Today: pray with others from 10 - noon, EST, during the arguments in the religious freedom case at the Supreme Court for Jack Phillips. For details, please go here.
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
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The Daily Brief
"Praying for All in Authority"
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him." (Psalm 62:5)
To help sustain our work, please go here. Thank you!
Week One: Advent . . . HOPE
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Christmas at the White House
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Christmas at the White House:
President Trump's Address Upon Lighting the National Christmas Tree
(Full Text)
Today's the day that I've been looking very much forward to all year long. It's one that we have heard and we speak about and we dream about and now as the President of the United States, it's my tremendous honor to finally wish America and the world a very Merry Christmas.
I want to thank everyone who has come together here right in front of the White House, that beautiful, beautiful White House, and everyone watching from home to see the lighting of this incredible national Christmas tree.
For nearly a century, through good times and bad, every president has taken part in this wonderful tradition, first started by President Coolidge. But I was informed tonight that the weather we have is the best it's been in 25 years. In fact, I said, 'Is it always like this?' And the secretary said, 'Hasn't been like this for a long time.' So, we are very lucky.
Finally, in 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed legislation making Christmas a Federal holiday. And I sort of feel we are doing that again. That's what's happening.
From the earliest days of our nation, Americans have known Christmas as a time for prayer and worship, for gratitude and good will, for peace and renewal.
Melania and I are full of joy at the start of this very blessed season. We're thrilled to think of the people across the nation and all across the continent whose spirits are lifted by the miracle of Christmas.
For Christians, this is a Holy season - the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Christmas story begins 2000 years ago with a mother, a father, their baby son, and the most extraordinary gift of all, the gift of God's love for all of humanity.
Whatever our beliefs, we know that the birth of Jesus Christ and the story of this incredible life forever changed the course of human history. There's hardly an aspect of our lives today that his life has not touched: art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred dignity of every person everywhere in the world.
Each and every year at Christmas time we recognize that the real spirit of Christmas is not what we have, it's about who we are - each one of us is a child of God.
That is the true source of joy this time of the year.
That is what makes every Christmas 'merry.'
And that is what we remember at today's beautiful ceremony, that we are called to serve one another, to love one another, and to pursue peace in our hearts and all throughout the world.
And so tonight, I thank the millions of Americans who light our lives and brighten our wonderful communities. I thank those who are serving the needy during the season and throughout the year. I thank our military men and women who are stationed around the world keeping us safe.
I thank our law enforcement officers who protect our streets and secure our homeland. I thank America's teachers, pastors, and all those religious, and those people that have taught us so much, for their leadership in our communities and our society.
And, especially tonight, I thank America's families. At Christmas, we are reminded more than ever that the family is the bedrock of American life.
And so, this Christmas we ask for God's
blessings for our family, for our nation. And we pray that our country will be
a place where every child knows a home filled with love, a community rich with
hope, and a nation blessed with faith.
On behalf of Melania, myself, Barron, all of my children, all of my grandchildren - they're here with us tonight - I want to thank you.
God bless you and God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas everybody. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Thank you.
On behalf of Melania, myself, Barron, all of my children, all of my grandchildren - they're here with us tonight - I want to thank you.
God bless you and God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas everybody. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Thank you.
- Father, we continue to thank You for giving us a President who honors You in all he says and does, and who also honors this very special season of the birth of Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
- "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely." (Psalm 135:3)
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Focus on Israel
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1. Tens of thousands turn out in Tel Aviv for anti-corruption 'march of shame' - Times of Israel
Tens of thousands of protesters took part in an anti-corruption demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday night amid the government's efforts to push through the so-called police recommendations bill, which critics say is intended to shield Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a pair of graft probes. The protest, which was organized by the leaders of the weekly anti-corruption demonstrations held near Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's home in Petah Tikva, was held under the banner "The March of Shame." Turnout was far higher than at previous such protests.
