Monday, January 14, 2013

On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 2 - January 14 - 18, 2013




Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970


On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 2a

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

January 14 - 18, 2013


". . . if anyone loves God, he is known by Him."
(I Corinthians 8:3)



News from Israel

News from Israel


  1. 2 TERROR CELLS EXPOSED IN WEST BANK
  2. REPORT: IDF FIRE KILLS PALESTINIAN IN GAZA
  3. AL-QAEDA OFFERS REWARD FOR KILLING OF JEWISH US AMBASSADOR
  4. MORSI IN 2010: ZIONISTS ARE DESCENDANTS OF APES
  5. PALESTINIANS PITCH TENTS IN SENSITIVE E1 CORRIDOR
  6. ISRAEL: PALESTINIAN OUTPOST TO TRIGGER RIOTS
  7. ISRAEL'S MILITARY RESCUES PEOPLE STRANDED BY FLOODS

1. 2 TERROR CELLS EXPOSED IN WEST BANK

Cleared for publication: Security forces have arrested two terror cells active in the West Bank during the course of the last two months, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday. One of the cells was arrested during November and included a number of operatives from the village of Husan near Bethlehem.

During their interrogation, the members admitted to throwing stones at a vehicle traveling on the road adjacent to their village.

The group is suspected of being involved in a number of stone throwing attacks from moving vehicles; as well as an attempted shooting attacks, all in the Samaria region.

During a Shin Bet interrogation, members of the terrorist cell admitted to first becoming involved in rioting and stone throwing which targeted security forces and then turning to throwing stones at civilian vehicles.

Read article:


- Lord, Your chosen people in the West Bank live their lives under a rising number of threats, which occurred since the UN action for the Palestinians. We praise You for this report of 2 terror cells being captured Lord! We seek Your blessings of comfort and strength to be poured into the lives of those who have been assaulted and traumatized by the attacks from these terror cells. Thank you Lord for enfolding them in Your arms. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. (Psalm 129:4-5)


2. REPORT: IDF FIRE KILLS PALESTINIAN IN GAZA

A 22-year-old man was killed and another was wounded by Israel Defense Forces fire in the northern Gaza Strip, east of Jabaliya, Palestinian sources reported Friday evening.

An IDF official said dozens of Palestinians had gathered illegally near the border fence, in an off-limits area. Soldiers dispatched to the place called on the protestors to turn back, but were ignored. They fired warning shots at the legs of a Palestinian attempting to cut the fence.

Military sources confirmed that the soldiers had hit the Palestinian's legs. Palestinians reported that the man killed in the incident was a resident of Gaza's Sajaiyeh neighborhood. They said another Palestinian who was with him was shot in his leg.

Medical sources said the dead man was shot in the chest, and that the two were evacuated to a local hospital in the northern Gaza Strip after the incident.

A similar incident last week ended without any casualties. An IDF force opened fired at a group of Palestinians approaching the border fence in the central Gaza Strip in a bid to deter them. The army said the group was trying to sabotage the fence.

Read article:


- Abba Father, we fall before Your throne to plead mercy over these ongoing actions at the border. Warnings are given by the Israeli forces but are ignored by the Palestinians, who have been emboldened to promote aggression and confrontation. Lord, in the name of Jesus we bind and rebuke these spirits of vengeance and lawlessness. We call forth the fear of You to be instilled in the hearts of those attempting the border fence sabotage and confrontation. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. (Psalm 9:19-20)


3. AL-QAEDA OFFERS REWARD FOR KILLING OF JEWISH US AMBASSADOR

The terror network "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula" (AQAP) has reportedly offered 3 kilos [6.6 pounds] of gold worth more than US $150,000 to anyone who will kill the US ambassador to Yemen, Gerald M. Feierstein, who is Jewish, as well as more than US $20,000 for anyone who kills a US serviceman in Arab country. According to a report by the "Associated Press," the Yemen-based AQAP's media arm, the al-Malahem Foundation, made the offers in an audiotape posted on several websites last weekend. The offer is open for six months. The bounties were set to "inspire and encourage our Muslim nation for jihad," the statement said.

Feierstein was sworn in as the US Ambassador to Yemen in September 2010. Prior to his posting in Sana'a, he served as US deputy chief of mission in Islamabad, Pakistan. Feierstein has spent all of his foreign service abroad in the Middle East or Southeast Asia. Between 2006 and 2008, Feierstein served in various positions in Washington, DC in the Bureau of Counterterrorism. Since joining the diplomatic service in 1975, Feierstein has served in Pakistan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Lebanon, and Oman.

AQAP is regarded as the most dangerous branch of al-Qaeda, founded by Osama bin-Laden. In September, it called for increased violence and protests directed at US diplomats worldwide. The attack on the US diplomatic outpost in Benghazi Libya, which led to the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, is believed to have been carried out by AQAP.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reportedly provided fighter jets to assist the United States with its drone strikes against Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen. A new US drone attack on Thursday [January 3] killed three suspected terrorists in the town of Rada, in Yemen's central Al-Bayda province, the site of similar recent attacks. Among the victims was a senior AQAP figure, Moqbel Ebad Al Zawbah, according to the 'Reuters' news agency.

Source is (By World Jewish Congress, January 4, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]


- Pray for the Lord's protection over Feierstein. Pray for the protection of all the Jewish people around the world, and for all that are fighting against the forces of Al-Qaeda.

- And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.( Jeremiah 15:20)


4. MORSI IN 2010: ZIONISTS ARE DESCENDANTS OF APES

Egyptian media recently aired a video showing President Mohammed Morsi making harsh statements against Israel in 2010 when he served as the Muslim Brotherhood's official spokesman. In the first clip, Morsi described "Zionists" as "blood suckers" "warmongers" and "descendants of apes and pigs." "These futile (Israeli-Palestinian) negotiations are a waste of time and opportunities," he said. "The Zionists buy time and gain more opportunities as the Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims lose time and opportunities and get nothing out of it."

He further claimed that "The Palestinian Authority was created by the Zionist and American enemies for the sole purpose of opposing the will of the Palestinian people and its interests."No reasonable person can expect progress on this track. Either (you accept) the Zionists and everything they want, or else there is war. This is what the occupiers of the land of Palestine know-these blood suckers who attack the Palestinians, these warmongers, these descendants of apes and pigs. They must not be given any opportunity and must not stand on any Islamic or Arab land. They must be driven out of our countries."

Morsi added, "We must confront this Zionist entity. All ties of all kinds must be severed with this plundering criminal entity, which is supported by America and its weapons as well as by its own nuclear weapons, the existence of which is well known. The Arab peoples must boycott this entity and avoid normalizing relations with it. All products from countries supporting this entity-from the US and others-must be boycotted.

"We want a country for the Palestinians on the entire land of Palestine on the basis of (Palestinian) citizenship. All the talk about a two-state solution and about peace is nothing but an illusion which the Arabs have been chasing for a long time now. They (the Zionists) are hostile by nature. The Zionists understand nothing but the language of force."

Source (By Roi Kas, Ynetnews, January 5, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace]

Read article:


- Pray that Morsi does actually want to be "transparent and build trust." Pray that Israel will keep his previous actions and words in mind when participating in any negotiations with Egypt.

- The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. (Exodus 14:14


5. PALESTINIANS PITCH TENTS IN SENSITIVE E1 CORRIDOR

Palestinians from villages in the West Bank near Jerusalem pitched tents on Friday on land Israel has earmarked for a new urban settlement, looking to preserve the area for an independent Palestinian state. Scores of Palestinians erected about 20 large, steel-framed tents on a windswept hillside in an area known as E1, a geographically sensitive area where Israel announced last month it would build homes for hundreds of settlers We are setting up a Palestinian village here where people will stay permanently in order to protect this Palestinian land," said Mohammad Khatib, one of the organizers of the tent village.

Palestinians named their encampment "Bab el Shams," which means "Gateway to the Sun" in Arabic. "This is not a symbolic act, but comes in response to Israeli settlement building and we are sending a message to the international community that urgent action must be taken against Israel's settlement construction," Khatib said. Although there was no immediate response from the Israeli authorities, police and soldiers in the past have moved quickly to shut down any such spontaneous Palestinian camps.

Israeli building in E1 would create a linked-up stretch of Jewish neighborhoods in the West Bank between Pisgat Ze'ev on the outskirts of Jerusalem, and Ma'ale Adumim, an urban settlement of some 30,000 Israelis. For years Israel froze building in E1, which currently houses only a police headquarters, after coming under pressure from former US President George W. Bush. But Netanyahu announced a wave of settlement initiatives, including in E1, after the Palestinians won de-facto statehood recognition at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, which is partially controlled by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Gaza Strip, which is run by a rival faction, the Islamist group Hamas.

