CHPP Daily Brief "Praying for All in Authority" Wednesday, January 2, 2019

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The Daily Brief
"Praying for All in Authority"
Wednesday, January 2, 2019

"You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance."
(Psalm 65:11)

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	Focus on Israel

1. Israel's First Synagogue Designed for Physically Disabled Opened in Jerusalem - Breaking Israel News

A synagogue suited especially to people in people in wheelchairs and others who are disabled has been dedicated for the first time in Israel. Called Mishkan Shmuel ("The House of Samuel"), the house of prayer was presented with a Torah scroll more than a century old that survived the Holocaust in Romania, unlike the Jews who read from it and were murdered by the Nazis. The scroll was repaired with new parchment and brought to the new synagogue under a blue chupah (marriage canopy), as celebrants sang and played music, according to tradition.

The Torah scroll is the written text of the Pentateuch given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. Jews around the world read a portion of the Torah every Shabbat; smaller sections are read on Mondays and Thursdays. Over the course of the year, the whole scroll is read aloud to the congregation on Shabbat morning, after which the cycle is begun again.

The synagogue is located at Herzog Hospital, Jerusalem's 124-year-old psychogeriatric hospital, which is the only one of its kind in the capital, It now has 330 beds, but soon, with the complete opening of a new wing where the synagogue was built, it will have a total of 600 beds.
(Read more)

2. Prominent Ex-Israeli Diplomat Calls for Establishment of NATO-Like Body to Thwart Iran's 'Dreams of Regional Hegemony' - Algemeiner

Prominent former Israeli diplomat Dore Gold called on Tuesday for the establishment of a NATO-like body in the Middle East to "guarantee that Iran's dreams of regional hegemony will never be realized."

Gold - now the president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs think tank - said the withdrawal of US troops from Syria could be viewed in "a larger regional context of the strategic struggle over postwar Syria between Israel and Iran."

"Iran is not standing still with the defeat of the ISIS caliphate, but rather it seeks to fill the vacuum that has been created," he noted.
(Read more)

3. Pompeo to Netanyahu: Syria pullout doesn't alter commitment to Israel's safety - Times of Israel

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday assured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the planned withdrawal of US ground forces from Syria will not alter Washington's commitment to countering Iranian aggression and maintaining Israel's security. Pompeo met Netanyahu in Brazil where the Israeli prime minister is on an official visit, and both men were to attend the inauguration of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

"The decision by the president on Syria in no way changes anything that this administration is working on alongside Israel," Pompeo said at a joint press conference with Netanyahu before they held talks.
(Read more)

4. Zionist Union implodes as Labor announces split from Hatnuah - Israel Hayom

A political drama rattled the Left on Tuesday when Labor leader Avi ‎Gabbay abruptly announced he was ending his partnership with ‎Hatnuah head Tzipi Livni, effectively dissolving the Zionist Union ‎faction.‎

The two parties partnered ahead of the 2015 elections, winning 24 ‎Knesset seats. Polls conducted since early elections were called for ‎April 9, however, projected an abysmal result for the political alliance ‎giving it, at best, eight mandates - a third of its power. ‎

Gabby announced his decision in a press conference in Tel Aviv ‎shortly before noon. The announcement clearly blindsided Livni, ‎whose stunned expression was captured on camera. ‎

Leaving the room immediately after Gabbay spoke, she said, "I won't ‎comment at this time, I have some decisions to make."‎
(Read more)

5. New IDF battalion to act as first line of defense against Hezbollah invasion - Times of Israel

The Israeli military has formed a new reserves battalion to act as the first line of defense against the Hezbollah terror group by protecting the communities along the northern border with Lebanon, the army announced Monday.

Dubbed "Gates of Fire," or Shaare Ha'esh, the battalion was created as part of the Israel Defense Forces' efforts to confront the powerful Iran-backed terrorist militia. Last month, the army also launched an engineering operation, Northern Shield, to find and destroy Hezbollah cross-border attack tunnels.

The new battalion is aimed at countering the Shiite terror group's plans to conquer parts of Israel's Galilee panhandle and the communities inside it in a future conflict. It will serve under the brigade that guards the region, the Baram Brigade.
(Read more)

	The Daily Brief

1. Pelosi, Schumer invited to White House for border briefing - Washington Times

President Donald Trump invited congressional leaders from each chamber to a White House briefing on border security Wednesday as the partial government shutdown wore on over funding for a border wall, with Trump tweeting: "Let's make a deal?"

The briefing would happen the day before the Democrats take control of the House, but the exact agenda wasn't immediately clear, according to a person with knowledge of the briefing who was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The invite comes after House Democrats released their plan to re-open the government without approving money for a border wall - unveiling two bills to fund shuttered government agencies and put hundreds of thousands of federal workers back on the job. They planned to pass them as soon as the new Congress convened Thursday. (Read more)
- Father, we pray our leaders will agree upon a border policy that is best for the citizens of the United States.