(Read more)
2. Report: Saudi Arabia 'doesn't care' about Palestinians, wants to work with Israel against Iran - Jerusalem Online
In an interview with the Telegraph, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former National Security Adviser Yaacov Nagel said that Saudi Arabia is so interested in countering Iran that it is willing to abandon the Palestinians in exchange for diplomatic relations with Jerusalem. Nagel explained that Riyadh wants to begin cooperating with Israel so desperately that it "doesn't care" what kind of deal is reached between Israel and the Palestinians.
"They just have to say there is an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, they don't care, they don't give a damn about what will be in the agreement," Nagel said. "They need to say there is an agreement in order to go for next steps."
(Read more)
3. Jordan begins diplomatic offensive ahead of Trump move on Jerusalem - Jerusalem PostAMMAN
Jordan has begun consultations on convening an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) before an expected move this week by US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a senior Jordanian source said.
A senior US administration official said on Friday that Trump was likely to make the controversial declaration in a speech on Wednesday. Recognizing Jerusalem would upend decades of American policy and possibly inflame tensions in the Middle East.
Jordan, the current president of the Arab summit, would invite members of the two bodies to convene if the recognition is extended, to "discuss ways of dealing with the consequences of such a decision that raised alarm and concern," the senior Jordanian diplomatic source told Reuters.
(Read more)
4. 'Jews will not be persecuted in their own country' - Israel National News
The Knesset will hold, in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Knesset, the first conference of the Lobby for the Mount of Olives under the chairmanship of the Shas faction chairman MK Yoav Ben-Tzur, with whom Arutz Sheva discussed the lobby, its goals, and its achievements to date.
MK Ben-Tzur notes the extensive cooperation he has managed to rally of 65 Knesset members from almost all Knesset parties, from Meretz to the Jewish Home, with only the Joint List having no representation in this lobby.
"The goal is to correct the injustice that, despite Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, one can hardly visit there because of Arab riots. Jews will not be persecuted in their own country. A tough policy is needed in the face of terrorism. We sanctify life and preserve the dignity of those buried."
(Read more)
5. Palestinians, Jordan warn US not to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital - Israel Hayom
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday warned that American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital would jeopardize the White House's nascent Middle East peace efforts. Abbas' comments came amid a diplomatic push by the Palestinian leader to rally international support against the possible American move later this week.
"Any American step related to the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, or moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, represents a threat to the future of the peace process and is unacceptable for the Palestinians, Arabs and internationally," Abbas told a group of visiting Arab lawmakers from Israel, according to the official Wafa news agency.
American officials have said Trump may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week as a way to offset his likely decision to delay fulfilling his campaign promise to relocate the U.S. Embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
(Read more)
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The Daily Brief
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1. Supreme Court allows full enforcement of Trump travel ban - CBS
The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to fully enforce a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries. The justices say in an order Monday that the policy can take full effect even as legal challenges against it make their way through the courts. The ban applies to travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Lower courts had said people from those nations with a claim of a "bona fide" relationship with someone in the United States could not be kept out of the country. Grandparents, cousins and other relatives were among those courts said could not be excluded. (Read more)
- Thank You, Father, for this win at the Supreme Court! We ask as the rest of the court actions come out, that You will continue to work to protect Americans from harm.
- "He who is surety for a stranger will suffer for it." (Proverbs 11:15a)
2. Trump Admin Orders Withdrawal From UN Migrant Accommodating Agreement - New American
On Saturday, December 2, the Donald Trump administration alerted the office of the United Nations secretary-general that the United States of America is withdrawing from a UN agreement aimed at handling migrant and refugee issues. "Today, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations informed the UN Secretary-General that the United States is ending its participation in the Global Compact on Migration," the U.S. mission to the United Nations announced in a press release.
In September 2016, the UN General Assembly unanimously agreed on a resolution - the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants - that the organization's member states would be committed to the document, which "reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by Member States to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move," as described in a UN statement on the goals of the policy. The Declaration contains a call to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to propose a "global compact on refugees" by 2018.
