In This Issue• On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 9a
• A Unique Training Opportunity
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
Greetings!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
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On Capitol Hill This Week - Volume XVI, Number 9a
March 2 - 6, 2009
March 2 - 6, 2009
* * * INTERNATIONAL ISSUES * * *
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:12)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 9a
1. OBAMA READY TO TALK GLOBAL "NEW DEAL"
2. TEXAS GOVERNOR PUTS NATIONAL GUARD ON ALERT
3. GATES: MILITARY CAN HELP MEXICO IN DRUG WAR
4. SENATE SETS HEARINGS ON MEXICO DRUG VIOLENCE
5. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACKS IN U.S.
6. OBAMA SETS DEADLINE TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM IRAQ
7. MULLEN: IRAN HAS FISSILE BOMB MATERIALS
8. NORTH KOREA LASHES OUT OVER MISSILE- TEST WARNINGS
9. LIVNI NIXES NETANYAHU'S FINAL OFFER ON UNITY GOVERNMENT
10. OBAMA APPOINTS ANTI-ISRAEL AIDE
11. U.S. TO BOYCOTT U.N. RACISM CONFERENCE
1. OBAMA READY TO TALK GLOBAL "NEW DEAL"
European chiefs propose global rules
Gordon Brown hopes to forge a partnership with President Barack Obama in Washington this week, to call for a "global new deal" to lift the world out of recession. As he prepares for his first White House visit since the president's inauguration, the prime minister has hinted that he is ready to make further tax cuts to boost the UK economy.
Brown will meet Obama on Tuesday and address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. Aides say he has both to demonstrate to a sceptical British public that he commands the respect of the president and to persuade the American political establishment that global action is needed to rescue the US economy. Brown is under pressure to persuade American political leaders to sign up to bold aims for the G20 summit of industrial and leading developing nations, which is to be held in London next month.
Many US politicians believe economic policy should put America first, and have shown little interest in concerted global action. Brown will argue for a renewal of the transatlantic relationship, with the two powers working together to solve global economic problems. (Times Online)
• While European leaders think that the USA will not go "global," apparently our president is more than willing to play ball with the global markets. Pray for Congress to be alerted to this new development in the financial sector. This proposal must be stopped in its tracks before America completely loses all of its sovereignty. Watch very carefully the developments during the Summit on April 2 of the Group of 20 nations in London.
• "There is desirable treasure , and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it." (Proverbs 21:20)
2. TEXAS GOVERNOR PUTS NATIONAL GUARD ON ALERT
Texas Governor wants 1000 troops on border
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he wants 1,000 troops to help guard the Texas-Mexico border, and for the federal government to fund security issues closer to home than Iraq and Afghanistan, such as the menacing Mexican drug cartels and their collaborators.
"We're asking the (state) Legislature for $135 million for border security - to go after transnational gangs, for technology and aviation assets, and for 1,000 troops" Perry said at a news conference Tuesday at the Chamizal National Memorial. "I don't care if they are military, National Guard or customs agents. We're very concerned that the federal government is not funding border security adequately. We must be ready for any contingency."
Former U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey, who also was at the news conference, said the U.S. federal government is spending $12 billion on Iraq and $2 billion on Afghanistan each month, "without taking into account what is happening in Mexico." (El Paso Times) [Read more]
• Mexico is breaking out in Civil War in the western part of the border and they expect it to spread the entire border with no end in sight. Mexico is now creating more problems than the citizens of Texas can tolerate. Pray that God will protect the innocent especially the children, and bring this rebellious effort under control through law enforcement and military personnel. Pray protection over the southern U.S. borders. Intercede for those who are in immediate danger; pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones. (Prayer offered by Intercessors for America)
• "When the enemy rushes in like a flood, the LORD lifts up a standard before him." (Isaiah 59:19b)
3. GATES: MILITARY CAN HELP MEXICO IN DRUG WAR
The U.S. military is in a better position to provide Mexico's military with training, resources and intelligence as its southern neighbor battles deadly drug cartels, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. More than a thousand people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence this year. In 2008 the toll doubled from the previous year to 6,290. Both the United States and Canada have warned that murders related to drug activity in certain parts of Mexico, particularly along the border with the United States, raised the level of risk in visiting the country.
"I think we are beginning to be in a position to help the Mexicans more than we have in the past. Some of the old biases against cooperation with our -- between our militaries and so on, I think, are being set aside," Mr. Gates said in an interview aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "It clearly is a serious problem," he said. (AP) (Read more)
• Pray that those who are trafficking in weapons to drug cartels from within the USA will be exposed for their traitorous behaviors and money-making schemes. Such people do not have a homeland and are loyal only to their personal ambitions. They need to be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Praise the Lord that our officials are working to stop this problem.