Read article:


- Abba Father, the confrontations between the Palestinians and the Israelis are escalating on the land in Israel that is Your land alone based upon Your covenants in the Bible, but the UN is trying to give it to the Palestinians. It is not their land to claim! Lord, we ask You to be very much in the midst of these actions, confronting the lies, In Jesus' Name, Amen and Amen.

- The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly. (Psalm 6:9-10)


6. ISRAEL: PALESTINIAN OUTPOST TO TRIGGER RIOTS

Israeli security forces geared to evict the Palestinians staying in the Bab al-Shams outpost that was erected in the contested West Bank area of E1. "An urgent evacuation is required due to a pressing security need," the State said in a petition filed with the High Court of Justice late on Saturday.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said in the document that the State has issued orders to define the outpost as a closed military zone and to remove squatters from its land. Weinstein argued that the encampment was set up in order to provoke riots "of national and international consequence," citing up-to-date intelligence information.According to the petition, most of the tents have been pitched on the State's lands, and allowing the protesters to stay where they are will create friction with settlers and could trigger widespread unrest.The State "indents to act urgently to fulfill the right to evacuate everyone from the area," Weinstein wrote. The State will then examine whether the law requires the tents to remain or be removed.

The document was filed in response to a temporary injunction issued by the High Court in order to bar the State from removing the protesters from the outpost as long as there isn't an emergency warranting an evacuation. In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the routes leading up to the outpost to be closed to traffic, rendering the area a closed military zone.

On Saturday, the government ordered the leaders of Bab al-Shams to immediately vacate the premises. The leaders said that if Israeli security forces were to make them leave, they would do so with only passive resistance. Mahmoud Zawara, of the Popular Palestinian Committees, told Ynet that the 30-tent outpost was set up as part of the "Palestinian struggle" against Israel's planned construction in the area.

Read article:


- O Heavenly Father, how do we stop these lies that the Palestinians believe they can just come in and takeover land from Israel, as if it is their land alone? Have mercy, Father, and rise up against these actions. Instill into the Israeli leaders so they will know exactly what is Your will and plan for this land, and how they should respond. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen and Amen.

- Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face. (Psalm 5:8)


7. ISRAEL'S MILITARY RESCUES PEOPLE STRANDED BY FLOODS

The heavy rains and subsequent floods in many parts of Israel have rendered dozens of people stranded due to fast-rising water levels. Teams from IAF [Israel Air Force] Unit 669, the Air Force's special search and rescue division, were called in to rescue civilians who found themselves trapped by the water.

Fifteen people had to escape to the roof of their building in Baqa-jatt, near Haifa, after the area was flooded. A second 699 team was called to Lake Alexander, north of Netanya, to rescue seven people who escape the rising water levels by climbing to the roof of their car. A third team was called in to assist four soldiers who were stranded in the Menashe Spatial Brigade, near the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] city of Jenin, but they were eventually able to rescue themselves.

Fire and Rescue and Magen David Adom services rescued three people south of Beit Shean, after their car was swept away by gushing water. Navy forces and Fire and Rescue Services were also called to assist the residents of Bet Hefer, near Netanya, after a nearby river flooded 200 homes in the area. INF [Israel Naval Forces] teams used rafts to rescue people stranded by the flood. Fourteen families were evacuated to safety at a local community center, where they will spend the night.

On Tuesday night [January 8], Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter ordered his office to open a civil emergency situation room due to the storm and the damages caused by the floods. The situation room will be manned by police, Home Front Command, and emergency services personnel.

Source (By Raanan Ben-Tzur, Ynetnews, January 8, 2013) [Reported by BFP: Bridges for Peace] Read article:


- Thank God that the IDF was able to successfully rescue those that were trapped by the rising water. Pray for speedy recovery for those that experienced losses because of the storm.

- Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:26)



More International News

More International News

  1. IS THERE A NUCLEAR DISASTER IN IRAN?
  2. JAPAN'S NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE CONTINUES
  3. NATO AND RUSSIAN FORCES BUILDING AROUND SYRIA
  4. RUSSIAN WARSHIPS GATHERING OFF SYRIA WATERS TO DETER WEST
  5. OBAMA'S SYRIA PROBLEM
  6. CONGRESSMAN OPPOSES OBAMA'S SENDING TANKS, JETS TO EGYPT
  7. OBAMA SIGNS LAW COUNTERING IRANIAN INFLUENCE IN LATIN AMERICA
  8. ATTACKS ON U.S. BANK'S WEBSITES SEEN AS WORK OF IRAN

1. IS THERE A NUCLEAR DISASTER IN IRAN?

There is some kind of nuclear emergency that has developed in Isfahan, Iran.

News reports are emerging that Iranian officials have instructed residents of Isfahan, which is located near the center of the country, to leave the city, renewing concerns that a nearby nuclear site could be leaking radioactive material. The edict, reportedly issued late last week, orders Isfahan's one-and-a-half million people to leave the city "because pollution has now reached emergency levels.

However, outside observers suspect that the evacuation order may corroborate previous reports indicating that a uranium enrichment facility near Isfahan had been leaking radioactive material. Tehran is reported to have gone to great lengths in December to deny these reports, telling state-run media outlets that the rumors were false and has blamed Western media outlets for creating "tumult" in the region.

Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon adviser on Iran and Iraq, is quoted as saying that "Pollution in Isfahan is a problem but in the past, Iranian authorities respond by closing schools and the government to keep people at home and let the pollution dissipate, not by evacuating people. Mass evacuations suggest a far more serious problem." Rubin suggests there are only two real possibilities; that there is a radiation leak and the regime is lying or there is really bad pollution and no one believes the regime's explanations."

(Threat Journal)


- Please pray for the one million Christians living in Iran. The Christians don't meet in churches but in small groups. Also ask the Lord to send winds to dissipate the pollution. The people in the Isfahan area will never have good quality of health unless the pollution is dealt with honestly and truthfully by the authorities of the nation. Is this situation an answer to our prayers for the Lord to deal with the nuclear development in Iran?

- " But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." ( 2 Thessalonians 3: 3)


2. JAPAN'S NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE CONTINUES

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced this week there still is no solution to the buildup of highly radioactive water at the devastated Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Several filtration systems have been developed since the initial accident, though none is able to operate at the efficiency hoped. Then the problem arises of how to handle and dispose of the extraordinarily hot filters themselves.

As a result, TEPCO indicates that each day about 400 tons of water, or roughly 95,000 US gallons, have been flowing into the troubled reactor buildings. The water in turn becomes highly contaminated when it comes in contact with the radioactive materials. TEPCO says the volume of water is continuing to rise, increasing radiation levels at the plant.

While TEPCO has been able to capture millions of gallons of highly radioactive water and store it on site, it is estimated that an equal or greater amount of contaminated water has been dumped directly into the Pacific. The company says it plans to try to remove ground water to prevent it from flowing into reactor buildings. They will install steel walls underground to block contaminated water from leaking into the sea. This means that it has not happened yet, 18 months into the disaster.

TEPCO readily admits they are dumping highly radioactive water into the Pacific. This in essentially trashing the ocean food chain. Further, Japanese fisheries records (meaning, the Japanese government) readily indicate that nearly two dozen different species of fish exported to N. America have varying levels of radioactive contamination, though the U.S. government continues to say that their surveillance shows no contamination.

Our recommendation is simple: Avoid eating anything coming out of the Pacific, and in particular, anything coming out of Japan. There are major financial and defense-related considerations taken into account when deciding what to, or not to, tell the American people. And as we have seen time and time again across a myriad of industries, profit and shareholder value trumps everything. And as it can take years for health problems to manifest themselves, any notion of recourse in such a situation is a joke.


- It looks like only the Lord can remove radio-active elements from the waters around Japan as well as the whole Pacific Ocean. Lies and cover-ups of the truth about the situation must be exposed and people's health restored. Ask the Lord to bring His divine power into the situation.

- "They are clouds without water, carried by the winds: late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame, wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."
(Jude 12)


3. NATO AND RUSSIAN FORCES BUILDING AROUND SYRIA

American, German and Dutch soldiers and their respective Patriot missile batteries began arriving late last week on the Turkish border with Syria. The troops will be staffing six batteries of Patriot missiles, to be stationed along the border at Turkey's request to deter Syrian missile attacks close to or over the frontier. Their defensive use has been stressed, but their deployment comes in the wake of renewed criticism by the Syrian opposition of the West's failure to intervene on its behalf, particularly against the regime's aerial attacks.

