Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp1994@gmail.com
The Daily Brief
"Praying for All in Authority"
Friday, October 18, 2019
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9)
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"Standing United Together . . . Under the Cross of Christ"
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The Passing of Elijah Cummings
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Trump Responds to Death of Elijah Cummings:
'Strength, Passion, and Wisdom'
President Donald Trump on Thursday saluted one of the fiercest critics of his administration after hearing the news that House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland had died early Thursday at the age of 68.
"My warmest condolences to the family and many friends of Congressman Elijah Cummings. I got to see first hand the strength, passion and wisdom of this highly respected political leader," Trump tweeted.
"His work and voice on so many fronts will be very hard, if not impossible, to replace!"
Although Cummings was a steadfast liberal and staunch supporter of former President Barack Obama, he also had personal friendships with Republicans.
That aspect of his personality came to the forefront in February, when Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan accused House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows of North Carolina of being racist.
Cummings at the time said he could "see and feel" Meadows' pain and called him "one of my best friends" when the North Carolina Republican defended himself from the charge, according to NBC News.
Meadows was among the Republicans voicing their condolences after Cummings died.
"There was no stronger advocate and no better friend than Elijah Cummings," Meadows tweeted Thursday. "I am heartbroken for his wonderful family and staff - please pray for them. I will miss him dearly." (Western Journal) Read more here.
- Father God, we, too, pray today for Your comfort to rest upon the family and friends of Rep. Elijah Cummings. As he has now vacated the seat of the chaimanship of the House Oversight Committee, we call forth the next man or woman who will next occupy that seat of authority, that it be only the one of Your choosing. We ask this in Your name, amen.
- "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
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News from Turkey (yesterday)
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News from Turkey (yesterday)
> > > We are tracking these headlines with you, and continuing to intercede in the Spirit over all matters related to this potentially volatile situation.
- Your Daily Brief editorial team
1. Mike Pence: Turkey Agrees to Five-Day Cease-Fire to Withdraw Kurdish Fighters -The Washington Times
Following four hours of talks and negotiation, a U.S. delegation led by Vice President Mike Pence reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "was prepared to call off his military incursion into Syria," Tom Howell Jr. reports. A 5-day halt in Turkish operations will allow the U.S. to help Kurdish fighters exit a 20-mile border buffer zone, and once complete, Erdogan's forces will help the U.S. detain ISIS fighters in the region. . .
Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence hailed the accord as a breakthrough. "I didn't know it would work out this well. It's a great day for the United States. It's a great day for Turkey," Mr. Trump said while traveling to a political rally in Texas. (Read more)
2. Syria ceasefire a 'great day for civilization' - The White House
Last night, President Donald J. Trump sent a delegation of senior American officials-including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien-to Ankara to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan face-to-face.
And just hours ago, the Administration was able to deliver a major announcement.
"Earlier this week, President Trump took decisive action to call on Turkish forces to stand down, and to end the violence, and to agree to negotiations," Vice President Pence said during a press conference from Turkey.
"Today, I'm proud to report-thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump and the strong relationship between President Erdogan and Turkey and the United States of America-that today the United States and Turkey have agreed to a cease fire in Syria."
President Trump's priorities are clear: American soldiers can no longer be sacrificed in endless wars across the Middle East. That's one of the most important promises he made to the American people as a candidate, and he will always honor it.
Instead of American lives, the President is using "tough love" to bring other countries to the table and achieve positive outcomes. "Obviously the sanctions and tariffs [on Turkey] were going to be very biting. I'm glad we don't have to do it," he said. (Read full statement here)
3. Specific Details of this Cease-Fire Agreement - The White House
To read this statement, please go here.