None of this apparently sits well with President Trump.
"The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump Administration's immigration principles. As a result, President Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018," the U.S. statement said. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that "America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe," and that "our generosity will continue."
She added: "But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone. We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty."
And that is the core issue.
Sovereignty surrendered to the United Nations or to any other governing body whether it be through resolutions or trade agreements, is not compatible with the U.S. Constitution which in Article 4, Section 4 guarantees to each state a "republican form of government." (Read more)
- Lord, we thank You that the US will no longer be forced to comply with an agreement that destroys our sovereignty. Let us be free to choose whom we allow to enter and whom we do not for the safety of all US citizens.
- "The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught." (Psalm 9: 15)
3. Trump shrinks Utah monuments created by Obama, Clinton - Fox news
Capping months of speculation, President Trump on Monday signed a pair of executive orders to significantly shrink two of Utah's national monuments - Bears Ears and the Grand Staircase-Escalante - that were created by his Democratic predecessors. The controversial move was pitched by Trump as a win for states' rights and follows an April review conducted by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on the boundaries of large national monuments. The review initially looked at more than two dozen sites designated by presidential decree since the 1990s.
"I know you love this land the best and you know how to protect it and you know how to conserve this land for many, many generations to come," Trump told a group of people at Utah's Capitol in Salt Lake City. "They don't know your land. They don't care for your land like you do."
Trump's presidential proclamations cut Bears Ears by 85 percent and Grand Staircase-Escalante in half. The action is also likely to trigger a legal battle that could alter the government's approach to conservation. Utah's congressional and state leaders lobbied the president to reduce the size of the monuments so the state would have more control on what can be done on the land. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah praised the announcement and said Trump was giving the people of Utah "a voice in the process. (Read more)
- Lord, this action is almost sure to create lawsuits as the President simply returned some of the land back to the people for recreational use, but the narrative is making him look like a monster. We ask that You preserve the rights of the citizens in this matter, and protect Your will regarding these monuments.
- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5)
4. Senator: It's time for US military families to leave South Korea - Military Times
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that he believes it's time to start moving the families of American military personnel out of South Korea as North Korea pushes the U.S. closer to a military conflict. Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he will also urge the Pentagon not to send any more dependents to South Korea.
"It's crazy to send spouses and children to South Korea, given the provocation of North Korea. South Korea should be an unaccompanied tour," the South Carolina Republican said on CBS' "Face the Nation." ″So, I want them to stop sending dependents, and I think it's now time to start moving American dependents out of South Korea."
About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to deter potential aggression from the North. (Read more)
- Lord, it is difficult for our service members to be without their families, as so many thousands of them already have been in other parts of the world. We pray Your covering of wisdom, and comfort to the decision makers in this situation.
- "Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me." (Psalm 17:8b,9)
5. Devin Nunes, House Intel Committee Prepare to Find FBI in Contempt for Mueller Cover-up - Breitbart
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has instructed committee staff to prepare to cite the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in contempt of Congress after the agency failed to turn over documents explaining why agent Peter Strzok had been removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
Byron York of the Washington Examiner reported Saturday that the committee had subpoenaed the FBI in August for information about why Strzok was dropped from Mueller's team. Over the next three months, the FBI repeatedly refused to turn over the requested information. Nunes met and spoke to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, York reported, to no avail. Nunes and the committee continued to pursue the matter right up through Friday, Dec. 1.
The following day, the New York Times and the Washington Post reported that Strzok had been kicked off Mueller's team because of anti-Trump text messages that he was found to have exchanged with FBI lawyer Lisa Page during the 2016 presidential election. Strzok had also worked on the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's storage of emails, including classified information, on an illicit private server. She was not prosecuted. (Read more)
- Lord we pray that every illicit hidden secret within the FBI be revealed, and that justice will prevail over their actions.