According to a statement by the US European Command statement by the US Eu "The deployment of six Patriot batteries, including two each Patriot missiles, including two each from Germany and the Netherlands is in the response to Turkey's request to NATO. The forces will augment Turkey's air defense capabilities and contribute to the de-escalation of the crisis along the Atlantic's border. Tues of this week, Syrian President Assad delivered a public address within which he called for a "full national mobilization" to fight against rebels he described as al Qaeda terrorists. Assad once again blamed the west for provoking and "facilitating" the rebellion, which even the NYT says is being orchestrated by Al Qaeda. The next question should be; "Who is behind Al Qaeda?

Three weeks ago Threat Journal reported on the deployment of additional Russian warships to the Eastern Mediterranian. Those ships have arrived, just in time to offset the NATO Patriot missile batteries being positioned along the Turkish border with Syria.

The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Russia has now concentrated five landing ships in the eastern Mediterranean in a show of force meant to deter Western nations from intervening militarily in Syria. According to the report, the ships are carrying military vehicles and hundreds of Russian marines, and are being accompanied by combat vessels.


- Father God, we ask that You would stop this madness going on in the Middle East, and bring some peace to the nation of Syria. Cull out the terrorists in the opposition rebels and expose their agendas. Do what You will with Bashur Assad, but give the Christians and regular citizens of Syria some peace, and remove the fear and panic from their thinking. Teach the Syrian Christians how to pray Your strategies so that their battle is not with flesh and blood but with the demonic powers ruling over Syria.

-"Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us." (Romans 8: 37)


4. RUSSIAN WARSHIPS GATHERING OFF SYRIA WATERS TO DETER WEST

Russian warships are being deployed off the Syrian coast in the Mediterranean Sea to deter any military intervention by the Western states in the Arab country, a report says.

Citing a Russian diplomat, The Sunday Times said that Russia has sent five landing ships, carrying military vehicles and hundreds of marines, as well as combat vessels in the eastern Mediterranean recently.

"Russia should be prepared for any developments, as it believes the situation in Syria might reach its peak before Easter," the Times quoted the diplomatic source as saying on condition of anonymity. The diplomat added that the presence of the Russian marines near the Syrian waters will deter "the West from deploying ground forces" in Syria to help militants fighting the government forces.

(Press TV)

Read more.


- Pray against the Russians staying off the coast of Syria. Russia has long wanted a harbor on the Atlantic Ocean and now sees the opportunity to have one. Something needs to force the Russians to go home, something that only the Lord can provide. We trust in Him. Pray also that the USA is making no mistakes in sending troops to battle against Assad.

- "Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let those also who hate Him flee before Him." (Psalm 68: I)


5. OBAMA'S SYRIA PROBLEM

- The jihadists President Obama supports in Syria appear to be losing ground to the Syrian army on all fronts and this is a serious problem for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who are attempting to cleanse the Middle East of secular governments. News agencies are reporting that jihadists have withdrawn from many of the suburban areas of Damascus they once controlled and have moved north to areas where they can receive NATO supplies from Turkey.

(Religious Freedom Coalition)


- Again, Mr. Obama needs to open his eyes and truthfully see the problems within the Syrian rebels. He and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton must see the problem as not one for diplomacy. Assad and his regime are noted liars; therefore their words cannot be trusted. Pray wisdom for Mr. Obama, so that he will do God's will for Syria, whether or not he seeks God's will.

- "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of the sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm1: 1, 6)


6. CONGRESSMAN OPPOSES OBAMA'S SENDING TANKS, JETS TO EGYPT

President Barack Obama knows full well that the tanks and jets he is sending to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt will eventually be used against Israel but has cleared the sale anyway. Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has joined the chorus of critics asking Obama to stop the shipments of 20 American F-16 fighter jets and 200 Abrams tanks to Egypt. "Simply put, the U.S. should not be providing military assistance to a regime that supports Hamas and is looking more and more like a dictatorship than a trustworthy democracy," Buchanan wrote.

(Religious Freedom Coalition)


- Congratulations to Rep, Buchanan for making an honest assessment of the situation in Egypt. If Israel is truly our friend and ally, then we do not want to send any arms nor money to their enemy. Mr. Obama and his administration need to "wake up and smell the roses." This is not a matter for diplomacy but for withholding funds. Mr. Morsi, president of Egypt , cannot be trusted in his speech. His actions tell all. Pray for US taxpayers who do not want to see the enemy fortified with their hard earned money.

- "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You. Blessed is the man whose strength is in You." (Psalm 84: 4,5a)


7. OBAMA SIGNS LAW COUNTERING IRANIAN INFLUENCE IN LATIN AMERICA

US President Barack Obama enacted a law on Friday targeting Iran's alleged influence in Latin America. This comes as Washington already wages a "covert war" against Iran, according to researcher Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich. The act also calls on the Department of Homeland Security to bolster surveillance at US borders with Canada and Mexico to "prevent operatives from Iran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, its Quds Force, Hezbollah or any other terrorist organization from entering the United States."

The Islamic Republic has been expanding its cooperation with Latin America in recent years and has described it as the one of its major foreign policy strategies.

On December, 29, Obama signed into law the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act, which allows 180 days for the State Department to develop a strategy to "address Iran's growing hostile presence and activity" in the region.

(RT News)

Read more


- Praise the Lord for our president's supporting action against Iran. Ask the Lord to lead the new law into action with more security at both of our borders: Canada and Mexico. Let this law not be one of words without action. Pray that God will lead the action.

- "Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with what you have. For He Himself has said, '"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13: 5)


8. ATTACKS ON U.S. BANK'S WEBSITES SEEN AS WORK OF IRAN

Sophisticated hacking attacks on U.S. banks in recent months have distinctive qualities that are leading investigators to believe Iran may be behind the assault on the private financial records of Americans', reports NPR. At least nine U.S. financial institutions have been hit since September, endangering the financial system millions of Americans rely on. Part of what makes them suspicious is that they seem calculated not to steal account data or money, but instead to disrupt the banking system.

"There is no doubt within the U.S. government that Iran is behind these attacks," said former Commerce and State Department official James A.Lewis.

The distributed denial of service attacks, which seek to overload an online system's ability to respond to requests, targeted Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Capital One, BB and T, PNC, among others.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports, "A group calling itself the al-Qassam cyber fighters has taken credit for the attacks, but the radical group could be just a front. In its latest posting, the group says: 'Rulers and officials of American banks must expect our massive attacks! From now on, none will be safe.'" (NPR)

- Ask the Lord to protect our banking systems from those who want revenge or to cause mischief. USA officials hacked into Iranian nuclear systems. Too many Americans' savings and investments can be harmed, but the current Iranian rulers don't seem to care for the lives of ordinary people. Ask the Lord to give us strategies to mislead the Iranian hackers.

- " If it is possible as much as it depends on you, live peacefully with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves but rather give place to wrath, for it is written ' Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12: 18,19)




On Capitol Hill This Week Volume XX, Number 2b

DOMESTIC ISSUE


". . . if anyone loves God, he is known by Him."
(I Corinthians 8:3)





At the White House

At the White House

  1. OBAMA'S NEW CABINET MEMBERS
  2. OBAMA NOMINATES VIRULENTLY ANTI-ISRAEL CHUCK HAGEL FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY
  3. FOUR-STAR GENERAL (RETIRED) SAYS: "KERRY . . . UNFIT FOR DUTY"
  4. ISLAM "HELPED TO SHAPE" CIA NOMINEE'S WORLD VIEW
  5. PICKING A FIGHT WITH CONGRESS: TAXPAYERS LOSE WITH LEW
  6. HILDA SOLIS RESIGNING AS SECRETARY OF LABOR
  7. IRS ALERT WARNS EMPLOYERS RE: OBAMACARE METHODS
  8. MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD INFILTRATES THE WHITE HOUSE
  9. BENGHAZI: RETIRED ADMIRAL MAKES STUNNING ACCUSATION
  10. WHITE HOUSE, SENATE ISSUE DIFFERING REPORTS ON BENGHAZI

1. THE NEW CABINET MEMBERS

Obama has appointed several controversial men to his cabinet. The main lightning rod so far is his pick for Secretary of Defense, former two term GOP Senator Chuck Hagel, who is a decorated Vietnam veteran. Critics point to his many anti-Israel and pro-Iranian statements, but miss the point. The White House makes the policy and the Cabinet members just follow that policy. Hagel was picked because of his positions, not in spite of them, and critics should be more vocal in pointing out that fact. (Religious Freedom Coalition)

> > > Details will follow, below, regarding three nominees who are not pro-Israel: Hagel, Kerry, and Brennan.

