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FUTURES UP AS CHINA FEARS EASE
Friday's job numbers is the last monthly employment report before the U.S. Federal Reserve meets on Sept. 16-17, when an announcement on interest rates is widely expected.
Pray that the Lord will give wisdom to those who seek Him regarding financial matters in this volatile economy. Seek the Lord and "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" as Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount.
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:20 NIV)
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 FEDERAL JUDGE SHIELDS MARCH FOR LIFE
The March for Life, the pro-life group that holds a massive rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court every January, does not have to abide by Obamacare's birth control mandate, a federal judge ruled Monday, saying the organization deserves the same protections as churches. In a strongly worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon said the Health and Human Services Department practiced "regulatory favoritism" by exempting houses of worship on grounds its employees are less likely to want the contraceptives, while rejecting pleas from March for Life, a secular group that says its employees don't want them, either. For Prayer: Pray that this two-day-old court ruling will stand even upon appeal. Give thanks for Judge Leon, who we believe is following both logic and the rule of law. The fact that "March for Life" is a secular organization and yet employs strongly pro-life personnel makes a good case for "equal justice under the law." Give thanks and pray for the principle to be upheld in similar cases.
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."(John 7:24)
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STANDOFF OVER HOMOSEXUAL LICENSE TO MARRY
For prayer: From IFA's viewpoint, Kim Davis is making a courageous stand on personal convictions but ultimately cannot "win." We believe she will be forced to yield or seek new employment (probably the latter), as the position she holds must be subject to the local laws that define the office and its duties. We urge united prayer for this lady and strength and courage for her conscientious position.
"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding."(Prov 23:23)
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 PROFESSOR: BAD GRADE FOR SAYING "FEMALE"
For prayer: College students (and parents), do you know what your school is teaching? Students who accept these syllabus "standards" are not being educated but brainwashed. Our purpose in sharing this article is to demonstrate how far "diversity" is going on campus as "tolerance-seekers" become the intolerant. Pray for sweeping renewal that can only come as the Church's witness is revived. Offer thanksgiving to the Lord for the WSU administration negation of these professors at Washington State University as reported in the attached update.
"But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.' " (Eph 5:13-14)
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 70 OHIO PASTORS BEG BOEHNER TO STOP PP SUBSIDES
For prayer: These pastors deserve our prayer support. Their letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner is courteous, compelling, and should be echoed around the country: "If pro-life leaders in Congress will not take this action now, when will they?" Only Ohio has Mr. Boehner, but all states have representatives and senators. Pray for a similar nationwide "faith-plus-works" response.
"But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without you works, and I will show you my faith [with] my works." (Jas 2:18)
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 HEARTS WERE HARVESTED FROM LIVE BABIES
For prayer: This is one of the most important prayer alerts ever shared in our Informer. Planned Parenthood (PP) is staggering under a growing load of lies, deception, and subterfuge. It is time for it to collapse and be closed forever. The insatiable greed that drives PP's relentless quest for money, even to the point of killing babies born alive and selling their tiny bodies for more profit, is loathsome to the point of nausea. Pray for Dr. Deisher and others like her to speak out. Cry out against PP.
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Tim 6:10)
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BONUS Content >>>SCROLL for RELATED COMMENTARY by GUEST-POSTERS + FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS
THE TIPPING POINT ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD
It took three videos showing Planned Parenthood doctors and executives discussing the cu..., but Hillary Clinton finally managed to say that she found the videos "disturbing."
For a professional politician like Clinton, whose every word is vetted by the vast right lobe of her brain, "disturbing" in the vernacular of less-scripted folk would be something like "horrifying" or "vile."
But Clinton, whose base includes supporters of Planned Parenthood , as well as the mega-fundraising, pro-choice Emily's List, tiptoed out on a limb. I wouldn't go so far as to call it brave, but I also wouldn't underestimate its significance. Even a passionately pro-choice presidential candidate has to pause at this juncture.
Prayer focus: This is just one incensed commentary on what is arguably the most despicable and outrageous exposure of the money-driven and conscience-void abortion "industry" since Dr. Kermit Gosnell's grisly enterprise was uncovered in 2011. Conservative columnist George F. Will called it "barbarity" (i.e., the work of barbarians). Nonetheless, Planned Parenthood is fighting back, including legally, and still has the "blessing" of President Obama and presidential hopeful, Hillary Rodham Clinton, among others. Pray that an awakened Church will rise up with her weapon of intercession!
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, ..." (2 Cor. 10:4-5)
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19)
WHITE HOUSE RETALIATE AGAINST CHINA HACKS
The Obama administration has decided it will retaliate against China for orchestrating the devastating digital theft of over 22 million Americans' personal information, The New York Times reported.
The response is still unformed and may not come for weeks.
The decision to retaliate is a sudden reversal for the White House, which had previously indicated it might not even publicly blame China for the cyberattacks. Administration officials have only privately accused Beijing of ordering the digital strike.
For prayer: The question for intercessors is, "What are the spiritual principles here?" We know this is not simply about China vs. America and cyber-warfare. The nations of the earth are locked in life and death struggles, and America is in steep decline. Pray for an awakened Church to minister as Christ's presence in the world, guided and empowered by His Spirit. Pray for revival. Pray for the Church to focus on its true ministry: to spread the Gospel message.
"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."(John 6:4-5)
WHY ADMIN WON'T USE THE TERM "ISLAMIC TERROR"
U.S. Homeland Security chief recently revealed that the government tactically made the decision to call Islamist terror attacks "viole... or similar wording that would point to religious motivations in an effort to build bridges with the Muslim community.
Speaking at the Aspen Institute's annual security forum in late July, US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, says that it's "critical" to call such Islamic terror attacks "violent extremism" to "build trust" and "cooperation" with Muslims, according to Investor's Business Daily.
Johnson was pressed by the moderator, who asked, "Isn't government denying the fundamental religious component of this kind of extremism by not using the word Islamic?"
Prayer focus: This dichotomy in the administration's view of Islamic terrorism is confusing many U.S. citizens. We see President Obama's concept of a "peaceful Islam" as misguided but understandable. While it is difficult for Americans of a certain age to deal with a president who was not taught from youth the values most of us cherish, still he was elected to the highest office not once but twice. We must pray for him, as only God can change his perceptions and clarify his thinking.
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all ... who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim. 2:1-4)
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lordweighs the hearts." (Prov. 21:1-2)
PM TO MAKE DIRECT APPEAL TO U.S. JEWS ON IRAN
In the latest of a series of attempts to persuade U.S. voters to push thei..., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver an address to the North American Jewish community next week to discuss the agreement, which he staunchly opposes.
The announcement, issued by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, comes a day after President Barack Obama held a mass conference call with supporters of the deal, to rally them behind the controversial agreement.
According to Conference of Presidents, Netanyahu will address U.S.' and Canadian Jewish communities through a live webcast on Tuesday afternoon. In addition to delivering remarks, the prime minister will also take questions from participants.