Topics include:
1. The Trump Administration's diplomatic efforts have been successful in achieving a cease fire in northeast Syria.
2. This agreement will help ensure that the campaign against ISIS will continue.
3. The President is following through on his promise to end American involvement in endless wars.
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News from Turkey (Today)
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News from Turkey (Today)
As above, please continue to pray in the spirit over this unfolding news. Call forth the redemptive purposes of our Lord when events seem to be veering off course. (Romans 8:28)
1. Deadly Turkish airstrikes shatter deal to pause Syria offensive - Times of Israel
TAL TAMR, Syria (AFP) - Deadly Turkish airstrikes Friday shattered an hours-old US-brokered deal to stop Ankara's military offensive against Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria.
The ceasefire announced late Thursday was meant to provide a pause for the evacuation of Kurdish fighters from the battleground border town of Ras al-Ain and other areas Turkey wants to control along its border with Syria.
The five-day suspension looked designed to help Turkey achieve its main territorial goals without fighting but its Syrian proxies continued to clash with Kurdish fighters Friday and an airstrike killed five civilians.
"Five civilians were killed in Turkish airstrikes on the village of Bab al-Kheir, east of Ras al-Ain," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said.
The Britain-based war monitor said four fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces - the de facto army of the embattled Kurdish autonomous region - were killed in the strike. (Read more)
2. Turkish President Erdogan says he 'cannot forget' Trump's letter - CNBC
Turkey's president says his country "cannot forget" the harshly worded letter from U.S. President Donald Trump about the Turkish military offensive into Syria. But he says the mutual "love and respect" between the two leaders prevents him from keeping it on Turkey's agenda.
These are Recep Tayyip Erdogan's first comments concerning the Oct. 9 letter from Trump, in which among other things he warned Erdogan not to be a "tough guy."
Speaking to foreign journalists in Istanbul on Friday, Erdogan said that Turkey would "do what's necessary" concerning the letter "when the time comes." He did not elaborate. (Read more)
3. Pompeo Visits Israel as Fighting Between Turkey, Kurds Continues Despite Ceasefire - CBN
JERUSALEM, Israel - After helping to broker a ceasefire with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Secretary of State Pompeo Mike Pompeo traveled to Israel to help ease Israeli concerns about the pullout of US troops from northeast Syria.
Pompeo met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli leaders have said little about the US troop pullout from Syria, but many believe they're concerned since the move strengthens Israel's number one enemy in the region -- Iran. (Read more)
4. Syria cease-fire in question after fighting, shelling reported - Fox News
Just hours after President Trump announced a cease-fire between Turkish and Kurdish-led forces in Syria, journalists have reported continued fighting in the Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn on Friday morning, while other areas have reported relative calm since the agreement.
Journalists from the Associated Press reported witnessing shelling and said they could see smoke billowing around the town, which sits along the border with Turkey. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported intermittent clashes in Ras al-Ayn, but calm elsewhere.
Reuters also reported machine-gun fire and shelling that could be heard from a border town in Turkey near Ra al-Ayn.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is in Jerusalem, did not respond to repeated questions on whether or not the agreement was violated, the New York Times reported. (Read more)
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The Daily Jot
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Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Turkey decision and God's standard
There are those who adamantly support President Donald Trump's move to allow Turkey to invade the area in Syria held by the Kurds. There are those who just as passionately oppose the move. Christians who support the president seem to be among those with very strong opinions one way or the other. Irrespective of how you feel about the foreign policy decision, as Christians we have a standard that we are to hold to-that is the Holy Scriptures. So often, the Bible is used to justify one political decision over another, yet it may not be applied consistently across all politicians. The foreign policy decision by the president is an example of this back and forth of Biblical applications.
The Kurds are a widely hated people. The Iranians don't like them. The Turks don't like them. The Syrians don't like them. The Turks believe them to be terrorists and a threat to the Turkish government, and want them destroyed. The Kurds, however, are great fighters. With assistance from the United States over the years, the Kurds played a large roll in fighting ISIS. They depended on US backing. The president's decision to pull troops off the border with Turkey was not as consequential as his policy decision to conditionally allow Turkey to invade the Syrian border. Turkey, however, didn't comply with the conditions and even began bombing US positions. This is the true Turkey of the foreign policy decision.
