"Decreeing the Word of God Over the News of the Day"
United We Stand Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022
Join our Bible Readathon, every night except Sunday morning, from midnight to 6:00 a.m. Call 508-924-5411 (no access code). Our moderator will welcome you and invite you to share in our reading. Praise God! His Word does NOT return to us void!
"So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)
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Start your day with us in WORSHIP to our King! Today's selection is "Oh Praise the Name" by Jenn Johnson. Go here!
"This is what the Lord says: "At the right time I will hear your prayers. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you, and you will be the sign of my agreement with the people." (Isaiah 49:8)
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"Standing United Together....Under the Cross of Christ"
TODAY'S TOP STORY
Federal Judge Blocks Biden Administration’s Head Start Vaccine Mandate in Texas
President Joe Biden’s administration was ordered late on Dec. 31 to halt mask and vaccine mandates for workers and volunteers in the Head Start program in Texas.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) likely acted without congressional authorization when it imposed the mandates in response to the president’s push to increase COVID-19 vaccinations, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump nominee, said in a 56-page ruling.
HHS’s Nov. 30 interim final rule said all workers and some volunteers and contractors must get a COVID-19 vaccine and that all volunteers and workers, and children 2 or older, must wear masks. The deadline for vaccination compliance was listed as Jan. 31, 2022, while the masking rule took effect immediately.
But the standards clearly don’t include vaccine or mask mandates, the state of Texas argued in its brief to the court in support of a filing for a preliminary injunction.
The act “does not authorize defendants to mandate an invasive, permanent medical treatment for or mask mandates for Head Start program children, staff, contractors, and volunteers,” Texas lawyers said. “Notably, it does not mention vaccinations or masking requirements at all.”
"The court finds that plaintiffs have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on their claim that the secretary issued the rule without statutory authority,” Judge Hendrix said. “Congress could have spoken directly to the issue of vaccination, masking, or other precautions in the last year when passing other COVID-19-related legislation, but it did not and has not.” (Epoch Times) Read more here.
- Lord, we ask that as these mandates go through the court system, may more courts block them. We also pray that since the Supreme Court is set to take up all of them this year, may Your Spirit hover over the court, may wisdom and truth cover all of the justices. We ask for favor for the people affected by these unjust mandates.
- "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” (Luke 18:1-8)
FOCUS ON ISRAEL
1. Israel Destroys Old Syrian Ammunition Discovered in Secret Golan Heights Bunker - Algemeiner
Israel on Sunday destroyed hundreds of kilograms of Syrian ammunition from the 1967 Six-Day War that was discovered in a bunker in the Golan Heights.
“The explosion was carried out for safety reasons. During the detonation surrounding areas and roads in the Golan Heights were closed off,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The old Syrian military bunker was discovered by the Defense Ministry’s Mine Action Authority in early November, during a project to clear minefields around the area of Mitzpe Gadot. It was filled with ordnance, including mortar shells, pyrotechnic munitions, explosives, and spray grenades — all in original packaging. (Read More)
2. Hamas threatens to kidnap Israelis in absence of prisoner swap deal - YNET News
Top Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh warned on Sunday that the militant faction will kidnap Israelis if a prisoner exchange between the parties was to hit a dead end.
“The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades are holding four prisoners inside Gaza, and if Israel is not convinced to reach a deal, Hamas and the al-Qassam battalions will force them” by kidnapping others, official Hamas media announced.
Hamas is believed to be holding two living Israelis — Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed — captive, in addition to the remains of two Israeli soldiers — Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.
3. Hamas threatens kidnapping binge to force prisoner deal with Israel - World Israel News
Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh threatened Sunday to go on a kidnapping binge if Israel does not agree to a prisoner exchange in an interview with Al-Jazeera.
“The Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades are holding four prisoners inside the Gaza Strip, and if Israel is not convinced to reach a deal, Hamas and the al-Qassam battalions will force them” to do so by snatching more victims, Haniyeh said.
Hamas is holding the bodies of two IDF soldiers they killed in 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, Lt. Hadar Goldin and St. Sgt. Oron Shaul. It is also assumed to be keeping in custody two Israeli civilians with mental health issues who jumped the border in 2014 and 2015 respectively on their own – Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed. (Read More)
4. Bennett: I gave my ‘full approval’ to meeting between Gantz, Mahmoud Abbas - Times of Israel
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says he gave his “full approval” for last week’s meeting between Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the former’s home in Rosh Ha’ayin.