Prayer focus: We believe Mr. Netanyahu makes a good case. It seems that serious spiritual and moral myopia has gripped President Obama and Secretary Kerry in what they have allowed to happen. Pray for the U.S. Congress-both House and Senate-to take a stand, regardless of personal politics, and to block approval of this "deal" with Iran. Pray for decision-makers to see the enormous implications. Pray for God's mercy as He governs the world scene to fulfill His will and purpose.
"Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast Their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: 'Yet I have I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.' " (Ps. 2:1-6)
CLIMATE CHANGE: STEEPER CUTS FROM PLANTS
In finalizing the unprecedented pollution controls, Obama was installing the core of his ambitious and controversial plan to drastically reduce overall U.S. emissions, as he works to secure a legacy on fighting global warming. Yet it will be up to Obama's successor to implement his plan, which reverberated across the 2016 presidential campaign trail.
Opponents planned to sue immediately, and to ask the courts to block the rule temporarily. Many states have threatened not to comply.
Prayer focus: As readers know, IFA will not be drawn into political debate over this still-disputed "science," where strong disagreement is found among so-called experts. Instead, we urge prayer for the spiritual stewardship of the planet and its major resource, human life. This political "football" is being tossed about while millions of innocent and helpless babies' lives are snuffed out and their corpses sold to the highest bidder as "salvage." Intercede in the midst of a distorted value system.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Prov. 14:12)
"They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace." (Jer. 6:14)
The announcement marked the second time in less than a week that the bitter enemies had agreed to Egyptian mediation. A similar three-day truce last week collapsed in renewed violence over the weekend.
"Cease-fire" means that the firing of guns and rockets should cease for the agreed-on time period - usually aimed at negotiating terms for a permanent cessation of hostilities. If so, then the last two declarations have failed before they began. In short, Israel will not let itself be destroyed, and Hamas will not relent in its do-or-die determination to utterly wipe out the Jewish state. It appears that Hamas wants no restraint on its goal of eradicating Israel, while Israel wants to live and move and trade and do commerce and educate its children in peace, without a sword over its head. Pray for U.S. leaders to maintain our committed relationship to Israel's well-being, which seems at times to be wavering.
"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight." (Prov 12:22)
"Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God." (Psalm 86:8-10)
JUDGE'S PARTY DETERMINES HIS OBAMACARE VOTE
Predicting whether Obamacare survives its latest battery of court challengescould be as easy as looking at the judges making the decisions - and the presidents who appointed them.A Washington Times analysis of the votes cast by dozens of federal judges in appellate courts since the 2010 law was enacted shows that while Democratic and Republican appointees were evenly represented in the cases, they differed dramatically in how they ruled.
There is a potential trap here that intercessors must avoid. A shallow response is to think that if we elect the "right" candidates so that the "right" judges are appointed, then the country's problems will be solved and our "land" will be healed. Some of us have heard sincere "conservative" friends say, "Just wait until November [elections]. Then everything will be okay." But everything will not be okay. Intercessors will not stray from Scripture but be first to embrace a spirit of repentance, seeking the correct heart posture to "Go and make disciples of all nations..." Pray for a widespread awakening and extended mercy to the nation. If our country is to hear the truth, the Church must speak forth.
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Prov14:34)
"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Pet 4:17)
Neel Kashkari, the Republican candidate for governor of California, just recounted in The Wall Street Journal his week on the streets of Fresno posing as a homeless man looking for work. At the end of his op-ed, Mr. Kashkari lamented that he didn't need a higher minimum wage, paid sick leave or a health care plan. What he needed was a job.
Mr. Kashkari made the important point that all of those government benefits, especially extended unemployment benefits, are work disincentives that may actually block job creation.
People who treat the Bible casually often believe that work is the result of sin, not realizing that God created work in the Garden as a gift to mankind, an avenue of stewardship. Today's work ethic has become distorted, often mired in class warfare between management and labor. While unemployment benefits create a bridge to survival, they are not intended to stifle the quest for work or make citizens dependent on government. Pray for renewal in the Church to lead the way in benevolence and care for those who are truly poor. Pray for restoration of a national view that sees work as a holy occupation.
"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given." (Prov 19:17)
"... and when [the apostles, the pillars] ... perceived the grace that had been given to [Paul], they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that weshould go to the Gentiles.... They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I (Paul) also was eager to do." (Gal. 2:9-10)
"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (2 Thess 3:10)
After an absence of 90 years, the ancient institution of the caliphate roared back into existence on the first day of Ramadan in the year 1435 of the Hegira, equivalent to June 29, 2014. This astonishing revival symbolically culminates the Islamist surge.... A Western analogy might be declaring the restoration of the Hapsburg Empire, which traced its legitimacy to ancient Rome.
Whence comes this audacious move? Can the caliphate last? What will its impact be?
Prayer focus: IFA respects Daniel Pipes' reporting. His Middle East views and clear stand for Israel's survival are balanced. This article on Muslim history explains the new rise of exceptionally brutal and barbaric Islamist terrorist atrocities in Iraq and elsewhere. The demon-inspired war on Christians in Iraq is now "old news." This article's final sentence is the key to our intercession: "On the positive side, the caliphate's barbaric zealotry will have the salutary effect of awakening many of those who still sleep to the horrors of the Islamist agenda." Pray that God will prompt world opinion to rise up and condemn this militant and murderous evil sect. The devil overplays his hand. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" (Tertullian, Second-century Church Father). God is watching, and heaven keeps careful records. The final chapter is coming. Intercede with fervor.
"And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!' And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.'"(Rev 11:15-18)
SEN. GRAHAM: ISIS A DIRECT THREAT TO U.S. SOIL
The militant Islamic State group could launch a direct attack on U.S. soil, warned South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, who urged President Barack Obama to do more to counter the group that has taken large parts of Iraq and Syria.
"Mr. President, be honest with the threat we face," Graham said in a Fox News interview on Sunday. "They are coming."
Is God forcing the U.S. government, led by President Obama, to take a strong, open stand against this emerging, dangerous brand of hyper-militant, Islamist terrorism? We are reportedly bombing northern Iraq jihadists selectively but not effectively. President Obama shows typical restraint. Media outlets remind us regularly that he was raised in Muslim culture, heard daily the call to prayers of the imams, and for many years sat under the ministry of a hate-filled minister who openly supported the rise of Hamas. Yet, he is America's twice-elected president, and we are enjoined in Scripture to pray for him. Let us do so fervently, committing him to God's grace and mercy. Pray that he will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit with the truth of Jesus Christ and the Gospel.
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus..." (1 Tim 2:1-5)
[Jesus prayed,] "... You, [Father,] have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:2-3)
NETANYAHU WINS STRONG!
After a bruising campaign focused on his failings, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel won a clear victory in Tuesday's elections and seemed all but certain to form a new government and serve a fourth term, though he offended many voters and alienated allies in the process.
