Tuesday, September 11, 2012

CHPP Daily Brief Tuesday, September 11, 2012




Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
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chpp@patriot.net


The Daily Brief Tuesday, September 11, 2012


Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD. (Exodus 14:13)



The Daily Brief

1. By refusing to see Netanyahu, Obama sharpens his Iran dilemma - DebkaFile

President Barack Obama's refusal Tuesday Sept. 11 to see Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu because "the president's schedule will not permit that," left Jerusalem thunderstruck - and Washington too.

At one stroke, round after round of delicate negotiations on Iran between the White House, Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, the US National Security Council, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta collapsed. They had aimed at an agreement on a starting point for the meeting that had been fixed between the two leaders for Sept. 28 in New York to bridge their differences over an attack on Iran's nuclear program.

By calling off the meeting, the US president has put an end to those hopes and publicly humiliated the Israeli prime minister, turning the clock back to the nadir of their relations brought about by the comment by Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Aug. 30: "I don't want to be complicit if they [Israel] choose to do it" - meaning attack Iran. By rebuffing Netanyahu, the president demonstrated that the top US soldier was not just talking off the cuff but representing the president's final position on a possible Israel strike to preempt Iran's nuclear program. (Read more)

- O Heavenly Father, please direct us how to pray in the midst of this situation. There is the intelligence showing how close Iran appears to be to having full nuclear weapons, and Iranian intentions have been publicly stated for years. Yet there are leaders in both Israel and the US who have their own agendas and needs, who do not appear to want to discuss and compromise. By the Spirit of the Living God, we pray a hedge of protection around PM Binyamin Netanyahu. We ask You, Lord, to bless him with a keen understanding of Your will and direction, filling him with Your strength and peace, so that he can stand controlled and calm as this plays out between the two nations. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and amen.
- The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. (Proverbs 15:28)

- It is God who avenges me, and subdues the people under me. He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me. You have delivered me from the violent man. (Psalm 18:47-48)


2. Tornadoes hit NYC; violent storm tears through D.C. - USA Today

Damaging storms that spawned tornadoes in New York City, darkened tens of thousands of homes in the Washington, D.C., area and flooded New England streets turned a normal day of rest into a day of cleaning up for many East Coast residents on Sunday.

(Editor's comment: It is interesting to note that New York City is the site of the United Nations, where the nations will once again gather at the end of this month to declare a Palestinian state. Is this a warning from our Lord? If so praise Him that, in wrath, He has once again remembered mercy, as no one was injured or killed in these storms!)

- Lord, our hearts and prayers do go out to those struggling due to these storms. We pray they will get the help that they need. We pray for all of Your people who are assisting in the area. But Lord, we are reminded that after much hardship many still do not come to repentance. Lord, may the people turn to You as we pray about the tornadoes, flooding, and think of New York City on 9/11. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

-But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)


3. US sending more spies to Syria border in bid to bolster rebels
- Times of Israel

The U.S. is ramping up its presence at Syria's Turkish border, sending more spies and diplomats to help advise the rebel forces in their mismatched fight against the better armed Syrian regime, and to watch for possible al-Qaida infiltration of rebel ranks.

- Lord, we pray that these spies and diplomats going to Syria would have eyes, ears and minds to really see and know what is going on there to bring forth accurate information. We pray that they will be not be blinded by deception. Reveal truth we pray. We lift the problems in Syria to You again, Lord. May Your will be done. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

- But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of our gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (1 Corinthians 4:3-4)


4. German FM: Nuclear Iran a threat to entire region - Jerusalem Post

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle emphasized the concerns his country shared with Israel over Iran's nuclear program, following a meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday.

- Lord, we thank You that the German Foreign Minister is concerned for Israel. We pray for Guido and that his voice in standing with Israel will be that of Germany's as well. We pray for godly wisdom for leaders of Germany. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

- Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. In the name of Jesus, our Savior we pray. Amen. (I Timothy 2:1-4)


5. Iran sends elite troops to aid Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria - UK Telegraph

Iran is intensifying its support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad by sending 150 senior Revolutionary Guards commanders to Syria to help repel opposition attempts to overthrow the government.

