Prayer for our Nation, our Leaders and Topics of Concern for 12/6/13- 12/12/13

Choosing Community Over Christ Christian college considers same-sex employees by Nikolas Grosfield Most Sunday school children know Samson was the strongest man who ever lived. According to the Book of Judges, Samson killed 1,000 soldiers with the jawbone of a donkey and slayed a lion with his bare hands. He pushed over the pillars of a temple and killed 3,000 of his enemies, along with himself. He also served as a judge over Israel for 20 years during the time of the Philistines (Judges 15:20) Aside from his physical prowess, Samson was very weak when it came to sexual temptation. His infamous affair with Delilah proved fatal. In addition, he had already pursued other objectionable women and foolish, illicit relationships. Yet as bad as Samson was, the nation of Israel only slides downhill after his death. Illicit sex and violence shot up, God’s patience wore thin, and Israel fell into civil war. By means of post-war reconstruction, the victors were so far from God that they told the losers, who were still farther from God, to kidnap hundreds of virgins in order to repopulate themselves.

Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States of America Vice President Joe Biden’s scheduled trip to Asia took on a more delicate balance this week as he sought to calm military tensions with China while backing Japan against Beijing over a territorial row in the East China Sea.

Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator from California Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, in a joint television interview agreed that there is more danger of terrorist attacks than ever before. They discussed the growing threats and evolving methods of terrorism.

Colonel Thomas S. Matsel, Chief of Operations, Joint Multinational Training Command, Afghanistan At the end of 2014, the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to end, and a new train, advise and assist mission called Resolute Support begins. More than 35 nations recently outlined a way ahead to prepare for the transition that involves combined and joint training provided by the Joint Multinational Training Command, known as JMTC. "There was a lot of discussion about the coming ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) and NATO operational transition in Afghanistan," said Col. Thomas S. Matsel, the G3 or chief of operations at the JMTC.

Judge Sandra L. Lynch, First Circuit Court of Appeals Courts have long struggled to deal with key questions at the intersection of individual privacy and ever-advancing technology with little guidance from the Constitution or from prior cases – now judges and experts are hoping that’s about to change. The sense of urgency from the bench was shown recently when the First Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear a key privacy case and Chief Judge Sandra Lynch took the unusual step of issuing a statement calling on the Supreme Court to get involved: “Only the Supreme Court can finally resolve these issues, and I hope it will.”