With 99.5 percent of the ballots counted, the YNet news site reported Wednesday morning that Mr. Netanyahu's Likud Party had captured 29 or 30 of the 120 seats in Parliament, sweeping past his chief rival, the center-left Zionist Union alliance, which got 24 seats.
Prayer focus: Christians who love and support Israel will begin this day with thanksgiving to God for yesterday's election results, with full confidence that the divine will and purpose are being worked out through Mr. Netanyahu's victory. We now pray that he will be successful in completing the formation of a conservative coalition and carry on with his message that Israel has the right to exist and will defend itself at all costs from those whose goal is Israel's destruction. Let us pray fervently for a turning point from strong international anti-Semitism, including within our own U.S. government and intercede that Mr. Netanyahu and Israel will turn to the Lord and be saved.
"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." (Prov 16:33)
"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa 55:6-7)
WIND: A THIRD OF U.S. POWER BY 2050?
Wind power could provide more than a third of the country's electricity by 2050while yielding a net savings in energy costs paid by consumers, the Energy Department reported in a major study released Thursday.
Continued growth of wind energy-which has tripled since 2000 and now supplies nearly 5 percent of the country's electric power-also could dramatically reduce air pollution and go a long way toward meeting the country's goals on slowing climate change, the report said.
Prayer focus: Without detracting from human invention, Christians will first give thanks to God as He unlocks more divine "secrets" for mankind's welfare. Whether drawing from the Sun's energy or the potential of "air in motion" to harness wind power, God has the ultimate prior claim on everything that enables the inhabitants of the planet Earth to survive, even to thrive. Pray that development of wind energy will reduce the stranglehold oil currently has on international economics. Notice from God's Word how nature obeys the will of God and the voice of God instantly.
"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." (Ex 14:21-22)
"And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But [Jesus] was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' But He said to them, 'Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?' Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, 'Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'" (Mat 8:24-27)
SUSPECT IN POLICE SHOOTING ARRESTED
A 20-year-old man charged Sunday with shooting two police officers watching over a demonstration outside the Ferguson Police Department had attended a protest there earlier that night but told investigators he wasn't targeting the officers, authorities said.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said suspect Jeffrey Williams told authorities he was firing at someone with whom he was in a dispute.
"We're not sure we completely buy that part of it," McCulloch said, adding that there might have been other people in a vehicle Williams is accused of firing from.
Prayer focus: Ferguson, MO and its residents, including police officers and other officials, have been the focus of unrelenting scrutiny, social pressure, and violence from outside the town. The situation continues to be complicated, and intercessors should take due notice, evaluate the latest news headlines as best they can, and seek to intercede as they are led. Pray that many fearful citizens who need salvation will turn to the Lord.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke iseasy and My burden is light."
(Mat 11:28-30)AIR FORCE BASE BAN "HAVE A BLESSED DAY"
A Georgia Air Force base that made headlines after banning guards' use of the phrase "have a blessed day" quickly reversed course and will now allow the saying, so long as those who use it "remain courteous and professional."
Officials at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia, told gate guards that they could no longer "bless" those coming into the installation after a "non-religious" individual complained to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a group dedicated to the separation of church and state.
The unnamed individual claimed that it was inappropriate for guards to say "have a blessed day" on a multitude of occasions, leading the base to preclude employees from using the saying and, instead, encouraged them to say, "have a great day," according to WMAZ-TV.
Prayer focus: We suggest an individual response to this story as each reader is led. The barrage of protests against anything remotely "religious" in the military or with any government-related agency or facility has become constant and routine. In reality, such complaints and lawsuits are aimed at Almighty God and at the integrity and authenticity of Jesus Christ. Intercede for widespread revival through which the Church will display spiritual authority, proclaiming the Gospel message in a compelling way that will produce permanent fruit.
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DEBT RELIEF: TREASURY TAPS TSP FED RETIREMENT
With the federal government due to hit its debt ceiling on Monday, the Treasury Department again will use financial maneuvers to stave off a default, including several involving federal retirement funds.
A letter to Congress Friday from Treasury Secretary Jack Lew notes that the government will be at its debt limit when a suspension enacted a year ago ends at midnight Sunday. "Because Congress has not yet acted to raise the debt limit, the Treasury Department will have to employ further extraordinary measures to continue to finance the government on a temporary basis," he wrote.
One of those measures is called "disinvesting" the largest fund in the Thrift Savings Plan, the 401(k)-style retirement savings program for federal employees and military personnel, the government securities G fund. The fund consists of special-issue Treasury securities that are reinvested each business day and that count against the debt limit.
Prayer focus: This is all part of an ongoing political game in Washington, D.C., which is waged at least annually (if not more often) by the major political parties in Congress or by the Congress with or against the sitting president. No matter what happens and for all the shrill rhetoric, "the show goes on" and is ultimately settled. One political party usually blames the other side. This "juggling" often results in our country going deeper into debt. Pray for a widespread spiritual awakening and for the citizens to hold their congressional representatives accountable for guarding the treasury and lowering the debt. Elected officials are the people's servants, not their rulers, and must be held accountable.
"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." (1 Cor 4:2)
"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Heb 4:13)
For half a century, memories of the Holocaust inoculated the Continent against overt anti-Semitism. That period has ended-the recent fatal attacks in Paris and Copenhagen are merely the lat.... Today, right-wing fascist strains of Jew-hatred are merging with a new threat from radicalized Islamists, confronting Europe with a crisis, and its Jews with an agonizing choice.
"All comes from the Jew; all returns to the Jew." - Édouard Drumont (1844-1917), founder of the Anti-Semitic League of France
I. The Scourge of Our Time
The French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut, the son of Holocaust survivors, is an accomplished, even gifted, pessimist. To his disciples, he is a Jewish Zola, accusing France's bien-pensant intellectual class of complicity in its own suicide. To his foes, he is a reactionary whose nostalgia for a fairy-tale French past is induced by an irrational fear of Muslims. Finkielkraut's cast of mind is generally dark, but when we met in Paris in early January, two days after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, he was positively grim.
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Rom 10:1-4)
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.'" (Ps 122:6-7)
HUBRIS ON MARRIAGE LAWS NOT LIMITED TO JUDGES
On May 19, it happened in Oregon. The next day, it was Pennsylvania's turn.
In Oregon, U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane said the state's marriage amendment, which the people of Oregon enacted via referendum in 2004, had no "rationally related government purpose." Democratic Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced in February that she wou.... Take that, voters.
God's laws will not be "discarded into the ash heap of history." Instead, people and nations trying to overturn His principles will face His righteous judgment. Judge John Jones' ruling is an example of "practical atheism." This may include personal religious belief, even church-going, but it means that one plans, lives, thinks, and speaks as though God did not exist. The U.S. is in grave danger of divine judgment. In the light of continual blasphemy, how long will God be merciful? Pray for preachers of righteousness to speak up. Let those who know the truth of God's holiness pray with repentant hearts on behalf of our deeply sinful country. These things are not pleasant, but we must obey God.
