Emergency Alert from New Zealand:
Huge Megastorm bearing down on the region. Please pray! For details, go here.
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The Daily Brief
"Praying for All in Authority"
Thursday, March 8, 2018
"Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:3)
To help sustain our work, please go here. Thank you!
Special Conference Call this Saturday,
March 10th, focus on Supreme Court AND
primary elections. For details, go here.
SPECIAL BLESSING FOR YOUR WEEKEND PLEASURE
. . . GO HERE.
"Standing United Together . . . Under the Cross of Christ"
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Just Released (New Tax Program)
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"New: IRS Announces 2018 Tax Rates, Standard Deductions, Exemption Amounts And More"
Kelly Phillips Erb , FORBES STAFF
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has (finally) announced a number of tax-related provisions for 2018, including, of course, the latest tax tables. These changes are due to the Tax Jobs and Cuts Act of 2017, signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017. If you're a regular reader, you're probably expecting me to link to the official Revenue Procedure - that's not out just yet - but:
the Internal Revenue Bulletin (IRB): 2018-10 dated March 5, 2018, confirms the new numbers.
Changes of note include those to the EITC, adoption credit, and more.
These are the numbers for the tax year 2018 beginning January 1, 2018. They are not the numbers and tables that you'll use to prepare your 2017 tax returns in 2018 (you'll find them here). You'll use these numbers below to prepare your 2018 tax returns in 2019.
PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK TO READ THE REST OF THE FORBES ARTICLE
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Focus on Israel
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1. New proof of senior PA official's incitement - Israel National News
The Israel Victory Project together with the Knesset Israel Victory Caucus (KIVC) on Tuesday held a discussion on holding the Palestinian Authority, especially its senior officials, directly responsible for its murderous incitement.
During the caucus meeting, new evidence was presented against senior Palestinian Authority (PA) official Jibril Rajoub on incitement to murder. KIVC co-chairs MKs Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu) and Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid) introduced practical measures that Israel will take against the Palestinian Authority for their rejectionism and violent incitement.
One of the measures is MK Stern's bill which passed its first reading at the Knesset on Monday. The bill calls for offsetting funds that are transferred to the Palestinian Authority by Israel for its support of terrorism, especially payments to terrorists and their families, similar to the Taylor Force Act in the U.S.
(Read more)
2. Hamas warns against 'normalization' amid reports of Israel's upped regional ties -Times of Israel
Hamas on Tuesday issued a warning to Palestinians and Arabs who continue to meet with Israelis, and praised the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) for its anti-Israel activities.
"Normalization with the Zionist entity is an unforgivable crime," the terror group said in a statement issued in the Gaza Strip. "It is also a desperate attempt to deceive the conscience of the people."
The Hamas warning came in response to recent meetings between Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials. It was also believed to be linked to unconfirmed reports concerning secret meetings between Israelis and government officials in some Arab countries.
(Read more)
3. Netanyahu: The two-state idea does not work - Israel National News
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday sat down in Washington for a talk with 12 American reporters at Blair House, the official guest house of the White House.
The event was attended by reporters from the New York Times, the Washington Post and other local broadcast networks. Netanyahu refused to answer questions about Israeli politics and about his former adviser Nir Hefetz becoming a state witness.
The prime minister was asked by the reporters whether he believed in a two-state solution in order to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs and replied, "I haven't named it. But I've defined it."
Netanyahu explained that Israel did not seek to govern the Palestinians but that Israel must retain overriding security control of Judea and Samaria, noting the Palestinians are not capable of rooting out violence.
(Read more)
4. Report: Israeli officials met with Saudi prince to discuss normalization - World Israel News
In his first public trip abroad since becoming Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman, flew to Cairo on Sunday to sign multi-billion dollar agreements with the Egyptian president. According to a Wednesday report in the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, he also met there with senior Israeli officials.
The broad theme of the meeting was the normalization of ties between the two countries, said the paper, which have yet to recognize each other or have open diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia's support for the peace plan that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is putting together was also discussed, notwithstanding the fact that the plan's details have not officially been revealed.