• "The way of the Lord is strength for the upright but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity." (Proverbs 10: 29)
4. SENATE SETS HEARINGS ON MEXICO DRUG VIOLENCE
House Hearings May Also Be Held Soon
The Senate - concerned about U.S. security in the face of Mexico's escalating drug war - announced Thursday that it will hold hearings on the violence and how this country should respond. And at the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama is monitoring Mexico's security problems. "There's no doubt that the situation is of interest to the president. Strong interest," Gibbs said. "It's something that the national security team and the president are watching closely."
The Senate homeland security committee plans hearings March 25 in Washington on border-area violence, and another for April in Arizona. "The southern border has always been on our radar screen as an entry point for narcotics and human smugglers and others who might threaten our homeland security," said Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-CT. "But the recent escalation of violence along the southern border demands our immediate attention."
More than 6,000 Mexicans were killed in the drug war last year, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Congress on Wednesday that the toll for 2009 has already hit 1,000. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has called on her to send 1,000 more U.S. troops or federal agents to reinforce the border, though Washington says the violence on this side isn't bad enough to trigger a "surge" plan. Gibbs declined to comment Thursday on Perry's request.
On Wednesday, Rep. Lamar Smith of San Antonio called for a House hearing on the border-area violence. Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-MI., hasn't yet responded to the request from Smith, the panel's top Republican. But there is little doubt that Mexico's deteriorating grip on its border region is getting attention at the highest levels in Washington. "Helping Mexico work against the drug gangs is high on our list of priorities, and we will be putting additional emphasis on it," Dennis Blair, director of national intelligence, told the House intelligence committee Thursday. (The Dallas Morning News)
• Pray that all hearings, on both sides of Capitol Hill, will bring forth the full picture -- all the facts -- related to the violence on our southern border and within the nation of Mexico. Lift up the delegated authorities, that they be granted "wisdom from above" as they seek to protect our own citizens and to honor the sovereignty of the United States of America. Amen.
• "Wisdom's ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace." (Proverbs 3:17)
5. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF MUMBAI-STYLE ATTACKS IN U.S.
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III issued a new warning Monday that terrorists are prepared to conduct Mumbai-style attacks on U.S. soil. In a speech before the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C., Mueller said that small terror networks "with large agendas and little money can use rudimentary weapons to maximize their impact." The FBI director then added ominously: "And it again raises the question of whether a similar attack could happen in Seattle or San Diego, Miami, or Manhattan."
Mueller said that terror groups could use homegrown radicals, rather than foreign terrorists, to infiltrate the country. He noted that there are "pockets of people around the world that identify with al-Qaida and its ideology" but act independently of its leadership.
He revealed that a 27-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, Shirwa Ahmed, engaged in a suicide bombing in Somalia last year. "A man from Minneapolis became what we believe to be the first U.S. citizen to carry out a terrorist suicide bombing," Mueller said. "The attack occurred last October in northern Somalia, but it appears that this individual was radicalized in his hometown in Minnesota," Mueller added. Authorities have said as many as 20 young Somali men reported missing in Minnesota may have returned to Somalia to take up arms.
Mueller warned that events in far-off places around the globe could have repercussions at home. "World politics often shape terrorist and criminal threats against the United States," he said. "A crisis in the Horn of Africa may well have a ripple effect in Minneapolis." (NewsMax)
• Continue to lift up prayer that EVERY HIDDEN THING be revealed regarding the locations and designs of any and all "sleeper cells" of terrorists located within our own nation. May God radically visit the souls of all these lost ones, bringing them to Himself through the Cross.
• Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27)
6. OBAMA SETS DEADLINE TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM IRAQ
Days after Mr. Obama announced his plan to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010, Adm. Mullen and Mr. Gates made clear their support for the commander in chief's approach. Adm. Mullen said he was comfortable with the decision, while noting he was reluctant to talk about "winning and losing" in Iraq. Rather, he said, the conditions are in place for the Baghdad government to successfully take control of the country.
Adm. Mullen said Mr. Obama listened extensively to the American military leadership and U.S. commanders in Iraq before announcing withdrawal. Under the president's order, the 142,000 U.S. forces in Iraq would be drawn down to between 35,000 and 50,000 troops by the 2010 date. All forces would be withdrawn by the last day of 2011.