"Then [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, saying: 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'" (Luke 12:16-20)
"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."(Psalm 9:17)
JIHAD WILL CONTINUE UNTIL AMERICA IS NO MORE?
"Those [Iranians] who want to promote negotiation and surrender to the oppressors and blame the Islamic Republic as a warmonger in reality commit treason," Khamenei told a meeting of members of parliament, according to the regime's Fars News Agency.
Iran continues to make outrageous statements, such as we read here. While U.S. leaders should not fear Iranian threats, neither should they be arrogant. Intercessors will remember that throughout history, God often used a pagan nation to do His bidding, and then later judged that very regime according to His righteous purpose. May Spirit-filled intercessors pray for mercy and a great turning to the Lord here in America. Intercede, knowing our country's sinfulness deserves divine judgment.
"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god." (Daniel 1:1-2)
"Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: 'I am the Lord, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself.... who confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' to the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' .... who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built,' and to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid."' (Isaiah 44:24, 27, 28)
MEMORIAL DAY, AT WAR
For most of Kabul, it was a mundane Monday. For soldiers on a small base in the city's center, it was another d..., another day planning a response to the Taliban spring offensive. For the Americans in that group, it was also Memorial Day.
Just before ten that morning, I got up from my desk and motioned to the lanky colonel sitting to my right. Without a word, he pushed aside a stack of papers detailing tireless war plans, grabbed his tan, Army-issued cap, and headed for the door. A tack stuck in the sole of my shoe clicked loudly against metal stairs as we left our office, heading toward a protected garden at one side of the base. Today's ceremony, tucked between the garden's porch and a stone fountain, would remember men and women, colleagues and companions, who'd died in uniform, including the colonel's son.
A huge segment of the U.S. population has never known life without war involvement. Now we see families broken and disabled through the ravages of modern warfare. Wives, mothers, and daughters are in combat, a practice once forbidden among civilized nations. Memorial Day is a fitting time to remember and to pray for a time when "wars and rumors of wars" will cease, swords will be turned into plowshares, and the Prince of Peace will rule. Meanwhile, may the Church emerge in revival-mode, renewed and re-energized to preach the gospel and disciple the nations for God's glory.
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" Amen. (Matt. 20:18-20)
ALASKA: EVACUATIONS OF 1,000 STRUCTURES ORDERED
A wildfire on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage expanded in sizeSunday, leading officials to issue a mandatory evacuation order for 1,000 structures.
The number of people told to flee their homes isn't clear, said Michelle Weston, spokeswoman with the Alaska Interagency Management Team, which includes the state Division of Forestry and federal and local officials.
Officials said that as of 4 p.m. Alaska time, the fire covered nearly 243 square miles and may continue to grow as it burns in the 1.9 million-acre Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
The prayer focus here is born out of human compassion. Let us give thanks for no loss of life, and pray for successful evacuations, as necessary. Give thanks for the bravery and risk of those who battle to control such wildfires. Pray for quick control and limited spreading. Pray for those whose homes and businesses may burn. Such events should cause those not affected to take inventory of their lives and to treasure what is eternal.
"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. . . ." (Phil. 3:8)
"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God. My times are in Your hand' ... Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You. . . ." (Psalm 31:14-15, 19)
CHINA'S XINJIANG AFTER THE BOMBINGS
Our prayer focus here is not to use precious time and energy to pray into Chinese politics. Instead, let us pray for our Chinese brothers and sisters, including pastors, many of whom are suffering in prison or with other deprivations as they live a difficult life of persecution. Do we in America realize that the open faith of millions of Christians around the world, including teens and young adults, automatically assigns them to suffering that very often results in a martyr's death. Let us pray for them as though suffering with them, while we use our freedom to advance the gospel in our own nation.
"Remember the prisoners as if chained with them-those who are mistreated-since you yourselves are in the body also."(Hebrews 13:3)
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS LEGISLATIVE PRAYER
A divided Supreme Court ruled last Monday that legislative bodies such as city councils can begin their meetings with prayer, even if it plainly favors a specific religion.
The court ruled 5 to 4 that Christian prayers said before meetings of an Upstate New York town council did not violate the constitutional prohibition against government establishment of religion; the justices cited history and tradition.
Pray that Christians will respond to the Court's 5-4 decision with divine wisdom. Yes, we give thanks for the Court's vote favorable to public prayer in council meetings, but with caution. This decision is no "mandate" in favor of Christian prayers. Our freedoms do not come from human government but from the Creator. Pray also for widespread spiritual awakening that will bring many to repentance and faith in Christ. Pray for a national focus on the true "Author of liberty." All nations that repudiate a proper recognition of Deity eventually become insignificant. Pray accordingly.
'UNDER GOD' IN PLEDGE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE
The Pledge of Allegiance does not discriminate against atheists and can be recited at the start of the day in public schools, Massachusetts' highest court ruled Friday.
The Supreme Judicial Court said the words "under God" in the pledge reflect patriotic practice, not a religious one. The court acknowledged that the wording has a "religious tinge" but said it is fundamentally patriotic and voluntary.
How far will this go? Federal buildings in Washington, DC, including the Supreme Court, are adorned with biblical symbols, from "In God We Trust" to images of the Ten Commandments and a statue of Moses. Now, Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court has rightly ruled against an atheist family's attempt to remove "under God" from the pledge. As Christians, we do not judge the atheist family, but the Bible calls unbelief in God as Creator "foolish" and "evil." Pray for them as you are led.
"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Proverbs 14:1)
"And the way of peace [unbelievers] have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:17-18)
"Beware ... lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God." (Heb 3:12)
CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY CANCELED OVER PRAYER
A New Jersey town has canceled a naturalization ceremony at its borough hall because federal immigration officials refused to let the event begin with a prayer.
Carteret Mayor Daniel Reiman said he had requested that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relocate the Saturday ceremony, which will now be held in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Newark office.
These stories continue to pop up as the U.S. moves further away from its biblical roots and Christian heritage. The issue is not an individual bureaucrat but a trend. Pray that God stir up righteous anger in His people against the stealing of our national heritage. It is difficult for intercessors to face the harsh fact that we are no longer a Christian nation. Indeed, many national leaders show no regard for biblical truth. Let us call upon God, in Jesus' name, to revive His Church, bringing renewal and unity among believers to stem the tide of unbelief and reassert our country's biblical roots.
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.... For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come." (Heb 12:28-29; 13:14)
BENGHAZI PROBE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THIS
Many Democrats have a hard time understanding why Republicans want to ke... the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi."
Some see the GOP trying to score partisan points for this November's midterms. Others see a plot to undermine Hillary Clinton's 2016 prospects. Still others see Republican psychosis, the Benghazi variant of Obama Derangement Syndrome.