- Lord, we pray for Iran and Syria. We pray You will make known the riches of Your glory and mercy to the people and that the leaders will come to know that You are the one and only true God. May the physical battles come in line with Your purposes. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

- What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us who He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9:22-24)


6. Syria transferred chemical weapons to port city last month, raising alarm bells, report says - Times of Israel

The Syrian regime transferred chemical weapons from a storage base near Damascus to the port city of Tartus last month, sparking American and European concerns that the weapons could fall into the hands of Hezbollah in Lebanon or other extremist organizations inside Syria, Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai reported Sunday.

- Lord, we pray that chemical weapons will not be allowed to get into the hands of Hezbollah or any terror group and that they will not be used for evil. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

- The noise of a multitude in the mountains like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The Lord of hosts musters the army for battle. (Isaiah 13:4)


The Middle East in Focus

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of YHWH has risen on you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but YHWH shall rise on you, and His glory shall be seen on you." (Isaiah 60:1-2)


1. U.S. Rejects Israeli Calls for Tougher Iran Moves - Wall Street Journal

The Obama administration rejected Israeli calls for clearer U.S. "red lines" that Iran can't pass without risking military conflict, in a sign of continuing tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama over Tehran's nuclear advances.


2. Report: Jerusalem Within New Iranian Missile's Range - Washington Free Beacon

Iran is set to unveil a "domestically produced" cruise missile capable of reaching Israel and being launched "from land, sea, and air," according to Iranian media reports.


3. Israel hits back at Clinton, says refusal to set red lines will 'calm Iran' - Times of Israel

Official Jerusalem struck back at the US Monday for saying it would not set clear red lines beyond which it would support a military attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.


4. PM: Israel must bring justice to Jewish Refugees - Jerusalem Post

Israel must bring justice to Jewish refugees from Arab countries, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in remarks at the international conference on Justice for Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries Sunday evening.


5. US-Israel military drill, HFC exercise to be held simultaneously - Ynet News

The Home Front Command and the US and Israeli militaries will hold separate drills which will begin at the same time at the end of October.


The Daily Jot

11 Years after 9/11--the prophetic path of America


I am sitting in my office 11 years after the al Qaeda operatives ran two planes into the World Trade Center towers, one plane into the Pentagon, and another was downed in a Pennsylvania field before it could do more damage. The result, some 3,000 American citizens met an untimely and brutal death. And where are we today? We have lost thousands of lives conquering and "giving democracy" to people who hate us; We have spent trillions trying to root out the terrorists; our economy is in a shambles; we have elected a president who has favored the Islamists as they overthrew governments across the Middle East; we live in an ever increasing hostile environment; Islam is colonizing America. So who is winning?

America is not mentioned in the Bible. There is no such word, nor nation. A good portion of the Bible is prophetically aimed at the first coming of the Messiah, his life, death and resurrection for the propitiation of our sins, and his second coming in the "Last Day," the "latter days," and "the end." I have often thought that America was a tremendous blessing, a beacon of the light of the Messiah, an evangelist to the world. Our time as a nation has served YHVH's purpose. We have been a defender of Israel, a most valuable player in the Great Commission: "Go ye therefore and teach all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19)."
For the first time in history "We the People" are about to choose between two non-Christians for president. It is a choice to be made for the future of our nation if we try to align our voting with the candidate that best fits our Christian values. Keep in mind, anyone who says there is more than one way to heaven rejects the central doctrine of Christianity. Anyone who says "Jesus" is a great example to live by, but denies the deity of Yeshua, is not a Christian. Notwithstanding, we as a people need to exercise our right to vote. Otherwise we will not even begin to turn this nation around. Romans 12:21 says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." There is, however, an interesting twist at play here.
Because of the actions of America's leaders, Islam is advancing. There is not a more antichrist religion on earth than Islam. Islamic nations are the only ones specifically mentioned in the Bible as coming against Israel and YHVH in the end times. Islam has cost America her wealth, her economy, her sons and daughters, and it continues to fight a decade long war of attrition, the casualties mounting economically, emotionally and spiritually. At the same time, our leaders have assisted the advance of Islam at every turn. While America is a great evangelizer of Christianity, it also has become a great accelerator of Islamic doctrine. In the decade after 9/11, America has been on a prophetic path, but it is not the perfect path.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com


On the Campaign Trail

On the Campaign Trail:

56 Days Until Election Day

Key Pro-Israel Obama Ally Splits


As Republican donors are financing multimillion-dollar campaigns to bring Jewish voters over to Mitt Romney, one of President Obama's most important liaisons to the pro-Israel community has opted to sit out the 2012 election cycle.