Missed Opportunity Iran nuclear deal doesn’t include American pastor’s release by Bill Noles Imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini has been dealt another blow – this time by his own country. The United States had the opportunity to include his release as well as the release of other American prisoners from an Iranian prison as a condition of the historic nuclear agreement recently reached with Iran but instead chose to betray the imprisoned American citizens. “President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry turned their backs on a U.S. citizen by refusing to secure his freedom before reaching an agreement with Iran,” Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), said in a statement. “It is outrageous and a betrayal of American Pastor Saeed Abedini who has spent more than a year in an Iranian prison simply because of his Christian faith.” Negotiators from Iran, the United States and five other world powers signed an accord – named the Joint Plan of Action – that will temporarily freeze Iran’s nuclear program. Israel, while not a party to the deal, criticized the four-page nuclear agreement. “What was concluded in Geneva is not a historic agreement, it’s a historic mistake,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.   Balloons Carry Bibles into North Korea In North Korea, the practice of Christianity is illegal. Owning a Bible is a crime, and any person caught with a Bible is sent – along with three generations of his or her family – to a re-education camp or prison. Or worse. Last month, various reports surfaced that North Korea leader Kim Jong Un ordered the execution of at least five individuals for possessing a Bible. Yet, despite the risks, demand for Bibles in North Korea is strong. That is why periodically Christians from the South meet in a muddy field near the North Korea border, pray, and release balloons carrying packages including Bibles into the skies over the North. The balloons are made from large sheets of “farm” plastic, and the packages have timers to assure their release in stages and not all at the same place. President Obama is touring again, touting the improved ObamaCare website and how the healthcare law fits into his vision for Americans’ economic security and upward mobility as government and citizens partner together. President Obama pledged up to $5 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, offering to match $1 for every $2 in contributions from other countries or donors giving to the Global Fund. Pray for President Obama as he travels, and for the issues that surround The House voted to extend a law banning firearms that can pass undetected through airport x-ray machines, but left out provisions that law enforcement officials say are necessary to combat proliferation of 3-D copy generated plastics. The House Judiciary Committee under Rep. Bob Goodlatte (Virginia) will examine whether President Obama’s excessive use of executive powers serves to “rewrite the law” by altering or delaying some of its provisions. Pray as only another week remains for lawmakers to complete the nation’s business before the Christmas recess. Bankruptcy Court Judge Steven Rhodes turned down objections from pensions and union funds and has allowed Detroit to move forward with its bankruptcy, making it America’s largest city to make such a declaration so far. The Supreme Court rejected Liberty University’s challenge to the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, letting stand a lower court’s decision that ruled against the University. Other challenges still remain. Pray for wisdom for the nation’s judges as they determine issues involving the public welfare. THE WARS The U.S. military has halted its ground cargo shipments out of Afghanistan via Pakistan because of the risk to drivers after increasing protests over U.S. drone strikes. They anticipate resuming the shipments”in the near future.” The White House said this week that the security deal with Kabul must be signed by the end of this year or planning for the zero option (full withdrawl by December 2014) would begin, with no U.S. troops remaining beyond that date. Pray about all the logistical issues involved in leaving Afghanistan while still fighting against Taliban insurgents. TERRORISM Vice President Joe Biden in China told leaders there that relations between Washington and Beijing must be based on trust, and that the U.S. will stand by its treaty obligations with Japan over conflicted areas in the East China Sea. Police in Jamaica have seized 3,300 missile warheads and a machine to make missiles and bullets. That did not say where the shipment, seized at Kingston Wharf, originated or what its intended destination was. Pray about the United States’ relationships with Asian nations – Japan, China, Thailand and the Koreas. THE ECONOMY The total number of people in the U.S. now receiving federal disability benefits hit a record 10,982,920 in November (a a number that exceeds the population of the nation of Greec), as unemployment benefits cease and there are no jobs. Retail spending over the Thanksgiving weekend dropped for the first time in at least seven years despite early openings and extended hours and the blitz of catalogs and advertising mailers, coupons and specials. Pray about the still-flagging American economy as it struggles to regain its footing. ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST The Israeli Defense Force has supplied humanitarian aid, including much-needed food and water, to Syrian citizens trapped in towns adjacent to their borders, as civil war in Syria continues and winter is setting in. The U.S. is working to “normalize” Israel’s treatment at the United Nations, trying to end the anti-Israel bias there, Secretary of State John Kerry said, as Jerusalem was granted a long-sought seat on the Human Rights Council. Pray for the government and people of Israel as they are often perceived as friendless around the globe. HEALTH CARE It could take a year to cure the risk of “high exposure” of personal information on the federal ObamaCare online exchange as security wasn’t built into the system initially, according to a cybersecurity expert. Consuming energy drinks containing caffeine and taurine may alter the heart’s function by a significant increase in contractions in the heart’s left ventricle which receives oxygenated blood from the lungs, researchers say. Pray for the health and well-being of America’s populace, particularly those with poor dietary habits. The Tax Man Comes For Preachers Should ministers lose housing benefits? by Jim Ray There are two fascinating notes about the year 1916: one will surprise you, the other … not so much. America’s entry into the Great War, now known as World War I, was just around the corner. Everybody knew it was coming and Congress (this is the surprising part) was trying to figure out how to pay for the war before actually spending money on it. Their solution was the creation of the modern income tax. Until then, believe it or not, there was no such tax in America. But after the war ended and was paid for (this part will not be surprising) the income tax somehow never went away. To the contrary, the income tax has grown epically since 1916, and many government officials seem ever-determined to expand its reach. The latest example is a ruling by a federal judge in Wisconsin striking down as “unconstitutional” the housing allowance given to members of the clergy that has been in place for many decades. Is this ruling a matter of fairness, or is it another attack on religion? Aside from preachers, priests, rabbis and accountants, few people know about what is sometimes called the “parsonage allowance.” In short, the law allows churches to pay the expense of providing and maintaining a home for clergy members without considering those expenses as part of his or her salary. It is a critically important benefit because many pastors in America are otherwise underpaid.   All prayer requests are made directly from our Presidential Prayer Leader.  We ask you all  to pray for our leaders as the scripture says.    1 Timothy 2:1-3   King James Version (KJV) 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;   Contact Evangelist Waters: www.PureGoldEvangelisticMinistries.com Follow my Bible Study Blog: www.PureGoldMinistries.blogspot.com Follow the Weekly Prayer Blog: www.PureGoldEvangelisticMinistriesPrayer.blogspot.com