Mr. Gates said he thought it was "fairly remote" that conditions in Iraq would change enough to alter significantly the Obama plan. He said the president has said right along that he retains the authority to change a plan if it's in the national security interests of the United States. Mr. Gates appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," while Adm. Mullen also was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday." (AP)
• Pray that the military assessment of Iraq's ability to secure her country from harm within and attacks from without is accurate. Pray that Iraq's citizens love their country enough to make its new democratic form of government work. Supplicate the Lord about this number of 142,000 troops to insure that it reflects His number and is not wishful thinking on the part of the White House administration.
• "He rules by His power forever; His eyes observe the nations; Do not let the rebellious exalt themselves." (Psalm 66: 7)
7. MULLEN: IRAN HAS FISSILE BOMB MATERIALS
The top U.S. military official said Sunday that Iran has sufficient fissile material for a nuclear weapon, declaring it would be a "very, very bad outcome" should Tehran move forward with a bomb. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered the assessment when questioned in a broadcast interview about a recent report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog on the state of Iran's uranium enrichment program, which can create nuclear fuel and may be sufficiently advanced to produce the core of warheads. Adm. Mullen was asked if Iran now had enough fissile material to make a bomb. He responded, "We think they do, quite frankly, and Iran having a nuclear weapon, I've believed for a long time, is a very, very bad outcome for the region and for the world." (AP)
• Pray that America's military will keep the president's "feet to the fire" and not yield to intimidation nor to personal ambition. Pray for the Lord's peace to strengthen in Iraq and for the Christian population to increase and to exercise greater influence in this newly established nation. Pray for wisdom to be stated by the American generals and top military officials.
• "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." (Isaiah 54:17a)
8. NORTH KOREA LASHES OUT OVER MISSILE- TEST WARNINGS
North Korea threatens to punish critics amid fears of its long-range missile test
North Korea lashed out at critics warning it not to test a long-range missile, saying Thursday that it would punish those trying to disrupt its plan to send what it calls a satellite into orbit. The latest harsh words from Pyongyang came as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced plans to send her new envoy on North Korea to meet with negotiators in Asia trying to revive stalled nuclear disarmament talks.
North Korea announced earlier this week that it was preparing to shoot a communication satellite into orbit as part of it space program. The U.S., South Korea and other neighboring countries believe the launch may be a cover for a missile test-fire, saying the action would trigger international sanctions.
On Thursday, the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of (North) Korea accused South Korea of "trumpeting about 'sanctions'" against its satellite launch, saying outsiders will know "what will soar in the air in the days ahead." "If the puppet warmongers infringe upon our inviolable dignity even a bit . . . we will not only punish the provokers but reduce their stronghold to debris," the committee said in a statement carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency.
Rodger Baker, director of East Asia analysis at STRATFOR, a global intelligence company, said the launch of the Taepodong-2 will most likely take place around the first week in March, around the time of elections for the North's rubber-stamp parliament. The long-range Taepodong-2 missile is believed capable of reaching Alaska. Some experts think the North is preparing to test an advanced version that could reach the western continental U.S. (AP) [Read more
• Pray that every detail that is necessary for the security of South Korea and other nations in North Korea's sights be made known. Lift up all in authority who must continue to confront the belligerence, and the danger. of President Kim Jong Il and the current leadership of North Korea.
• "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." (Luke 12:2)
9. LIVNI NIXES NETANYAHU'S FINAL OFFER ON UNITY GOVERNMENT
Likud to speed up coalition talks with right-wing parties
Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu failed in his last-ditch bid on Friday to persuade Kadima leader Tzipi Livni to join him in a government of national unity, still leaving him with enough support from right-wing parties to return to the premiership but giving them more bargaining power to extract concessions during the final weeks of coalition talks.
Beginning on Sunday, Netanyahu accelerated coalition talks with the five right-of-center parties who endorsed him as prime minister last week, in hopes of presenting a government to the new Knesset by the initial deadline of March 20th. He can now claim he gave a unity government his best shot, leaving Livni to blame for its failure. But Netanyahu faces several right- wing factions who realize they are now indispensable to him becoming prime minister, and thus their coalition demands are likely to harden.