Dennis Ross, a longtime diplomat and a key architect of the Oslo peace process under President Clinton-a man who worked for the Obama campaign during the 2008 Democratic primaries despite his previous loyalty to the Clintons-won't be campaigning for Obama this time, Ross confirmed to The Daily Beast. "I am the Counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy," Ross said i- . . . "The Washington Institute is a non-profit organization and I cannot do political work from here. When I acted for the campaign in 2008, I had to take a leave of absence to do so. Having only recently returned to the Institute, I cannot now again take a leave of absence."
After his success stumping for Obama in the 2008 campaign, Ross went on to become a key Middle East policymaker, first at the State Department and later at the White House. "Ambassador Ross was obviously the No. 1 pro-Israel surrogate for the Obama campaign in 2008," said Josh Block, a former press aide for the Clinton administration and former top spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. "The fact that after three years of working on Mideast policy side-by-side with the president, Ambassador Ross has decided to sit out this campaign, unlike other former top officials now at nonpartisan think tanks, will certainly be understood as a message of its own, intentionally or unintentionally." (The Daily Beast; July 30, 2012) Read more.

The Madison Report

The Madison Report

www.MadisonProject.com

Fellow conservative patriots,

They're back! Congress is returning this week from the August recess. However, they will only be in session for a few weeks before they break for the elections. That means they will pressure the Members to vote on "must-pass" legislation, such as the Federal Budget and the Farm Bill, both of which are slated to expire on September 30. While most of the political world is focused on the election, we must fight hard to ensure that Republicans don't assist President Obama and Harry Reid in growing government one last time this term.

For Liberty.

The Honorable Jim Ryun
Chairman of The Madison Project


FY 2013 Budget -- and Obamacare


Here we go again. With three weeks left until the new fiscal year begins, Republicans are ready to hand Democrats everything they wanted. They will pass a "clean" 6-month Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government until the end of March 2013. The bill will fund discretionary programs at the $1.047 billion level demanded by Democrats instead of the $1.028 billion level established under the House budget. Moreover, it will continue to fund ObamaCare.

Unfortunately, the difference with this capitulation is that it is being supported by RSC Chairman Jim Jordan, Senator Jim DeMint and other conservative leaders. I strongly disagree with them.

They originally agreed to this deal because they felt that Republicans wouldn't have the stomach to fight against funding ObamaCare immediately before the election. Furthermore, they were concerned that if the budget battle spills over into the lame duck session, other onerous provisions would be slipped into the spending bill at a time when Republicans are notorious for capitulating.

To that end, they are supporting the idea of passing a clean CR in order to defer the budget battle until 2013, when they believe we will have more leverage. The House will possibly vote on the CR as early as this week, while the Senate will follow shortly after.

Conservative concerns:

1.Shutting Down Lame Duck: The overarching justification of this decision by conservatives was to shut down the lame duck session and preclude even worse capitulations. Yet, conservative supporters of this agreement must remember: there is no parallel agreement from Reid or Boehner to shut down the lame duck session upon passage of the CR. It's not written into the law either. Although this would take one issue off the agenda, we still have the sequester and tax cliffs that can easily be used to pass bad long-term legislation in the lame duck - the very purpose for embarking on this CR compromise to begin with. It's kind of like capitulating now in order to avoid a capitulation in the lame duck - and then, ultimately, failing to shut down the lame duck.

