apitol Hill Prayer Partners
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The Daily Brief
"Praying for All in Authority"
Thursday, March 14, 2019
"For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" (Esther 8:6)
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Focus on Israel | ||||
1. US cuts references to Israeli 'occupation' of Golan, Judea and Samaria in key report - World Israel News
Diverging from a decades-long policy of characterizing the Golan Heights and Judea and Samaria as "occupied" by Israel, the United States Department of State began referring to the territories as under Israeli "control" in its annual human rights report, released on Wednesday.
The shift arrives amid comments from U.S. lawmakers like Senator Lindsey Graham expressing support for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which the Jewish state initially captured in 1967 during the Six-Day War and annexed for all intents and purposes in 1981.
Graham toured the area on Monday and commented, "The Golan is not disputed. It is in the hands of Israel and will always remain in the hands of Israel. My goal is to try to explain this to the [Trump] administration."
The State Department report also removed references to "occupation" from sections of the annual human rights report addressing Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip, the latter of which Israel completely disengaged from in 2005.
(Read more)
2. Saudis, Egypt, United Arab Emirates openly reject call to isolate Israel - World Israel News
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt rejected on March 4 a clause in a statement by the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (APU), that called for a stop to normalization with Israel, laying bare a growing divide between Arab governments and individual parliamentarians in their approach to the Jewish State. The speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, had urged the group to include in its final statement at the 29th Conference of the APU, which kicked off on March 2 in the Jordanian capital Amman, a clause that rejects normalization between Israel and the Arab world. Al-Ghanim slammed rapprochement with Israel as a "political taboo" and emphasized that Arab states must stand united against "our enemy [Israel]" in support of the Palestinians. His demands, however, were rejected by the speaker of the Saudi Shura Council, Abdullah Al-Sheikh, who noted that, "Calls for stopping normalization with Israel is the authority of politicians not the parliamentarians," stressing that this recommendation be deleted from the statement. Al-Sheik received support from representatives of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, who all called on the APU not to include the clause in its final statement.
(Read more)
3. Israeli Forces Take Down Jerusalem-Area Terror Cell - Jewish Press
Israeli security forces have exposed and captured a seven-member Arab terror cell that operated from Qalandiya and was responsible for throwing explosive devices and Molotov cocktails at the Qalandiya Crossing, a northern entrance to Jerusalem, police announced Wednesday. Following several attacks on the Qalandiya Crossing, Border Guard Police investigators two months ago began collecting intelligence and analyzing the findings collected at the sites of the attacks. The investigation revealed that the terror cell was headed by Mustafa Khaled Shehadeh Khasabbeh, 19, who has also been involved in the sale of weapons since March 2018, some of which were used to carry out an attack against an Israeli community. He was also responsible for supplying the explosive charges and Molotov cocktails to the squad of six operatives. He activated the cell and participated in some of the attacks.
(Read more)
4. After Hezbollah cell in Syria exposed, PM says it's the 'tip of the iceberg'- Times of Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Iran and Hezbollah that "Israel knows what you're doing, Israel knows where you're doing it," hours after Israel announced it had uncovered a terror cell in the Syrian Golan Heights. The Hezbollah cell is "just the tip of the iceberg," Netanyahu, who also serves as defense minister, said on Wednesday. The Israel Defense Forces said earlier Wednesday that it had exposed a nascent Hezbollah cell established in a border village on the Syrian Golan Heights in recent months, and vowed to prevent the terrorist group from operating against Israel from Syrian soil, even at the risk of sparking a small-scale conflict.
(Read more)
5. Satellites indicate new missile factory in Syria - YNET News
Satellite images taken by Israeli intelligence firm ISI on Tuesday seem to confirm suspicions that a missile factory is being constructed in the Syrian town of Safita, east of Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. The images show a secured site surrounded by a fence, vehicles, three hangars and a newly built water tower. "The building components and patterns of activity in and around the compound strengthen the probability that this is a missile manufacturing plant," ISI's intelligence report said. It is however not possible to determine with certainty whether this is an Iranian site. According to the report, buses and private vehicles were identified in recent months at the entrance to the suspect site, east of the port city of Tartus. The workers at the site come and go in patters consistent with military installations. The water tower, clearly discernible in the images, indicates that it was built only recently.
(Read more)
6. Israel on Target -- 3/13/19
To read this week's three key prayer points out of Israel on this alert,please go here.
7. 'Jexodus' Group Helps Jewish Millennials Leave Democratic Party - The Jewish Voice
A new movement called "Jexodus" was launched at the beginning of March, in the midst of Democrats announcing their candidates for the 2020 presidential election. Jewish millennials started the group because they said they are tired of the Democratic party's "blatant disregard for anti-Semitism."