“The defense minister spoke with me in advance and I didn’t see any reason to prohibit [the meeting], including the location,” the premier tells reporters during a press conference.
Bennett says Gantz and Abbas discussed security and economic matters — not political issues — and reiterates his opposition to personally meeting with the PA chief. (Read More)
5. Israel set to reopen Sunday to some vaccinated tourists; US and UK still out - Times of Israel
The Health Ministry said Monday that it would allow fully vaccinated tourists from some countries to enter Israel starting Sunday, January 9, ending an almost-blanket ban on noncitizens arriving.
Foreign travelers who have not been vaccinated or recovered will still not be permitted to enter Israel. Visitors from countries on the Health Ministry’s “red” no-fly list are also still barred from coming.
Israel reopened to foreign tourism in early November, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, but at the end of that month once again banned foreign travelers in a bid to slow the entry of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant. (Read More)
One of President Biden'sjudicial nominees reportedly disparaged various voting restrictions in the United States, including by comparing slavery to the ban on felons voting and "proof of citizenship" to "voter suppression."
"When you add laws that prohibit people with a criminal conviction from voting, it’s practically the same system as during slavery – Black people who have lost their freedom and cannot vote," attorney Nancy Gbana Abudu said in a post for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
"And without access to the ballot, a victim of the system cannot elect the very officials pulling the levers to hire the police, determine which cases are prosecuted and what sentences are imposed."
- Lord, we pray that You will not allow this person to be chosen as a judge due to her extreme bias. Let all judicial nominees be impartial to the issues before them.
- “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)
With smash and grabs raging across the country, prosecutors have struggled to assure the public that they are cracking down on the crime wave and using every possible means to deter the organized thefts. One group notably missing in this effort has been the federal prosecutors.
While Attorney General Merrick Garland was criticized for launching a federal task force on threats against school boards (based on a handful of local cases), he has been largely silent on any federal effort to deal with this actual crime wave. That is despite the fact that these attacks are organized on social media and experts think it’s likely the stolen items are being sold on the internet. That is all interstate conduct and would allow for federal enforcement.
There is, however, one allegedly stolen item that did bring a full-scale FBI investigation: the missing diary of Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden.
The question is why tens of thousands of dollars of purses stolen in cities like Chicago are treated as purely local matters while a single missing diary in Florida is a matter of an ongoing federal effort.
The Justice Department could use laws like the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act. Indeed, federal RICO charges have been brought in prior such cases. RICO was created after local prosecutors failed to combat organized crime and the federal government stepped in with new tools to combat mob organizations. I have long preferred that crimes like these smash and grabs to be handled locally. The federalization of crime removes the primary responsibility and accountability of local leaders for crime. That is why I opposed the use of federal charges to combat rioting in cities like Portland.
I am more concerned that for over a year, the FBI has been conducting raids, issuing subpoenas, and questioning witnesses across the country — not in response to smash-and-grabs proliferating around the country, but for one woman’s missing diary. The investigation led to a rare raid on the home of a publisher, seizure of computers and cellphones, and the targeting of conservative figures. According to the New York Times, the investigation is looking into “whether there was a criminal conspiracy among a handful of individuals to steal and publish the diary.”
- Lord, we take authority over this travesty of justice and bind it tightly. We ask You to bring justice to the victims of the Federal targeting and cause righteous law enforcement personnel to rise up and throw off the evil.
- “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)
3. New Biden rules could purge troops that view counter-jihad websites! (wnd.com)
A task force organized by the Biden administration to combat "extremism" has redefined the term broadly, critics warn, opening the door for the military to kick out members who visit counter-jihad websites or "like" a pro-life Facebook post. Daniel Greenfield explained in a column for FrontPage Magazine that new rules to root out extremism in the military ranks have been created by the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group headed by Bishop Garrison, an Iraq war veteran and senior adviser to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The task force redefined "extremism activities" to include "advocating widespread unlawful discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, or sexual orientation."
It gives military leaders, Greenfield wrote, "wide latitude for targeting conservatives while exempting black nationalists like Garrison."
- Lord, this is an egregious situation that could preclude Christians and Conservatives from joining or remaining in the US Military. We ask You find a way to stop this plan from being implemented. Let truth about the author of it also be widely known.
- “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18)
4. Trump appointee resigns as FDIC chairman following clash with Democratic colleagues | Stars and Stripes
One of the nation's top banking regulators, the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), resigned late Friday after a partisan clash with Democrats that she had described as a "hostile takeover."