2. ObamaCare: Even if we believe that we'll win back all levers of power in 2013 and have the guts to fight ObamaCare then more than now, the timing of this strategy is awful. Over half the House GOP Conference - 127 members - signed a letter urging Speaker Boehner not to bring any bill before the House floor that contains funding for ObamaCare. Now, many of our most conservative members are agreeing to this "kick it to 2013" strategy. This completely undermines the unified message and obviates the potency of any similar initiative in the future.
3. Tea Party Base: While there is definitely some prudence to this strategy of deferment, it's all inside baseball. Most rank-and-file activists will not ascertain the broader strategy. They won't even remember who originally conceived it. They will only see a wholesale capitulation on ObamaCare funding and spending levels for the second year in a row. They will view us as wasting two years bragging about the Ryan budget and then summarily abrogating it overnight in favor of the dreaded debt deal. They will view this as rewarding those who refused to pass a budget for over 3 years. Have supporters of this strategy considered how the plan will dispirit the base?
4. 2013: Republicans are placing all their hopes and aspirations in 2013. But what if we don't win the election? Or even if we win, what if Republican leaders, despite their rhetorical bravado, lack the guts to force repeal of ObamaCare through budget reconciliation (only 51 votes needed in the Senate)? If we don't fight now, why should we believe we will have more leverage later or the will to fight?
Punchline:

Mitt Romney is running a tepid campaign following the Republican convention and is now down in the polls. He has largely avoided our most potent weapon; ObamaCare. What better time to force a fight over ObamaCare then the present? Let's tell the Democrats that "we have a budget; you don't. If you want to shut down the government in order to fund ObamaCare, that is a fight we would like to have." Finally, why should any conservative member vote for this CR if we will have the lame duck session anyway? Please call your Republican senators and congressmen and convey these concerns to them. To reach both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, please call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
A "Call to Arms" from CHPP:

Intercessors, ARISE!

Decree the Word of the Lord over this impasse, and let's trust our God to answer our prayer!! For those who have opposed Obamacare in the past, we ask that you not cave in at the last hour. IT IS WRITTEN:

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."
(I Corinthians 16:13)


Joel Rosenberg on 9/11: Eleven Years Later

REMEMBERING THE ATTACKS OF 9/11: WAS IT A WAKE UP CALL? HOW HAS AMERICA RESPONDED?


(Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 11, 2012) -- Today we remember the heroes of September 11, 2001 - all the policemen, the firemen, the medics, the military, all the first responders, and those on board the flight that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Thank you so much to all of you for your courage and sacrifice. I also am grateful for President Bush and all those in the federal government who managed the crisis, shut down the skies over the U.S. so quickly, and then began the hunt for the terrorists and the measures to protect our nation from further attacks.

Eleven years later, it is right for us to ask several questions: 1) Was it a wake up call for America;? and 2) How has the nation responded? How have you responded?

Let's be clear: God didn't cause the horrific events of 9/11 to happen. Fanatics devoted to the false teachings of Radical Islam caused 9/11 to happen. But I have no doubt that the True and Living God -- the God of the Bible -- let it happen to shake America. To get our attention. To wake us up. Were we listening? And where do we go from here? . . .

I am deeply concerned that most Americans have not truly woken up and that we are facing economic and cultural implosion. We urgently need a Third Great Awakening, a series of sweeping, transformative spiritual revivals that change hearts by the millions. On the blog, I have posted the text of the message that I delivered: "Four Reasons Why God Is Shaking America & The World: Text of 'Wake Up' Call Sermon."
At the same time, one of the lessons of 9/11 is this: To misunderstand the nature and threat of evil is to risk being blindsided by it. We didn't understand the threat posed by Imperial Japan in 1941 and we were blindsided by the attacks on Pearl Harbor. We didn't understand the threat posed by al Qaeda and Radical Islam in 2001 and we were blindsided by these four coordinated hijackings and homicide plane attacks.
Now, new threats are rising. Iran, for example, is feverishly seeking to build nuclear weapons. It has vowed to annihilate the U.S. and Israel. Will our President take decisive action to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat before we are blindsided by an attack? If he doesn't, will Israel take decisive action? This war is not yet over, and these are some of the issues we will examine as the 2012 Epicenter Conference begins on Wednesday night. I hope you will join us as we consider the lessons of 9/11, and the rising threats in the Middle East, and ask how Christians should not simply remember tragedies in the past but prepare for and respond to coming wars.
[To read more analysis and the links to the stories citied here -- and to find links to the latest news and analysis of events and trends in the U.S., Israel, Russia, and the Middle East -- please go to: http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/.]

A Preview of Things to Come?

A Preview of Things to Come?