The smaller National Union and Jewish Home factions are actually making reasonable requests so far, but bridging the wide religious/secular gap between Shas and Israel Beiteinu remains a steep challenge for the Likud negotiating team. In addition, Israel Beiteinu head Avigdor Lieberman is insisting on a top cabinet posting at either finance or foreign affairs, both of which pose problems due to his legal troubles at home and negative image abroad. (ICEJ News)
• Pray for a smooth transition from Olmert's prime ministership to the Netanyahu leadership. The Lord knows what is significant about Livni's refusal to work with Netanyahu, for ramifications will probably develop that we know nothing about. Those who lack a Biblical view of Israel's future see giving away of land as the only solution for peace. Now the White House is appointing people to deal with the conflict who are sympathetic to the Arabs. Pray that the Lord will alert the watchmen so that any secret deals will be exposed. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir the hearts of the Israelis to trust their God.
• "O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me, Lest they tear me like a lion." (Psalm 7: 1, 2a)
10. OBAMA APPOINTS ANTI-ISRAEL AIDE
Reports over the weekend said that the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, considered a sharp critic of Israel, is to be named to a top intelligence post in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.
Chas W. Freeman Jr., U.S. ambassador in Riyadh from 1989-1992, is set to be named chairman of the National Intelligence Council, which has a strong influence on the content of the intelligence briefings presented to the President (and puts together the National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, which in 2007 dissuaded the Bush regime from attacking Iran). The Council chairman is also often called on to give direct briefings to the President.
Typical of Freeman's viewpoints is a statement he made in a speech before the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs in 2007, in which he more or less blames international terrorist acts on Israel: "American identification with Israeli policy has also become total. Those in the region and beyond it who detest Israeli behavior, which is to say almost everyone, now naturally extend their loathing to Americans. This has had the effect of universalizing anti-Americanism, legitimizing radical Islamism, and gaining Iran a foothold among Sunni as well as Shiite Arabs.
For its part, Israel no longer even pretends to seek peace with the Palestinians; it strives instead to pacify them. Palestinian retaliation against this policy is as likely to be directed against Israel's American backers as against Israel itself. Under the circumstances, such retaliation - whatever form it takes - will have the support or at least the sympathy of most people in the region and many outside it. This makes the long-term escalation of terrorism against the United States a certainty, not a matter of conjecture. (Unity Coalition for Israel)
• Mr. Freeman needs a lengthy Bible lesson about the place of Israel in God's heart. Freemen is deliberately misrepresenting the truth of the situation. Mr. Obama could not pick a worse choice for intelligence on the Middle East. His views may meet with European and Moslem thinking, but Americans support Israel. Pray diligently for this nomination to be removed from a list of candidates and for a choice that meets American thinking.
• "Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?" (Proverbs 8: 1)
11. U.S. TO BOYCOTT U.N. RACISM CONFERENCE
The Obama administration said Friday that the United States will boycott an upcoming U.N. conference on racism unless its final document is changed to drop all references to Israel and the defamation of religion. At the same time, it said the U.S. would participate as an observer in meetings of the U.N. Human Rights Council, a body that was shunned by the Bush administration for anti-Israel statements and failing to act on abuses in Sudan and other states.
The racism conference is a follow-up to the contentious 2001 meeting in the South African city of Durban that was dominated by clashes over the Middle East and the legacy of slavery. The U.S. and Israel walked out midway through that meeting over a draft resolution that singled out Israel for criticism and likened Zionism - the movement to establish and maintain a Jewish state - to racism.
Israel and Canada had already announced they would will boycott the next World Conference Against Racism in Geneva from April 20-25, known as Durban II, but the Obama administration decided it wanted to assess the negotiations before making a decision on U.S. participation.
Last week, the State Department sent a team to Geneva to attend preparatory meetings for the conference but on Friday it said the closing statement under consideration mirrored the 2001 draft and was was unacceptable. "Sadly ... the document being negotiated has gone from bad to worse, and the current text of the draft outcome document is not salvageable," spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement. "As a result, the United States will not engage in further negotiations on this text, nor will we participate in a conference based on this text," he said.
The United States will not take part in the conference unless its final statement does not single out any one country or conflict for criticism nor embrace the draft's stance on the condemnation or take up the issue of reparations for slavery, Wood said. "We would be prepared to re-engage if a document that meets these criteria becomes the basis for deliberations," he said. (AP)
• We applaud the Obama administration for this decision and position, and we pray that they will find the strength to "hold the line" now and not cave into worldwide pressure to reverse themselves, We also agree with this statement, released by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee: "President Obama's decision not to send U.S. representation to the April event is the right thing to do and underscores America's unstinting commitment to combating intolerance and racism in all its forms and in all settings." Amen!
• "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37)
A Unique Training Opportunity
The Watchmen on the Wall:
A Unique Training Opportunity
A note to our CHPP Prayer Partners:
We are well aware that the vast majority of our readers have a deep passion to stand by Israel in prayer, and in action, as our Lord gives us opportunity to do so.