(Read more)
5. PM poses ultimatum to coalition partners: End crisis or face early election - Israel Hayom
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the coalition partners, saying that without a long-term solution to stabilize the government, early elections will be called.
The coalition crisis was sparked by Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism's threat to stall the vote on the state budget unless their amendment to Israel's Defense Service Law, seeking to legally anchor exemptions afforded to ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, is passed.
Shas, the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party, has voiced support for the controversial legislation.
The issue, which has dogged Israeli politics for years, revolves around Israel's mandatory military draft, which many in the ultra-Orthodox community believe should be secondary to Torah study. Secular Israelis, however, are opposed to shouldering the burden without the contribution of a substantial sector in Israeli society.
(Read more)
6. Netanyahu Compares Trump To Cyrus in Compliment of Biblical Proportions - Breaking Israel News
In a meeting at the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his host, US President Donald Trump in unmistakably Biblical terms, comparing him to the Persian King Cyrus.
"I want to tell you that the Jewish people have a long memory, so we remember the proclamation of the great King Cyrus the Great - Persian King," Netanyahu told Trump. "Twenty-five hundred years ago, he proclaimed that the Jewish exiles in Babylon can come back and rebuild our temple in Jerusalem."
"And we remember how a few weeks ago, President Donald J. Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital," Netanyahu continued. "Mr. President, this will be remembered by our people through the ages."
(Read more)
"Thus said Hashem to Cyrus, His anointed one- Whose right hand He has grasped, Treading down nations before him, Ungirding the loins of kings, Opening doors before him And letting no gate stay shut." Isaiah 45:1 (The Israel Bible)
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The Daily Brief
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1. Sessions: California immigration policy defies common sense - One News Now
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told California law enforcement officials Wednesday that a lawsuit he filed against the state challenges limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities that are unconstitutional and defy common sense. Sessions said several California state laws prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from making deportation arrests and singled out elected officials for their actions. He had particularly strong words for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who issued an unusual public warning last month that she was tipped off that an immigration operation was imminent, perhaps within 24 hours. "How dare you?" he said of Schaaf at a California Peace Officers Association meeting in Sacramento. "How dare you needlessly endanger the lives of law enforcement just to promote your radical open borders agenda?"
The Justice Department, in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Sacramento, is challenging three California laws that, among other things, bar police from asking people about their citizenship status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities. "It wasn't something I chose to do, but I can't sit by idly while the lawful authority of federal officers are being blocked by legislative acts and politicians," Sessions said, straying from his prepared remarks. The lawsuit is the latest salvo in an escalating feud between the Trump administration and California, which has resisted the president on issues from taxes to marijuana policy and defiantly refuses to help federal agents detain and deport illegals. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has said it will increase its presence in California, and Sessions wants to cut off funding to jurisdictions that won't cooperate. In this case, California "has chosen to purposefully contradict the will and responsibility of Congress to protect our homeland," Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement. (Read more)
See also: "Trump Administration Is 'Going To War' With California, Governor Says" - Huffington Post Go here.
- Father, we lift up the leadership of California to You and pray they will come to their senses regarding complying with Federal law and protecting their own citizens.
- Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. (Romans 13:1a)
2. Two GOP Chairman Seek Second Independent Counsel - RealClearPolitics
GOP Reps. Bob Goodlatte and Trey Gowdy are calling on Attorney General Sessions to appoint a new special counsel to investigate the FBI's actions during and after the 2016 election campaign, based on allegations of FISA abuse detailed in the Nunes memo. They discussed why in an interview Tuesday night with Bill Hemmer on FOX News Channel's 'Special Report'. Sessions announced last month that he was tasking Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate potential FISA abuses that took place, but Goodlatte and Gowdy say Horowitz does not have sufficient jurisdiction. Gowdy explains that there are up to 24 witnesses, including James Comey and Sydney Blumenthal who "he would not be able to access." BILL HEMMER: Chairman Gowdy's letter states "matters have arisen." What has changed?