While many Jexodus members have ideals that align with the Democratic party, they feel anti-Israel agendas that veer into anti-Semitism are taking over.
(Read more)
> > > PLEASE NOTE: This is a very important article! Please be sure to pray for the protection of all young adults who are joining this new movement. Thank you.
The Daily Brief | ||||
1. President Trump Flips Control of First Federal Appeals Court - Breitbart
President Donald Trump flipped the first federal appeals court to a Republican majority on Tuesday, when the Senate confirmed Judge Paul Matey to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. America is geographically divided into 13 federal appeals courts. The Third Circuit includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Puerto Rico.
The Senate confirmed Matey by a vote of 54-46. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) was the sole Democrat to join all Republicans in supporting Matey's nomination. Of the nation's 179 federal appellate judgeships, the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit has 14 seats. President Trump has now appointed judges to three of those seats, with one more vacancy to fill.
Consequently, seven of the current 13 judges were appointed by Republicans. Conservatives are quick to point out that a Republican majority does not mean a conservative majority, but see it as a step in the right direction. Given that President Trump has consistently nominated originalists and textualists to the bench, the president's supporters are hopeful that several of circuit courts will have reliable constitutionalist majorities by Election Day 2020. (Read more)
- Father, we pray our courts will be known as places of true justice. We ask You to bless Judge Matey as he joins this important Appeals court.
- He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
2. Senate confirms Neomi Rao to DC Circuit in party-line vote - Washington Examiner
The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Neomi Rao, President Trump's regulatory czar, to succeed Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Four of the nine current justices Supreme Court justices served in the D.C. Court of Appeals. Rao is reportedly considered to be a possible contender for the Supreme Court should another vacancy open up. With her confirmation, she will be the first South Asian woman to serve on a federal appeals court.
Rao is now the 36th federal appeals court nominee confirmed since Trump took office. The Republican-controlled Senate has been approving the president's judicial nominees, many of whom are young and likely will serve for decades, at an historic pace as part of Trump's efforts to reshape the federal judiciary. (Read more)
- Father, we lift up Neomi Rao and pray she will be effective in limiting the power of government through her influence on the DC Court of Appeals.
- I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.
(Psalm 119:101)
3. Paul Manafort Will Serve A Total Of 7.5 Years In Prison - Daily Caller
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., sentenced Paul Manafort to 73 months in prison Wednesday, days after the former Trump campaign chairman received a 47-month sentence in a separate case in Virginia.
U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Manafort will serve some of his sentence concurrently with his sentence in Virginia. In all, Manafort will spend around seven-and-a-half years in jail for a variety of crimes related to consulting work he did in Ukraine prior to joining the Trump campaign. During Wednesday's hearing, Jackson noted that prosecutors with the special counsel's office did not present evidence of collusion between Manafort, the Trump campaign and Russians to influence the 2016 election.
"The question of whether there was any collusion with Russia . . . was not presented in this case, period, therefore it was not resolved by this case," said Jackson. (Read more)
- Father, we lift up Paul Manafort and pray Your encouragement to envelop him and his family as they continue to go through trials and experience separation.
- For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise His who are prisoners.
(Psalm 69:33)
4. US grounding Boeing 737 MAX jets following crashes - Washington Examiner
President Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. government is grounding Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger jets following two deadly recent crashes.
Many foreign countries, including Canada, grounded the Boeing 737 MAX 8 following the Sunday crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, killing 157 people. The crash followed the October crash of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia, killing 189, which involved another Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Some pilots complained about training to operate the Boeing 737 MAX 8, and about the nose dipping during takeoff. The grounding decision will impact roughly 74 aircraft in the U.S., including 34 operated by Southwest Airlines and 24 by American Airlines.
Trump offered his condolences to crash victims, saying "our hearts go out to all of those who lost loved ones, to their friends, their families," while offering support for the major U.S. plane-maker. "It's a terrible, terrible thing. Boeing is an incredible company. They are working very, very hard right now and hopefully they'll very quickly come up with the answer," Trump said. (Read more)
- Father, we pray You will give wisdom to the engineers and assemblers as to exactly what the problem is with these aircraft so they may solve it quickly and safely.
- He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means. (Daniel 5:12)
5. Obama DOJ Told FBI Not To Charge Hillary, Lisa Page Reveals What The 'Insurance Policy' Was - DailyWire
House Judiciary Committee members released the transcript of former FBI lawyer Lisa Page's testimony in front of the committee last year and it contained several major revelations. One of the biggest revelations was that Page, who was having an affair with then-FBI agent Peter Strzok, said that the infamous "insurance policy" text message was referring to the Russia investigation.