In that spirit, we wish to share the information, below, from Eagles' Wings Ministries, for your careful review.
Around the world, the Watchmen on the Wall program is equipping Christians for effective articulation to people, and informed intercession to G-d, regarding Israel and its issues. Find out more about the Watchmen program by browsing this site, and get started today on your journey to become a Watchmen on the Wall.
The Watchmen on the Wall program involves a broad- based curriculum written by knowledgeable Christian leaders, full of relevant material and assignments. Training includes written materials, recorded teachings, and live seminars, which cover the history of the Jewish people, the history of Christian Anti- Semitism, media bias, a basic understanding of the current conflict, reasons for standing with Israel and instruction for becoming an articulate spokesperson for Israel.
Curriculum:
The Watchmen on the Wall curriculum consists of a manual and three teaching sets, available from the KAIROS Resource Center. The manual includes statistics, facts, and insights from knowledgeable Christian Leaders in the land, contains lists of additional resources for people who desire to delve deeper into a topic, and presents a series of study questions after each chapter to reinforce the teaching and to use for group study and discussions. The audio teaching sets contain a variety of themes that include not only foundational teaching, practical guides for prayer, plus facts and figures concerning political issues, but also exhortation and encouragement to help keep each Watchman strong and focused as they intercede.
Seminars:
The Watchmen Seminar is a one-and-a-half-day training program designed to fit into your schedule, where we bring our highly-qualified instructors and an Eagles' Wings worship leader to your location. The seminar is a powerful opportunity to become educated and activated on behalf of Israel, and is taught in correlation with our highly-acclaimed training manual and curriculum. During the seminar, you will learn a Biblical and historical foundation, relevant facts concerning present political issues, and important guidelines for taking a Biblical stand for Israel. You will also share in times of intimate worship and intercession.
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LORD GOD OF OUR FATHERS (Adoni Ehlohay Ahvotaynu)
"Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me." (Ezra 7:27,28 NIV)
From generation to generation, You reign supreme over all the earth. What a cofort it is to know that You are the same God . . . from Abraham to Moses to David -- the patriarchs and I have the same Lord. How blessed I am!
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his." (Daniel 2:20)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 9b
• On Capitol Hill This Week; Vol. XVI, No. 9b
• This Week in the Senate
• This Week in the House
• This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
* * * DOMESTIC ISSUES * * *
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:12)
1. DEMINT AMENDMENT ON FAITH DISCRIMINATION IN STIMULUS BILL FAILS
2. SENATE VOTES ON SO-CALLED FAIRNESS DOCTRINE
3. BIPARTISAN GROUP INTRODUCES PRO-LIFE INITIATIVE IN THE HOUSE
4. OBAMA'S PICK FOR SOLICITOR GENERAL -- THE RIGHT LADY FOR THE JOB?
5. OBAMA NAMES PRO-ABORTION KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SECRETARY OF HHS
6. SENATOR BYRD GIVES OBAMA HEAT OVER "CZARS"
7. SUPREME COURT VICTORY FOR DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS
8. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR MOJAVE COURT CASE
9. "DEATH WITH DIGNITY" LAW TAKES EFFECT IN WASHINGTON STATE
10. MONTANA PERSONHOOD AMENDMENT PASSES STATE SENATE
1. DEMINT AMENDMENT TO BAN FAITH DISCRIMINATION IN STIMULUS BILL FAILS
The president of the Christian Coalition of America, Roberta Combs, wrote this week in the Religious Rights Watch section of the CCA's website about a dangerous provision in the Democrat stimulus bill affecting people of faith. The provision states that the funds from the stimulus bill will not be able to be used to improve facilities that are "used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity. The countless numbers of churches which use public school facilities will no longer be able to use such facilities if this abominable legislation passes. Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC, introduced an amendment to the stimulus bill to get rid of this onerous provision, which unfortunately was defeated last night by a margin of 43-54, with only 2 Republicans voting "no" to people of faith. (Christian Coalition of America)
• The defeat of this amendment is yet another harbinger of difficult times that are coming for true believers. While we ask God to FORGIVE all who voted against the DeMint Amendment, we also ask for His Mercy to visit His people in this increasingly dark hour.