Jelena McWilliams was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018 to serve a five-year term as chairman of the independent regulatory agency. But following repeated disagreements with her Democratic colleagues over potential banking reforms, she issued a statement on New Year's Eve saying she would leave her post on Feb. 4.
The move is likely to give the Biden administration more control over the agency, and more leeway to aggressively police bank mergers and push the industry to prepare for the risks of climate change. Democrats hold a majority on the board, and Martin J. Gruenberg, an appointee of President Barack Obama, will serve as chairman temporarily, his third stint in the post.
Democratic members of the board had chafed at McWilliams's leadership in recent weeks, accusing her of using procedural tactics to stonewall their efforts to review the board's bank merger approval process. In a lengthy December statement, board member Rohit Chopra, who also serves as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, accused the board's leadership - without naming McWilliams - of "unsafe and unsound governance" for its unwillingness to consider proposed changes offered by a majority of board members.
- Lord, we pray the You will not allow the FDIC to be taken over by the leftist agenda. Please protect the US banking system from radical policies that would harm Americans.
- “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
One of the world's biggest online newspapers, DailyMail.com, tracked down the mysterious Arizona activist who remains unindicted in the Jan. 6 riot investigation despite being seen in numerous videos directing people to storm the Capitol building. The Rupert Murdoch-owned British tabloid didn't advance the story, and it framed the evidence-backed suspicion that Ray Epps was an FBI provocateur tasked with inciting a riot as a "fringe theory" from "some right-wing corners."
But the paper's decision to send paparazzi to Arizona to take telephoto snapshots of Epps at his Rocking R Farms ranch puts a spotlight on a story ignored by establishment media. The extensive investigative legwork has been done instead by the website Revolver News and its founder, former Trump speechwriter Darren Beattie.
DailyMail.com did get a quote from Epps: "Get off my property."
- Lord, whether the reports of this man’s complicity with federal agents are true or not, we pray for justice for those who were targeted over Jan 6th. I true, we pray for You to visit this man and reveal the truth of the matter.
- “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” (Proverbs 21:15)
6. Breaking Exclusive: Election Fraud Investigators Blanket State with Surprise Subpoenas (westernjournal.com)
The investigation into Wisconsin’s elections is still ongoing as special counsel Michael Gableman continues looking into how voting in the state was carried out in the 2020 general election.
Gableman is now issuing about 70 subpoenas to state entities and employees, special interest groups, private companies, mayoral staffers and IT departments, throughout Wisconsin to obtain records, depositions and more information on the election process and organizations that seem to have had a hand in the administration of elections.
Gableman, who was previously a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, was asked by Speaker of the Wisconsin state Assembly Robin Vos to lead an investigation into the 2020 election in the state. Gableman agreed and was appointed as special counsel.
- Lord, we pray for a fair and comprehensive investigation that will reveal any wrongdoing.
- “Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.” (Isaiah 56:1)
The pursuit of the truth about the 2020 presidential election – was there or was there not undue influence or manipulation of the results? – has moved one step forward after a ruling from a court in Pennsylvania that a county's voting machines can be inspected.
The Amistad Project, which has been focused on election integrity since before the 2020 ballots were counted, announced that the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania is allowing the Project and Fulton County to send the county's Dominion voting machines to the state Senate for inspection.
"The court recognized that it was improper to demand that the county – which owns the machines, and has the responsibility of running the election along with the legislature – can’t determine whether the machines worked properly," said Phill Kline, director of The Amistad Project. "As the judge noted, there’s no justification for preventing the county from looking at their own machines."
The inspection had been scheduled for earlier this month but the state attorney general and secretary of state oddly sued to prevent any such move to affirm the accuracy of the 2020 election results.
- Lord, we ask that all hidden issues be revealed regarding the Dominion machines. Let nothing slip through the cracks and cause the media to hear and report the truth.
- “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” (Proverbs 19:20)
Voting irregularities—including potentially thousands of votes cast by non-citizens and the dead—were reported during the first phase of the Texas Secretary of State’s forensic audit of the 2020 general election, but critics deemed it more of a risk-limiting audit at this point.
The Texas Secretary of State’s office released its findings on Dec. 31, but the issues found are not enough to significantly impact 2020 election results of the four counties involved in the audit—Collin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant counties—which account for about 10 million people, or a third of the Texas population.