A Spot Report from The JerUSAlem Connection
Please go here to view the comments made by Dr. James Hutchens on the events at the Democratic Convention last week and what it may mean for all of us in the days to come, especially regarding God and Jerusalem.
Think on this: "When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and will tell you of things to come." . . . "This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the Saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus." (John 16:13; Revelation 14:12)
Pray on this: Father you have given us a "Preview of Things to Come," that will focus on hostility toward the God of Judaism and Christianity and what he has decreed concerning Israel and Jerusalem. Empower us by your all-sustaining grace to take a stand for these issues whenever and where ever we can. In Jesus' name. Amen
To learn more about the ministry of The JerUSAlem Connection, go here.

Lest We Forget . . . God

Lest We Forget . . . God


On September 11, 2001, FRC staff could look out their windows and see gigantic clouds of sooty smoke pouring out of the Pentagon just across the Potomac River. The victims of the attacks on that day must never be forgotten, nor must the sacrifices of the thousands of men and women who have given their lives for our country in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past decade.

There is another Person who should not be forgotten on this day of remembrance: Almighty God. His presence in the lives of so many on September 11 gave grace and comfort to stricken families and a grieving nation.

Brian Birdwell, then a Lt. Colonel serving in the Pentagon, was horribly burned when Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. God brought Brian out of the fire and, with no less than 39 surgeries and the care of his wonderful family, he is now serving our country and his home state as a Texas state senator. As Brian reminds us, he doesn't "think about the difficulty that five particular terrorists put us through, and concentrating on the negative of the terrorists' actions; but we concentrate on the grace of the Lord's actions."
Last year at the Tenth Anniversary recognition of 9/11, President Obama read the 91st Psalm. We are grateful and acknowledge that. Yet this year, his official White House proclamation includes no mention of God. This oversight is troubling. The God of the Bible has blessed our country so generously, and never has left us, whatever the crisis or struggle, through the centuries. In 1863, President Lincoln reminded a war-weary American people, "We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God." May we not fail to remember our Creator's mercy and lordship over men and nations, on this day and always. (FRC)

The Good News Corner

The Good News Corner

30,000 Bibles headed to China


In a country where religious freedom has been described as anything but free, a ministry is preparing to give Bibles to the people of rural China. That's right China. Bibles for China CEO Barry Werner says they'll be heading to rural China next month. "We have about 30,000 [Bibles] that our team of four will hand out over a period of four days. It's really an exciting opportunity. When you get into these rural areas, if you find a Bible in these rural villages it was worn out tattered and about four inches thick from use."

Bibles for China does this with the permission of the Chinese government. "We get visas, we purchase the Bibles inside of China. It's the full Bible. What we would look at as the King James, but it's really the missionary version of the Bible." According to Werner, many of these Christians have dreamed and prayed that one day they would receive a Bible. He was told, because of years of oppression, many of these believers would be stoic as they were handed a Bible. "My chest was wet with tears. People would grab me and hug me and cry all over my shirt. The emotion that was packed into them receiving a Bible after having prayed for it for years, was unbelievable."
Bibles for China does this with the permission of the Chinese government. "We get visas, we purchase the Bibles inside of China. It's the full Bible. What we would look at as the King James, but it's really the missionary version of the Bible."
According to Werner they purchase the Bibles from Amity Press. "They print everything for China in Mandarin Chinese, and they ship those out to 70 distribution points, which are all major cities. We then work with an organization that is able to purchase those Bibles through Amity, get them to the rural distribution point, and then send them out to the very remote rural areas from one of those 70 distribution centers."
The Bibles are distributed to registered churches. Werner says, "In the three days we'll visit about 16 or 18 locations. They may be separated by 50 or 100 miles. In those 15-20 locations, they'll probably be 50-70 churches represented."

So, in a church where there are only 100 church members, there could be up to 500 there to receive Bibles.

According to Werner, many of these Christians have dreamed and prayed that one day they would receive a Bible. He was told, because of years of oppression, many of these believers would be stoic as they were handed a Bible. "My chest was wet with tears. People would grab me and hug me and cry all over my shirt. The emotion that was packed into them receiving a Bible after having prayed for it for years, was unbelievable."
(Mission Network News) Read more.

Worship with Us Today!

Worship with Us Today!

In Christ Alone

Adrienne Liesching & Geoff Moore

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all-
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid-
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine-
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death-
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home-
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.