- This is what the Lord says- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17)

2. California Sheriff SLAMS Sanctuary Cities, Illegal Immigration After SEVEN More Individuals Are Arrested In Cop Slaying - Daily Wire

Seven additional men have been arrested in connection with the murder of Newman, California, Police officer Ronil Singh, for helping suspect Gustavo Perez Arriaga try to flee into Mexico, authorities say.

ABC News reports that Arriaga was hoping to escape back to his home country of Mexico with the help of his girlfriend, family members, and co-workers, after he allegedly shot and killed Singh during a routine traffic stop in northern California on Wednesday. Arriaga was in the United States illegally. Arriaga had at least two prior arrests on his record, both for driving under the influence.

When Singh pulled Arriaga over early Wednesday morning, it was because he suspected Arriaga of drunken driving. After a brief confrontation which quickly developed into a firefight, Singh was killed. He leaves behind a wife and a five month old son. Arriaga was eventually captured near Bakersfield, California, nearly 200 miles south of where the initial murder took place. (Read more)
- Lord, our hearts are deeply saddened by the loss of this honorable police officer, Ronil Singh. We pray his family will be comforted by Your Spirit and we pray for our public policy to change, so that other families will be protected from wicked men.

- Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men. (Proverbs 2:11-12a)

3. Tuberculosis, flu, infections rampant as the number of sick migrants surge at border - Washington Times

Border authorities are referring 50 people a day for urgent medical care, including tuberculosis, flu and even pregnant women about to give birth, a top official said Monday, saying it's unlike anything they've ever seen before.

Most of those in need of care are children, and a staggering 28 percent are under age 5, having been dragged along for the trip by parents who in many cases are hoping to use the children as a shield against speedy deportation from the U.S.

CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said most of those needing help were ill when they arrived at the border, and some appear to have made the initial decision to leave even while ailing. Agents have spotted a new trend in the traffic from Central America to the U.S., with smuggling organizations using commercial buses to get people through the journey in less than a week. The faster trip also makes it easier for sick people to come, and provides "confidence for parents to bring younger children" along as well, he said. (Read more)
- Father, we pray the strategy of the enemy to tear our nation apart using chaos and innocent lives will completely fail.

- Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. (Psalm 31:4)

4. Border agents pick up final paycheck as shutdown effects set in - Washington Examiner

The end of 2018 marks the beginning of work without pay for the approximately 54,000 federal border agents and customs officers who received their last paycheck over the weekend. CBP employees are paid every two weeks, not twice a month like defense personnel.

Those employees required to work since Dec. 21 will receive back-pay once Congress passes a bill and President Trump signs it. Trump has refused to sign any funding bill that does not include $5.7 billion for border security projects, including additional and replacement barriers between the U.S. and Mexico.

The shutdown has impacted one-quarter of the government with 380,000 furloughed since Dec. 21, sent home without pay until further notice. (Read more)
- Lord, we pray our men and women in Customs and Border Patrol will know how much they are truly appreciated and persevere through this shutdown.

- Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. (1 Thessalonians 5:13)

5. Elizabeth Warren takes big move toward 2020 presidential run - Washington Times

Senator Elizabeth Warren announced Monday she is forming a 2020 exploratory committee, becoming the highest-profile Democrat to take that formal step toward challenging President Trump. The Massachusetts senator, who just won re-election last month, had vowed to voters during that campaign she would serve her six-year term, but analysts had put little stock in that promise and her decision Monday confirmed her higher ambitions.

An exploratory committee, also known as a "testing the waters" committee, allows a potential candidate to do some fundraising on purposes such as travel and polling in order to gauge viability. The senator said she'll lay out a campaign plan early in the new year. Ms. Warren, a former Harvard professor, has been a champion for liberal activists for years, providing intellectual heft for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was one of Democrats' ideas to try to control Wall Street after the 2008 financial collapse.

"Progressives are tired of having to push Democrats to do the right thing. You don't have to guess where Elizabeth Warren stands - or will stand in the future," Stephanie Taylor and Adam Green, co-founders of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said in a statement cheering Ms. Warren on. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for Your Spirit to lead, guide and protect the 2020 elections.

- For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me. (Psalm 31:3)

6. 2018 was the year of freedom of conscience - Washington Examiner

We can rarely ever be sure, from the too-close perspective of the present, what events will prove most important decades from now. But we can guess. And we believe that the most significant events in the realm of politics and government this past year were those involving federal courts and freedom of conscience.