- Please agree with us in prayer that the LORD will lock down these cabinet positions, and will protect these seats by His Blood, until nominees are appointed who will govern according to His will. We decree that these three nominees will not pass the Senate confirmation. LORD strike them down as nominees. Open the minds and hearts of the Senators so that the nation's interests align with Kingdom interests.

- "Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded." (Proverbs 13:13)


2. OBAMA NOMINATES VIRULENTLY ANTI-ISRAEL CHUCK HAGEL FOR
DEFENSE SECRETARY


According to the Jerusalem Post, Chuck Hagel is "one of a handful of senators who frequently didn't sign AIPAC-backed letters related to Israel and the peace process during his time in the Senate and opposed additional sanctions on Iran." Apparently . . . he has faced criticism for these anti-Israel stances - and has complained that "the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people."

In 2005, Hagel, along with 26 other senators, opposed a call to the Palestinian Authority to disqualify terror groups from participating in elections. And when twelve senators wrote to the European Union in 2006 asking that the EU join the U.S. in classifying Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, Hagel was once again one of the few.

Hagel wasn't intimidated, and Barack Hussein Obama wasn't either. In late October 2009 he appointed Hagel co-chair of his Intelligence Advisory Board. And in a particularly piquant symbolic move, the appointment was announced at J Street's first annual conference - by Steve Clemons of George Soros's New America Foundation.

And the effect of all this showed in his policies, beginning almost immediately when he took office. It bodes ill for Jews just how comfortable and at ease Obama obviously is with proud anti-Semites and Israel haters. Obama has appointed all these people, but has concealed their true natures. (Jihad Watch) Read more.

- Father God, Israel and the US would be affected by this appointment. We ask that this nominee be rejected by the United States Senate, based upon his record on Israel, and that we as a people would come into alignment with You and would serve the purposes of YAHWEH (Jesus) in all we say and do. In Your Name we ask this prayer, amen.

- [For Israel] " . . . I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse . . ." (Gen. 12:3)


3. FOUR-STAR GENERAL (RETIRED) SAYS: "KERRY . . . UNFIT FOR DUTY"

Gen. Patrick Brady rejects Obama candidates for top Cabinet posts

But with all his shortfalls, Vietnam veteran Hagel cannot match the duplicity and dishonor of our most infamous Vietnam veteran, John Kerry. Kerry once defined patriotism as "keeping faith with those who wear the uniform of this country." By his own definition he is not a patriot. In his bid for the presidency, he often played the "hero" card - but before Kerry played his "hero" card, he played the atrocity card. When Kerry came back from Vietnam he joined with Jane Fonda and in 1971 denounced "those who wear the uniform" as terrorist-like rapists and assassins who "cut off heads, . . . cut off limbs, shot at civilians, razed villages, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks" - and said he "committed the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of others." He made these charges under oath.

The very day Kerry was calling Vietnam veterans war criminals the family of one of those "war criminals," Michael Blanchfield, was posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor for Michael who had thrown himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades. How different from Kerry was the way this man kept faith with those who wore the uniform with him. How different from Kerry was the manner Michael defended his country.

Kerry could have attacked the war without attacking the warrior. He could have questioned policy without supporting the communists' claim that our soldiers were war criminals. He could have kept faith with those who wore the uniform with him. But he did not, and he should be held accountable. Kerry's "hero" card is based on medals he received in Vietnam and is much celebrated, and unchallenged, by the mainstream media. I know many Medal of Honor recipients who have received less publicity for their medal than Kerry has for his. But medals don't make a hero. It is goodness and how one uses medals that make a hero. Every honest soldier knows that medals are a function of circumstance, even happenstance, but most of all the support of one's fellow warriors. (WorldNetDaily) Read more.

- Now that Senator Kerry's record has been exposed, we ask Father that You would guide the Senate to reject this nomination. In Jesus' Name, amen.

- "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:13)


4. ISLAM "HELPED TO SHAPE" CIA NOMINEE JOHN BRENNAN'S WORLD VIEW

As a college student in the 1970s, John Brennan, President Obama's nominee for CIA director, traveled in Indonesia where - he recalled in a speech in New York in 2010 - "despite my long hair, my earring and my obvious American appearance, I was welcomed throughout that country, in a way that is a reflection of the tremendous warmth of Islamic cultures and societies."

Brennan's Feb. 13, 2010 address to a meeting at the Islamic Center at New York University . . . provided an insight into his views on Islam, a faith which he said during the speech had "helped to shape my own world view." Travels around the world over more than three decades had taught him about "the goodness and beauty of Islam," said Brennan, whose 25-year career at the CIA until 2005 included a stint as station chief in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"Like the president during his childhood years in Jakarta, I came to see Islam not how it is often misrepresented, but for what it is - how it is practiced every day, by well over a billion Muslims worldwide, a faith of peace and tolerance and great diversity."

In the speech, during which he drew applause after speaking in Arabic for more than a minute, Brennan used terms evidently designed to appeal to his audience, such as "Al-Quds" for Jerusalem, "Palestine" and "as the Qur'an reveals" - in keeping with the Muslim belief that the Qur'an was "revealed" directly by Allah to Mohammed through the angel Jibril (Gabriel). He condemned what he said were negative stereotypes in the U.S. about Muslims and hostility towards Islam, adding that government actions and policies had contributed to the problem but saying this would change under Obama. (CNS News) Read more.
- Lord God, it is almost unbelievable that a man with this track record would be nominated to the highest position in the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA is tasked with keeping us all safe, and with identifying our enemies, and often dealing with them, for that purpose. Islam is our enemy -- plain and simple. This is NOT a "religion of peace." We cry out before You to spare our people from a man who calls an enemy our friend, and to cast down this nominee NOW, in Jesus' mighty name! Lord, have mercy on Your people in the United States of America, amen.

- "Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us." (Isaiah 8:10)


5. PICKING A FIGHT WITH CONGRESS: TAXPAYERS LOSE WITH LEW

John Carney, a senior editor of CNBC.com, has a posted a very revealing article about the "pointed message" Obama is sending with Lew's appointment. Lew's nomination can only be seen as intentionally antagonistic, and part of Obama's effort to "pick fights with Congress."

Lew is a liberal loyalist, an Obama "yes" man, who does not get along at all with congressional Republicans. The reason why Joe Biden was called in to cut a deal on the fiscal cliff negotiations was that Sen. Mitch McConnell could not work with Lew anymore. In prior negotiations on the debt limit, Lew repeatedly insisted on raising taxes at every opportunity. Even when he was open to GOP ideas on spending cuts, he would never accept them without tax hikes.

By nominating Lew, Obama is sending a clear signal that he has no intention of finding common ground with congressional Republicans on spending.

When Lew's name was announced, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) unleashed an uncharacteristic broadside, saying, "Jack Lew must never be Secretary of Treasury." What would cause Sen. Sessions to make such an emphatic statement? Two years ago, as Obama's budget director, Lew testified that Obama's budget "will get us . . . to the point where we can look the American people in the eye and say we're not adding to the debt anymore." (Gary Bauer)

- Another Obama nominee needs to hit the dust. It seems that a form of insanity has now gripped the White House; could it be because, as we continue to stand against Israel, we are cursed with madness? Once again, lift up the members of the U.S. Senate and ask that they be graced with the strength to say NO to Jack Lew as the new Secretary of the Treasury. Amen.

- "On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness," declares the Lord. "I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations." (Zech. 12:3,4)


6. HILDA SOLIS RESIGNING AS SECRETARY OF LABOR

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is resigning from the Obama administration, the White House announced Wednesday.In a statement, President Obama thanked Solis "for her steadfast commitment and service not only to the Administration, but on behalf of the American people." (The Hill) Read more.

- Obama now has an opportunity to choose a Cabinet nominee who will be a blessing for the American people. Pray that he will seek this wisdom. In Jesus' Name, amen.

- "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)


7. IRS ALERT WARNS EMPLOYERS RE: OBAMACARE METHODS

IRS Warns Employers: Do Not Try to Avoid ObamaCare Insurance Mandate

The Internal Revenue Service warned employers in a new regulatory proposal not to come up with clever schemes to avoid Obamacare's employer health insurance mandate. The IRS said it would soon issue "anti-abuse rules" to discourage employers from taking advantage of any regulatory loopholes.