"For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." (Isaiah 30:18c)
6. Trump now voices full support for Roy Moore - One News Now
President Donald Trump endorsed embattled Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race on Monday, looking past sexual misconduct allegations against the GOP candidate to argue that his vote is needed in Congress.
Trump tweeted early Monday that "Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama." It was Trump's strongest show of support for Moore since allegations surfaced that the candidate had sexually assaulted teenage girls decades ago, including one who said he molested her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s. Many national Republicans have called on Moore to step aside in the wake of multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations.
Shortly after Trump's tweet, Moore responded on Twitter: "Thankful for President Trump's support. The America First agenda will #MAGA. Can't wait to help him #DrainTheSwamp."
Trump also had assailed Moore's Democratic rival Doug Jones, tweeting that "Putting a Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Puppet Jones into office in Alabama would hurt our great Republican Agenda of low on taxes, tough on crime, strong on military and borders . . . & so much more." (Read more)
- Lord, all of the allegations against him are decades old, and who among us all doesn't have things we are shamed of in our past? We pray against the dirty tactics used against Mr. Moore. We ask that You will search the hearts of the two men running for the Alabama seat, and choose whom You will to win.
- "For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds." (Psalm 7:9c)
7. Soros Army in Alabama to Register Convicted Felons to Vote Against Roy Moore - Breitbart
An organization partnered with a George Soros-financed group and led by a radical leftist who is the half-brother of the infamous controversial Rev. Al Sharpton has been diligently working over the past few weeks to register convicted felons across Alabama. The aim of the effort has been to get as many felons as possible on the roster before last Monday, the deadline to register in order to vote in Alabama's Dec. 12 senate special election that pits Republican Roy Moore against Democratic challenger Doug Jones. The man spearheading the campaign has stated outright that his effort is meant to ensure a Democratic victory in Alabama. The thousands of felons reportedly newly registered over the past few weeks were most likely not included in any recent polling on the Alabama senate race put out by major firms. Jones himself is tied to some of the specific organizations associated with the drive to register felons here. Indeed, as Breitbart News first reported, Jones spearheaded a project for a massively Soros-financed legal activist group demanding full voting rights be given to felons released from prison, including those convicted of murder, rape and other violent crimes. (Read more)
- Father, we ask that You put an end to these plots by George Soros against all that is righteous. We pray that every plan he makes be thwarted and all Your enemies be scattered.
- "For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for behold Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered." (Psalm 92:9)
8. Former N.S.A. Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Information - NYT
A former National Security Agency employee admitted on Friday that he had illegally taken from the agency classified documents believed to have subsequently been stolen from his home computer by hackers working for Russian intelligence. Nghia H. Pho, 67, of Ellicott City, Md., pleaded guilty to one count of willful retention of national defense information, an offense that carries a possible 10-year sentence. Prosecutors agreed not to seek more than eight years, however, and Mr. Pho's attorney, Robert C. Bonsib, will be free to ask for a more lenient sentence. He remains free while awaiting sentencing on April 6.
Mr. Pho had been charged in secret, though some news reports had given a limited description of the case. Officials unsealed the charges on Friday, resolving the long-running mystery of the defendant's identity.
Mr. Pho, who worked as a software developer for the N.S.A., was born in Vietnam but is a naturalized United States citizen. Prosecutors withheld from the public many details of his government work and of the criminal case against him, which is linked to a continuing investigation of Russian hacking. (Read more)
- Father, we pray a hedge of protection around any documents that Mr Pho might have taken. We thank You for deleting any negative plans from whoever stole the documents, and protect every inch of the classified information in them from all foreign governments.
- "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant, but he does not know that the dead are there." (Proverbs 9:17,18a)
9. Half of Yazidis kidnapped by IS still missing - al-Monitor
Around half of the Yazidis kidnapped by the Islamic State group three years ago are still missing, Iraqi Kurdish officials said Sunday. In 2014, IS jihadists killed thousands of Yazidis in Sinjar and kidnapped thousands of women and girls from the religious minority to abuse them as sex slaves.