REP. TREY GOWDY: What changed for me was the knowledge there are two dozen witnesses who Michael Horowitz, the inspector general, would not have access to so you have only one conclusion: a special counsel. These people are anyone who no longer works for the Department of Justice or the FBI. State Department, you may recall a couple of weeks ago there was some indication that State Department employees were feeding information to Fusion GPS. They would be outside the reach of the inspector general. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for an effective Special Counsel to complete the FISA abuse investigation by calling witnesses and gathering evidence outside Michael Horowitz's authority.
- For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken. (Psalm 21:7)
3. Betsy DeVos pressed to toss Obama's lenient school-discipline directive - Washington Times
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is coming under renewed pressure to uproot the Obama administration's lenient school-discipline directive, which critics say backfired tragically with last month's high school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, has urged Mrs. DeVos to overhaul the 2014 "Dear Colleague" letter on school discipline, a joint guidance by the Education and Justice departments that threatened schools with federal civil rights probes unless they reduce law-enforcement referrals, suspensions and expulsions of minority students. Those policies, embraced at the outset by the Broward County Public Schools, have been blamed for allowing shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz to avoid being arrested or taken into custody despite committing offenses such as assault and carrying bullets to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
"In the tragic aftermath of the murders in Florida, which were preventable, we simply cannot take the chance that other school districts, in response to a Dear Colleague letter issued in 2014 by the Obama administration, will continue to enforce or will implement the disastrous race-based, discipline-free program put in place in December of 2013 by Broward County," William Perry Pendley, president of the Mountain States Legal Foundation, said Friday in a letter to Mrs. DeVos. Adopted by more than 50 large school districts, policies aimed at using counseling to address nonviolent offenses have been cheered for improving student retention rates - Broward County saw school-based arrests plummet by 63 percent from 2012 to 2016 - and have been criticized for making schools more dangerous and disruptive by turning them into punishment-free zones. (Read more)
- Father, we intercede for our children. They are so confused - morally, sexually, and materially. The enemy is trying to destroy them through our culture and poor public policy, such as this school discipline directive. We pray Secretary DeVos will rescind this policy and bring discipline back into our schools.
- Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
4. U.S. HOUSE PASSES BILL TO PENALIZE WEBSITES FOR SEX TRAFFICKING - IFA
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed legislation to make it easier to penalize operators of websites that facilitate online sex trafficking, chipping away at a bedrock legal shield for the technology industry. The bill's passage marks one of the most concrete actions in recent years from the U.S. Congress to tighten regulation of internet firms, which have drawn heavy scrutiny from lawmakers in both parties over the past year due to an array of concerns regarding the size and influence of their platforms.
The House passed the measure 388-25. It still needs to pass the U.S. Senate, where similar legislation has already gained substantial support, and then be signed by President Donald Trump before it can become law. Speaker Paul Ryan, in a statement before the vote, said the bill would help "put an end to modern-day slavery here in the United States." The White House issued a statement generally supportive of the bill, but said the administration "remains concerned" about certain provisions that it hopes can be resolved in the final legislation. (Read more)
- Father we thank You for this action to penalize websites that promote sex trafficking. We pray for favor as this bill goes to the Senate.
- He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor. (Psalm 72:4)
5. Warren vows fight as U.S. Senate begins debate on Dodd-Frank rewrite - Reuters
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren promised to fight a U.S. Senate bill easing bank rules introduced following the 2007-2009 global financial crisis as the chamber moved on Tuesday to begin debating the draft bipartisan legislation. Warren, long a consumer advocate, warned customer protections would be eroded as the Senate moved closer to passing the first rewrite of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. The Senate voted on Tuesday morning 67-32 in favor of debating the bill, paving the way for the chamber to potentially pass the proposed legislation by the end of the week.