The president's decision had several results-both good and bad. It withdrew US troops from harms way (sort of); It left all the warring parties and enemies there to fight among themselves; It may have assisted Israel's security by creating a diversion on the Northern border; It further destabilized the area; It put US nuclear weapons in Turkey in danger; It turned our backs on US allies; It resulted in ISIS prisoners escaping; It endangered lives of Christians and Kurds to suffer extreme violence; It put the remaining US troops in harms way; and because Turkey didn't hold to its agreement, the president is now faced with undoing what he did, and Congress overwhelmingly (both parties) oppose his action.
Christian support of the president's decision appears to rely on two Biblical principles: Romans 13:1 that "The powers that be are ordained of God," and since Turkey is an end time player, Trump's decision hastens Christ's return. Criticism of President Trump is met with strong resistance and even hostility among many Christians. Criticism of the previous president was met with strong support among the same Christians. If the standard against criticism is that all leaders are established by God, then all leaders should be exempt from criticism. Are we to have it both ways? Let's not mock God. Decisions can be either bad or good, irrespective of the leader. As to hastening the return of Christ, God will have his way on his own time. We cannot stop the march of prophecy, we just don't want to be marching with the evil side no matter the political party.
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Hundreds Protest Impeachment on the Hill
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Against impeachment, protesters urge Congress to 'let Trump do his job'
Hundreds of pro-Trump protesters gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to show support for President Trump and demand that Congress stop the impeachment inquiry that's moving at breakneck speed through the House of Representatives.
The "March for Trump" rally, organized by the pro-Trump group Women for America First, started at Freedom Plaza before marching to the Capitol Building's West Lawn. On a brisk fall day with a gusty wind that lifted dozens of pro-Trump flags held by protesters dressed in red, white and blue, speakers and attendees extolled Trump's successes and railed against impeachment depositions that have been taking place at the Capitol all week.
"There's so much negative news about Trump and the great and wonderful things he's done for the American people," Linda Morris, who had driven from Delaware to show her opposition to impeachment, told Fox News. "We want our voices heard."
There might have been more pro-Trump voices on hand, had the charter company being used to bus protesters in from around the Northeast not canceled at the last minute, organizers claimed.
"Last night, less than two hours before our first chartered buses were supposed to leave for D.C., we were informed that the bus company was canceling all of our buses - including ones that were fully paid for," said Amy Kremer, the chairwoman of Women for American First.
Anti-impeachment leaders including Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., Matt Schlapp of the American Conservative Union and author and former Navy SEAL Jonathan Gilliam spoke to rallygoers, echoing Republicans' recent messaging: that the process Democrats are using is unfair, Trump's contacts with Ukranian President Voldomyr Zelensky in a July phone call were not impeachable offenses; and House Democrats should not try to overturn the results of the 2016 election.
To raucous cheering, Scalise called the impeachment inquiry a "kangaroo court" and lambasted House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for not bringing a vote on the impeachment process to the floor of the House. This echoes rhetoric from a letter the White House sent to Pelosi explaining that it would not comply with impeachment-related subpoenas or interview requests until the House took such a vote. "We ought to have the right to choose our president," he said. "Not Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff behind closed doors." (Fox News) Read more.
- We thank You, Lord, that these voices were heard yesterday on Capitol Hill. Amen! - "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord!" (Psalm 150:6)
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Brexit in the News
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European Union leaders endorse new Brexit deal
European Union leaders endorsed a hard-fought Brexit deal with Britain on Thursday, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces an uphill battle getting it through the British parliament.
A summit of EU leaders "endorsed this deal and it looks like we are very close to the final stretch," EU Council summit host Donald Tusk told reporters after the meeting.