Page also indicated that the decision to not charge Clinton with felony gross negligence in her email scandal came at the direction of the Obama Justice Department. "When you say advice you got from the Department, you're making it sound like it was the Department that told you: 'You're not going to charge gross negligence because we're the prosecutors and we're telling you we're not going to," Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) said to Page. "That's correct," Page responded.
Ratcliffe tweeted out an excerpt of Page's testimony, writing: "Lisa Page confirmed to me under oath that the FBI was ordered by the Obama DOJ not to consider charging Hillary Clinton for gross negligence in the handling of classified information." (Read more)
- Father God, we pray everyone involved in corruption at the FBI and DOJ will be held fully accountable.
- Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing. (Proverbs 11:7)
6. Dems' scheme for permanent majority - WND
In all but one of the last seven presidential elections, Republicans lost the popular vote. George W. Bush and Donald Trump won only by capturing narrow majorities in the Electoral College. Hence the grand strategy of the left: to enlarge and alter the U.S. electorate so as to put victory as far out of reach for national Republicans as it is today for California Republicans, and to convert the GOP into America's permanent minority party.
Ari Berman of Mother Jones writes that Nancy Pelosi's 700-page For the People Act that did pass the House contains "a slew of measures designed to expand voting rights, which include nationwide automatic voter registration, Election Day registration, two weeks of early voting in every state restoration of voting rights for ex-felons, and declaring Election Day a federal holiday."
If the new U.S. electorate of, say, 2024, includes tens of millions of new voters - 16- and 17-year-olds; illegal migrants; ex-cons; new legal immigrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America who vote 70 to 90 percent Democratic - the political future of America has already been determined. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for integrity throughout our electoral system. Help us have the wisdom to preserve our republic.
- "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
(Psalm 11:3)
7. Trump administration preparing to close international immigration offices - Washington Post
The Trump administration is preparing to shutter all international offices of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a move that could slow the processing of family visa applications, foreign adoptions and citizenship petitions from members of the military stationed abroad.
USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna said in an email to staff Tuesday that he is working to transfer those duties - now performed by employees worldwide - to domestic offices and the State Department's embassies and consulates. He wrote that if the State Department agrees, the agency would move to close its international field offices in coming months "in an effort to maximize our agency's finite resources."
The shift will ripple to offices in New Delhi, Port-au-Prince in Haiti, Rome and numerous other ¬foreign cities where the agency has offices that handle emergencies, smooth backlogs in immigration petitions and provide direct information in foreign languages. Administration officials say the move will allow them to shift resources to slash backlogs in the United States, and they estimate the government will save millions of dollars each year by phasing out USCIS international offices. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for Your leading and guidance as President Trump and his administration make changes to our immigration system.
- To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
8. Trump Should Militarize Our Immigration Courts - American Greatness
Political commentator Steve Cortes suggested recently that President Trump should declare a second national emergency on our southern border. The first such emergency was designed to divert funds towards wall construction, but Cortes argues that by itself won't deter the current wave of migrants, mostly from Central America.
Whether we eventually build a wall is irrelevant to the calculations of the current crop of migrants, because they know, right now and for the foreseeable future, illegal immigration simply is not punished in the United States. On the contrary, it is rewarded.
Another option would be to declare an additional national emergency in order to militarize U.S. immigration courts. This would allow military personnel to serve as immigration judges, and these new judges could clear the backlog of asylum cases. Currently, there are only 400 immigration judges to hear more than 800,000 cases-thus the delay of up to five years. (Read more)
- Father, if this is truly a good plan, we pray the military courts will process immigration issues and remove the burden from the civilian system.
- "With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."
(2 Chronicles 32:8)
9. US Dept. of Ed. Just Dropped These Restrictions Against Religious Groups - CBN News
The US Department of Education has announced it will no longer enforce a restriction barring religious organizations from serving as contract providers of services solely due to their religious affiliation. US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made the announcement Monday during the annual meeting of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) State Directors.
"These provisions run counter to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer that, under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, otherwise eligible recipients cannot be disqualified from a public benefit solely because of their religious character," the statement explains.
ADF Legal Counsel Kellie Fiedorek commended the Department of Education and the Trump administration for its action. "Religious organizations should be free to compete to provide goods and services to schools and colleges on a level playing field with everyone else. For that reason, we commend the Trump administration and the Department of Education for recognizing the unconstitutional nature of the existing ban on religious contractors who are providing secular services," Fiedorek said in a statement. (Read more)
- Father, thank You for this policy change, recognizing the rights of religious groups and their access to grants and other federal dollars.