Moderate Democrats who support the legislation rejected Warren's claims, saying on Tuesday it offered critical relief for small and mid-sized lenders and that they expected it to quickly pass the Senate. The bill, authored by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, has the support of 13 moderate Democrats, which, given broad Republican backing, should be enough to assure passage in the 100-seat chamber. "If we're going to continue to have access to capital in rural areas of our country, this bill needs to pass," said Senator Jon Tester, adding the increased risk to consumers and the financial system was "very, very, very minimal." Republicans have tried for years to revise the law but only recently have some Democrats begun to support tweaks. Crapo's bill would ease the capital and operational burden on smaller lenders, but also includes a number of provisions beneficial to all but the largest U.S. banks. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for the needed corrections to the Dodd-Frank law be passed through the Senate, ultimately giving relief to our smaller banks and credit unions.
- But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 94:22)
6. Supreme Court Takes Up Case of Private Property Forced to Become Public - FreeBeacon
The Supreme Court announced Monday that it would hear arguments in the case of a Pennsylvania farm owner whose case could potentially overturn part of a previous ruling that critics have attacked as making it much harder for property owners to protect their rights in federal court. The case, Knick v. Scott Township, Pennsylvania, concerns Rose Mary Knick, who owns a 90-acre property in rural eastern Pennsylvania, where she and her family have lived since 1970. Knick found herself subjected to a township ordinance which allowed anyone-including township employees-to freely pass on her private property. Knick v. Scott Township concerns Knick's attempt to secure her property rights in both state and federal court, and the unexpected procedural stoppages that have kept her normally private farm free and open to the public.
"Property owners are treated differently, and more poorly, than other classes of citizens when it comes to having a day in court. Mrs. Knick's catch-22 case, where she's yanked around from state to federal to state court without a hearing is an example of that," said J. David Breemer, a senior attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing Knick. "You have over and over and over again, property owners with claims against the government don't get a hearing. So they lose their rights because of this process itself. The process deprives them of their rights. You just give up. You just get drained," Breemer said. It is not as of yet clear when Knick's case will go before the Supreme Court, but the issue is increasingly pressing: seven different federal appellate courts have ruled on the question in other cases, with four coming down against Knick's side and three in favor. Such a circuit split is seen as a major reason for the Supreme Court granting a review. (Read more)
- Father, we pray the Supreme Court will reaffirm constitutional protections for property owners and grant favor to Mary Knick.
- Don't cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don't take the land of defenseless orphans. (Proverbs 23:10)
7. Soros Chalks Up Another DA Win After Dropping Nearly $1 Million In Texas Race - Daily Caller
George Soros has effectively purchased another district attorney's seat. The left-wing billionaire pumped almost $1 million into a Texas district attorney's race against a Democratic DA who opposes sanctuary cities, according to campaign filings reviewed by The Daily Caller News Foundation. Soros's preferred candidate, Joe Gonzales, upset incumbent Bexar County DA Nico LaHood in the Democratic primary Tuesday. LaHood conceded after Gonzales jumped up to a sizable lead as votes were counted.
Soros spent $958,000 supporting Gonzales's cause through a super PAC, Texas Justice & Public Safety, according to campaign finance records reviewed by TheDCNF. The super PAC churned out attack ads against LaHood, accusing him of being racist. LaHood accused Soros of trying to buy the election for Gonzales. Soros's super PAC spent $897,000 of his money in the final 30 days before the election, campaign finance documents show. Gonzales is now considered the favorite to win the DA election for Bexar County, which includes the city of San Antonio and is one of Texas's largest counties. If he wins, Gonzales will join at least 11 progressive lawyers since 2015 who have won district attorney's seats thanks to massive financial donations from Soros. Soros has the routine down. He uses powerhouse Democratic law firm Perkins Coie to set up a super PAC named some variant of "Justice & Public Safety." The super PAC will surface late in a DA race, using the kind of capital typically reserved for a national political race to fund a series of attack ads benefitting Soros's preferred candidate, who wins almost every time. (Read more)
[Please note: elsewhere in Texas today, there was a huge win for the righteous! Go here!]
