and shattering all these resources to pieces so that they are useless tools. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
- " . . . He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 17:5)
8. Worldwide Campaign Seeks to 'Blacken Israel's Name' - CBN
What does the Presbyterian Church USA and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters have in common? They both support boycotting Israel, a sweeping movement that's trying to delegitimize the Jewish state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a great struggle and international campaign is being waged against his country to "blacken its name."
"It is not connected to our actions; it is connected to our very existence," Netanyahu said. "It does not matter what we do; it matters what we symbolize and what we are."
It's all part of BDS, whose goal is to punish Israel by encouraging artists, companies, academia, countries and even churches to boycott its products, divest from its companies, and impose sanctions on the Jewish state. (Read more)
- Abba Father, we stand in the gap and repent for this ever spreading deception that is occurring against Your special land and people. We do not know what to say except that Your Word warned us this kind of thing would occur during the Biblical times we are living in. We repent that we have allowed our nation, the US, to fall so far away from Your Word and Your ways, praying this in the Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
- "Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back." (Psalm 129:5)
9. Good news! Sheldon Adelson Hosts Billionaires Meeting to Fight Israel Boycott Push - Newsmax
Gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson is meeting this weekend at his Las Vegas casino, The Venetian, with fellow pro-Israel billionaires and activists to discuss how to combat a growing movement on university campuses in the United States and Europe to boycott Israel. The Israeli government considers the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign anti semitic and says the movement is focused on the destruction of the Jewish homeland, reports The Guardian. The movement's leaders support combining Israeli and Palestinian territories into one country while giving equality to both the Jewish and Arab populations. (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, we lift up praise that Sheldon Adelson is hosting this meeting of fellow pro-Israel billionaires and activists to discuss how to combat the growing movement on university campuses in the United States and Europe to boycott Israel. We ask You to rise up and bless Sheldon Adelson and his fellow workers' efforts to counter this ugly anti-semitic movement, especially with how the young people in college are being taught these destructive lies. Have mercy, Father, and awaken the young people to how they are being used as tools for this wicked agenda. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
- "The Lord bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!" (Psalm 128:5-6)
10. Egyptian court overturns naming Hamas terror organization - AP
An Egyptian court overturned a decision naming Hamas a terrorist organization Saturday, a ruling coming after months of increasing hostility to the blockaded rulers of the Gaza Strip. The Urgent Matters Appeals Court cited a lack of jurisdiction as the reason for annulling the earlier court's ruling.
Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, welcomed the court's ruling, saying it would have "positive consequences on the relationship between Hamas and Egypt."
Egypt initially declared the group a terrorist organization in February. That ruling further isolated Hamas, which once found open support under Egypt's toppled Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Egypt's new government recently has begun clearing a buffer zone along its border with Gaza Strip in an attempt to destroy a cross-border network of tunnels that Hamas considers a lifeline.
In recent months Egypt has appeared increasingly hostile to Hamas, which it has blamed for violence in the country's restive Sinai Peninsula. The secretive movement, founded in Gaza in 1987 as an offshoot of the region's Egyptian-originated Muslim Brotherhood, faces a growing cash crunch and has yet to lay out a strategy to extract Gaza from its increasingly dire situation.
There was no immediate government reaction to the court's decision. (Read more)
- Heavenly Father, what this article reports is a step backwards for dealing with the terrorist group Hamas. This move saddens us Father! This ruling appears to be contrary to what the general government of Egypt is doing to protect itself from Hamas. We ask that You rise up and confront in their innermost spirit in Egypt whomever needs to act to again label Hamas correctly as a threat and a terrorist group to the people of not only Egypt but the rest of the world. We lift up praise to You for doing this, Father, praying in Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.
- "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)
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Remembering D-Day (I)
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Remembering D-Day
By Gary Bauer
[Published on Friday, June 5]
Tomorrow is the 71st anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of France that marked the beginning of the end of World War II.
America still has the most powerful military in the world. Its technological sophistication surpasses anything our leaders of 70 years ago could have imagined. But when it comes to having the moral courage to do what needs to be done to triumph over evil, our retreat from the values of the Greatest Generation has been nothing short of breathtaking.
Franklin Roosevelt once said that World War II, at its core, was a battle between the cross of Jesus Christ and the crooked cross of the Nazis. Could you imagine our current president saying anything like that?
Let me end on a positive note. On D-Day, Roosevelt led the nation in a prayer for the thousands of men crossing the English Channel. Below are some excerpts of FDR's D-Day prayer. Share them with your children as a reminder of America's rich religious heritage and the courage we drew from it.
"Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. . . .
"They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
"And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas . . . help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice. . . . And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. . . . Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen."
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Remembering D-Day (II)
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D-Day -"Almighty God, Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization . . ." -FDR
D-Day was JUNE 6, 1944.
Over 160,000 troops from America, Britain, Canada, free France, Poland, and other nations landed along a 50-mile stretch of the Normandy coast of France.