- In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:6)
10. Global 'pandemic' of fake drugs killing children worldwide, report says - CNN
The deaths of children are a cause for misery, and new research suggests one of the gravest perils comes in the form of falsified and substandard drugs for treating malaria, pneumonia and other diseases. Hundreds of thousands of children each year are dying due to a surge of poor-quality or outright fake medicines, the report says.
"We're talking about 300,000 -- at least -- children who have died because of murder-by-alleged-medicines distributed by criminals," said Dr. Joel Breman, a co-author of the report and senior scientific adviser emeritus at the Fogarty International Center of the US National Institutes of Health.
The number of falsified and substandard medical products is on the rise, according to Breman and his co-authors on the report, published Monday in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. In 2008, for example, Pfizer Global Security, the drugmaker's team working to counteract counterfeit drugs, identified 29 of its products in 75 countries as being falsified. Just 10 years later, Pfizer found 95 fakes in 113 countries. (Read more)
- Father, this report is sad and alarming! Help our drug companies regain control over their products and help our government remove those who are producing counterfeit drugs.
- Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras.
(Deuteronomy 32:33)
The Daily Jot | ||||
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
The perfect example of socialism
Against the backdrop of a Harris poll indicating that Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to embrace socialistic policies and principles than past generations, the lights are out in the poster child for modern socialism-literally. Venezuela, once a gemstone in South America, is in the dark thanks to socialism. That's what happens when socialist dictators take over under the pretense of equality for all and pure democracy. It's lights out. Checkmate. No food on the table. No gas in the car. No car (check Cuba's 1940's US models still being driven, and, oh yes, Fidel Castro's funeral jeep breaking down in his final ride). But there is even a deeper message for America's youth in Venezuela's socialism.
The UK Telegraph reports that "In the well-lit dining room of El Alazan, dollar bills are flying. Waiters whisk expensive cuts of meat and bottles of whisky between tables; a couple dances to a band playing in the corner. This steakhouse in the affluent Altamira neighborhood is busier than ever and the front desk juggle payments with wads of cash. Juan, a nightclub owner in his sixties who sips a vodka and orange at the bar, says he has come here with his friends as "there is nowhere else in Caracas you can do this right now". Outside, the streets are deserted as night falls, a crippling nationwide blackout imposing a de facto curfew after another long day of searches for food, water, and fuel."
Every Millennial and Gen Zer in the US needs to hear this. Behind the promises of guaranteed minimum wages, free education, healthcare for all, free transportation, everyone being equal and all the esoteric concepts of everyone having their needs met-Isn't this the same as the current Democratic Party platform?-is the reality. Somebody has to pay. And while somebody is paying, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The socialist "president's" (democratically-elected dictator's) buddies get the jobs, get the food and can party all night in the well-lit places while the masses suffer in the outer darkness. That's progressivism, socialism, communism-different names for the same results.
I can't repeat it enough. The Communist Manifesto says, "But communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis." Other lynchpins of communism are enumerated in the Manifesto: 1) Abolition of property ownership, 2) a heavy progressive income tax, 3) abolition of all rights of inheritance, 4) confiscation of property, 5) centralization of credit, 6) centralization of transportation, 7) centrally planned economy, 8) obligation to work, 9) abolishing distinction between towns and country, and 10) a free education for children. Exodus 20:3 says, "Thou shalt have no other god's before me." When government replaces God, bad things happen--ask citizens of Venezuela. They see the truth, even in the dark. America needs to wake up, especially the "Church."
Have a blessed and powerful day,
The Daily Jot Staff
Weather Alert | ||||
Millions in path of potential bomb cyclone as major winter storm to slam central U.S.
The storm has the potential to "bomb out," a term used when a storm drops 24 millibars, or units of atmospheric pressure, in 24 hours or less.
Millions of Americans across the central United States are bracing for a major storm system set to pummel the region over the next two days, according to the National Weather Service.
As many as 74 million people across the nation are expected to face some type of severe weather ranging from blizzard conditions in some areas to heavy rain and flooding in others as the major winter storm moves through the central part of the country.
In Colorado, the storm underwent bombogenesis - also known as a bomb cyclone - according to The Denver Post, a term used when a storm drops 24 millibars, or units of atmospheric pressure, in 24 hours or less, according to Weather.com.
Denver is under a blizzard warning through midnight and could receive as much as a foot of snow.