"The Treasury Department and the IRS are aware of various structures being considered under which employers might use temporary staffing agencies (or other staffing agencies) to evade application of section 4980H [the employer insurance mandate]," the IRS said in a proposed regulatory announcement issued December 28.

The IRS said it would issue a so-called "anti-abuse rule" in an attempt to prevent employers from using temp agencies to circumvent the mandate, essentially writing into law that even though an employer hires temporary workers and therefore is not technically under the mandate's jurisdiction, the IRS would fine them anyway for not providing health insurance. (CNS News) Please read and forward entire article here.

- OK, now we know why the IRS hired 4,000 new agents last fall: they were gearing up to enforce Obamacare down the throats of our people. Cry out to God for mercy, for only He can stay the hand of Pharoah, and set the captives free. Remain in repentance as you do so, and continue to ask Him to forgive those who would enslave us to obey wicked laws. Amen.

- "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'" (Exodus 9:1)


8. MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD INFILTRATES THE WHITE HOUSE

Last summer, John McCain raked Rep. Michelle Bachman and other conservatives over the coals for merely requesting that the apparent Muslim Brotherhood influence on the Obama Administration be investigated. It was a matter of public record that Huma Abedin, Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton-and thus having access to top secret information-has deep ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

It was a matter of public record that the Council on Islamic American relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), both determined to be Muslim Brotherhood front groups and unindicted co-conspirators in the terrorist-funding trial United States v. Holy Land Foundation-had visited the White House, State Department, FBI, etc. hundreds of times.

It was a matter of public record that Muslim "outreach" groups like CAIR and ISNA went in and purged hundreds of pages of "offensive" words and phrases like "jihad" and "Islamist" from FBI training materials. But conservatives were labeled as McCarthyites conducting a witch hunt and the call for an investigation was quickly shut down.

But now mainstream Egyptian newspaper, Rose-El-Youssef, published an article entitled "A Man and Six of the Brotherhood in the White House!" on December 22 admitting and bragging about Muslim Brotherhood infiltration! What is more shocking than the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the White House is that Obama has embraced this infiltration and is therefore a traitor to this country. (IPT) Read more.

Note: Article includes a new documentary video clip exposing the Muslim Brotherhood in America - "Jihad in America: the Grand Deception."

- Lord God, there are too many men and women in our government who are sympathizers with the Muslim Brotherhood being in the White House and there is not enough strength to activate a strong plan to separate the two. Break this agreement, God, by the power of Your might and scatter this flock by disconnecting the good from the bad. When the enemy has access to sensitive top secret information, it is at this juncture that we call on a mighty angel from heaven to stand and wield a powerful blow against the enemy and pull up the root from which this wickedness grows. In Jesus' Name.

- "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tent, and his lamp shall be put out with him.'" (Job 18:5-6)


9. BENGHAZI: RETIRED ADMIRAL MAKES STUNNING ACCUSATION

It's even worse that we previously thought. A retired four-star admiral is now claiming that Barack Obama intentionally conspired with America's enemies to stage a bogus attack and the kidnapping of an American ambassador so he could "negotiate" the release of a "hostage" and bolster his mediocre approval ratings just prior to the election?

The Washington Examiner, quoting retired Four-Star Admiral James Lyons, writes: "[T]he attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi... was the result of a bungled abduction attempt . . . the first stage of an international prisoner exchange . . . [that] would have ensured the release of Omar Abdel Rahman, the 'Blind Sheik' . . ."

But something went horribly wrong with Obama's "October Surprise." Although the Obama Regime intentionally gutted security at the consulate prior to the staged kidnapping, former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty disobeyed direct orders to stand down, saved American lives, single-handedly killed scores of attackers...and the attackers, believing that the Obama Regime had betrayed them, tortured Ambassador Chris Stevens and dragged his body through the streets.

Make no mistake; Benghazi-Gate is the criminal enterprise that will bring the Obama Regime down, but that won't happen if Congress helps Barack Obama sweep this criminal conspiracy under the rug. We must demand answers . . . we must demand action . . . and we mustn't stop until Congress uncovers the truth and removes the Usurper-in-Chief from office. (Before its News) Read more.

- Almighty God, we declare God's righteousness will close off the evil, expose the truth, rip apart all evil pacts and alliances, and reveal the holiness of the Lord God that will strike fear in the hearts of the ungodly. With Your holy hands, pull all of them out from their hiding places, and expose them to the Light of the Lord, which will cause them to crumble in utter defeat. In the powerful Name of Jesus we ask this.

- "Wherefore say unto them, Thus says the Lord God; You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land? You stand upon your sword, you work abomination, and you defile everyone his neighbor's wife: and shall you possess the Land? Thus says the Lord God; As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence." (Ezekiel 33:25-27)


10. WHITE HOUSE, SENATE ISSUE DIFFERING REPORTS ON BENGHAZI

There were two investigative reports published regarding the attack on the Benghazi consulate and CIA annex on September 11. One was entitled the "Benghazi Accountability Report" and was produced by the Obama administration; the other was titled "Flashing Red: A Special Report On The Terrorist Attack At Benghazi" and was produced by the Senate.

Obama's report, as was expected, was a sham that didn't find anyone accountable; didn't explain why Obama blamed a "protest turned violent" on an anti-Muslim YouTube video that no one actually saw; didn't explain why Obama failed to send any real help to protect the four Americans who were murdered by terrorists; didn't explain why it took the eight man "security" team (who were actually CIA operatives to keep a lid on whatever Obama was hiding in Benghazi) eight hours to travel from Tripoli to Benghazi, a flight that takes about an hour; and didn't reveal what exactly Barack Hussein Obama was hiding in Benghazi.

The Senate's "Flashing Red" report blows apart Barack Obama's whole charade of a "protest turned violent" because of an anti-Muslim video and shows that he left four Americans flapping in the wind with an American flag covered in blood. . . (Center for Western Journalism) Read more.

- Mighty God, we call for the righteous justice of the Lord to wrap up all the lies that have come from the government regarding the merciless slaying of the four Americans stationed in Benghazi, and cover them with Your Blood that not one lie be able to stand against the rock-solid truth of what actually happened. Draw out the guilty from their place of hiding and bring down the righteous judgment from the throne of God in heaven that will prevail against them. In Jesus' Name we ask this.

- "Then answered the Lord out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up your loins now like a man: I will demand of you, and declare you unto me. Will you also disannul my judgment? Will you condemn Me, that you may be righteous? Have you an arm like God? or Can you thunder with a voice like him?" (Job 40:6-9)


Focus on Debt

Focus on Debt

  1. OBAMA TO BOEHNER: "WE DON'T HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM"
  2. REID URGES OBAMA TO BYPASS CONGRESS ON DEBT CEILING
  3. PANETTA ORDERS DOD TO "PREPARE FOR THE WORST" ON SEQUESTER
  4. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE PENTAGON; WILL INCREASE DEBT
  5. TAXPAYER BILL FOR OBAMA'S HAWAII VACATIONS: $20 MILLION

1. OBAMA TO BOEHNER: "WE DON'T HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM"

In an interview with Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, newly re-elected House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) opened up about President Obama's utter unwillingness to cut a single dollar from federal spending. In a stunning admission, Obama reportedly told Boehner, "We don't have a spending problem."

Boehner added that President Obama continues to maintain that America's federal deficit is caused not by governmental overspending but by "a health-care problem." Said Boehner, "They blame all of the fiscal woes on our health-care system." Boehner told Obama, "Clearly we have a health-care problem, which is about to get worse with Obamacare. But, Mr. President, we have a very serious spending problem." Obama eventually replied, "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that." (Breitbart) Read more.

- Father God, the heart of this man has been deceived as to what is good and what is not. We ask in Your mercy that You would give him a revelation of Truth so that he can wisely guide this nation.

- "There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes. . . the words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good." (Psalm 36:1b-3)


2. REID URGES OBAMA TO BYPASS CONGRESS ON DEBT CEILING

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democratic leaders told President Barack Obama on Friday to consider side-stepping Congress if no agreement could be reached next month on raising the nation's $16.4 trillion debt ceiling. And two Republican congressmen asked Obama in their own letter that the president to "be open and honest with the American people" on the nation's finances in his State of the Union address next month.