Governments around the U.S. tried to compel individuals to act and speak against their conscience. In three key cases, the Supreme Court checked state power and upheld the conscience rights of the dissenters. This was an important stand for conscience amid a furious onslaught of the Left's culture warriors.

Illinois tried to compel state worker Mark Janus to fund the liberal and politically active public employee union to which he didn't even belong. The Supreme Court stood up for Janus. The First Amendment "includes both the right to speak freely and the right to refrain from speaking at all," Justice Samuel Alito wrote.

California tried to force the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, a pro-life clinic for pregnant women, to advertise abortion. The Supreme Court blocked California, upholding not only the Constitution, but also the enlightenment principle that it is tyranny to force someone to speak what they believe to be evil.

Colorado tried to force Jack Phillips to create a cake celebrating a gay wedding. The Supreme Court ruled in his favor. The 7-2 majority found that Colorado's Human Rights Commission held an explicit disdain for religious viewpoints. Whichever way the battle goes next year, at least it didn't end this past year. 2018 was, as Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in Masterpiece, the year religious liberty lived "to fight another day."(Read more)
- Lord, we pray for complete and total victory over those who would use government to compel words and deeds that are against Your Will.

- Then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence. (2 Chronicles 6:23)

7. 2019-2020: The Coming Battle To Save Free Speech - The Revolutionary Act

Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Google dominate the flow of information in a way inconceivable a decade ago. We now know that all of them purposely tip the scales in favor of the left, against conservatives - including shadow banning, suspending accounts, outright banning, fudging search results and more. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have even taken down and erased web sites with which they disagree.

The Silicon Valley giants' legal standing as platforms could and should be challenged in court. In censoring based on content, they are acting more and more as publishers, meaning they should held to a much higher standard at many levels, not least of which is copyright laws. If they lost such a court challenge, they would instantly have to relinquish their censorial ways and revert to their earlier forms of being open platforms only to survive. (Read more)
- Lord of Heaven's Armies, we need Your angelic help to fight this spiritual battle. We pray for those who are tasked to remove inappropriate material from the internet, that they would become men and women of integrity, who are called by Your Name.

- Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

8. Franklin Graham Suspended by Facebook, Blocked for His Biblical 'Hate Speech' - CBN News

Evangelist Franklin Graham has revealed that he was recently suspended from Facebook for taking a stand for his biblical beliefs. The temporary ban lasted 24 hours, and while the censorship itself is shocking enough, it was also surprising that the ban was retroactive, resulting from a comment he made two years ago [about North Carolina's bathroom bill].

The stunning announcement also reinforces ongoing reports of censorship against Christian beliefs by other social media giants and the tech companies that control so much of the communication and interaction in our world today - companies like Google, Twitter and Apple. A Facebook spokesperson admitted to The Charlotte Observer that Graham was indeed punished for his post. And while the spokesperson is now apologizing for censoring Graham, it's clear that some of Facebook's team of 15,000 speech police can censor conservative Christians at will. (Read more)
- Father, we pray this censorship of Franklin Graham will lead to more people being saved and set free by the power of the blood of Jesus.

- You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)

9. Putin tells Trump in New Year's letter he's open to meeting - Washington Times

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told U.S. President Donald Trump in a New Year's letter that the Kremlin is "open to dialogue" on the myriad issues hindering relations between their countries. The Kremlin published a summary of Putin's "greeting message" to Trump on Sunday. The summary states the Russian leader wrote: "Russia-U.S. relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security."

Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin scheduled for Dec. 1 at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, tweeting "it would be best for all parties" given Russia's seizure days earlier of three Ukrainian naval vessels. Since then, the Kremlin has repeatedly said it is open to dialogue.

The message to Trump was among dozens of holiday greetings Putin sent to other world leaders, each tailored to reflect a bilateral theme. The recipients included Syrian President Bashar Assad, whom Putin has backed throughout a civil war that started in 2011. (Read more)
- Father, we pray You will go before President Trump and President Putin, preparing a way for our nations to peacefully coexist and cooperate, where appropriate.

- We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 1:8)

10. Kim Jong Un says he's willing to meet Trump at any time, in New Year's message - Fox News

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Tuesday that he is prepared to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at any time, but warned that he would pursue an alternative course if Washington kept up sanctions on Pyongyang.

In his closely watched New Year's address, Kim said he was ready to pursue an outcome that would be "welcomed by the international community." However, he said the North will be forced to take a different path if the United States "continues to break its promises and misjudges our patience by unilaterally demanding certain things and pushes ahead with sanctions and pressure."

Nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled for months as they struggle with the sequencing of North Korea's disarmament and the removal of U.S.-led sanctions against the North. North Korea also has bristled at U.S. demands to provide a detailed account of nuclear and missile facilities that would be inspected and dismantled under a potential deal. (Read more)
- Father, we thank You for continued progress in North Korea and pray our State Department will be able to make a deal that is satisfactory for all.

