Prayer Team
APRIL 1, 2010

And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them... Exodus 9:12

Dear Praying Friends,

After the Boston Tea Party, King George closed Boston Harbor on March 7, 1774 in a deliberate effort to destroy the colony`s economy. William Prescott wrote, "If we submit to these regulations, all is gone... Our forefathers...spent their blood and treasure that they might enjoy their liberties, both civil and religious, and transmit them to their posterity... if we should give them up; can our children rise up and call us blessed?"

Upon hearing of Boston`s crisis, Thomas Jefferson led the Virginia House of Burgesses (on May 24, 1774) to proclaim "a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer, devoutly to implore the Divine interposition, for averting the heavy calamity which threatens destruction to our civil rights." Lord Dunmore, Virginia`s Royal Governor, was so upset by the Proclamation that he dissolved the House of Burgesses. The members regrouped in nearby Raleigh Tavern to make plans for a Continental Congress, which in 1776 declared American independence (American Minute, Bill Federer, March 7, abridged).

We need this same formula now: dependence upon God, humility, fasting, prayer, and sacrificial, lawful resistance against all ungodliness and tyranny. As in the founding era, God wants us to meet His requirements so He can do what only He can to heal our land and preserve our liberty for our children.

Don`t Ask, Don`t Tell (DADT) - The Secretary of Defense has issued orders that no General Officer may publicly express his opinion regarding DADT. Every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has already expressed reservations about discontinuing the present prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the Armed Services. On Thursday, Marine Commandant, General James Conway said if the ban is lifted he will not require Marines to bunk with homosexuals. His remarks came the same day Defense Secretary Robert Gates reprimanded the Army`s Pacific Commander, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, for urging servicemen and civilians to write Congress to oppose repeal. Joint Chiefs Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen said Mixon should resign. If our top military leaders are being censored now for supporting the current law, we can surmise how the ban`s repeal will impact the average service member`s liberty to object to homosexual behavior on moral grounds, not to mention its effect on morale, retention, unit cohesion, and good order and discipline in the future military (see Lt. Gen. Conway; Gen. Mixon).

• May the American people realize how the repeal will drive many of our best men and women from the armed services and prevent our best candidates from enlisting! May our military leaders somehow reach Congress and the American people with the Truth! May God move Congress to keep the current law in place (Gen 19:12-22a; Dt 20:1-9; 28:2, 7, 15, 25; Josh 7:13; 1 Kg 14:24; 22:46; Pr 22:3; 27:12; 1 Pet 3:11-17; 1 Cor 6:18).

Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - When Congress left for Easter break, President Obama promptly announced 15 "recess appointments" to seat radical candidates who were facing Senate disapproval, thus circumventing the normal confirmation process. Among them was Chai Feldblum, a radical lesbian and Georgetown University law professor who openly advocates homosexual "marriage," legalized polygamy, and the trumping of religious liberty by homosexual rights. She will become Commissioner of the powerful Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). An architect of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), Feldblum`s appointment signals the President`s likely plan to force the LGBT agenda upon American business, perhaps even before completing his effort to repeal the military`s ban on homosexual behavior. Can you visualize a cross-dresser managing a Christian bookstore or an open lesbian heading up a church daycare? That is where Chai Feldblum and ENDA could lead us (see Appointments, Feldblum, Bio).

• May America`s business leaders be made to understand the problems the sexualization of our workplaces will bring. With polls showing a majority of Americans supporting ENDA because of their distaste for "discrimination," only God can stop a massive transformation of American business and its subsequent impact upon society. May He intervene! (Dt 28:2, 4-5, 8, 11, 15, 17-18, 33, 45; Hos 10:12; Mal 3:6-12; Gal 6:7-9; Heb 13:4)

Health Takeover - Warnings that a government takeover of Healthcare would prevent small businesses from hiring new workers, require lay-offs, and lead to bankruptcies went unheeded by the majority of Democrats in Congress who passed the new law. Now, big business is sounding the alarm. Last week, Verizon, AT&T, Caterpillar, John Deere, and others told the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) they would take accounting charges this year anticipating hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Huge increases in business costs mean huge price increases for consumers, fewer new jobs, and more layoffs and reduced wages and benefits for workers who remain employed. Worse still is the fact that abortion coverage is in the new law. The Washington Post (not a bastion of conservatism) published columnist Kathleen Parker`s article this past weekend, entitled "Federally funded abortions are in our future." Not only will the new law lead to the unnecessary loss of jobs and benefits, but also the unconscionable loss of innocent lives.

Attorneys General from 14 states are suing to overturn Obamacare as unconstitutional. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) counts 40 states to be considering model legislation to prohibit any individual mandate to purchase health insurance, and to defend the states against Obamacare (see Companies, Model Laws, States, Abortion).

• May God give success to these and other efforts to overturn the law. May Congress be given a chance to work on bipartisan healthcare solutions that are within the bounds of the Constitution and God`s eternal laws (Lev 19:15; Pr 28:4; Ps 94:20-22; 133; Pr 20:10-11; 24:10-12; 26:23-28; Is 10:1-2; Rev 12:11).

Finally, Pray for Israel. President Obama is putting unprecedented pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bow to unwarranted demands to cease building homes in East Jerusalem. Israeli Ministers have rejected his demands. Our relationship is strained. Tensions are high. Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6). As always, thank you for praying!