In their letter, Reid and other top Democrats said Obama should "take any lawful steps" to avoid defaulting on the debt - "without Congressional approval, if necessary," The Washington Post reports. Republicans have said they would not raise the debt limit without dollar-for-dollar spending cuts - including those to such entitlement programs as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

On Friday, GOP legislators rejected the notion of sole action by the president.

"The Democrat leadership, hiding under their desks and hoping the president will find a way around the law on the nation's maxed-out credit card, is not only the height of irresponsibility, but also a guarantee that our national debt crisis will only get worse," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told the Post in a statement.

Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said Americans "will not tolerate" hiking the debt ceiling without spending cuts. (Newsmax) Read more.

- Merciful Father in heaven, please grant that our leaders would be willing to be open and honest about the state of the nation. Open the doors behind which plots, plans and schemes have been devised against the people of this nation. For with Your help, there is a way through the financial woes that are before us based on our own sins.

-"These are the things you shall do: speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate," says the Lord. (Zechariah 8:16)


3. PANETTA ORDERS DOD TO "PREPARE FOR THE WORST" ON SEQUESTER

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday said the Pentagon would respond to a "perfect storm of fiscal uncertainty" by making plans for furloughs and massive cuts at the Pentagon.

The beginning of budget cuts from sequestration, the looming debate on Capitol Hill over the debt ceiling and a critical vote on the defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2013 are all set to come crashing down on DOD next month, Panetta warned.
The secretary and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said they have ordered service leaders and combat commanders to begin taking "precautionary" cost-cutting measures in anticipation of sequestration.

The measures include unpaid furloughs to the department's civilian workforce and near-term reductions to critical DOD accounts that fund operations, training and maintenance of weapons and equipment.

The measures would not affect combat operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and are designed to be reversible should Congress somehow come up with a plan to avert sequestration, Panetta said. (The Hill) Read more.

- Father God, these anticipated pay cuts and furloughs will only serve to further weaken our military. We cry out to You to make a way where there seems to be no way for our men and women in uniform to remain fully active, ready to deploy at a moment's notice, and fully equipped to do so. We ask for Your help, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen.

- 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' (Jer. 33:3)


4. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE PENTAGON; INCREASES COSTS

Obama's Defense Department has also decided to pay ex-homosexual soldiers an estimated $14,000 each for having been dismissed from the Armed Forces for violating the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. The Administration will pay $2.4 million in back pay to these men and women - even though they knowingly violated a law passed by Congress.

The law banned homosexuals from serving in the military, but Bill Clinton implemented the DADT policy to circumvent the law to let homosexuals serve if they remained silent about their deviant conduct. As Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Justice noted: "The law was very clear - it said that homosexuals were not eligible to serve in the armed forces. It essentially codified the regulations that had been in place long before Bill Clinton ever took office." Never mind. Clinton was himself a lawbreaker, a sexual predator, and a serial adulterer who never concerned himself with the moral law.

This appears like a payoff to members of Obama's core constituency: militant homosexuals who have no respect for the moral law, laws passed by Congress, or the military code of justice. (Government is not God) Read more.

- Father God, this nation is looking and acting more and more like Sodom and Gomorrah . . . and we know what happened to them. Spare us, O Lord, from the devices and schemes of the wicked, and help us find the way to restore our military to its former status of dignity and honor. We ask that You would restore to us that which the locust has eaten, even as you tear down that which needs to be destroyed. Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayer tonight, in Jesus' Name, amen.

- "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans." (Job 5:12)


5. TAXPAYER BILL FOR OBAMA'S HAWAII VACATIONS: $20 MILLION

Michelle Obama recently revealed that she and President Obama don't give Christmas gifts to each other. They merely say, "We're in Hawaii," and that's Christmas gift enough. But actually the present is from taxpayers, and it's an expensive one.

The total cost to taxpayers of Obama's vacations to Hawaii since becoming president is likely in excess of $20 million, and possibly much, much more. During a time of budget deficits that threaten the nation's security and its future, the Obamas have chosen to maintain a "family tradition" and vacation halfway around the world instead of finding far cheaper alternatives closer to home.

The $20 million figure is based on estimates of the cost of the four Hawaii vacations the Obamas have taken during Christmastime 2009-2012. According to a detailed breakdown by the Hawaii Reporter, the annual excursions in 2009, 2010, and 2011 cost about $4 million, much of it attributable to the expense of taking Air Force One, at an hour rate of about $180,000, on an eighteen-hour roundtrip journey to Honolulu and back. (Center for Western Journalism) Read more.

- Lord God, last November the people of this nation cried out for a king in place of a president who honors the people. You warned them that such a king would take their children, the work of their hands, their produce and profits and that when they cry to You, You would not hear them. Your Word also promises relief and provision in the time of evil for those who walk uprightly and honor You. Thank You for such a promise. We bless You and ask that You would use us to bring more people into Your Kingdom and under those promises.
- "Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them." (1 Samuel 8:6 b, 9)


 



On Capitol Hill This Week: Vol. XX, No. 2c
Monday, January 14, 2013


Focus on the Courts

Focus on the Courts and the Constitution

  1. VP BIDEN: OBAMA COULD USE EXECUTIVE ACTION TO RESTRICT GUN OWNERSHIP
  2. OBAMA WEIGHS 19 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON GUN CONTROL
  3. WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SECESSION PETITIONS
  4. VA ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS "GO TO JAIL" TO OPPOSE HHS MANDATE
  5. ALABAMA SUPREME COURT: "UNBORN CHILDREN ARE PERSONS"
  6. CITIZENS PUSH BACK AGAINST NDAA PROVISION TO ARREST AMERICANS

1. VP BIDEN: OBAMA COULD USE EXECUTIVE ACTION TO RESTRICT GUN OWNERSHIP

Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that President Barack Obama could use executive action and bypass Congress to further restrict gun ownership by private citizens. Biden on Wednesday had heard personal stories of gun violence from representatives of victims groups and gun-safety organizations as he drafts the Obama administration's response to the shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. He pledged that action would be taken. "I want to make it clear that we are not going to get caught up in the notion (that) unless we can do everything we're going to do nothing," Biden said. "It's critically important (that) we act." The meeting was part of a series Biden is holding this week to build consensus around proposals to curb gun violence after the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting in Newtown, Conn. Twenty school children were killed. Read more. (Right Side News) Read more.

- Father God, what is killing more lives in America than guns is the issue of the murder of millions of innocent unborn babies. We pray that our government takes a strong stand against killing thousands of babies every day with the same vehemence and urgency that is being exerted against American citizens owning guns. Speak loudly, through the voices that will hear Your Word and follow through with an exemplary law which will allow honest citizens to own guns for self-protection. In Jesus' Name.

- "Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over us; neither let them wink with the eye that hate us without a cause. For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land." (Psalm 35:19-20)


2. OBAMA WEIGHS 19 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON GUN CONTROL
Congressman Vows to Launch Impeachment Proceedings if Obama Pursues This Strategy

President Obama is weighing as many as 19 different gun control measures that he could take without congressional approval, as he prepares to unveil a comprehensive plan on Wednesday to address gun violence amid claims from Republicans that he's overstepping his bounds. The president plans to reveal the details of that plan shortly before noon on Wednesday, joined by children who wrote him letters on the issue, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. Carney stressed that Obama believes a "significant" part of the plan would include congressional action, but declined to specify what actions the president might take via executive order.

The president has already voiced support for separate legislative measures in Congress, like the renewal of the assault weapons ban. That is expected to face the toughest opposition in Congress. But Biden, who led the gun violence task force and met with the president Monday, indicated the group is also pressing for limits on high-capacity magazines -- as well as background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a gun. Carney reiterated Tuesday that Obama still wants those measures pursued.

Such changes "make sense," Obama said. He said lawmakers will have to "examine their own conscience" in the debate ahead.

But the president's push is drawing resistance from Republicans in Congress. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, is now vowing to try to impeach Obama if he takes any action via executive order. He called the plan to implement some controls administratively "an unconstitutional and unconscionable attack on the very founding principles of this republic." "I will seek to thwart this action by any means necessary, including, but not limited to, eliminating funding for implementation, defunding the White House, and even filing articles of impeachment," Stockman said. (Fox News) Read more.
- "By using this strategy, the President is effectively trying to maneuver around the 2nd Amendment. This Presidential power grab isn't going to work. You don't change a constitutional amendment by executive fiat. Our system doesn't work that way. An executive order to alter the 2nd Amendment won't fly." (Jay Sekulow; ACLJ)

Ask our Lord to dispatch His warring angels to do battle against this agenda, and to help us protect our Constitution and our rights as American citizens to bear arms. If we pray, God WILL answer. Amen.

