PRAY FOR AMERICA: THANK GOD for His many blessings on America throughout it's history. May we then ask that AMERICA once again be a blessing TO GOD, by once again submitting to HIS will in our affairs - both personal and national - that He may truly "heal our land." (2 Chron. 7:14)
7/1 - PRAY FOR ISRAEL - Pray esp. for the comfort of the 3 families who lost their teenage sons just discovered murdered by Islamist terrorists after being missing for 3 weeks. Pray that those responsible might come to know God and His mercy before they have to face His justice. Pray that Israel will determine a just and measured response to these murders.
ANSWERED PRAYER! "High Court Strikes Down Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones" - CBNNews.com, June 26, 2014; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2014/June/High-Court-Voids-35-foot-Abortion-Clinic-Buffer/ - The Supreme Court handed a victory to pro-lifers Thursday.The justices unanimously struck down a 2007 Massachusetts law that created a 35-foot protest-free zone outside abortion clinics in Massachusetts. [AS I SEE IT: As one who used to pray outside of abortion clinics, this is a great decision, esp. as it was UNANIMOUS! - Stan]
ANSWERED PRAYER!! - Sudan Mom Sentenced to Die for Faith Set Free - CBNNews.com, June 23, 2014: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/June/Sudan-Mom-Sentenced-to-Die-for-Faith-Set-Free/ :The Sudanese mother condemned to die for refusing to renounce her Christian faith has been set free, according to her attorney. Meriam Ibrahim's release came after her sentence was overturned by an appellate court..."
Month of RAMADAN - Please make note that THIS SATURDAY begins the Muslim month of Ramadam, this year June 28-July 27. This is the second year I will join with the over 1 billion Muslims in their annual time of prayer and fasting (sun-up to sun-down each day) and ask God to reveal Himself to them in dreams and visions. As this is the time each year when they are most open to spiritual things, I ask you to join me that God would speak clearly to each one and come to lead millions to leave their kingdom of darkness for Jesus' kingdom of light. (Col. 1:13-14) - Stan]
RAMADAN 2014 - Day #4 - Forbearance - An Eritrean pastor, sentenced to five years iin prison, wrote to his wife "The moment I entered my cell, a prisoner said, "Everyone in this cell is [unsaved]. You are much needed here." Father, the battle to live victoriously in You can be difficult. Strengthen those who continue to serve You faithfully in the midst of trials and struggles. - from Open Doors Ramadan Prayer Guide for the Persecuted Church.
SIGN A PETITION TO THE UN FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIANS :" The church in Syria has shone brightly for 2,000 years. But today violence and persecution threatens its survival. Thanks to an incredible response, Open Doors is helping 8,000 families in Syria survive each month. We believe the signatures and prayers of 500,000 people will encourage the UN to act and protect the rights and lives of all Syrians, especially the vulnerable Christian community." Go to: http://lp.opendoorsusa.org/emails/nov-13-action/save-syria.html?utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=november
WORLD-WDE PRAYER REQUESTS:
6/13 - PRAY FOR THE CRISIS HAPPENING NOW IN IRAQ (see post #907)
(6/12-7/13) PRAY for the WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL - that God will show favor to the many thousands who are there to present the message of Christ to the athletes and visitors from around the world. May many return to their home countries having come to Christ and sharing that same new faith with family and friends.
LATEST SAHEED NEWS! May 22 - "Pastor Saeed Forcibly Returned to Prison after Beating" - By Caitlin Burke,CBN News, May 22, 2014;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/May/Pastor-Saeed-Beaten-Sent-Back-to-Iran-Prison/ "Saeed Abedini, a U.S. pastor imprisoned for his faith, was severely beaten at an Iranian hospital before being returned to the brutal Rajai Shahr prison. His Iranian family claims the transfer was unexpected and the reason is unclear. But one of the guards involved in the transfer suggested recent Iranian nuclear talks could be a motive, the family said...""
We need to continue to pray for Pastor Saeed - that his health will improve and that he will be re-united with his wife and two young children who live in the United States. We also remain hopeful that in addition to getting the medical care he so desperately needs, that Iranian officials display the kind of humanitarian treatment that often accompanies the start of the Iranian New Year which began on March 21st. This is the time of year when the Iranian government frequently offers clemency to prisoners of conscience. [If you have not yet, please sign the petition for his clemency- http://beheardproject.com/saeed#sign]
PRAY ALSO : - 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
- 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
The U.S. State Department believes the Russian army is now prepared to launch an invasion of eastern Ukraine if President Vladimir Putin decides to pull the trigger, according to a senior Administration official."At this point, they are amassed and they could go at a moment’s notice if Putin gave the go ahead," the official said...Top Ukrainian security officials said Thursday that Russia now has 100,000 troops on its side of the Russia-Ukraine border.(Sources: CBS News, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Daily Beast)
As the Lord leads, please pray:
*For God to suppress President Putin’s ambitions to "restore" the Soviet empire.