European leaders said they hoped the deal would pass, but British opposition parties and Johnson's own allies in the House of Commons were quick to warn they would not support it when it goes to a vote in a special sitting on Saturday. (Times of Israel) Read more
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Tropical Storm Nestor
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Tropical Storm Nestor Racing Toward Florida Gulf Coast with Increasing Surge, Wind - The Weather Channel
Happening Now
Right now, Nestor is located about 215 miles southwest of Panama City, Florida, and is moving northeastward through the Gulf of Mexico.
Rain showers are pushing inland across the northern half of Florida along with bursts of gusty winds. Heavier thunderstorms are moving toward the Tampa area.
Nestor is a very lopsided system with nearly all of its shower and thunderstorm activity located to its east and north. Much of these impacts will come continue to come ashore in Florida and the northern Gulf Coast well in advance of landfall.
Potential Impacts
- Storm Surge, Coastal Flooding
- Wind
- Tornadoes
- Rainfall
To summarize: Tropical Storm Nestor is moving northeastward in the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storm warnings have been posted for portions of the Florida Gulf Coast Nestor is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Saturday. Heavy rainfall is possible in parts of the Southeast plagued by a recent flash drought. This system may also produce some surge flooding along and to the east of its track.
- Father God, as this severe storm system slams into the southeastern portion of our nation, following this unusual path, we ask that all who are in its targeted areas be aware of this impending danger, and take cover, as needed. Help us, O LORD, we pray, amen.
- " . . . if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)
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Major SOCAL Faultine on the Move
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Major Southern California fault line eyed after study shows unprecedented movement
A major southern California fault capable of producing a magnitude 8 temblor started to move for the first time in 500 years following a series of earthquakes in the Mojave Desert over the summer, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Science.
The study by geophysicists from the California Institute of Technology and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory found that the Garlock Fault - which runs east to west for 185 miles from the San Andreas Fault to Death Valley - has slipped .8 inches since July. This is the first movement documented on the fault in the modern historical record.
"This is surprising, because we've never seen the Garlock fault do anything. Here, all of a sudden, it changed its behavior," Zachary Ross, assistant professor of geophysics at Caltech and lead author of the paper, told the Los Angeles Time. "We don't know what it means.
Satellite images show the process called fault creep began after Southern California experienced its largest earthquake sequence in two decades beginning on July 4. A magnitude 6.4 foreshock rocked the Mojave Desert about 120 miles north of Los Angeles before a magnitude 7.1 mainshock hit the next day in addition to more than 100,000 aftershocks.
The earthquakes that hammered the desert town of Ridgecrest sent ruptures on a web of interconnected faults throughout the region, putting added strain on the Garlock Fault. Ross said about 20 previously unknown crisscrossing faults were involved, which adds evidence that major earthquakes can be caused by a more complex process, not solely by a rupture on a single major fault line.
Ross developed automated computer analysis of seismometer data to detect the huge number of aftershocks with precise location information, Caltech and JPL said in a press release. Ross said the 6.4 quake simultaneously broke faults at right angles to each other, which he characterized as surprising.
"It's going to force people to think hard about how we quantify seismic hazard and whether our approach to defining faults needs to change," Ross said. "We can't just assume that the largest faults dominate the seismic hazard if many smaller faults can link up to create these major quakes." (Fox News) Read more
See also:
California launches America's first statewide earthquake early warning system
Officials in California unveiled the nation's first statewide earthquake early warning system on Thursday.
The California Earthquake Early Warning System utilizes a smartphone app as well as traditional alert and warning delivery methods, such as Wireless Emergency Alerts.
"The system uses ground motion sensors from across the state to detect earthquakes before humans can feel them and will notify Californians so that they can 'Drop, cover and hold on' in advance of an earthquake," said the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in a statement.
The system uses a new version of the MyShake app developed by the University of California, Berkeley, according to the LA Times. (Fox News) Read more
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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]
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!
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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!
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"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)
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.]
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God bless you!
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