Almost 1,000 flights out of Denver International Airport were canceled ahead of the storm, according to the Post. FlightAware, a flight tracking site, listed more than 1,400 delays and more than 1,500 cancellations across the country as of 12:45 p.m. ET.
Between Wednesday and Friday, the storm will cause heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, isolated flooding, heavy snow, blizzard conditions and high winds across large swaths of the central U.S., according to the NWS.
Blizzard warnings were also issued for parts of eastern Wyoming, southeastern Montana, western Nebraska, western and central South Dakota, central and eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, according to Weather.com.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas recorded gusts of wind between 75 mph and 78 mph early Wednesday. Parts of Western Texas through the Plains could see wind gusts of up to 60 mph on Wednesday, which could cause downed trees and power lines. (NBC News) Read more.
- Lord God, this is a big prayer request, but You are a big God, so we thank You that You can and will protect our people as we pray. Please grant all citizens who are now in the path of this mega storm great wisdom, to be able to survive its wrath in safety. Thank You, Father, for hearing our prayer, in Your name, amen and amen.
- "And there shall be . . . a place of refuge and for a shelter from storm and from rain." "(Isaiah 4:6)
More Daily Features
(See below . . .)
- The Persecuted Church
- Classic Hymns
- Signs and Wonders
- The Good News Corner
- Worship with Us Today!
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.
WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN
"In My Father's house are many rooms . . . I am going there to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2)
Lyrics
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He'll prepare for us a place.
Refrain
When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!
While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.
Refrain
Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
Refrain
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
Refrain
Melody
Please go here. (Alan Jackson)
About the Author:
Words: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1898
Melody: Emily D. Wilson
Signs and Wonders
I am the light! Image of Jesus appears in the sky as the sun bursts through clouds over Italy
- Remarkable images reveal what looks to be a figure of Jesus Christ appearing above an Italian town
- Alfredo Lo Brutto, from Agropoli, Italy, captured the incredible pictures while at his home town on Friday
- He explained that he often doesn't share photographs on social media but couldn't wait to post these snaps
Dramatic pictures have emerged showing what looks like a glowing image of Jesus above an Italian town as sunlight broke through the clouds.
Alfredo Lo Brutto, from Agropoli, Italy, captured the figure bursting through grey skies above the sea while at his home.
The shape created by the spectacular light show, at sunset on Friday, seemed to resemble the renowned Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
(Daily Mail UK) Read more and view this spectacular 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)
The Good News Corner
Victory for Religious Groups in America as US Dept. of Education
Drops These Restrictions
US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made the announcement Monday during the annual meeting of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) State Directors.
The department said in a press release that the restrictions, "that require an equitable services provider to 'be independent of . . . any religious organization' are unconstitutional because they categorically exclude religious organizations based solely on their religious identity."
"These provisions run counter to the US Supreme Court decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, 137 S. Ct. 2012 (2017) that, under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, otherwise eligible recipients cannot be disqualified from a public benefit solely because of their religious character," the statement explains.
As CBN News reported in 2017, the US Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the government cannot exclude churches and other faith-based organizations from a secular government program simply because of their religious identity.
The high court made that ruling in the case of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, involving a church-run preschool in Missouri. The state had denied the church a partial reimbursement grant for rubberized playground surface material made from recycled tires solely because a church runs the preschool, even though the only purpose of the grant program is to improve children's safety.
According to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), although the state highly ranked Trinity Lutheran Child Learning Center as qualified for the program (fifth out of 44 nonprofit applicants), it denied the center's application solely because a church runs the preschool. Children in the community also use the playground after hours and on the weekends, and more than 90 percent of the children who attend the preschool do not attend the church.
"The Trinity Lutheran decision reaffirmed the long-understood intent of the First Amendment to not restrict the free exercise of religion," Secretary DeVos said in a press release. "Those seeking to provide high-quality educational services to students and teachers should not be discriminated against simply based on the religious character of their organization."
ADF Legal Counsel Kellie Fiedorek commended the Department of Education and the Trump administration for its action.
"Religious organizations should be free to compete to provide goods and services to schools and colleges on a level playing field with everyone else. For that reason, we commend the Trump administration and the Department of Education for recognizing the unconstitutional nature of the existing ban on religious contractors who are providing secular services," Fiedorek said in a statement. (Breaking Christian News)Read more.
Worship With Us Today!
Michael W. Smith - "Build My Life"
To worship with us today, please go here . . .
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]
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
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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"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (Philippians 4:23)
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!
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[Note: we are reading from these versions of the Scripture: King James, New King James, New American Standard, and NIV.]
God bless you! | ||||