• "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:12)
2. SENATE VOTES ON SO-CALLED FAIRNESS DOCTRINE
The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to pass a ban on the so-called Fairness Doctrine. The archaic doctrine would force radio stations to offer opposing viewpoints on controversial issues. Sen. Jim Demint, R--S.C., sponsored the ban on the Fairness Doctrine, which the Senate passed 87-11. The Senate almost immediately also passed what could amount to a stealth fairness doctrine in the form of regulations on media ownership. All 57 Democrats voted in favor of the amendment.
"Senate Democrats insist on keeping the idea of reviving the Fairness Doctrine alive, against the wishes of a majority of Americans," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action. In November, Zogby International found 96 percent of Republicans oppose censorship of the airwaves, as well as 75 percent of those who voted for President Barack Obama. (Citizen Link)
• Father God, nothing has changed in 3,000 years. Man still wants his own way instead of following Your guidance that is found in Your Word. May these errant legislators and executive branch agents who demand the free broadcasting of their counter viewpoints to conservatism, be reminded; in Your Divine Way, that if you want a message or program broadcast, you pay for it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
• Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?' (Ezekiel 18: 25 NKJV)
3. BIPARTISAN GROUP INTRODUCES PRO-LIFE INITIATIVE IN THE HOUSE
U.S. representatives on both sides of the aisle are working to prevent taxpayer-funded abortions here and abroad. Nearly 200 lawmakers --- led by Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Heath Shuler, D-N.C., Bart Stupak, D- Mich., and Chris Smith, R-N.J. --- have signed on to a letter calling on the House Appropriations Committee to include pro-life "riders" in the omnibus spending bill.
Pro-life measures, called "riders," typically are added to spending bills and cover issues like taxpayer- funded abortions and abortions for federal prisoners. Their pro-life letter states, "If this Congress intends to rescind these riders, at a minimum, the American people deserve a full debate with an up-or-down vote."
One of the key pro-life provisions --- the Kemp-Kasten Amendment --- prevents federal funding from going to organizations that support or participate in a program of coercive abortion or sterilization. Unfortunately, the omnibus spending bill undermines Kemp-Kasten by restoring support for the controversial United Nations Population Fund. President George W. Bush cut the funding because of the group's participation with forced-abortion policies. (Focus on the Family Action)
• Dearest Father of the Unborn, we humbly ask You to intervene in this 111th Congress which is ruled by a majority who do not acknowledge You as the Father of Life. We ask that Your Holy Spirit would descend upon and indwell this body of legislators, so that they would unanimously choose to regard life, that You created, as precious; instead of voting for their lobbyists' interests. In Your Son's Name we pray. Amen.
• May Congress heed the Apostle Paul's words to the Ephesians to walk in unity: "That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ." (Ephesians 4:14-15 NKJV)
4. OBAMA'S PICK FOR SOLICITOR GENERAL -- THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB?
Barack Obama's nominee for Solicitor General, Elena Kagan, is the radical attorney who fought in the federal courts against the legislation introduced by American hero and now deceased Congressman Jerry Solomon, a Korean War veteran, and signed into law by a Democrat president, Bill Clinton, to allow military recruiters to meet with students and to allow the Reserved Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) on campuses around the country. All 9 members of the United States Supreme Court, including the four left- wingers on the court, disagreed with Elena Kagan's arguments against Solomon's law. (Christian Coalition of America)
• Obviously Ms. Kagan is an anti-military activist. At a time when Moslem jihadists respect nothing but power, Kagan's views are not healthy for America. To anyone who operates with common sense, her choice seems irrational - unless our president has an agenda that works against the unity of the United States of America. Pray for the blinders to be removed from the eyes of so many Americans so that they know the truth when they see it.
• "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight." (Isaiah 5: 21)
5. OBAMA NAMES PRO-ABORTION KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SECRETARY OF HEALTH
Strongly pro-abortion Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has accepted President Barack Obama's request to serve as the Health Secretary. Sebelius has one of the most radical pro-abortion record of any elected official and a longstanding relationship with a late-term abortion practitioner. White House officials told the New York Times as late as February 18 that Sebelius had emerged as Obama's leading choice for the position. Then, this week, they acknowledged that her pro-abortion record could cause problems for her nomination.
As the health secretary, Sebelius could have an impact in crafting a health care plan that could cover abortions with taxpayer funds or require insurance companies to cover abortions in their plans. Sebelius could also, if confirmed by the Senate, issue new regulations overturning the protections President Bush put in place that protect pro-life doctors and medical centers. . .
Sebelius is most notorious for her close relationship with late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, who has escaped prosecution and accountability thus far for allegedly repeatedly violating state abortion laws. However, a judge recently ruled charges against him from the state attorney general's office can move ahead.