- "Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler,
And stand up for my help.
Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."
(Psalm 35:1-3)


3. WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SECESSION PETITIONS

The White House has responded to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who signed digital petitions asking permission for states to peacefully secede from the union.

In a nutshell, the answer is no.

"As much as we value a healthy debate," writes Jon Carson, director of the White House's Office of Public Engagement, in in the official response, "we don't let that debate tear us apart."

The Louisiana petition quoted from the Declaration of Independence: "'Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government.'"

According to the guidelines of the "We the People" website, when a petition reaches 25,000 signatures, the White House has pledged to put the petition on a queue for response. Louisiana's petition quickly reached that threshold and was followed by similar petitions from all 50 states, several of which also topped the 25,000 mark.

The official White House response is listed as a response to all of the secession petitions, pro and con. "Our founding fathers established the Constitution of the United States 'in order to form a more perfect union' through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government," the response reasoned. "They enshrined in that document the right to change our national government through the power of the ballot - a right that generations of Americans have fought to secure for all. But they did not provide a right to walk away from it." (WorldNetDaily) Read more.

To read the entire statement released by the White House on this matter, go here.

- Stand in the gap for this administration's convoluted and twisted misinterpretation of the intent of our Founding Fathers and the true meaning of our Constitution. Offer praise for the wisdom of the citizens of the State of Louisiana, for citing the words of our Declaration of Independence as the legal basis for the petition to secede from the Union. Offer praise, too, that all 50 states have now agreed on the need to secede, if this government does not change its course. Pray that the president will hear their voices and do exactly that; pray for a miracle; pray!

- "He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws." (Daniel 7:25)


4. VA ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS "GO TO JAIL" TO OPPOSE HHS MANDATE

Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for governor in 2013, says civil disobedience would expose the "tyranny" behind the Obama's mandate. Virginia's strongly pro-life Attorney General is urging citizens to be ready to go to jail as a protest against the Obama administration's HHS mandate. Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for governor in 2013, told Iowa radio host Steve Deace on Wednesday that civil disobedience would expose the "tyranny" behind the mandate.
- Father, we depend on You to guide and direct our steps in dealing with this health mandate. We pray Your favor and mercy upon all of us while under this tyranny.

- "Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)


5. ALABAMA SUPREME COURT: "UNBORN CHILDREN ARE PERSONS"

Statement reads: 'Unborn children are persons with rights that should be protected by law'

MONTGOMERY, AL, January 11, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Today the Alabama Supreme Court held that the word "child" in Alabama's chemical endangerment statute applies to the born and unborn. The case reached the Supreme Court on an appeal by Amanda Kimbrough who admitted to smoking meth three days before the premature birth of her son Timmy. Born at 25 weeks, Timmy survived only 19 minutes after birth and was found to have died from "accute methamphetamine intoxication."

The ruling states, "The decision of this Court today is in keeping with the widespread legal recognition that unborn children are persons with rights that should be protected by law." "Today," the court added, "the only major area in which unborn children are denied legal protection is abortion, and that denial is only because of the dictates of Roe." "Furthermore, the decision in the present cases is consistent with the Declaration of Rights in the Alabama Constitution, which states that 'all men are equally free and independent; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'"

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange welcomed the ruling in a statement. "The Court has ratified our argument that the public policy of our state is to protect life, both born and unborn," Strange said. "It is a tremendous victory that the Alabama Supreme Court has affirmed the value of all life, including those of unborn children whose lives are among the most vulnerable of all." Read more.

- Oh God, we thank You for this ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that has affirmed the value of all life, including those of unborn children who are among the most vulnerable of all. Father in Heaven, we ask that You will spread this same ruling over all the states in America like a protective blanket and by doing so, will close out the multi-billion dollar industry of killing children, whether born or unborn. Hear our cry, O God; answer our prayers and save our precious, defenseless babies and children. Raise up more State Attorney Generals and Supreme Courts who have this strong character and fortitude to speak forth this decree in all the other 49 states in America. The spirit of abortion in America has come under the power and authority of the blood of Jesus and is abolished and brought to an end. In the Name of Jesus we pray.

- "Both riches and honor come from God, and You reign over all; and in Your hand is power and might; and in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all." (I Chronicles 29:12)


6. CITIZENS PUSH BACK AGAINST NDAA PROVISION TO ARREST AMERICANS

A national campaign has been assembled and soon is to be launched to push back against a provision in a federal defense authorization law that one judge already has determined violates the Constitution by authorizing the detention of Americans.

WND has reported previously on the situation, which arose with the adoption of the National Defense Authorization Act at the end of 2011.

It includes sections 1021 and 1022, which essentially "create a new power for the federal government to 'indefinitely detain' - without due process - any person. Indefinitely. That's little different than kidnapping," said a report from the Tenth Amendment Center.

One lawsuit is pending in the courts where a trial judge issued a permanent injunction preventing application of those two sections, but the case is pending before an appeals court now.

The annual defense bill also was renewed just days ago, with the same provisions included.

Concerns are that the government will start using broad definitions about those who may have any interaction with "terrorists," and arresting and holding them. After all, the federal government already has described those people who support third-party candidates, conservative issues, oppose abortion and are critical of special rights for homosexuals as potential terrorists.

Spokesman Dan Johnson said his organization is being supported by the Tenth Amendment Center, Patriot Coalition, Freedom Outpost, Western Journalism and We Are 1776 in the effort to "restore the Constitution."

"The goal of this operation is to stop the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) in all 50 states across America by Dec. 31st, 2013," he said.

"We are launching this effort for two main reasons. Firstly, we now have the network and resources necessary to push back against this encroachment by the Federal government. The Tenth Amendment Center, Patriot Coalition, Freedom Outpost, Western Journalism, and We Are 1776, among others, are assisting us in restoring the Constitution nationwide.

"Secondly, we are running against the clock. Even though the courageous efforts from the plaintiffs in Hedges v. Obama have elicited one ruling that the NDAA is unconstitutional, the civil liberties score of the 2nd Circuit Court of appeals and the Supreme Court leave little chance that ruling will be upheld in the higher courts. Odds are, the NDAA will be ruled constitutional by 2014," he said.

"If the NDAA is declared constitutional before there is a major stand from the states, it will then be extremely difficult to restore the rights usurped by this legislation. Very few county commissioners, city councilmen, state representatives and sheriffs will take a stand against the NDAA once it has been declared constitutional," he said. (WorldNetDaily) Read more.

- Father in heaven, put forth Your powerful influence here to gather the most impressive army of God-fearing American citizens to fight to the death against this evil-inspired law. Left intact, the NDAA as written would have Americans fighting against Americans, essentially creating a new power for the federal government to indefinitely detain, without due process, any of our citizens. Father God, sustain and maintain our Constitution by Your great power and bring down all those who would oppose it by inventing evil laws. Father, by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, stop the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA in all 50 states across America by December 31, 2013, if not before. We declare it be so, sealed by the Name of Jesus and the power of His blood. Amen.
- "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all." (I Chronicles 29:11)

- "You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways." (Job 22:28)

Prayer Points for the Inauguration

Prayer Points for the Inauguration

  1. DHS SECURITY PLANS FOR PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION PRAISED
  2. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE INAUGURAL (Part One)
  3. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE INAUGURAL (Part Two)
  4. WIDOW OF MEDGAR EVERS TO DELIVER INVOCATION
  5. MEDIA FEARS OBAMA PRIVATE SWEARING IN
  6. OBAMA SWORN IN USING TWO BIBLES

1. DHS SECURITY PLANS FOR PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION PRAISED

The US Secret Service has produced a security plan for the presidential inauguration, set to occur in one week, drawing praise from DC officials for its foresight. President Barack Obama will begin a second term in the White House with the 57th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 21. The Secret Service last week announced plans to secure inaugural activities on that day as well as the day before, designating the inauguration as a National Special Security Event. The Secret Service worked with the DC Metropolitan Police Department, US Capitol Police and the US Park Police, as well as other federal, state and local agencies, to produce an operations plan, which it previewed with officials such as Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) on Jan. 2. For the public, the Secret Service published a transportation plan, pedestrian walking routes, and restrictions on vehicles and personal items for inaugural activities. (HSToday) Read more.

- The Department of Homeland Security has done its job; now it is time for us to do ours. Continue to cover every aspect of next week's inauguration in intensive prayer for the safety and security of all present. Pray in the spirit. Pray!