It was the largest amphibious invasion force in world history, supported by 5,000 ships with 195,700 navy personnel and 13,000 aircraft.
On that day, the sea along the heavily fortified beaches of Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, Sword and Pointe du Hoc ran red with the blood of almost 9,000 killed or wounded.
It was a major turning point in World War II.
The steps which led up to D-Day deserve serious examination. . .
(The American Minute) Read more here.
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China Hacks Fed Data
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China Hacks Fed Data
Washington is buzzing with the news that Chinese hackers breached databases at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and accessed the personal information of millions of government employees. According to CNN, workers in "nearly every government agency" are affected.
The Washington Post reports that this latest cyberattack was the second time in the less than a year that Chinese hackers have attacked OPM. One former FBI cyber official warned:
"China is everywhere. They're looking to gain social and economic and political advantage over the United States in any way they can. The easiest way to do that is through theft of intellectual property and theft of sensitive information."
President Obama claimed this week that he had restored America's respect around the world. Really? In virtually every foreign arena -- whether it's ISIS in the Middle East, the failure to restrain Russia in Ukraine or China's increasingly aggressive actions -- our enemies sense Obama's weakness and are projecting their power. (Gary Bauer)
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More on that Cyberattack
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More on that Cyberattack:
China's Massive USGOV Data Breach --
What You Need to Know
June 6, 2015
What You Need To Know
On Thurs of last week AlertsUSA subscribers were notified via text messages to their mobile devices regarding warnings issued by the U.S. governments Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI regarding a massive cyberattack and data breach within which hackers accessed the personal information for over 4 MILLION US government employees. Considering the US government's workforce totals nearly 4.2 million personnel, this hack, believed to have been carried out by elements of the Chinese government, appears to have compromised the personal and professional information of nearly 95% of the entire U.S. federal workforce.
Specifically, hackers were able to gain entry into the computers of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and affected their IT systems as well as data storage at the Department of the Interior's data center, which shares services with numerous federal agencies.
In a special update sent Thurs evening, AlertsUSA subscribers were warned that while the scope of the individual personal information stolen has not been made public, it is the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Investigative Service which conducts over 90% of the Government's background investigations for federal security clearances. These investigations and clearances are required for anyone with even the remote possibility of coming in contact with sensitive national security-related information as part of their employment.
At a minimum, everyone hired for a federal job undergoes a basic background check of his or her criminal and credit histories to ensure that all federal employees are "reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and loyal to the United States." From there, the depth and breadth of investigations increase depending on the type of clearance needed.
There are three basic types of security clearances for national security positions in the U.S.. These are confidential, secret and top secret (TS). In addition, various departments and agencies have other clearances, classifications, and designations, such as sensitive compartmented information (SCI), L and Q clearances for the Department of Energy and still other types of background checks, such as a Yankee White for those working with the President and Vice President. While the OPM's background investigative products and services are provided to over 100 different Federal agencies, approximately 80% are conducted on individuals with jobs in or related to the Department of Defense.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU
This is a very serious angle to the overall hacking incident and extends far beyond the threat of identity theft. A foreign government may now be in possession of detailed information on a significant number of U.S. citizens holding some level of security clearance, as well as data pertaining to the sponsoring department, agency, or private sector company operating under federal contract. The value of this kind of information to foreign intelligence services cannot be overstated. Depending on the specifics, such as the nature of someone's work, sponsoring department or agency, as well as the likelihood this information is correlated with that gleaned from other cyber intrusions, these individuals could become targets of interest to foreign intelligence services both within the U.S. as well as when traveling abroad.
AlertsUSA cautions readers that while OPM, DHS and the FBI have already begun efforts at contacting those impacted, if you are a US government or private sector employee whose job requires a federal security clearance, it is extremely important that you proactively contact your department, agency or company Security Officer for updates and specific guidance they may have regarding securing your situation.
Further, AlertsUSA also recommends that if you are planning international travel, even for reasons unrelated to your work, that you contact your department, agency or company Security Officer or Defense Security Service representative for guidance. You are likely already required to do so, but if not, be proactive about it. The Defense Security Service (DOD-DSS) Field Counterintelligence Specialists can provide pre-travel briefings about what to guard against as well as helpful tips for making sure that you are keeping yourself safe and protecting the information you hold. (Source: AlertsUSA) Read more.
> > > Footnote from CHPP: Other sources have indicated that: 1) the actual attack occurred last December; 2) the attack was not discovered until this past April; and 3) the 4,000,000 federal workers who have been impacted by this hit were not notified of this cyberattack until last week. These facts give us cause for concern . . .
- Father God, we lift before You all matters related to the security of our nation in cyberspace, for only You can truly protect us from these hackers. We repent before You, Lord, for our sins as a people, and we nlow see that, because of our arrogance before You, the walls have broken down and the enemy has come in. Help us, O Lord, we pray, in Jesus' name, amen and amen.
- " . . . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place." (2 Chronicles 7:14,15)
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The Hallelujah Corner!