- Father, help our nation rid ourselves of the influence of this ungodly foreigner who sows seeds of destruction throughout our land.
- I will overthrow royal thrones and destroy the power of foreign kingdoms.
(Haggai 2:22)
8. Alarming Advances Made In Digital Media Manipulation - CBS New York
Forget the idea of "seeing is believing." New technology is making digital media manipulation easier than ever. The result? Phony videos that are popping up across the web. One video making the rounds is of former-President Barack Obama delivering a speech that he never actually made. It's part of a video trend circulating the internet called Deepfake, which has made it tougher to tell what's real and what's not. "It's very concerning because as people get better with this software we're able to not just use celebrities, they're able to use a neighbor in a video and compromise that person," FITECH Senior Vice President Duarte Pereira said. Pereira says in recent months, the videos started appearing on Reddit. They're created by a program called Fake App, which superimposes videos of one person's face on another person's body.
Until recently, the artificial intelligence video technology was only used by major Hollywood productions. Social media apps like Snapchat have made the face-morphing technology all too easy to obtain. Experts are worried it could have serious moral implications, like framing people for crimes or putting celebrities' faces on pornographic performers. There's also concern the technology could be used to circulate fake news and smear politicians. Reddit took steps to ban a number of Deepfake groups that had tens of thousands of members, but experts say people are still accessing the tool on the dark web. (Read more)
- Father, help us discern between truth and lies, fantasy and reality in all that we hear and see.
- We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. (Ephesians 4:14b)
9. ER visits for opioid overdose up 30%, CDC study finds - CNN
The opioid epidemic in the United States shows no signs of slowing, according to a Vital Signs report released Tuesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report found that emergency department visits due to suspected opioid overdoses continued to climb -- about 30% -- from July 2016 to September 2017 across the country.
"This is really a fast-moving epidemic that's getting worse," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, acting director of the CDC and acting administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, who was not an author of the report. "The increases in overdoses were seen in adults of all age groups. They were seen in men and women. They were seen in every geographic region in the nation," she said. (Read more)
- Father, behind these statistics are broken lives and shattered families. Help us, the Church, bring hope, healing and salvation to these who are in such great need.
- When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)
10. DIA: China, Russia Engaged In Low-Level Warfare Against U.S. - FreeBeacon
The Pentagon's top intelligence official warned that China and Russia are engaged in information and cyber attacks against the United States as part of an undeclared low-level conflict. Army Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said during a Senate hearing the character of war is changing as technology facilitates greater global reach with weapons such as cyber attacks. "So the line of which you declare hostilities is extremely blurred, and if you were to ask Russia and China, 'Do you think you're at some form of conflict with the U.S.?' I think behind closed doors their answer would be yes," Ashley said. The three-star general was commenting when asked what would constitute an act of war, such as a cyber attack or use of space weapons against satellites. "It's hard to make that determination to definitively say what constitutes an act of war when you're in the gray zone in a lot of the areas that you operate," Ashley said.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Ashley, also voiced concerns about the growing threat posed by China's military buildup and global influence operations.
On Russia, Ashley warned that Moscow is also building up nuclear forces and other high-technology strategic weapons, such as hypersonic, cruise and ballistic missiles. "Russia views the United States as the primary threat to its national security and its geopolitical ambitions," he said. "The Kremlin seeks to establish a sphere of influence over former Soviet Union states, prevent further eastward expansion of NATO, and ensure that no major international issues are addressed without Russia's input or at its expense." Russia's information operations against the United States, including meddling in the 2016 presidential election, was a topic of the hearing. (Read more)
- Lord of Hosts, we implore You to intervene on our behalf, causing delay and failure within the plans and purposes of our enemies. Confuse them, Lord, like You did at the tower of Babel.