“Generally speaking, nothing was found on such a large scale that could have altered any election,” said Sam Taylor, assistant secretary of state for communications, in an interview with The Epoch Times.
Findings include the following: (Read more here)
- Lord, we pray that You will prevent all voter fraud or “irregularities” across the nation and not just in Texas. We ask for election integrity in all states!
- “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” (Proverbs 12:22)
One of the nation's top banking regulators, the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), resigned late Friday after a partisan clash with Democrats that she had described as a "hostile takeover."
Jelena McWilliams was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018 to serve a five-year term as chairman of the independent regulatory agency. But following repeated disagreements with her Democratic colleagues over potential banking reforms, she issued a statement on New Year's Eve saying she would leave her post on Feb. 4.
The move is likely to give the Biden administration more control over the agency, and more leeway to aggressively police bank mergers and push the industry to prepare for the risks of climate change. Democrats hold a majority on the board, and Martin J. Gruenberg, an appointee of President Barack Obama, will serve as chairman temporarily, his third stint in the post.
Democratic members of the board had chafed at McWilliams's leadership in recent weeks, accusing her of using procedural tactics to stonewall their efforts to review the board's bank merger approval process. In a lengthy December statement, board member Rohit Chopra, who also serves as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, accused the board's leadership - without naming McWilliams - of "unsafe and unsound governance" for its unwillingness to consider proposed changes offered by a majority of board members.
- Lord, we pray the You will not allow the FDIC to be taken over by the leftist agenda. Please protect the US banking system from radical policies that would harm Americans.
- “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
10. CDC Cuts Quarantine Time in Half, Biden Says There's 'No Federal Solution' to COVID | CBN News
The Centers for Disease Control are recommending a big change for how long some people with COVID should stay in quarantine – a move that will let people get back to work faster.
The CDC says asymptomatic COVID patients should now isolate for 5 days instead of the previous 10-day quarantine.
The U.S. government's infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci is telling CNN the reasoning behind the new recommendation.
"We want to get people, especially essential workers, back to their jobs to keep our society running smoothly," Fauci told CNN Monday.
With the Omicron variant surging across the nation, resulting in tens of thousands of new infections each day, businesses, like airlines, which are still struggling to recover from this past weekend's widespread flight cancellations, welcome the new CDC guidelines after facing staffing shortages caused by rising COVID cases.
"I think this is a terrific move there's really no reason why we need to be isolating people for ten days anymore," said Dr. Ashish Jha with Brown University's School of Public Health. "I think we have very good evidence that most people, particularly those who have vaccinated and boosted are not contagious for that long."
- Lord, we praise You for movement in the right direction over this virus. We ask that more forward motion would begin, and the lies fall away, allowing all to resume a normal life.
- “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
The Daily Jot
30 Questions For The New Year
The Daily Jot, Bill Wilson, January 3, 2022
There are great uncertainties as this new year begins. America, and the rest of the world for that matter, are in the midst of a culture war where health is used as a weapon of fear to control populations. This is an indicator of just how quickly events can turn and freedom can be fleeting. God chooses to work through his people. The time ahead for our generation, may require us to make extraordinary and difficult decisions to be in alignment with God. In my evening prayer time, many questions came to mind. They were general in nature, some directed at me. Others for everyone. They are questions for the New Year. There is no need to email me your answers to them. They are for personal reflection. Here we go:
Is your salvation secure? Do you have a relationship with Christ, your savior? Are you born again? Do you seek the truth? Are you guided by the Holy Spirit in truth, wisdom and discernment? Are you fearful? How do you discern truth? Do you spend time studying God’s word? Do you take what church leaders tell you as fact or truth, or do you look it up for yourself? Do you have a clear understanding of the context of the Bible in comparison to religious or traditional teachings? Do you believe what you want to believe or do you discern the facts in search for the truth? Does politics influence your relationship with God? Do you demonstrate your faith by your deeds or do you do your deeds because they make you a good person? Are you willing to speak boldly to make known the gospel? Who do you follow, God or man? Read More
Authorities not ruling out arson
in Colorado wildfire
Homes burn as wildfires rip through a development in Superior, Colorado.
A total of 991 structures were destroyed by the fire across Superior, Louisville and Boulder County
Authorities in Boulder County, Colorado, have not ruled out arson as a possible cause of the wildfire that destroyed thousands of acres and hundreds of homes.