The Benghazi "incident" - two years old in September - is still unexplained. A bipartisan coalition in Congress has agreed that the truth can no longer be ignored. The attack that killed four Americans, including an ambassador, remains hidden under a cloak of deception, with no responsibility or accountability. The continued cover-up is an insult to the American public and an egregious injury to the families of the victims. Pray for a resolution to come swiftly. It remains a dark blot on our national conscience. Intercede for the light of truth to enter. May God's Spirit arouse a public call for closure.
"He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." (Prov 28:13)
MARIJUANA LEAVE LAWMAKERS DAZED AND CONFUSED
Capitol Hill lawmakers are dazed and confused when it comes to dealing with the growing number of states legalizing marijuana use, which has created a glaring conflict with federal statutes outlawing cannabis as a Schedule I drug - the classification for the most dangerous controlled substances.
"I'm not aware that Congress is doing anything," said Rep. Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon Democrat. "I don't think anybody wants to wade into it."
The news accounts in our mid-week alerts (called The Informer) are intended to reflect national trends. We remind readers that our prayer focus is suggestive, not directive. The purpose here is to point out the confusion resulting when a dangerous drug, howbeit with some medicinal benefit, is turned into a "political football" to be kicked around with motives other than to create good law for public safety. Intercessors will see through the sham and confusion to pray for a national return to God's principles of governance. The high road is to pray for revival and spiritual awakening.
"If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?" (1 Cor 14:8)
NO CHANGE ON BAN ON TRANSGENDER TROOPS
The Pentagon is not reviewing or planning to review its policy that bans transgende..., a defense official said Monday.
The official's statement came a day after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told ABC News the prohibition on transsexuals and cross-dressers "continually should be reviewed."
This past Monday, the defense official said, "Bottom line, right now there are not any plans for a review to start."
Is it only a matter of time? Our U.S. military has long been a focus for social experimentation with its personnel, starting perhaps when former Sen. Patricia Schroeder, serving on the Armed Services Committee, pushed for greater female involvement in all branches. We do not fault Ms. Schroeder for her feminist convictions, but let us remember that America elects its leaders, and we must live with our choices. We now have women in combat, and transgender issues front and center, both of which violate God's intentions. Pray for a united, repentant Church to emerge with spiritual renewal, desiring God's presence and upholding the Creator's design.RAHN: ECONOMIC FREEDOM VERSUS BIG GOVERNMENT
Do you think there would be more jobs, less poverty and higher real incomes if government was 60 percent or 18 percent of gross domestic product?Fortunately, a global economic-growth experiment has been underway .... Some countries have opted for the big-government model, others for the small-government model. Based on the data, the small-government crowd wins.
This article proves - among other things - that education does not in itself impart wisdom. Those who believe bigger government serves its citizens better than smaller government are not ignorant of facts but choose to deny truth to achieve selfish ends, which include controlling our nation's finances and curtailing its citizens' freedom to succeed. We urge intercessors to use time and energy wisely. Let us not dilute our prayers by asking God to "Change this or that policy." Instead, pray for an invasion of God's presence, uniting Christians in a widespread Great Awakening with repentance, first in the Church, then spreading throughout society. May we see our own needs first, then pray accordingly.
"Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." (Matt. 15:14)
WOMAN'S CANCER KILLED BY MEASLES VIRUS
Her name is Stacy Erholtz. For years, the 50-year-old mom from Pequot Lakes, Minn., battled my.... She had few options left.
She had been through chemotherapy treatments and two stem cell transplants. But it wasn't enough. Soon, scans showed she had tumors growing all over her body.
Let us praise God for this medical breakthrough! It is too early to tell whether the patient's experience will prove to be a single-case phenomenon or whether, in God's mercy, medical researchers have discovered a regimen that will have widespread application in the treatment of similar tumors. Could this be a further step toward a cancer vaccine? Much more research and testing will be required. Meanwhile, other desperately ill cancer patients will be vulnerable to fraudulent offers of quick "healing" and restoration. Pray for God's providence to guide and rule in further developments.PORNOGRAPHY - ROOT OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Washington D.C., May 15, 2014 / 05:45 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An expert in combating human trafficking urged congressmen last week to focus their efforts against the scourge on reducing the demand for commercialized sex, including pornography.
Laila Mickelwait, manager of policy and public affairs for Exodus Cry, an international anti-human trafficking organization, told CNA May 9 that while it is important to "rescue and rehabilitate" victims of human trafficking, "work of prevention is the most important thing we can do in the fight against the global injustice of sexual slavery."
Just as a disease epidemic requires many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel to gain control and begin saving lives, so the degrading and addicting nature of pornography has invaded American culture at every level, including Evangelic churches, even among the clergy. While the Internet allows easy access, there are no easy solutions. Some victims confess to addictive bondage equal to that of drugs and alcohol. Will the larger Church embrace repentance, confession, unity, and accountability? Prayer and fasting are two powerful keys. How America needs a return to God.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things." (Phil. 4:8)
LAX PASSENGERS WARNED OF SARS-LIKE VIRUS
Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and over a dozen other airports nationwide were being warned last Wednesday of the emerging threat of the Middle East Res....
First, let us give thanks to God for the quick work and cooperation between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization in tracking these isolated cases to prevent the MERS virus from taking hold and spreading widely. Second, continue to pray for God's mercy and kind providence to keep these two infected patients isolated, as CDC personnel check on all other persons who may have had contact with the patient in Florida. Pray for illumination by the Holy Spirit so that those saved from the disease might give thanks to the Lord.Posters at airport checkpoints in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and 16 other U.S. airports have gone up urging passengers to take precautions to avoid the respiratory infection, which originated in the Middle East and has killed an estimated 145 people worldwide.
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER MAY 1
The National Day of Prayer . . . is a call to all of God's people to unite in prayer in one voice and one mind (Romans 15:6). It is a concept that was birthed in Scripture when the prophets Ezra and Joel (Ezra 9, Nehemiah 8-9, and Joel 1-3) called for the people to unite in humility and reverence before Almighty God. In fact 2 Chronicles 6:13-42 records that all of Israel gathered together to worship and pray unto God. Although the calendar dates have changed, the need for prayer has not. Let us unite on the largest Solemn Assembly in U.S. History and glorify the Lord, remembering that we are one nation, UNDER GOD.
" . . . with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:6)
Readers of these midweek Alerts will be well aware of the 2014 National Day of Prayer (May 1) and will have already made their own arrangements for participation, either in Washington DC or in their own cities and towns. Let us pray with one heart and one spirit for large-scale participation, as our nation is called back to God, and Christians are encouraged to persevere in unified intercession.
"...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...." (Eph 6:18)
NATIONAL DAY OF REPENTANCE APRIL 30 - TODAY!