*For the people of Ukrainen [esp. for the church 'to be THE church'] as they wait to see if the Russian troops will advance.
*About President Obama and to use wisdom in crafting our foreign policy, and wisdom for his advisers.
NEWS/PRAYER ALERT!"Kim Jong-un Calls for Execution of 33 Christians" - 3/7/2014; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=3651 "North Korea tyrant Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered that 33 Christians believed to be working alongside South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jung-wook be put to death. The South Korean missionary - who was arrested last year - and his accomplices have reportedly started 500 or so underground churches..."[PRAY that the plans for execution would be rescinded, and these believers released.] [Che\ck out: They'll Be Dead By Morning (What Difference Will It Make) http://loristanleyroeleveld.blogspot.com/2014/03/theyll-be-dead-by-morning-what.html
NEWS ALERT/PRAISE! "Iran Allows Surgery on Ailing, Imprisoned Pastor" - CBNNews.com,March 07, 2014;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/March/Iran-Allows-Dire-Surgery-on-Ailing-Imprisoned-Pastor-/ The Iranian government has finally allowed doctors to perform surgery on imprisoned Pastor Benham Irani.Irani suffered from a herniated disc and bleeding intestines and urgently needed medical care. PRAY for the final release of Pastor Irani and others imprisoned for their faith.
Continue to Pray for 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.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Continue to Pray for 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.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Supreme Court has decided that the HHS contraceptive mandate went too far. And that is great news for religious freedom.
Yesterday the Supreme Court issued its much-anticipated ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Products. By a 5-4 vote, the Court upheld Hobby Lobby’s and Conestoga Wood Product’s challenge to the so-called “Contraceptive mandate.”
Let me summarize what happened and [in Friday or Sat.'s post] John Stonestreet will look more deeply at the decision.
So the principal issue in the case was whether certain for-profit businesses have a right to the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. RFRA, as the act is dubbed, acknowledges that a governmental action that ostensibly has nothing to do with religion and is neutral on its face can nonetheless burden the free exercise of religion. But, RFRA requires that any action that imposes such a burden must serve a “compelling governmental interest,” and must do so in the least restrictive way possible. And that is critical.
Now, the Obama administration argued that RFRA was never intended to apply to corporations.Writing for the majority, Justice Alito rejected the administration’s contention about RFRA’s applicability to “closely-held corporations.” A “closely-held corporation” is a corporation where 50 percent or more of the stock is owned by five or fewer individuals, an obvious example being a family-owned-and-operated business like Hobby Lobby.
The Court held that RFRA required the government to treat religiously-based objections to federal law by closely-held corporations in the same way it treats objections by nonprofits, whom the Obama administration conceded were covered by RFRA. As Alito wrote, “Protecting the free-exercise rights of closely held corporations . . . protects the religious liberty of the humans who own and control them.”
Having ruled that RFRA applied to companies like Hobby Lobby, the Court found that the HHS mandate “substantially burdened” their right to the free exercise of religion by forcing them to choose between large financial penalties and violating their conviction that life begins at conception.
Finally, the Court found that the HHS mandate ran afoul of RFRA’s “least restrictive means” requirement. It argued that there were several ways the government could have made contraceptives widely available without forcing Hobby Lobby and others to violate their religious scruples. The most obvious way was for the federal government to pay for the drugs itself, as Justice Kennedy noted in his concurring opinion.
The Court insisted that Monday’s ruling would not, as the mandate’s supporters insisted, open a Pandora’s Box in which vaccinations and blood transfusions would not be covered on religious grounds. It also made it clear that its ruling is not a “shield for employers who might cloak illegal discrimination as a religious practice.”
...The good news is that religious freedom in the United States has won a significant victory. If HHS and the dissenter’s opinion had prevailed, it might well have been “open season” on people’s consciences. I am grateful to the courageous Christian families who challenged the mandate and I’m grateful to God for the victory.
What comes next? That’s the subject of [Friday' or Sat.'s post] with John Stonestreet. Please tune in.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]
RESOURCES:
Supreme Court decision transcript - http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/13-354_olp1.pdf
"Supreme Court Upholds Religious Freedom in Hobby Lobby Case" - Kelsey Harkness / Ken McIntyre / June 30, 2014; http://dailysignal.com/2014/06/30/supreme-court-upholds-religious-freedom-hobby-lobby-case/
"Today the Supreme Court Protected Religious Freedom" - Sarah Torre / Elizabeth Slattery / June 30, 2014 ; http://dailysignal.com/2014/06/30/today-supreme-court-protected-religious-freedom/?utm_source=heritagefoundation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningbell
Ever contemplated studying abroad in an outside country? There are numerous preferences to taking the plunge and studying abroad and this article records the main 9 motivations to study abroad.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.3gathome.com |
http://www.3ghomezone.com |
http://www.ahome4hope.com |
http://www.andeantraveltours.com |
http://www.autoacross.com |