Kurdish fighters backed by the US-led coalition against IS captured Sinjar from the jihadists in November 2015 before Iraqi security forces took control of the region in October. A top official with the ministry of religious affairs of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq said that some 6,417 Yazidis were abducted by the jihadists from August 3, 2014. Up until December 1, 2017, only 3,207 of them have been rescued or managed to flee their captors, said Khairi Bozani. The remaining 3,210 Yazidis -- including 1,507 women or girls -- were still either held by the jihadists or considered miss ing, he told AFP. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for Your deliverance and mercy over these captives, and for a move of Your Holy Spirit among them and their jailers. The damage that has been done to them cannot be over emphasized- so we pray Your healing touch emotionally and physically.
- "You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah." (Psalm 32:7)
10. Ancient forbidden Christian text of Jesus' 'secret teachings' to his 'brother' found - Fox News
Biblical scholars have discovered the first-known original Greek copy of an ancient forbidden Christian text that purportedly describes Jesus' secret teachings to his "brother" James, an early leader of the Church.
Geoffrey Smith and Brent Landau, religious studies scholars at The University of Texas at Austin, located the rare text in Oxford University archives earlier this year. The experts found several fifth- or sixth-century A.D. Greek fragments of the First Apocalypse of James, one of the books from an ancient collection known as the Nag Hammadi library. Previously, the text was thought to be preserved only via translations in the Egyptian Coptic language.
Only a small number of texts from the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of 13 Coptic Gnostic books discovered in Egypt in 1945, have been found in Greek, their original language of composition. Also known as the "Gnostic Gospels," the books are seen as key documents for understanding Gnosticism, an ancient belief system. (Read more)
- Lord, these doctrines were considered "forbidden" for a reason. We believe the Word of God - Jesus was real, the Son of God, the Lamb - God's perfect offspring- who was sacrificed for our sins so that we might have eternal life.
- "God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, received up in glory. Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 3:16b, Chapter 4:1)
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The Daily Jot
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Monday, December 4, 2017
Of Caesar and Tax Reform
Both the House and the Senate have passed tax reform bills. The Senate finally got its act together and did something, albeit by a slim 51-49 party-line vote with one Republican defecting. It would appear on the surface that these bills are good for America, but that depends on your political leanings. If you are socialist-minded, you may be well disappointed in this legislation. If you believe tax cuts stimulate the economy, create jobs, and allow people to make their own decisions about their hard-earned money, you may be mildly optimistic. It is not perfect legislation. There are people on both sides of the political spectrum who will be highly critical. Next step, reconciliation between the House and the Senate.
The House legislation reduces the number of tax brackets from seven to four-12% for $45,000 and under; 25% for $45-200,000; 35% for $200-500,00 and 39.6% for over $500,000 in income. Married people get a little better break by paying 12% for up to $90,000 in income. The standard deduction increases from $6,350 to $12,000 for singles and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married taxpayers. The personal exemption is eliminated. Mortgage interest is only deductible on $500,000 and existing loans are grandfathered under the old rules. Real estate taxes are allowable deductions up to $10,000. The estate tax exemption is essentially doubled, and eliminated entirely after 2023. The corporate tax rate is reduced from 35% to 20%.
