Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief Thursday, February 14, 2013
"Lord, teach us to pray . . ." (Luke 11:1)
Guidelines for today's American Prayer Initiative can be found by going here.
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The Daily Brief
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1. Pope Benedict holds last public Mass - BBC
Pope Benedict XVI has celebrated his last Mass as Pope in St Peter's Basilica in Rome following the surprise announcement that he is to retire. He presided over an Ash Wednesday ceremony marking the start of the Roman Catholic Church's season of Lent. It came two days after the surprise announcement that the 85-year-old was to retire at the end of the month.
- Lord, we pray Your blessing and kindness over Pope Benedict as he steps down from his post. Use the brokenness he has felt at the divisions and rivalry among the clergy to bring life, joy and peace to his heart, and grant him healing.
- "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation" [Isaiah 52:7]
2. Catholic church ready for non- European pope, says Ghanaian cardinal- Guardian UK
Peter Turkson responds to speculation that he could be chosen as Benedict XVI's successor, saying 'if it's the will of God.'
- Father, we ask that whoever is chosen for this position be a lover of You, a person who is filled with Your Holy Spirit. While we are aware of prophecies regarding the succession of popes, we pray for Your mercy, and ask for more time to bring in the harvest.
- "For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." [Isaiah 25:1c]
3. New SARS-like virus shows person-to-person transmission - Reuters
A third patient in Britain has contracted a new SARS-like virus, becoming the second confirmed British case in a week and showing the deadly infection is being spread from person to person, health officials said on Wednesday.
- In the mighty Name of Jesus, we take authority over this virus and bind it from spreading any further. We place the Blood of Jesus around the people who have already contracted this virus and ask that You remember mercy over the people of Britain.
-"Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence" [Psalm 91:3]
4. U.S. to ship all 20 F-16s to Egypt in 2013 - World Tribune
The United States has pledged to accelerate delivery of 20 F-16 multi-role fighters to Egypt in 2013. Officials said Egypt would receive all of the F-16 Block 52 aircraft this year. They said the arrival of the four aircraft marked the first delivery of the F-16s in 2013 as part of cooperation between Egypt and the United States.
- Father, this policy seems foolish in light of the current regime in Egypt. We pray that You will protect the ordinary people of Egypt from their own government, and find a way to block or stop this shipment of F-16s.
- "The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous."[Proverbs 14:19]
5. State of the Union: Barack Obama offers unapologetic case for power of government - Telegraph UK
Promising to invest in everything from hi-tech batteries to preschool education, new roads and bridges, Mr Obama repudiated Republican calls for dramatic spending cuts to rein in America's $16 trillion national debt. "Most Americans...understand that we can't just cut our way to prosperity," Mr Obama said, urging...put party difference aside and replace "reckless cuts with smart savings and wise investments in our future."
- Lord, we may not be able to "cut our way to prosperity," but we can't spend our way to it either. Let wisdom be released to our legislators, and cover our lives with Your mercy, grace, and justice.
- "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud" [Proverbs 14:25a]
6. Asteroid 2012 DA14: 5 Surprising Facts About Friday's Earth Flyby - Space.com
While there is no chance that asteroid 2012 DA14 will hit Earth this Friday (Feb. 15), the asteroid's flyby is history-making for several other reasons. For one thing, scientists will have the unprecedented chance to get an up close and personal view of the near-Earth asteroid, which is half the size of a football, as it passes by the planet at a distance of just 17,200 miles (27,000 kilometers).
- Thank You Lord, for protecting the earth from this asteroid! May it stay in its current path with no faltering.
- "The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them." [Psalm 89:11]
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The Middle East in Focus
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The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High . . ." (Psalm 92:1)
1. Egypt floods Gaza tunnels to cut Palestinian lifeline - Reuters
Egyptian forces have flooded smuggling tunnels under the border with the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip in a campaign to shut them down, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said.
2. EU pressured to ban sales of goods from disputed Israeli lands - Washington Times
The European Union may take disciplinary action against Israel and ban the sale of products from the nation that hail from the Golan Heights and the West Bank.
3. Report: Israeli Warplanes Soar Through Lebanese Skies - Arutz Sheva
Four Israeli war planes were seen flying in the skies of Lebanon on Tuesday, according to that country's official news agency. Israel Air Force aircraft were reportedly seen flying in the afternoon sometime between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm local time, sources said late in the day.