- "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." (Genesis 11:5-7)
11. Billy Kim, the 'Billy Graham of Asia,' Inducted Into NRB Hall of Fame - Christian Post
Famed South Korean evangelist Billy Kim, "the Billy Graham of Asia," was inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame at Proclaim 18, the association's International Christian Media Convention. The 83-year-old evangelist, who pastored for more than 45 years and serves as chairman of Far East Broadcasting Company Korea, received NRB's most prestigious award during sessions attended by The Christian Post at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center on Feb. 27.
"Inducting Billy Kim into NRB's Hall of Fame is quite fitting given his worldwide influence for the Gospel through Christian broadcasting," Jerry A. Johnson, NRB's president, said in the news release. "Kim is a winsome evangelist for his Lord Jesus Christ, and a model for Christian communicators across the globe." After the ceremony, Kim traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to speak at the funeral of famed evangelist Billy Graham. Kim, who served as Graham's translator during a 1973 crusade in Seoul, South Korea, recalled that the last time he saw Graham, the late pastor told him, "Let's have one more crusade in Korea."
At "the church I pastored" during the Seoul crusade, "attendance was a mere 300," Kim said. "Now, after your crusade, there were more than 20,000 members. The rapid growth of the megachurch movement in Korea had started all because you came to preach the Word to our people." (Read more)
- Praise the Lord!
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The Daily Jot
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Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Israel and the US
There are a lot of end time scenarios floating around Christianity. Some are extra-biblical. Many are Bible verses daisy chained together to support an individual theory. As we read the prophets, we see that nations that are used by God to discipline Israel, and do it harsher than necessary, and nations who are traditional enemies of Israel are judged by God for their treatment of Israel and its people. Jesus talks of how the nations will be divided like a shepherd separates sheep from goats in Matthew 25. In Isaiah 34, the Lord judges the nations in the end of days. It is very important how the nations treat Israel and God's people. Christians did not replace God's chosen, but were grafted in as is written in Romans 11.
For over a decade, America's leadership had moved increasingly against Israel. Under the immediate past "president," the US shifted its policy to support the traditional enemies of Israel. The current White House has reversed that policy. First, it signaled that it was exploring non-traditional peace solutions between Israel and the "Palestinians." Then by announcing the move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Administration even moved to defund some of the Palestinian Authority aid because the Palestinians were blocking peace and denouncing America. Now the White House is addressing the United Nations issues with Israel.
At the American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference Monday, US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said, "In the real world, Israel is a strong country with a vibrant economy and a first-class military. On the battlefield, Israel does not get bullied. The Iranians and Syrians can vouch for that. But the UN is a different story. At the UN and throughout the UN agencies, Israel does get bullied. It gets bullied because the countries that don't like Israel are used to being able to get away with it...I can't say that we've solved the problem, but I can say that several other countries have followed our lead. What used to be a monthly Israel-bashing session, now at least has more balance, but we're never going to put up with bullying."
Haley also told the conference, "Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, that's a fact, and President Trump had the courage to recognize that fact when others would not. Sometime in the future, the day will come when the whole world recognizes that fact." Indeed, there will be a day, in the Day of the Lord, that these words will come true. The Lord said in Zechariah 12:3, "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." America is not mentioned in the Bible as the nations mentioned are those in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. But it would go well for America to be on God's side in that day.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
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Update: Banking Bill
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Banking Deregulation Awaits Senate
Plausibly as a consequence of his threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum, President Trump lost his top economic advisor Gary Cohn on Tuesday in a move that shocked but did not entirely surprise Washington. The former Wall Street investment banker had fought bitterly with Trump about the recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Markets plunged on the news, which came hours after Trump told the press that him everybody wants to work in the White House," insisting that it is "just a great place to work. It's got tremendous energy. It's tough."
The president did repeat during Tuesday's news conference that he likes conflict. "I like having two people with different points of view, and I certainly have that. And then I make a decision. But I like watching it. I like seeing it. And I think it's the best way to go." Anticipating cones move, Trump did say that "will not going to be specific, but there will be people that change. They always change."
Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) joined 66 others in voting to advance a banking bill and is one of a dozen Democrats that support it - but the moderate former state tax collector was also weary of Cohn's departure. "If we're not trading, we're going to fail." House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) said in a separate interview that Trump "has got to be very, very careful here," pointing out his disagreement. "I don't know of any trade war that ends well." Himself retiring at the end of the session, Hensarling also voice consensus concerns of Republicans across the Hill: that "the president is going to walk back a lot of the progress that he's made" from tax reform.
Observing in an interview that NAFTA renegotiations could mean "huge ramifications" with trading partners Mexico and Canada, Heitkamp echoed Leader McConnell's remarks during a briefing that members are "deeply concerned" about retaliation if tariffs on steel and aluminum went into effect. Back at the White House, President Trump said that "if we're able to make a deal with Canada and Mexico in NAFTA, then there will be no reason to do the tariffs with Canada and Mexico."
Leader Schumer, the leading advocate during the 2015 fast-track authority debate for going hard after China for its currency devaluation, also issued what has been heard as a consensus from Congress. Namely, that his "it stinks to go after China are the right thing to do," he said, for taking terrible advantage of America over the last decade or two." But, added the minority leader of the Senate, the imminent action "seems, initially - it's not well targeted. It seems to have a greater negative effect on Canada and Europe than on China."
Speaker Ryan told reporters that national security designation codified in law known as "232 is a little too broad, and I think it's more prone to retaliation." Ryan said he and others were encouraging the White House to "focus on what is clearly a legitimate problem and to be more surgical in its approach, so we can go after the true abusers without creating any, kind of, unintended consequences or collateral damage." Trump, not backing down during separate question and answer sessions with the press in receiving prime ministers from Israel and Sweden over the last days, repeated Tuesday that "there's a theory that if a country doesn't have steel, it doesn't have a country. And it's true. So this is more than just pure economics. This is about defense." (FedNet) Read more 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
HOW GREAT THOU ART
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4: 16-17)
HOW GREAT THOU ART
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4: 16-17)
Lyrics
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
And when I think of God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow with humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Melody
Go here . . .
Please note:
How Great Thou Art was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks.
Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song. Giving God all praise, glory, and honor for who He is -- the Creator of this universe.
About the Author:
Words:Carl Gustav Boberg; translator (Date unknown)
Stuart Wesley Keene Hine, 1953
Melody: Unknown
About the Hymn:
How Great Thou Art - The History of the hymn (Part One)
The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of no where. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made. . . Can you imagine what Boberg felt as he formed these words? There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace.
This poem, titled O Store Gud (O Great God) was published in 1891 in Witness of the Truth, the weekly newspaper that Boberg edited. It was later translated in German. In 1927, it was published in a Russian version of the German text.
The History of the hymn (Part Two)
How Great Thou Art was translated by Stuart K. Hine, the English missionary to Ukraine. He found some version of the Russian text and sang it at an evangelistic meeting with his wife. He then translated the first three stanzas into English, which was sung at an evangelistic meeting in England during World War One. He published the first three verses (in both English and Russian) in 1949 in Grace and Peace, a Russian evangelistic paper which Hine edited. He later wrote the fourth verse as a triumphant message of life eternal.
Of the hymn's importance he said: "When we reach that heavenly home, we will fully understand the greatness of God, and will bow in humble adoration, saying to Him, O Lord my God, how great thou art." May we all live in such a way that we will be ready when Jesus Christ appears to receive the saints. Our heavenly home awaits us, all of those who have received Christ in obedience.
Dr. J. Edwin Orr of Fuller Theological Seminary, is said to have brought the hymn to America. After hearing it sung in India, he introduced it to various Christian groups in America. In 1954, Dr. Cyrus Nelson of Gospel Light Publications copyrighted and published the song.
History of the Hymn: Part Three (Billy Graham!)
How Great Thou Art - Sung by George Beverly Shea How Great Thou Art was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks.
Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song. Giving God all praise, glory, and honor for who He is -- the Creator of this universe. (Source: Go here.)
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Signs and Wonders:
Part One: The Worsening Cosmic Ray Situation
Cosmic rays are bad-and they're getting worse. That's the conclusion of a new paper just published in the research journal Space Weather. The authors, led by Prof. Nathan Schwadron of the University of New Hampshire, show that radiation from deep space is dangerous and intensifying faster than previously predicted.
The story begins four years ago when Schwadron and colleagues first sounded the alarm about cosmic rays. Analyzing data from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) instrument onboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), they found that cosmic rays in the Earth-Moon system were peaking at levels never before seen in the Space Age. The worsening radiation environment, they pointed out, was a potential peril to astronauts, curtailing how long they could safely travel through space.
Galactic cosmic rays come from outside the solar system. They are a mixture of high-energy photons and sub-atomic particles accelerated toward Earth by supernova explosions and other violent events in the cosmos. Our first line of defense is the sun: The sun's magnetic field and solar wind combine to create a porous 'shield' that fends off cosmic rays attempting to enter the solar system. The shielding action of the sun is strongest during Solar Maximum and weakest during Solar Minimum . . .
The problem is, as the authors note in their new paper, the shield is weakening: "Over the last decade, the solar wind has exhibited low densities and magnetic field strengths, representing anomalous states that have never been observed during the Space Age. As a result of this remarkably weak solar activity, we have also observed the highest fluxes of cosmic rays."
How does this affect us? Cosmic rays penetrate commercial airlines, dosing passengers and flight crews so much that pilots are classified by the International Commission on Radiological Protection as occupational radiation workers. Some research shows that cosmic rays can seed clouds and trigger lightning, potentially altering weather and climate. Furthermore, there are studies linking cosmic rays with cardiac arrhythmias in the general population.
Cosmic rays will intensify even more in the years ahead as the sun plunges toward what may be the deepest Solar Minimum in more than a century. Stay tuned for updates.(Read more)
Signs and Wonders: Part Two: Winter storm hits the Northeast: Live updates
Second nor'easter in a week intensifies as it moves up East Coast
Intense bands of snow were whipping parts of the Northeast on Wednesday, threatening dangerous driving conditions and more power outages as the second nor'easter in a week hits the storm-weary East Coast.
More than 50 million people from Maryland to Maine were under winter storm warnings and watches, just days after last weekend's deadly "bomb cyclone." More than 2,600 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware.
Some areas outside Philadelphia already have seen the kind of fast and heavy snowfall that forecasters fear will plague motorists in New York and New England later in the day.
Five to 7 inches fell near Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, at rates of nearly 2 inches per hour in the late morning, the National Weather Service reported. Huge snowflakes fell to the ground swiftly in eastern Pennsylvania. (Read more)
"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
"It's a win for freedom of speech" --
Creationist Ken Ham Celebrates Presentation at University without Protests by Activists
In a move that's being celebrated as a win for freedom of speech, Ken Ham, president of the Kentucky-based Answers in Genesis Young Earth apologetics ministry, delivered a protest-free presentation on the ideas of Charles Darwin at the University of Central Oklahoma Monday after opposition from LGBT activists forced a short-lived cancellation of the event.
"It's a win for freedom of speech. It's a win for the First Amendment," Ham told Oklahoma's News 4 at the event Monday.
Stockton Duvall, president of UCO's student body which invited Ham to speak on campus, said during the controversy over the apologist's planned appearance that he was bullied by an LGBT activist group into canceling the event.
Lindsey Churchill, director of the Women's Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center, said members of her group were concerned about Ham's biblical belief that marriage should be between one man and one woman.
"They didn't know that their funds were paying for this speaker, who they see as homophobic - was able to come to this school without them knowing," Churchill said. "I think that's the biggest issue." (Breaking Christian News) Read more.
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Worship With Us Today!
Jeremy Camp - "Christ in Me"
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