The Senate bill keeps the tax brackets at seven, ranging from 10% to 38.5%. Married people making between $77,400-140,000 will pay 22%. The standard deduction is the same as in the House bill. The Senate bill also eliminates the personal exemption. The House and Senate bills both eliminate state and local income tax deductions and allow real estate deductions up to $10,000. The Senate bill allows a $2,000 per child tax credit where the House bill allows $1,600. It keeps the mortgage interest rate deduction as is. Estate taxes remain the same. The corporate tax rate is the same as the House bill. The big difference between the House and Senate bills is that the Senate repealed the individual mandate of socialist healthcare which forced people to buy health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the tax on those who refused to participate in socialist healthcare cost nearly $33 BILLION a year. In short, those who refused to participate in socialist healthcare imploded the system at a tremendous cost to the government. I remember those who justified paying into forced government healthcare quoting Jesus in Mark 12:17, "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's." In America, there is no Caesar. No dictator. We have a say. Sometimes it takes endurance, but hats off to those who remained steadfast to their Christian principles and didn't participate in this socialist mandate. We at least won a victory in the Senate. Maybe more.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
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RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS AND JUDGMENT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2017, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
This week we continue to watch as our government leaders are coming into judgment for their sins; and the cover-up of those sins. We must know it is only the Hand of the Lord who is exposing and judging these sins.
Matt. 11: 21-24: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which wee down in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.
C. R. Oliver in his book, Holiness and Righteousness, the Regal Pair tells a story of Russia, A Voice from the Grave:
> > > To read this amazing story, and to read the remainder of Pastor Carolyn's sermon, please go here.
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More Daily Features
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More Daily Features
(See below . . .)
- The Persecuted Church
- Classic Hymns
- Signs and Wonders
- The Good News Corner
- Worship with Us Today!
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Prayers for the Persecuted Church
"Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body." (Hebrews 13:3)
Please visit the website for International Christian Concern to lift up prayers for the persecuted around the world, every day. Their link is: www.persecution.org -- or go here to connect. Thank you for interceding for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in Asia, the Islamic World, and the Far East.
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Classic Hymns
BE STILL, MY SOUL
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
BE STILL, MY SOUL
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Lyrics
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake To guide the future, as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart, And all is darkened in the vale of tears, Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears. Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on When we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high; Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways, So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye. Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
Melody
Please go here.
Sung by Libera
About the Author:
Words: Katharina A. von Schlegel, 1752
Melody: Jean Sibelius, 1899
About the Hymn: This hymn was reportedly the favorite of Eric Liddell, the athlete who became famous in the 1924 Olympics for refusing to run on the Sabbath (see the movie Chariots of Fire). Liddell later became a missionary in China, and was imprisoned during World War II. He is said to have taught this hymn to others in the prison camp (where he eventually died of a brain tumor).
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Signs and Wonders
STRANGE ARCTIC RAINBOW
Rainbows usually require liquid water. Droplets falling out of the sky intercept beams of sunlight, reflecting them back in a colorful spray of red, green, and blue. Yesterday, Valtteri Immonen saw such a rainbow over Muonio, Finland, but something was missing: the raindrops. "It was -6 degrees C, no rain and no snowfall," he says. "Yet there was a huge rainbow across the sky."
"I have never seen a rainbow during the winter and I didn't even know that it is possible for them to form when the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius," he marvels.
Atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley says that raindrops must have been present: "The rainbow's appearance, narrow with a supernumerary, says that it was produced with reasonable size water drops, perhaps about 0.5 mm in diameter. I surmise that the there was high level precipitation that did not necessarily reach the ground. The drops could also have been supercooled below the normal freezing point of water," he speculates.
Supercooled raindrops can form when droplets of liquid water fall through layers of subfreezing air. Droplets containing specks of dust or even microbes readily freeze as ice crystals form around the impurities. But when rain droplets are especially pure, they can remain in a liquid state even when the temperature drops below freezing. (Spaceweather.com) Read more and view the photo here.
"I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke." (Acts 2:19)
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The Good News Corner
'God Won':
Doctor Fired for Pro-Life Stance Wins Major Court Case in Norway
(Skien, Norway)- [LifeSiteNews.com] Last week, a Norwegian court sided with Katarzyna Jachimowicz, the physician from Poland who lost her job for objecting to inserting intrauterine devices (IUDs).
In 2016, she became the first medical professional in Norway sacked for exercising her conscience rights. On November 24, the appellate court ruled that her firing had been a violation of human rights.