Police told Fox 31 Denver that they are investigating all possible causes of last week's fire, saying that if arson or human negligence were to blame that the people responsible would be held accountable.
While the fire was the most destructive in the state's history, no fatalities were reported as a result of the disaster as of Saturday, though authorities did say three people are still missing.
Deputies with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant on a property Saturday to investigate whether the fire could have been started by humans.
"We are actively investigating a number of tips that came in yesterday and last night from the community," Sheriff Joe Pelle told NBC 9 Saturday. "One of those tips has resulted in us executing a search warrant on a property."
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Sunday that the FBI would be assisting in the investigation of the blaze. (Fox News) Read more here.
- Lord God, we do ask that the cause of this horrific conflagration be found and, if it is an arsonist, that he be brought to justice quickly. In Your Name, amen and amen.
- "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open." (Mark 4:22)
Snowstorm turns deadly, leaves nearly 1 million without power
A quick-hitting blast of winter weather left several inches of snow blanketing parts of the Southeast, before spreading into the mid-Atlantic, where it shut down much of the nation’s capital.
A dramatic weather pattern change marked the first days of 2022 across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, replacing the 80-degree warmth in some locations with an all-out snowstorm. The onslaught of the first accumulating snow of the season for many left several cities along the East Coast nearly shut down, snarled traffic, left nearly 1 million without power on Monday and has been blamed for at least two fatalities, according to officials.
The storm unleashed hefty snow amounts across parts of Tennessee and North Carolina, with accumulations climbing to 9.0 inches in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and 11.0 inches in Swiss, North Carolina. Even areas as far south as Alabama were hit with a blast of wintry weather, and Moores Mill, Alabama, picked up 7.0 inches of snow -- more snow than New York City (Central Park), Philadelphia and Boston have reported all season combined.
Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport reported 7 inches of snow as of 1 p.m. Monday -- the airport's snowiest day since Jan. 13, 2019, when 8.3 inches of snow fell as a part of a storm that totaled 10.3 inches.
As the storm intensified and marched northward, power outages became a mounting problem across multiple states. Nearly 800,000 customers were without power from Georgia to Tennessee to Maryland, according to PowerOutage.US.
Over 446,000 customers in Virginia alone were without power, followed by more than 116,000 customers without power in North Carolina.
- Father God, tonight we pray for the thousands that are without power in this freezing cold weather. We ask that this power be restored quickly, and that You would help our citizens find warmth in the meantime. We ask that none would perish as a result of this circumstance. In Your Name, amen,.
- "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)
People Are Waking up and California Is Coming Back: Pastor Jack Hibbs
The high crime rates, the governor’s long and strict lockdowns, high taxes, high living costs, roaming homeless people in the cities … California seems to have lost its appeal and more people are leaving the state. However, pastor Jack Hibbs sees the hope of the Golden State and believes it’s coming back. “I think we’ve hit bottom, and we’re coming back,” Hibbs told The Epoch Times during a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last week.
Hibbs is an eminent pastor in the nation and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills founder. He was part of former President Donald Trump’s evangelical team. He has captured headlines during the past year and a half for his firm stances against lockdowns, church-closing, and vaccine mandates.
“California used to be the bastion of fill-in-the-blank, the bastion of prosperity, the bastion of the laid back California lifestyle, it was the place of innovation … California is the only state in the nation that can boast mission, preaching stations, among other things,” Hibbs said, noting that now California has sunk terribly and become the laughingstock of the nation.
However, Hibbs believes and sees that people are waking up. “Believe it or not, people are coming to California or coming back to California to do the right thing. And that is to take possession of their state again.” (The Epoch Times) Read more here.
- Lord, we praise You for this report. If true, great things will come back to this state that appears to have gone so far away from You. We pray for a mighty move of Your Holy Spirit to bring all home to your heart.
- “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5 )
Democrats are planning for Pelosi's expected exit from House leadership, Hakeem Jeffries seen as favorite to lead caucus: report
Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
. . .W ith the 2022 midterm elections in sight, Pelosi, 81, is expected to leave her post at the end of the current Congress, with Democrats anticipating a huge leadership shift that will define their party for years to come as a new generation takes hold, according to The Washington Post.
'He's brilliant, he's smooth, but he is fearless'
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the current chair of the House Democratic Caucus, is the favorite to succeed Pelosi when she steps down from her position, but a debate over who will serve in leadership has just started and could potentially expose a deep gulf between progressives and moderates, according to The Post.