4. IDF sets up war room to battle hackers - Ynet News
Syrian hackers are working for President Bashar Assad's regime, criminal elements worldwide are trying to down banks' websites, and Israel has also recently experienced an unprecedented cyber attack as retaliation for the IDF's Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza. The IDF's Computer Services Directorate responded to the rise in the number of cyber attacks in Israel by setting up a special cyber war room meant to protect its computer systems by detecting virtual attacks by hostile elements and launching a counter attack.
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The Persecuted Church
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Today's Focus: The Persecuted Church
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
(John 14:27)
1. Eritrea: Christian Leaders Arrested in Asmarag - Voice of the Martyrs (VOM)
t least 20 church leaders were arrested at their homes in Eritrea's capital on Thursday, Jan. 17, in an apparently coordinated move by authorities, and some have reportedly been imprisoned. The church leaders were from a variety of denominations, including the Full Gospel Church and the Mesret Kristos (Mennonite) Church. The situation in Eritrea has deteriorated dramatically in the last few months, according to VOM workers. Major commodities like electricity, water and grain are in short supply, and the government is rumored to be unstable.
2. Israel: Jewish Extremist Convicted in Bomb Attack on Pastor's Home - VOM
Jewish extremist Jack Teitel was convicted in January by the Jerusalem District Court on two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
The conviction comes nearly five years after Teitel's 2008 bomb attack on the home of Christian pastor David Ortiz. Teitel left a pipe bomb disguised as a package on the Ortiz's doorstep, and when 15-year-old Ami Ortiz opened the package, the bomb exploded, seriously injuring Ami. During the trial, Teitel said, "God is proud of what I did. I have no regrets." His criminal convictions include other crimes in addition to the Ortiz bombing.
In a note to VOM, Pastor Ortiz's wife, Leah, wrote, "We want to thank everyone for standing with us because without your prayers and love we wouldn't have been able to go through this whole process."
3. Eastern Africa: Safe House Raided - VOM
Authorities in a closed country in Eastern Africa raided a VOM-supported safe house and church at the end of January. "They came in a group with the police on Jan. 26," wrote the pastor who runs the safe house. "They accused us that we are burning and putting down the book of Quran, and they slapped my face. When they try to find their book they found only the Bible." (Read more.)
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The Madison Report
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The Madison Report
THE MADISONIAN
Immigration
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano also testified before the committee. This provided Republicans with a prime opportunity to take her to task for abrogating enforcement laws duly passed by Congress and cancelling the 287(g) federal/state cooperative enforcement program.
There is also a possibility the "secretive" bipartisan working group in the House might offer an amnesty plan this week to accompany the Schumer/Rubio proposal in the Senate. Eric Cantor is also vocally pushing the Dream Act amnesty, which will provide an expedited path to citizenship for several millions illegals between the age of 16 and 35, providing Democrats with new voters and welfare recipients. Once they become citizens, they will be able to collect some benefits on behalf of their parents and spawn chain migration by petitioning to bring in more family members. The Dream Act will also necessarily raise the cost of higher education in this country by making them eligible for an array of tuition subsidy programs.
Conservatives must continue to oppose these backroom deals and demand that Republicans formulate proposals together with fellow members to ensure that all the laws are enforced before unilaterally conceding major policy points to Democrats.
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Marriage at the U.S. Supreme Court
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Marriage at the U.S. Supreme Court
Two Critical Cases Heard on March 26 and 27:
Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act
On December 7, 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear legal challenges filed by same-sex activists against the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and the voter approved marriage amendment in California known as Prop 8.
These cases are unprecedented in their potential impact for the future of marriage in America. Watch this video to learn the timeless truth about marriage, the background and importance of DOMA, and what's at stake when the High Court goes to hear arguments over these cases in 2013!
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9 WEEKS of PRAYER for MARRIAGE
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9 WEEKS of PRAYER for MARRIAGE
Join us in praying for marriage over the next nine weeks. Download a different prayer sheet each week leading up to arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26th and 27th.
TO VIEW THE PRAYER SHEET FOR WEEK ONE, GO HERE.
TO VIEW THE PRAYER SHEET FOR WEEK TWO, GO HERE.
UPDATE:
There are now 6 weeks until marriage is on trial at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Please join us this week in prayer by going here.
Take Action - Spread the Word
You can also sign up to receive updates via email by going here.
Donate
Your gift will help enable Alliance Defending Freedom and our allies to continue defending marriage across the nation and in this new unprecedented showdown over DOMA and Prop 8 at the United States Supreme Court.