- "You will pray to Him, and He will hear you . . ." (Job 22:27a)


2. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE INAUGURAL (Part One)
Inaugural Poet is a Gay Man

President Obama, unrestrained from concerns about re-election, is showing his firm commitment to promoting the gay political agenda in America. He's just picked a Cuban-American "gay poet" named Richard Blanco to serve as "Inaugural Poet" at President Obama's swearing in ceremony on January 21.

According to the Inaugural Committees's news release: "As a writer, Blanco explores the collective American experience of cultural negotiation through the lens of family and love, particularly his mother's life shaped by exile, his relationship with his father, and the passing of a generation of relatives. His work also explores the intersection of his cultural identities as a Cuban-American gay man."

The first Inaugural Poet was Robert Frost at President Kennedy's 1961 Inauguration. Now, Obama honors a man for the sole purpose of highlighting how he engages in deviant sex acts with other men. (gingpac.org) Read more.

- Dear Lord, we come against the raw promotion of that which You have said is evil. We pray for salvation and the mind of Christ to come upon those who are championing this man and others in their perversion. We pray for a repentant spirit to overtake them and their eyes to be opened. We pray that the participation of this man in this important ceremony will not lead others into the sin of accepting this lifestyle.

- "Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession." (Proverbs 28:10)


3. OBAMA PUSHES GAY AGENDA AT THE INAUGURAL (Part Two)

PASTOR GIGLIO BOWS OUT; DISINVITED TO PARTICIPATE AT INAUGURATION

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins offered the following comments in reaction to the news that Pastor Louis Giglio has been "kicked out" of the inauguration program because he has expressed his biblical views of sexuality:

"This is another example of intolerance from the Obama administration toward those who hold to biblical views on sexuality. Why is the president surprised that an evangelical pastor would teach from Scripture on homosexuality? One would be hard pressed to find an Evangelical pastor who hasn't preached on what the Bible teaches about human sexuality.

"Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, and Orthodox churches all actively proclaim that sexual intimacy within the marriage of one man and one woman is the only biblically-sanctioned human sexual behavior. Are the scores of millions of Americans who affirm these teachings no longer welcome at the inauguration of our president?

. . . What we are seeing is the inauguration of a new era of religious intolerance in America.

"However, I would remind the president that the Constitution does not guarantee us only freedom of worship but also the freedom of religion. The two are very different. Freedom of religion goes further by guaranteeing the right to live out one's faith not only in the privacy of their home but in the public square as well.

"This president appears determined to stir division and create two Americas: One America that holds to a biblical view of sexuality and another that offers tolerance so long as you embrace its redefined view of sexuality," concluded Perkins. (Family Research Council)

- Father, in the name of Jesus, we bind up the endorsement of prejudice at the highest levels of our government against those who hold Your view of sexuality and marriage. We ask that You would forgive them and that Your revelation of this matter would be made plain to those who have caused this minister of Your Word to be disinvited to give a blessing at this inauguration. We further declare that this attempt to divide our nation over homosexuality will fail. Amen.

- "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (1 Timothy 5:17)


4. WIDOW OF MEDGAR EVERS TO DELIVER INVOCATION

President Obama has picked Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights icon Medgar Evers, to deliver the invocation at his public swearing-in later this month. It is believed to be the first time a woman, and a layperson rather than a clergy member, has been chosen to deliver what may be America's most prominent public prayer.

Obama will privately take the oath of office for his second term on the constitutionally mandated date of Jan. 20, a Sunday. But the public ceremony will be the next day, coinciding with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. In a statement issued by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, Evers-Williams said "it is indeed an exhilarating experience to have the distinct honor of representing" the civil rights era at the Jan. 21 event.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the murder of Evers, who was the NAACP's Mississippi field secretary at the time of his death. Myrlie Evers-Williams spent decades fighting to win a conviction of her late husband's shooter, and served as chairman of the NAACP in the 1990s. (Washington Post) Read more.
- Our Father God, we ask that You would put in Mrs. Evers mouth those words of invocation that would stop any further division in our country over race and bring healing to wounds that are still there. In the name of Jesus, we declare that only words from the wells of salvation would spring forth and that the work You have done in our midst over the years would be evident to all who hear. Bless her life as it flows with You, dear Lord.

- "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:11)


5. MEDIA FEARS OBAMA PRIVATE SWEARING IN

The White House Correspondents Association is strongly urging the Obama administration to allow press access to the president's official swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20, following indications from inauguration committee officials that the event could potentially be closed to the press.

"Mindful of the historic nature of this occasion, we expect the White House will continue the long tradition of opening the President's official swearing-in to full press access, and we as an organization are looking forward to working with the administration to make that happen," Ed Henry, the Fox News correspondent and president of the White House Correspondents Association, said in a statement.

Because inauguration day falls on a Sunday in 2013, Chief Justice John Roberts will officially administer the official oath of office in a private ceremony that day. The public inauguration on the Capitol Building's West Front - at which Roberts will administer a second, symbolic oath of office - will take place the next day. (Politico)

- Father, we thank You that the press corps is alert to the fact that the official swearing in ceremony is to be closed to the press and the public. Since this administration has done so much away from public view, we bind up all secret actions at this time and declare that nothing harmful to our country will occur during the inauguration. Lord, we look to you to hinder all actions that are unconstitutional, and as we stand in repentance before You . . . to also protect our people. In Your Name, amen.

- "Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it."
(Psalm 94:7)


6. OBAMA SWORN IN USING TWO BIBLES

President Barack Obama is putting a symbolic twist on a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible, but two - one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and one by Abraham Lincoln. The inclusion of King's Bible in the oath process is particularly significant since the inauguration comes on Jan. 21, the federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader, who delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech 50 years ago at the Lincoln Memorial. Obama will be facing the memorial as he takes the oath. King's Bible, which his children say he used early in his career as a preacher, has never been part of a presidential inauguration.

The selection of the pair of Bibles is richly symbolic of the struggle for equality in America, beginning with Lincoln's emancipation of the slaves through King's civil rights movement and ultimately to Obama becoming the nation's first black president. Inaugural planners say Obama plans to place his left hand on the stacked Bibles held by first lady Michelle Obama as he raises his right hand to repeat the oath administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. It hasn't been determined which will be on top with Obama's hand actually resting on it, but King's is larger so it may need to be on the bottom. (AP) Read more.

- Even as we honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, and continue to honor President Abraham Lincoln, we sever the cords in the spirit between these two leaders, that our nation not be visited by civil war again. The Lord used these two men, each in their own day, to set the captives free. Let's pray we remain free of any further yoke of bondage; and that our nation remain united -- not divided -- to serve His purposes in the days ahead.
- "He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation." (Acts 17:26) [Abraham Lincoln lived and governed in his day; and Martin Luther King, Jr, did the same in our generation.]
- "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)
- Finally, a footnote on God's Word regarding the "social justice" movement. It is written: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations." (Matthew 12:18 )
Publishing Notice #1

Publishing Notice #1:

No "OCAP" (On Capitol Hill This Week) Next Monday

Standing Down for the Inauguration


One week from today, Barack Hussein Obama will be sworn into office for his second term as President of the United States.

Like every president before him, the Inauguration next Monday will be accompanied by activities throughout the day: breakfasts, luncheons, the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, and two formal balls that evening.

Unlike most past years, however, Obama will be the fifth president in history to be sworn in twice: once on Sunday, the 20th, as required by the Constitution, in a private ceremony (details below), and again at the public event on Monday.
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners will stand down from publishing an alert next Monday, to acknowledge this special date in American history. Instead, please find below several items of interest and for prayer, surrounding this year's inauguration.
Please join us in praying Psalm 91 over all who will participate in this inauguration, and for journeying mercies for those who will be coming to Washington next week.

In His Amazing Grace,

Sara C. Ballenger, Founder and President
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
chpp@patriot.net

Publishing Notice #2

Publishing Notice #2:

No Daily Brief Today!


The Daily Brief will resume tomorrow. Thank you!

Thought for the Week

Thought for the Week


God's heavenly plan doesn't always make earthly sense.

-- Charles R. Swindoll




This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .

This Week, Worship Our Lord As . . .
LORD, MY ROCK
(Adoni Tsuree)

"Praise be to the LORD, my Rock, who trains my hands for war." (Psalm 144:1)


How blessed I am to know that You are my Rock, and my fortress. You are the One who equips me to do Your work. Thank You that you equip the called - not call the equipped. Today, help me to realize that You have provided for my every need.- one step at a time.


(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)