 VIVE LA FRANCE ON IRAN We never thought we'd say this, but thank heaven for French foreign-policy exceptionalism. At least for the time being, François Hollande's Socialist government has saved the West from a deal that would all but guarantee that Iran becomes a nuclear power.
While the negotiating details still aren't fully known, the French made clear Saturday that they objected to a nuclear agreement that British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama were all too eager to sign. These two leaders remind no one, least of all the Iranians, of Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush. That left the French to protect against a historic security blunder, with Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declaring in an interview with French radio that while France still hopes for an agreement with Tehran, it won't accept a "sucker's deal." These mid-week alerts present many heavy issues for prayer. Therefore, due to the "work" of intercession, we have found it encouraging to open our prayer points with thanksgiving and praise to God. Let us "enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise." Why do this? Because it reminds us and we wish to testify that God is always in control and that His purposes will prevail. Thus, we pray, not to engage in toppling idols, worldly philosophies, or national sins with human wisdom or strength, but to honor and obey our God and King in His call that people "pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (1 Tim. 2:8). To paraphrase evangelical author, Jerry Bridges, our goal is not primarily to succeed but simply to obey, as to obey is to succeed.
In the immediate issue, pray for President Obama and his advisors. Pray, too, for Secretary of State John Kerry. Seasoned intercessors know that no presidency is fully defined only by the individual filling the office. His close advisors play a big part in formulating presidential policies that lead to momentous decisions. The Iranian terrain is filled with landmines, figuratively speaking. Wisdom and caution, plus divine restraint, are all needed to get through this time without major explosions. Give thanks for France's foreign minister stepping into the discussion. Also, Israel's welfare is at stake, and Mr. Netanyahu is properly on guard. Iran must not be allowed to bluff other governments involved. Truly, it is a time for protracted and intense prayer as the Iranian nuclear "solution" is walked out globally. Pray for supernatural help through God's mercy. "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.'" (Daniel 2:22)
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.... There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
"Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'" (Psalm 46:1-10) 
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|  A BAN ON THE FAITH-BASED WORKPLACE Give thanks for Sen. Dan Coats (R-IN), the only senator to warn of the dangers and constitutional compromises-and worse-lurking in the ENDA legislation. The question is, why were there not more conservative voices raised in protest among the 32 dissenting votes? Perhaps some were quiet for political reasons, hoping that House Speaker John Boehner will keep his promise that such a freedom-snatching law will not reach the House floor. Please follow the ENDA law with prayers and close attention as U.S. citizens and business people. Let us persevere in prayer and not be deceived. The goal of this law, as Mr. Knight honestly describes, is to make illegal all moral convictions in the marketplace (churches also?) that do not accept sinful, deviant behavior as normal, natural, and to be displayed without restraint. Freedoms are eroding. We need a return, at the national level, to God's standards of right versus wrong as measured by His Word. Please pray as conscience is illuminated by Scripture. May God preserve our freedom to believe and uphold God's plan for marriage, His laws of sexuality, and the freedom to see righteous government sustained. We may see harsh persecution in the U.S., with egregious fines and businesses going under as basic values are nullified. Pray for divine intervention. "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants." (Psalm 119:89-91) "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) |
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PROTECTING THE UNBORN FROM PAIN In June, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 228-196 in favor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. On Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, announced that he would introduce the bill in the U.S. Senate. Appearing on "Fox News Sunday" last weekend, Mr. Graham noted that protecting pain-capable unborn children from the horror of abortion "is a debate worthy of a great democracy."
There is substantial medical evidence that unborn children are capable of experiencing pain by at least 20 weeks post-fertilization. Abortions performed at this stage of pregnancy use a variety of techniques, including a method in which the unborn child's arms and legs are twisted off by brute manual force, using a long stainless steel clamping tool. Pray for the success of this approach. Those who practice abortion as a business (and it is a huge, very profitable business) seem to have become so desensitized to the truth of what they are doing that they deny they are killing babies ruthlessly and without remorse. We are not talking about the ignorant young woman in the "crisis pregnancy" who is frightened and being deceived into thinking she is just having a "procedure" done for convenience. We are speaking of the Kermit Gosnells and those of his ilk who do not want any publicity about the proven fact that the baby is alive, has a beating heart, a developing nervous system, and can feel pain. Let us pray for the success of this movement to educate the public and protect the baby from such suffering in the final moments of innocent life. May God bless this effort to speak truth. May our prayers be more powerful than the brazen efforts of Planned Parenthood to deny and hide the facts. "[Jesus said,] 'And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'" (John 8:32)
"Then [Jesus] said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend [kill?] one of these little ones.'" (Luke 17:1-2) |
|  POLITICAL CORRECTNESS NOW CALLED "BULLYING" Pray for a return to sanity in the use of language. The Bible commands God's people to speak the truth at all times. One of the Commandments is to not "bear false witness" - i.e., tell lies, whether in court or in conversation. In the Garden, the serpent used beguiling words to deceive Eve into believing that God did not mean what He plainly said about the tree whose fruit was not to be eaten. Only a few generations later, God took note that the power of a common language at Babel made mankind almost invincible, and so he confused the language to disperse them and stop their evil inclinations. Our Lord is called "the Word" because He perfectly conveyed the truth of God the Father and His message of love and redemption. But unrighteous men and women still twist the truth to take control of others. Today, children sue their parents for "bullying" when they are told to do homework or clean their room. Pray for revival resulting in widespread salvation and a return to truth and sanity in communication. Only in God's mercy can truth once again become the national standard of communication. Pray that the Church will lead the way in speaking the truth in love, making the Gospel message plain in calling people to Christ. "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom." (Psalm 51:6)
" Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29) "... but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- ..." (Ephesians 4:15)
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." (James 3:9-10) |
|  PRESSING AHEAD ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The U.N. is determined to control liberties, livelihoods and living standards.
Climate alarmists have gathered in Warsaw for the Monday start of the United Nations' annual climate change conference, to lay the foundation for a binding global agreement to replace the now-defunct Kyoto Protocol and "save the planet" from "dangerous global warming." This is a genuine call to prayer! We must intercede strongly, asking God to assist honest citizens in our nation in defending truth against the fables that so-called scientists are perpetrating for ideological or financial gain. When those once dedicated to "Science" sell out to manipulating their findings in nature or in the laboratory, then truth becomes relative and nothing more than something to be sold or traded to the highest bidder. The Kyoto protocols became hopelessly compromised when certain "scientists" were discovered to be falsifying their data. (No one was prosecuted.) In the past, this deception was seen as the "unpardonable sin" among those supposedly dedicated to discovering truth through experimentation and carefully controlled testing of hypotheses and theories. When integrity is missing in these equations, we will have more "Piltdown man" hoaxes, which we are about to see in these Warsaw meetings. Pray for truth to prevail and deception to be exposed. "[Jesus said,] 'Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' They answered him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?' Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.'" (John 8:32-34)
"For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. (1 Peter 2:15-16)
"Buy the truth and do not sell it-wisdom, instruction and insight as well." (Proverbs 23:23) |
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