Today, we will be observing the National Day of Repentance. The following day,May 1, is The National Day of Prayer in the United States. These two incredibly significant events during a 48 hour period will open up a "window" for the Body of Christ especially in the United States, but also in other nations to repent and return to our Godly roots. This process is set forth clearly in 2 Chronicles 7: 14, where the Lord says to Solomon and to us today.This exhortation from Pastor Daly needs no embellishment. Let us all respond as God's Spirit leads us. As spoken by Jesus at the start of His public ministry (Matt 4:17) and by Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts2:38), the first word of the gospel is "Repent ...."
"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)
SUPREME COURT TAKES ON PRIVACY IN DIGITAL AGE
Is it a critical tool for a criminal or is it an American's virtual home?
How the justices answer that question could determine the outcome of the cases being argued Tuesday. A drug dealer and a gang member want the court to rule that the searches of their cellphones after their arrest violated their right to privacy in the digital age.
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." (Romans 13:1-4)
CONGRESS: LIMITED CHANGES IN AN ELECTION YEAR
Members of Congress returned to Capitol Hill on Monday following a two-week recess -- ready to resume negotiations on immigration reform, a minimum-wage bill and other key legislation -- but with little possibility of agreeing on any major changes in an election year.
While members will almost assuredly pass a measure to avoid a government ..., and the wrath of voters, bills on increasing the federal minimum wage, reforming immigration laws and fixing the tax code are not expected to get a final vote in either the Republican-controlled House or the Democrat-led Senate.
Two major Old Testament examples of intercession are seen Abraham and Moses. Both had primary concern for God's name and reputation. Let our prayer focus today be to uphold the honor of the "Creator" acknowledged in our nation's first founding document, the Declaration of Independence. How far our country has fallen when partisan causes occupy the legislative branch, and the name of the Lord can hardly be invoked even in a chaplain's prayers! Pray for a national turning to the Lord.
[Abraham prayed,] "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25)
[Moses prayed,] "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" (Exodus 32:13)
IMMIGRATION REFORM NOT DEAD, BOEHNER SAYS
Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals, told CP that he was recently in touch with staffers from Boehner's office who said there will be opportunities to take up immigration reform in June and July.
Biblical examples of intercession are specific but not bogged down in details. Believers - in the world but not of the world - are instructed to obey human government, live godly lives, and pray for kings and all who are in authority. As pilgrims, we continue that legacy by sharing the gospel and praying for transforming revival. This complicated issue needs a just, righteous, and compassionate solution. To do so requires a national turning to God. Intercede accordingly.
"And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you...." (Deut. 6:18)
"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men." (Rom. 12:17)
WHY PUTIN'S GAZE IS FIXED ON UKRAINE
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not happy. The government he backed in Ukraine has collapsed. The Ukrainian leader he favored, Viktor Yanukovych is on the run, accused of the "mass murder" of protesters.
I am not so bold as to predict what Mr. Putin will do next. That he will take action - perhaps very bold action - should be the working assumption of American policy planners.
In context, this article is outside IFA's direct purview. Its focus is Russian-Ukraine relations and Russian President Putin's political ambitions. But the planet appears to get smaller, and wider implications cannot be ignored. Media coverage already projects a battle of wills between Mr. Putin and U.S. President Obama. Mr. Obama warned of "consequences" should Mr. Putin send troops into Ukraine, but the Russian president did just that. It is too soon to tell what will follow, but faithful intercessors, praying for U.S. safety, are alert. "Lord God, we pray for the coming of the Prince of Peace, when war and violence will end, and Your kingdom will stand secure. Amen!"
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matt 24:6-8)
"He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:3-4)
IRS PLAN: OPPOSITION FROM BOTH SIDES
Conservatives call it a scheme to silence President Obama's critics. Liberals complain the administration risks trampling on the First Amendment.
Protests are coming from all directions over the Obama administration's proposal to curb secretive groups that play an increasingly dominant role in American politics. In 2012, such tax-exempt organizations poured hundreds of millions of dollars into campaign-related ads, and they are taking the lead in shaping the landscape of this year's midterm elections.
Readers of these mid-week alerts know IFA's goal is to encourage unified, standing-in-the-gap intercession. National issues are complex and divisive, as this article represents. Human wisdom offers no solutions. Intercessors focus on our nation's spiritual well-being, praying for righteous government, so we might lead peaceful lives, with freedom to share the Gospel. In these highly volatile political situations, we carry no partisan banner; instead, we call out to our all-wise, loving God, "Let Your kingdom come; may Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." With that in mind, we know intercessors will seek divine wisdom and intercede as Scripture and conscience direct.
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." (1 Tim 2:1-3)
"Daniel answered and said: 'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.'" (Dan 2:20-22)
"THE MIRACLE OF ISRAEL" TO AIR IN MARCH
Jewish Voice Ministries has long been known for our heart for Israel and the Jewish People as well as the nations throughout the world. We are currently asking you to join us in covering in prayer a project taking place here in the USA. For four years now, we have been working on a television documentary to air on secular stations to reach Jewish People. The first three years this documentary was being produced, and last year it was presented, airing in 13 major United States metropolitan areas, and watched by over 2 million viewers!
This award-winning one-hour television special is called "The Miracle of Israel," and is narrated by Leonard Nimoy. It is a historical snapshot of the Jewish People and details how their miraculous survival and restoration may hold the key to our future. It also includes views on Messianic and Last Days' prophecy and the identity of the Messiah.
This spring, from March 29 through late April, Jewish Voice Ministries International will again air this documentary in a number of large, key U.S. cities. Considering the current political climate, the threats Israel is facing almost daily, and the rise of anti-Semitism, we think you will agree that this is an opportune time to spread the word about God's heart for Israel and for the Jewish People as individuals.
We are seeking massive prayer cover for this significant and timely initiative. This is yet another important tool that God has given us to fulfill our mandate of reaching the Jewish People with the Good News.
This prayer focus is ready-made and built into the report. The details are laid out in clear language, and all intercessors can cooperate and be part of an anticipated harvest of souls through this film and DVD. Let us pray that many thousands of lives will receive an impartation of God's redeeming love in this presentation. Israel is indeed a miracle of survival.
"I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life' But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." (Rom 11:1-6)
FDA SECRETLY MONITORING WHISTLEBLOWERS
Lawmakers blasted the Food and Drug Administration last Tuesday for secretly monitoring the emails of agency scientists who went public with allegations that they were pressured to approve certain medical devices.
In a report published in conjunction with a congressional hearing, two Republicans said that the FDA's computer surveillance may have overstepped federal laws designed to protect government whistleblowers. Using software that took rapid-fire screen shots of employees' desktops, the FDA swept up emails from several whistleblowers to members of Congress and their private attorneys. Such communications are protected from disclosure by federal law.
We would all like more 'feel-good' news stories, avoiding articles about intra-agency strife in our U.S. government. But for the sake of truth, and to encourage intercessors in their faithful praying, we face the realities of a fallen world and a sinful, declining society. Our Lord said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick." Give thanks for the dedicated Christians serving in government offices. Many Capitol Hill staff prayer meetings are strong and fruitful. Let our prayers for widespread revival join with theirs. May many more be saved, as there is no hope apart from Christ.