Her position favoring abortion is so radical and extreme that Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City called on her to stop receiving communion until she disowns her support for the "serious moral evil" of abortion. (Life News) [Read more]
• Clearly, our president is not interested in the opinions of the citizens of America, whom he was elected to serve with legality and wisdom. Pray that the Lord will remove Gov. Sebelius from candidacy for this cabinet office. Praise the Lord that the Catholic Church has stood firmly against abortion and for life. Pray that the Holy Spirit pressures her heart so that she can see herself as a child of the Kingdom of God and not as a political pawn with driving ambition.
• "Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." (2 Chronicles 20: 17b)
6. SENATOR BYRD GIVES OBAMA HEAT OVER "CZARS"
One day after his address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama is taking heat from the most senior Democratic senator over the recent appointments of a handful of White House "czars."
Robert Byrd, the Senate pro tempore from West Virginia, said in a letter to the president he is concerned the=2 0appointments of new so called 'czars' in the offices of health, urban affairs and climate change are not subject to Senate approval and could therefore shield information from congress under the right of executive privilege.
"Too often, I have seen these lines of authority and responsibility become tangled and blurred, sometimes purposely, to shield information and to obscure the decision-making process," Byrd wrote in the letter. "As presidential assistants and advisers, these White House staffers are not accountable for their actions to the Congress, to cabinet officials, and to virtually anyone but the president," he continued. "In too many instances, White House staff have been allowed to inhibit openness and transparency, and reduce accountability."
Byrd also urged the president to prohibit the right of executive privilege from appointees' in agencies overseen by the Senate. Byrd, 91, is marking his 50th year in the Senate. (CNN)
• Praise the Lord for the wisdom of Senator Byrd in recognizing the dangers of the White House administration who are shielding the American public from the truth of their actions. Pray that Sen. Byrd's letter makes more than a verbal impact on the White House. How easy to dismiss the warning as the ramblings of an old man, who has abused pork and earmarks for his state of West Virginia. May Sen. Byrd's words also speak to other senators of the dangers of secret edicts coming from the White House. Watchmen on the wall, cry out for justice!
• "The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them trun back and be ashamed suddenly." (Psalm 6: 9,10)
7. SUPREME COURT VICTORY FOR DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS
In a unanimous decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark First Amendment ruling clearing the way for local governments to place monuments of their choosing in public places. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) had asked the high court to overturn a decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that ordered Pleasant Grove City, Utah, to display a monument from a self- described church called Summum because the city displays the Ten Commandments in a public park.
The Supreme Court concluded the city has the right to speak for itself. "The Free Speech Clause restricts government regulation of private speech; it does not regulate government speech. ... A government entity has the right to 'speak for itself.' "
Jay Sekulow, ACLJ chief counsel who presented oral arguments before the court, called the decision a "resounding victory for government speech." "It clears the way for government to express its views and its history through the selection of monuments --- including religious monuments and displays. This decision also puts a bookend on the litigation surrounding the display of the Ten Commandments that's been taking place for years across the country." (Citizen Link)
• Thank You, Father of Truth and Justice, for this Supreme Court decision that glorifies You as supreme over all other false religions and entities. We ask that this legal precedence gather steam throughout our nation as more and more cities, counties and states will ask for relief from the oppression that has sought to blot out Your Name from our Nation and it's history. May all recognize that You are "The Way, The Truth and The Life," and that You should receive all glory and honor due You. In Jesus' Name we pray these things. Amen.
• Just as "Doubting Thomas" asked of Jesus, may the present-day doubters know His Truth as well: "Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" (John 14: 5-6 NKJV)
8. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR MOJAVE COURT CASE
In a case that could reshape the doctrine of separation of church and state, the Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether a cross to honor fallen soldiers can stand in a national preserve in California. The case will give the Roberts court its first chance to rule directly on the 1st Amendment's ban on "an establishment of religion.
In the last two decades, the justices have been closely divided on whether religious symbols, such as the Ten Commandments or a depiction of Christ's birth, can be displayed on public property. Four years ago, then-Justice Sandra Day O'Connor cast a fifth and deciding vote against the display of the Ten Commandments in a Kentucky courthouse. She said such a public display of a religious message violated the 1st Amendment because it amounted to a government endorsement of religion. (LATimes.com 2/24/09) [Reported by: Intercessors for America]
* Father, we remember in 2002, the anguish of one man in Montgomery, Alabama when authorities wheeled away the Ten Commandments from the State Capitol and he kept crying out until he was hoarse, "Bring it Back!" Lord, we love You and Your Word just as much, and we humbly ask that You will "Bring It Back" to every area of American life and throughout the whole world that You created. We ask that Your Holy Spirit will indwell the U.S. Supreme Court and that they will rule for reinstatements and preservations of Your Presence, including Your Ten Commandments and Crosses, throughout America. And, Lord, for the atheists, pagans and tainted courts who hate You and want to be rid of You, we pray that before it is too late for them to repent, that they will receive Your Gift of Salvation. We pray this in Your Son's Name who already has paid the price for all sins. Amen.