With a growing progressive wing of the party coming into its own, there will likely be a reckoning on how the party will counter the GOP, which is still overwhelmingly defined by the influence of former President Donald Trump.
The Post interviewed over two dozen lawmakers, with members expressing deep respect for Pelosi — but with some lawmakers also eager for different leadership style.
. . . The members who were interviewed by The Post overwhelmingly viewed Jeffries as a skilled communicator, and one lawmaker who backs Jeffries' ascension spoke of his style in glowing terms.
"He's brilliant, he's smooth, but he is fearless," the lawmaker said. "I mean, if we are fighting for something, I want Hakeem Jeffries on my side because he will go to the mat on an issue." (MSN) Read more.
- Father God, we have a very long year ahead of us, as we go through the next
Congressional election in November, and then witness the members of both parties
vote for their own choices to lead their "team," beginning in January. With all of this ahead of us, we set our faces like flint before You, and we pray much in the Spirit over these complex and continually changing matters. In Your Name, amen.
- "In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will." (Romans 8:26,27 AMP)
Signs & Wonders
Bizarre: Texas town sees fish fall from the sky during rainstorm
Texarkana, a town on the border of Texas and Arkansas, recently experienced a bizarre phenomenon as there were widespread reports in the area of fish falling from the sky during a rainstorm.
The incident reportedly happened on Wednesday afternoon as a storm swept through the area. Numerous residents posted pictures of the bizarre phenomenon as it unfolded.
While local residents may have understandably been concerned that they were in the middle of some sort of biblical plague, particularly after the bizarre events of 2021, local officials rushed to ensure residents that this was a completely natural phenomenon.
According to KTAL-TV, city officials told the station that the phenomenon is known as "animal rain," and can happen when water spouts pass over lakes and rivers, sucking up fish, frogs, crabs, and other marine wildlife into the sky. Read More
The Good News Corner
'God's Put Us All Here, Every One of Us, for a Reason'
New Film Series Aims to Fight Religious Persecution
Religious liberty is under attack, but if we think it’s bad here, it’s far worse in many places around the world where religious persecution winds up as slavery, torture and even death.
Seventy million refugees worldwide have been displaced from their homes due to religious persecution. As a former U.S. congressman for Virginia, Thomas Garrett has seen the tragedy up close. He played an instrumental role in getting Sudan to release imprisoned Christian pastors and helped in bringing their families to the United States.
Now Garrett is trying to raise public support and money for a documentary that will break ground on this very tragic and important issue. He's leading the way in a new trailer for the film called “Exile.”
Garrett believes he’s found his purpose. “God's put us all here, every one of us for a reason and I believe in that butterfly effect. I'm not a hippie, right? But I mean, you do something good for somebody that causes them to do something good, and then ultimately it might change the world. And so Matt comes to me and says, 'Will you do Exile Series.com? Will you do this project?' And I'm like, 'What? Seriously?' I like feeling small, right? If you like going to the desert or the ocean or the mountains, to know that there's something so much bigger than us.”
And right now the biggest challenge is getting the six-part documentary series made. Right now the funding is coming from ordinary Americans through crowdfunding. Producers say big studios won’t touch it because of financial interests in many countries where religious persecution is present.
“Hollywood won't tell this story and here's why. We've been to the big studios. They've said, ‘Oh, great product, can you do it without talking bad about China?’ That's like making a documentary about the Beatles and not mentioning John,” he said.
Garrett and filmmaker Matt Whitworth are determined to succeed without corporate support and time is of the essence. More than 340 million Christians live under high levels of persecution, as well as Muslims, Jews, and many other faiths. (CBN) Read more
Nightly Prayer to HOLD THE LINE... and Today's Prophetic Words
We invite you to join a NIGHTLY prayer call with Rick Warzywak, Prayer leader for Transform Michigan. The call is focused on prayer over the Presidential election results and is EVERY NIGHT from 9-10pm EST.
Day two: remove the fear of loss of family.
n Isaiah 41:10 the Holy Spirit speaks to us: " Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Our Lord Jesus said: " Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light, and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. " ~ Matthew 10: 27-31
Day two: remove the fear of loss of family. Replace it with God's Word as to family.
Spend time today, one on One with the Holy Spirit, asking Him---even in five minutes of your prayer time--- if you have any fear of loss of family. Did it begin as a child? Has it become an idol? Was it passed down to you generationally? Does that fear appear in your character today? Read MoreWebsite
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