Jachimowicz sued because she felt her rights were violated and that her dismissal by the state-run health care system was illegal. The court of appeals in Skien agreed with her and reversed the previous decision by the court in Notodden. The appellate court ruled her employer, the municipality of Sauherad, had to pay her 600,000 Norwegian Krone (about $73,000) in legal fees.
"God won," Jachimowicz told the Polish Catholic magazine gosc.pl. She quoted famous Polish king John Sobieski III, who said "Veni, vidi, Deus vicit!" ("I came, I saw, God conquered") after his victory in the Battle of Vienna against the Ottoman Turks.
Just as Sobieski's battle was a turning point in history, Jachimowicz's case is a landmark in Norway, marking the country's first legal victory for freedom of conscience. (LifeSiteNews) Read more.
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Worship With Us Today!
A Christmas Melody
To worship with us today, please go here . . .
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About CHPP
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About Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
Our Mission Statement
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners (CHPP) is a ministry which is positioned on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., helping members of the Body of Christ to "pray for those in authority over us" in our federal government. Our primary purpose is to offer intercession on site for the members of Congress and their staffs each day that the Senate and the House of Representatives are in session; and our chief prayer focus is that "God's will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." [Matthew 6:10].
Because Jesus Christ has shed His blood for all, we, too, pray for ALL, in a nonpartisan manner. Also, because the scriptures indicate that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 4:17), we are confident that fervent prayer, offered in the halls of the highest chambers of government in our land, can avail much for America. Capitol Hill Prayer Partners welcomes those who feel called to join us, engaging in this strategic work of intercession for our nation: "For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God." [Romans 13:1]
Friends may participate by receiving our daily prayer alerts. You may contact us at chpp1994@gmail.com for more information. CHPP is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt ministry. Thank you and God bless you!
Note: You may also learn more about CHPP by going here to visit our blog. Thank you!
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We Welcome Your Gifts
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We Welcome Your Gifts
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners (CHPP) is a 501(c)(3), tax- exempt, faith-based, ministry, dedicated to praying for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4). CHPP relies solely on the gifts of our readers to continue this work; thus we greatly appreciate your help in supporting this publication. Offerings may be sent to: Capitol Hill Prayer Partners, P.O. Box 5152, Herndon, VA 20172-1970. Please make checks payable to: CHPP. THANK YOU!
DONATE ONLINE!
Now you can also donate online by going here. Or . . . if you prefer, simply paste this link into your browser to access our secure online donor system:
https://www.egsnetwork.com/gift/gift.php?giftid=3B77E058-983E-4415-AA4E-2F82ED1A4DEA#
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (Philippians 4:23)
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Join our Bible Readathon!
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Our Bible Readathon Continues
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105)
Our numbers of readers continues to grow over time. All are welcome to join!
Our conference number is: 712-770-4340.
The access code is: 350430#. Please call at any time from midnight to 6:00 a.m. EST. WELCOME!
[Note: we are reading from these versions of the Scripture: King James, New King James, New American Standard, and NIV.]
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Pray for America!
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New Feature!
Now you can join the Salt & Light Council, praying for our nation six days each week on a conference line!
Repentance and Restoration Prayer Line
For many years now, the Salt & Light Council has sponsored this outstanding half-hour of prayer, six days per week, with additional time available for Bible reading and fellowship.
We are delighted to make this "hidden treasure" available to all of you who make up our CHPP family.
You can also view their daily prayer calendar by going here.
The following press release was issued by the Salt and Light Council. Praise the Lord!
This is a 30 minute national conference prayer call offered Monday through Saturday. We pray daily for our President, Cabinet, Supreme Court, one or two state legislatures, preambles, plus a moral topic and Israel. All are welcome to participate in prayer for our nation. Fellowship and Bible reading is optional for those who would like to remain on the line. The call is hosted by The Salt & Light Council.
605-468-8015 / Access Code 338083#
Monday - Saturday
8:30 am PT 9:30 am MT
10:30 am CT 11:30 am ET