• "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart." (Deuteronomy 6: 5-6 NKJV)
9. "DEATH WITH DIGNITY" LAW TAKES EFFECT IN WASHINGTON STATE
Terminally ill patients with less than six months to live will soon be able to ask their doctors to prescribe them lethal medication in Washington State. But even though the "Death with Dignity" law takes effect this Thursday, people who might seek the life-ending prescriptions could find their doctors conflicted or not willing to write them. Under the Washington law, any patient requesting fatal medication must be at least 18 years old, declared competent and a state resident. Two doctors must certify that the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that it was up to states to regulate medical practice, including assisted suicide, and Washington's Initiative 1000 was passed by nearly 60 percent of state voters in November. It became the second state, behind Oregon, to have a voter-approved measure allowing assisted suicide.
Under the Oregon and Washington laws, physicians and pharmacists are not required to write or fill lethal prescriptions if they are opposed to the law. Some Washington hospitals are opting out of participation, which precludes their doctors from participating on hospital property. Washington's law is based on Oregon's measure, which took effect in late 1997. Since then, more than 340 people - mostly ailing with cancer - have used that state's measure to end their lives. (AP)
• Gracious Father, we pray that man will know that only You can give life, and that only You can take it away. We pray forgiveness for these federal and state legislators and judicial members who have made it a "right" in Oregon, and now in Washington State for their citizens to take their lives when faced with a terminal illness or, in their opinion, a "negative quality of life."
• "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2: 7 NKJV)
10. MONTANA PERSONHOOD AMENDMENT PASSES STATE SENATE
Senate passed constitutional Personhood Amendment, SB 406, in a 26-24 vote. The amendment, introduced by Senator Dan McGee, passed on its third reading on the Senate floor Thursday morning. This is the first Personhood Amendment in U.S. history to pass a State Senate. (Breaking Christian News)
• Praise God! The honor of being the first State Senate in U.S. history to recognize the personhood of pre- born children goes to Montana! We pray to our heavenly Father that personhood amendments to all 50 State Constitutions will pass to glorify His gift of children and life. May many be saved because of Montana's and North Dakota's efforts to acknowledge the rights of the unborn to life and personhood. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
• "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord." (Psalm 127:3a NKJV)
This Week in the Senate
This Week in the Senate
Budget '09:
The Senate could polish off left-over budget business this week, voting on a bundle of nine (out of twelve) spending bills to cover costs for the current fiscal year. Opting to avoid a budget tussle with President Bush last year, Congress put off passing all non-defense spending items, instead approving a "continuing resolution" to maintain funding at 2008 levels through March 6. Senators may okay a House-approved "omnibus" bill (HR 1105 sending the president a final budget this week, but lawmakers are just as likely to get tripped up by extraneous amendments to save DC voucher programs and slow up EPA rulings on polar bears (in which case they'll add another continuing resolution to keep the government running until a final budget is passed). (Citizen Joe)
This Week in the House
This Week in the House
Housing Help:
Following up on a mortgage rescue plan proposed by the administration last month, the House will try again this week to vote on a measure letting bankruptcy judges restructure . . . mortgages to levels homeowners can handle. The bill, HR 1106, would also revise the "Hope for Homeowners" bill passed in '08, intended to encourage banks to voluntarily refinance up to 400,000 mortgages. So far that bill has only provided hope for 25 families. (Citizen Joe)
This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LORD GOD OF OUR FATHERS (Adoni Ehlohay Ahvotaynu)
"Praise be to the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me." (Ezra 7:27,28 NIV)
From generation to generation, You reign supreme over all the earth. What a cofort it is to know that You are the same God . . . from Abraham to Moses to David -- the patriarchs and I have the same Lord. How blessed I am!
"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his." (Daniel 2:20)
(Taken from: Intimate Moments with the Hebrew Names of God, by Barri Cae Malin and Shmuel Wolkenfeld; Bridge-Logos Publishers; Gainesville, FL, 32614. ISBN: 0-88270-801-5)