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The Hallelujah Corner!
Muslim Iranian Interrogator Persecuting Christians Gives Life to Christ After Christian Prisoner in Solitary Confinement Shares Gospel
HALLELUJAH!!
An Iranian interrogator involved in the persecution of religious minorities gave his life to Jesus Christ after a Christian woman locked in solitary confinement for three days shared the Gospel with him.
The woman, a house church leader named Noushin, was arrested for her faith and forced into solitary confinement, according to Open Doors USA, an organization that aids persecuted Christians throughout the world.
"I wasn't ready to go to prison," said Noushin to Open Doors. "I knew it was a dirty place, a place where people are tortured and locked up in solitary confinement. I was afraid that I would be so fearful that I would give up all the names of the members of house church. I even feared that I would deny my faith if they tortured me."
During her imprisonment, however, she shared the Gospel with her interrogator after three days of being locked in solitary confinement.
"We talked about Jesus for hours until finally the interrogator gave his heart to Jesus. We prayed together," said Noushin.
"It's an honor for me to talk about Jesus," Noushin told the guard. "You also need Jesus in your life. I cannot be indifferent toward you. I want you to experience the joy and blessing of salvation. I can't keep silent about this."
The preaching of the Gospel is still happening in the predominantly Muslim nation despite immense opposition from the the regime led by President Hassan Rouhani that has imprisoned more religious minorities than previous ones since he was elected in 2013.
The Rouhani regime has led to poor religious freedom conditions and with that has come the imprisonment of various religious minorities, including Christian converts, Sunni Muslims, Sufi Muslims and dissenting Shiite Muslims, according to a report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
"The government of Iran continues to engage in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, including prolonged detention, torture, and executions based primarily or entirely upon the religion of the accused," said the report. (Christian Post) Read more
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Our Weekly Bible Study
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Our Weekly Bible Study:
Sunday, June 7 - Saturday, June 13, 2015
> > > To read the "One Year Bible" weekly letter, go here.
> > > To read the Shabbat Torah readings, go here.
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Our Grandmothers' Songs
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Songs Our Grandmothers Sang:
TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
"I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1)
Editorial comment:
For those of you who have been regular readers of The Daily Brief, you may be aware that, about three months ago, the Lord placed a strong desire in my heart to begin posting the hymns that our grandmothers sang, many years ago. These beautiful hymns often sustained our ancestors through many and difficult trials.
Today, I want to share one more portion of my own testimony: it was my own dear grandmother, Valera Anderson Cochran, who "prayed me into the kingdom," many years ago. She was the only believer in our family, but in time, she won the victory . . . even after she had gone to be with the Lord, when I was borne into His kingdom.
So, Grandma Cochran, I dedicate these hymns now to you, with deepest gratitude for your many years of faithful devotion to me, on your knees . . . believing our God for my salvation.
Praise the Lord! He DOES answer prayer!
In His Amazing Grace,
Sara Cochran Ballenger
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
Lyrics:
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
Melody
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About the Author:
Words: Frances R. Havergal, February 1874.
Music: Louis J. Hérold, 1830
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Signs and Wonders
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Sabah quake toll reaches 13 dead, 6 missing: police
A strong earthquake that jolted Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia has left 13 people dead and another six missing on Southeast Asia's highest peak, an official said. The 6.0-magnitude quake struck early Friday near the picturesque mountain, a popular tourist destination, sending landslides and huge granite boulders tumbling down from its wide, 4,095-metre-high crown. (Business Times) Read more here.
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea." (Luke 21:25)
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The Good News Corner
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Awakening: Is the American Church Stirring with Revival?
(Pompano Beach, FL)-[CBN News] Christians across America say God is telling them He wants to birth a Third Great Awakening in the land. And He's using intense personal encounters with some Christian leaders to tell them He wants them personally involved. (Screengrab via CBN News) "I'm going to send a Third Great Awakening to America," Dutch Sheets, author of An Appeal to Heaven, said he heard the Lord tell him a couple of decades ago.
Christian journalist and author Jennifer LeClaire added that she's been hearing it will be "a greater Great Awakening than the world has ever seen."
She writes all about this coming revival and reformation and how to get there in The Next Great Move of God.
In it, she interviews Christian leaders like Sheets and the great revivalist Reinhard Bonnke, who's moved to America because he believes God is about to save many millions here.
But what's interesting about LeClaire and the origins of The Next Great Move of God is that this journalist had for years just been observing the Lord setting up another awakening.
Then He asked her to personally jump in.
"The Holy Spirit said, 'I would like you to be a participant in the revival, not just an observer of it,'" LeClaire recalled.
So she's now bringing together Christians to pray at a Pompano Beach, Florida, facility where she also often writes. She's hoping her new book will inspire many others to also seek the next move of God. (Read More)
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Worship With Us Today!
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Worship With Us Today!
"Heart of Worship" - Piano Instrumental
For your listening blessing . . . go here.