- "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14)

	116th Session of Congress Convenes Tomorrow

116th Session of Congress Convenes Tomorrow

All Members Will Be Sworn in, in each Chamber, (Senate and House)
at High Noon

Be on the lookout for a Special Guide to Prayer for Congress, to be published on our Daily Brief tomorrow.
In the meantime, here is a list of the names of the new members of the 116th Session of Congress, in the House and in the Senate.

To view this list, go here.
As you gaze upon this list, ask our Lord to direct your own intercession over each name. Abba knows their hearts and He will guide you in your prayers, amen!

	Fast and Pray for the New Congress

Fast and Pray for the New Congress

This week, Capitol Hill Prayer Partners is joining several other national ministries in setting aside a time of prayer and of fasting for God's perfect will to be done in the new, incoming Congress.
In addition, you are invited to join Maureen Bravo, Pastor Ioan and the 24/7 National Strategic Prayer Network in two conference calls, interceding over this Congress.
Dates: tonight and tomorrow night
January 2nd and 3rd

Time: 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Conference Number: 712-770-4340
Access Code: 543555 #

> > > See also this guide to prayer and fasting, written by Bill Bright.

	News of Concern (Congress)

A New Concern in Congress:

"The Squad" Arrives to Advance a Radical, Far-Left Agenda

> > > Please note: the source of this report is the Liberty Counsel Action Network. This report was published by the 24/7 National Strategic Prayer Network on November 25, 2018. Reprinted below with permission.
Today, we take note of a "red flag" recently raised by Liberty Counsel Action on the radical domestic and international agenda of several newly-elected lawmakers. Incoming US Representatives-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), (who have now been dubbed "The Squad"), are part of the new Congressional class that arrived on Capitol Hill this week. They have come prepared for their "mission" to advance a radical far-left agenda.
1) Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American Representative-elect from Minnesota, a "progressive rising star," is one of the first two Muslim women elected to the US Congress.

- She refers to Israel as "the apartheid Israeli regime" and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS movement) designed to strangle Israel's economy.

- Her domestic policy states, "I will achieve a bold, progressive agenda-where we have Medicare for All, tuition-and debt-free college, housing as a human right, a clean environment for future generations, and elections that cannot be bought."

2) Rashida Tlaib self-describes as a "proud Palestinian-American Muslim woman" and Democratic Socialist. She wrapped herself in a Palestinian flag during her victory celebration.

- She is no friend of Israel, and advocates for the Palestinian "Right of Return," which states that Palestinian refugees and their descendants displaced by war have a right to return to lands they left behind in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

- She calls for a one-state solution in the Middle East. Inhabitants of Israel, the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza would coexist in one country with a one-person, one-vote elected government.

- As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Tlaib has vowed to "outwork every single thing on the agenda of the right wing."

3) New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

- On Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez joined environmental activists for a "Green New Deal" protest outside of Rep. Nancy Pelosi's office. They are calling for a "100 percent renewable energy system and a fully modernized electrical grid by 2035."

4) Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) joins Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Omar in forming "The Squad.

- They are lockstep in their agenda and are already demanding positions of leadership to shape the agenda of the Democrat-led House of Representatives.


The priorities for these women are a "Democratic Socialist Wish List":

- Debt-free college and vocational training
- Overturning President Trump's travel ban
- Medicare for all (ie. a socialized healthcare system)
- Advancing LGBTQ rights
- Immigration reform, including amnesty for illegal immigrants

This part of the Democratic Socialist agenda is only the beginning! Democrats' stated plans include:

- widespread investigations into President Trump and members of his administration,
- possible impeachment proceedings against the President and Justice Kavanaugh,
- issuing subpoenas in order to slow the administration's progress,
- roll back of any advance the Trump administration has made over the past two years.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

	About CHPP

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]

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Capitol Hill Prayer Partners welcomes all who wish to pray for our leaders to join us in prayer for our nation. You may sign up to receive our alerts by sending an email to us at CHPP1994@gmail.com requesting that your name be added to our list of subscribers.

Note: You may also learn more about CHPP by going here to visit our blog. Thank you!

	We Welcome Your Gifts

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!

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	Join Our Bible Readathon!

Our Bible Readathon Continues

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105)

We are now reading the Word of God every night (except on Sunday mornings) from midnight to 6:00 a.m. EDT. We are reading through the whole Word, from Genesis to Revelation, and beginning again in Genesis when finished.

Our numbers of readers continues to grow over time. All are welcome to join!
Our conference number is: 712-432-0075.

The access code is: 206425#. 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.]

	God bless you!

	Amen!