"When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, 'They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"(Mark 2:17)
"Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom." (Psalm 51:6)
HOW TO HARNESS BIG MONEY FOR ELECTIONS
As Democratic officials rely more than ever on the big-money super PACs they once scorned, party strategists and donors are caught in sharp disagreements over how to use the newly influential independent organizations.
Tensions are simmering over whether Priorities USA Action and other Democratic groups that can accept unlimited contributions are too focused on the 2016 presidential race and a potential Hillary Rodham Clinton candidacy, even as Democrats face a costly, uphill fight this year to retain a thin Senate majority and gain seats in the House.
Introductory prayer thoughts: Give thanks to God if you possess true riches. One self-test is that you can read this report without coveting the wealth of others. Another is to realize that to have vast sums of money but lack peace with God is to be poor indeed. Most American Christians have long since realized that money controls much of the electoral process. None of this is to say that wealthy people cannot be godly. (See 1 Tim 6:6-10) For them, money is a servant; for others, however, it may be an idol. But God "does whatever He pleases" (Ps. 115), so we may pray for morally upright candidates to be elected, then watch God turn the tide at the ballot box and allow His choice to win the office.
"Why should the Gentiles say, 'So where is their God?' But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them." (Psalm 115:2-8)
"Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my
barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink,and be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
PUTIN'S GAZE
ON UKRAINE
IRS PLAN BOTH
SIDES OPPOSE FDA BLASTED
FOR MONITORINGHARNESSING MONEY
FOR ELECTIONS NATION SLOW
TO BACK GAYS POLIO-LIKE DISEASE
APPEARS IN CHILDREN
THE MIRACLE
OF ISRAEL
BIBLE BOOK
SHOOTING CASE
around you!
for free!
12:15 PM to 12:45 PM on February 27, 2014
Call 712-432-0075 and enter participant code 1412452#.
The college campus is a battlefield for the minds and souls of those who will lead this nation for decades.
Recently we received an email from a student at a private college in Florida whose student-led ministry group was blacklisted from campus events because of their conviction that Jesus alone was the source of salvation. They were told to endorse other paths as equal or disband. They wisely chose to disband rather than deny their faith.
Stand with them and others as we observe the Collegiate Day of Prayer with a prayer conference call, 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM on February 27, 2014.
Call 712-432-0075 and enter participant code 1412452#.
The size of Iran's most contested uranium stockpile has declined significantlyfor the first time in four years following a landmark nuclear deal with world powers in November, the U.N. atomic agency reported Thursday.
As a result, Iran's holding of uranium gas enriched to a fissile purity of 20 percent - a relatively short technical step from the level required for nuclear weapons - is now well below the amount needed for processing into a bomb.
Pray that God will remove all obstacles and fulfill His redemptive purpose in the potentially explosive "triangle" formed by Iran, Israel, and the U.S. Intercessors know that Iran remains shrouded in mystery and contradictions. Truly, "Man proposes but God disposes" (Thomas à Kempis). While the saying is not Scripture, the thought agrees with several Bible passages to form a solid foundation for strong intercessory prayer. Ask God to give supernatural wisdom to squelch Iran's stated purpose to destroy Israel. Let a united Church press in with strong, prayerful intervention. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel.
"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Prov. 16:9)
"There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel-that will stand." (Prov. 19:21)
"O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." (Jeremiah 10:23)
POSTAL MANAGERS LIMITING CARRIER HOURS
Some U.S. Postal Service managers in the Washington area and other parts of the country are telling mail carriers to stop their routes at designated timesregardless of whether their deliveries are completed, according to the head of the association of postal supervisors.
The move has prompted complaints from the public, including residents in Bethesda, for example, where some have said they've been without mail for a week.
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
"When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. 'The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression ... ' says the Lord." (Isa 59:19-20)
SURVEY: U.S. PRESS FREEDOM PLUNGE
The Obama administration's handling of whistleblower Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency leaks and the investigation of a string of leaks produced a plunge in the country's rating on press freedoms and government openness, according to a global survey released Tuesday.
The U.S. under President Obama, who once promised to run the "most transparent" administration in the country's history, fell from 32nd to 46th in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index, a drop of 13 slots. The index, compiled by the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, analyzes 180 countries on criteria such as official abuse, media independence and infrastructure to determine how free journalists are to report.
As various freedoms decline in the U.S., pray that God will uncover and deal with the motivations behind a government administration wanting to control the press and broadcast media. Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." Pray for God to raise up leadership that will embrace scrutiny and accountability. Leaders are elected fellow citizens and servants of the people, not a ruling class. God's ways bring truth to the light of day. Pray accordingly.
"And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13)
"But [Paul] said, 'I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner [but publicly].'" (Acts 26:25-26)
U.S. TROOPS ARE EQUIPPED WITH INFERIOR WEAPONS
A two-part expose by The Washington Times' national security reporter, Rowan Scarborough, on the shortcomings of the M4 carbine is a story of institutional ineptitude that has cost soldiers' lives.
However, the sad story of the American rifle also serves as a metaphor for a defense culture that slights the little stuff to fixate on buying big war machines that haven't been employed in serious combat for generations, and probably never will be again.
This emotionally charged article by a retired U.S. Army officer is a reminder to pray for our military forces. Give God thanks for the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect American freedom and the way of life we enjoy. Pray that government's responsibility to protect and defend the U.S. from all threats, foreign and domestic, will extend to supplying our troops with proper weapons. "Lord, we ask for a national spiritual awakening that will bring our nation back to 'In God We Trust.'"
"May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble ... Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:1, 7)
"The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. ... No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength." (Psalm 33:10-12, 16)
NATIONAL FORECLOSURE RATE DROPS
Nationally, the rate of new foreclosures initiated in the fourth quarter was at pre-crisis ..., and back in its historical range, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Thursday. But Maryland stood out as having the highest "foreclosure starts" among the states. About 1 percent of all home loans in the state were seriously late and referred to a foreclosure attorney in the fourth quarter.
Virginia ranked 33rd on the list, with a foreclosure start rate below the national average. The contrast is particularly stark given the relative stability of the Washington region's economy during the recession, Michael Fratantoni, the MBA's chief economist, said in an interview.
Intercessors address root causes in their prayers and thus "stand in the gap" between God's mercy and judgment. We ask the Lord for righteousness, renewal, and revival for our nation. The mortgage foreclosure rate is tied in with the country's economic prosperity, with unemployment rates, with job creation (or not). Our overall prayer focus is for God-fearing government to prevail. Our nation is under divine discipline. Let us cry out to God with repentant hearts for mercy to temper justice. We quote from Daniel, not because we equate the U.S. with ancient Israel, but to underline divine principles and to remind us to intercede with humility and repentance.
"Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, 'O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our ... fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day....'"(Daniel 9:3-7, excerpted)
And so we come around again to Valentine's Day. After weeks of mad scrambling for seats at the best restaurant, finding a babysitter, buying overpriced flowers and poor quality chocolate in the shape of a heart, many of us will enjoy (or endure) this high holiday of romantic indulgence. Yet, most of us have never learned the deeper story of St. Valentine and why his example is worth following today.
As the story goes, Valentine was a Roman priest under the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Struggling to recruit men to fight his numerous wars, Claudius banned marriage, thinking that married men had become less enthusiastic than single men about going to war and dying as they ought. Undeterred, Valentine conducted weddings in secret. He was imprisoned around the year 268 and sentenced to death by beating and beheading, supposedly on February 14.
This beautiful story reminds us of God's design for love, romance, and marriage between a man and a woman. What we are experiencing today in the U.S. is a distortion of the divine plan stemming from man's ignorance of and rebellion toward the Creator's blueprint. Pray for revival, desperately needed. Ask God for extended mercy that we might repent and see biblical principles restored. Pray that Christians lead the way by examining and strengthening their homes, marriages, and child-rearing practices to conform to God's standards. The battle is against spiritual forces of darkness; thus, Christians hate the sin but love the sinners, wanting all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him. ... Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis2:18, 21-24)
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
AFGHAN SOLDIERS DESPERATE FOR PACT WITH U.S.
That outcome has become increasingly probable with President Hamid Karzai's refusal to sign a bilateral security agreement that would allow the United States to maintain a small military presence here beyond 2014. Now, Afghan troops are beginning to raise their voices against Karzai, d....
"If the international community leaves, there is no question that we will lose ground to the Taliban," Col. Mohammad Dost, a battalion commander in Zabul province, said in an interview. "It's the biggest worry for every soldier now."
The Afghanistan situation is fraught with conflicting viewpoints. Western observers are hard pressed to recall a day when Afghanistan was free from warfare. Both U.S. and Afghanistan troops are battle-weary. Let us pray as Jesus taught His disciples, "... [Let] Your kingdom come. [May] Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). Pray for a conclusion to war in Afghanistan. Only God knows His ultimate purpose. Christians believe what Jesus said: "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14). Pray accordingly.
"In this manner, therefore, pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'" (Matthew 6:9-10)
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet....And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:6, 14)
SEEKING A SOLUTION TO RAISING DEBT LIMIT
House Republicans return to Washington on Monday still struggling to find a path to raising the Treasury Department's borr... but the normally raucous caucus is in unusual agreement that the best option is to put the white-knuckle confrontations of recent fiscal wars behind them.
Facing a timeline that leaves no room for trial and error, some party leaders were advocating a debt-ceiling solution that would wrap several popular, must-pass items around a provision to extend the federal government's borrowing authority beyond the November midterm elections. That approach has drawn support from some surprising quarters, but several senior GOP advisers made it clear over the weekend that such a proposal would require a bloc of Democratic votes, because about 30 Republicans oppose raising the debt ceiling under any circumstances.
Give thanks that this is an election year, as House members and senators seeking re-election in November are very sensitive to their constituents. This leads to a more conciliatory mood on budget questions, with both sides open to compromise in order to avoid another government shut-down. There are no easy solutions. House Speaker Boehner said he may have a workable plan. Pray for divine wisdom to prevail on all sides, with respectful debate, for the benefit of "we, the people ..." Pray for many encounters with God among our leaders.
"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:16-18)
"The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord isnear to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. TheLord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy." (Psalm 145:17-20)
CALL FOR INVESTIGATION OF IRS WATCHDOG
Two House Democrats on Thursday called for an investigation of a federal auditor who accused the In... for extra scrutiny based on their names and policy positions.
Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Matt Cartwright (D-Penn.) on Wednesday filed a complaint with a special watchdog council questioning the independence of Treasury Department inspector general J. Russell George.
Pray for God to shine His spotlight of truth into a murky situation. Evidence indicates the IRS showed discrimination against conservative non-profit groups seeking tax-exempt status. If so, will those guilty be held accountable? Pray for clarity and truth to emerge amid back-and-forth charges and counter-charges aired since last year. Pray that injustice be exposed and issues resolved equitably.
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. ... It is a joy for the just to do justice, but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity." (Proverbs 21:2-3, 15)
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
THE COUNTRY'S OPIOID EPIDEMIC
The death last Sunday of Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at age 46 focused media attention on the nationwide surge in heroin use and overdoses. But the very real heroin epidemic is framed by an even more dramatic increase since the beginning of the century in overdoses from pharmaceutical drugs known as opioids.
These are, in effect, tandem epidemics - an addiction crisis driven by the powerful effects on the human brain of drugs derived from morphine.
It is doubly sad that it took a celebrity's death by self-inflicted overdosing to widely publicize the stark truth that the U.S. is in the grip of a relentless drug epidemic. Like wildfire, it is taking lives by the hundreds and thousands, without discrimination. "O Lord, we call out to you for extended mercy. As a nation, we are crumbling from within. Many are enslaved by addictions that lead them to unexpected death. Pray for sweeping, transforming revival that will cause thousands, if not millions of Americans to respond to the 'good news' that reveals God's great love and brings forgiveness and freedom."
"Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Proverbs6:27)
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."(Proverbs 16:25)
"... and the whole world [system] lies under the sway of the wicked one." (1 John5:19)
Without help from the heavens, Joe Del Bosque figures that 2014 will be the last year before many family farmers in California's vast San Joaquin Valley begin to go ....
And 2014 is going to be bad. Really bad. Del Bosque has 2,000 acres scattered across several farms west of Fresno, near Firebaugh. He will leave 500 to 700 acres unplanted because there is no water for his crops.
This is a matter for strong intercession. Southern California stays "green" only because water is imported from as far away as the Sierra Nevada foothills, but those sources are limited. California life faces drastic change if drought continues. In Bible times, Joseph saved Egypt from famine because he knew God and knew how to prepare. Is God waiting for more Americans to pray, acknowledging Him as the source of all life? Often, God will bless if He knows those He blesses will be grateful and give Him thanks. Pray for California farmland to receive the blessing of much-needed rain.
"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:13-14)
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."(Matt. 5:44-45)
Could too much sugar be deadly? The biggest study of its kind suggests the answer is yes, at least when it comes to fatal heart problems.
It doesn't take all that much extra sugar, hidden in many processed foods, to substantially raise the risk, the researchers found, and most Americans eat more than the safest amount.
Here is an opportunity for readers to take personal inventory of their own and their family's eating habits. Due to sedentary lives and U.S. affluence, too many Americans are overweight, unfit, and unhealthy. While we cannot "pray away" obesity or the central place sugar occupies in processed food (consider the trends in breakfast cereals), as Christians we can seek God's wisdom, adjust to consume a healthful diet, and give more attention to the condition of the "temple" we live in.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
"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. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-8)
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