To donate, go here.
Sponsored by Alliance Defending Freedom.
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NAACP Threatens to Sue Pro-Life Group
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NAACP Threatens to Sue Pro-Life Group
The nation's oldest civil rights group is threatening legal action after a pro-life foundation exposed its pro-abortion agenda.
The NAACP alleges that pro-life leader Ryan Bomberger, chief creative officer of The Radiance Foundation, participated in "trademark infringement."
For several years, Bomberger has written about the NAACP's support of abortion, and paid for billboards criticizing the group. He even parodied its name, calling it "The National Association for the Abortion of Colored People."
"It's ironic that the nation's oldest civil rights group is threatening to sue a black man for exercising his most basic civil right - the freedom of speech," Bomberger explained. "This threat of legal action from the NAACP is nothing more than a multi-billion dollar organization's attempt to bully someone who's simply telling the truth."
In response to the NAACP's Jan. 28 letter, Alliance Defending Freedom has asked a federal court, on behalf of Bomberger, to declare that the First Amendment protects The Radiance Foundation's freedom of speech. The lawsuit is not seeking any damages.
The number of African-American babies killed by abortion is staggering.
Nationwide, 40 percent of black pregnancies end in abortion. In New York City -the original home of NARAL and Planned Parenthood - it's 60 percent.
The NAACP often defends Planned Parenthood.
In fact, former NAACP President Julian Bond once spoke at a dinner for NARAL Pro-Choice America where he lauded the fact that African-American women have high abortion rates, Bomberger said.
"When Live Action revealed that Planned Parenthood was willing to accept racist donations, the NAACP came to their defense," he explained. "When Congress wanted to defund Planned Parenthood, they rushed to Planned Parenthood's defense. When we launched our billboards, they rushed to Planned Parenthood's defense. In fact, Planned Parenthood has been their sponsor at their annual convention, numerous years. They have aligned themselves with Planned Parenthood for the longest time. Supporting abortion and advocating for abortion for years."
Bomberger will continue to speak up for life.
"Our inner-cities are crumbling, two-parent married families barely exist - 72.3 percent of our children are born into homes without fathers - and the NAACP wants to silence me for pointing out its support of abortion," Bomberger said.
"The Radiance Foundation has no intentions of being silenced by those who disagree with facts." (CitizenLink)
- Dear Lord, we thank You for the mighty Warriors you have raised up to speak out and do battle on behalf of unborn children. May those who serve the purposes of the death culture, see the Light of Christ and be transformed. We pray a hedge of protection over The Radiance Foundation and its leaders, Ryan and Bethany Bomberger, that no weapon formed against them shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against them to destroy the work You have called them to do, shall be confounded, condemned, and fruitless. We thank You Lord, in Jesus' name!
- "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. " (Isaiah 54: 17)
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The Good News Corner
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The Good News Corner:
Prayer Caucus Members Deliver Floor Speeches
Highlighting America's Spiritual Heritage
Six Members of the Prayer Caucus delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives last week, discussing the importance of protecting religious freedom in America and preserving our nation's rich spiritual heritage. Members also highlighted the Prayer Caucus and the vital role that prayer has played in strengthening the fabric of our society. You can view the speeches here:
Rep. Randy Forbes: http://ow.ly/hyAri
Rep. Mike McIntyre: http://ow.ly/hyAwD
Rep. Steve Pearce: http://ow.ly/hyAub
Rep. Virginia Foxx: http://ow.ly/hyAB2
Rep. James Lankford: http://ow.ly/hyAE7
Rep. Louie Gohmert: http://ow.ly/hyAHO
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Pray for the Harvest!
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Pray for the Harvest!
"Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." (John 4:35)
Every day, in every nation on earth, tens of thousands of men and women are making decisions for Christ. Now, you can monitor this amazing fact online by literally "watching" as these souls are born again into the Kingdom.
Of course, the identities of those who are coming to the Lord are never revealed, but our God knows who they are!
Join us as we monitor these "names" daily, praying over each one to be mentored and to grow in his or her faith . . . even in these perilous times. You may visit either or both of the sites below, to pray for fields that are ripe for harvest.
> > > OPTION ONE: AboutJesus.net
Go here!
> > > OPTION TWO: The Great Commission Map!
Go here!
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Worship With Us Today!
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Worship With Us Today!
Jesus Lover of My Soul
Celtic ABERYSTWYTH
Jesus, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
