URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS:
NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ - Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."
[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"- CBNNews.com, Aug 14, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/ - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.]
Vigils Mark One Year Imprisonment of Pastor Saeed - CBNNews.com, Thursday, September 26, 2013 - Today marks one-year that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian prison. He is serving an eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. It has been a year of torment as he has suffered beatings, physical pain from untreated medical conditions, and separation from his wife and two children... The suffering has not dampened his passion for Jesus. Pastor Abedini has led more than 30 prisoners to Christ during his time in prison. This afternoon, thousands of Americans from coast to coast will pray for his release. Events will be held in 40 states at capitols, city halls, parks and churches. Thousands more will join from 15 nations around the world
NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ - Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."
PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.
- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him
- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ
- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans
Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.
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"The Story Behind the Government Shutdown," - by Amy Payne, October 1, 2013 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much like the day after sequestration budget cuts [1] kicked in, most people will wake up today to find that the country and their lives aren’t much different. All the fearful fretting over shutting down the government—which is reaching Y2K proportions in the media—is really a distraction.
Government funding isn’t the issue. It’s Obamacare.
The House has passed multiple bills that would fully fund government but would defund or delay Obamacare. The Senate has rejected these plans, and Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges are supposed to open today. Never mind the fact that Congress and the Administration have already delayed major provisions of Obamacare [2] and given special considerations to labor unions and Congress [3].
We believe the American people deserve an exemption from Obamacare.
The President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) continue to go against the will of the public to protect an unworkable law that has raised individuals’ health care premiums [4], cut workers’ hours [5], made it more difficult to find a job [6], and has forced many Americans off their existing health coverage [7]. The real story isn’t the government shutdown, but rather the insistence by President Obama and Reid to foist Obamacare on the American people.
Congress is now haggling over delays to more parts of Obamacare, but the only way to protect Americans from this law’s sickening effects is to defund it [8].
While this debate plays out on Capitol Hill, essential government services will continue. Airports are still functioning, Social Security checks are still going out, and the military is still protecting us.
[Click here to learn what happens in a government shutdown [9] http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/30/qa-what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown/]
To President Obama and his allies, the government takeover of health care is an “essential” function that should move forward, despite deep disagreements about its effect on the nation. This debate isn’t over, nor should it be until the American people are protected from having their health care in the hands of government.
A government shutdown isn’t the end of the world, but an Obamacare shutdown would be a great beginning for real health care reform [10].
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
Quick Hit: Government “shutdown” is an “entirely inaccurate description,” [17] says the Justice Department.
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Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org; URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/10/01/the-story-behind-the-government-shutdown/
URLs in this post:
[1] sequestration budget cuts: http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/video/2013/07/frasersequestrationfox
[2] delayed major provisions of Obamacare: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/09/morning-bell-10-ways-obamacare-isnt-working/
[3] Congress: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/16/morning-bell-obama-gives-congress-obamacare-relief-illegally/
[4] raised individuals’ health care premiums: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/28/higher-premiums-both-now-and-later/
[5] cut workers’ hours: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/25/obamacare-continues-to-cut-workers-hours/
[6] made it more difficult to find a job: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/03/08/obamacare-continues-to-restrict-hiring/
[7] forced many Americans off their existing health coverage: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/08/22/when-you-cant-actually-keep-your-health-care-plan/
[8] defund it: http://obamacare.heritage.org/
[9]Click here to learn what happens in a government shutdown: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/30/qa-what-happens-during-a-government-shutdown/
[10] real health care reform: http://savingthedream.org/about-the-plan/
[17] an “entirely inaccurate description,”: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/359908/not-actually-shutdown-hans-von-spakovsky
Copyright © 2011 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
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"SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LET GOVERNMENT GO," - by: Seton Motley, 9/30/2013; http://www.humanevents.com/2013/09/30/sometimes-you-have-to-let-government-go/
"There is an awful lot of government going on in Washington. Which is what happens when you spend $3.8 trillion – as DC is doing this year. Up from $2.9 trillion just five years ago. We’ve increased the size of the Leviathan by just short of 25% under President Barack Obama...."
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