UNITED STATES v. WINDSOR, EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF SPYER, ET AL. Click for PDF version. (http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-307_g2bh.pdf)
The Supreme Court's ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act provides some clarity about a fast-growing practice for banks: financial planning for same-sex couples. (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/wall-street-doma-decision-93213.html)
The country's highest court handed down a landmark opinion on a section of the law that denies married homosexual couples the same federal rights and benefits as married heterosexual couples. For example, under DOMA, homosexual couples cannot file joint federal income tax returns, do not receive Social Security survivor benefits and cannot access federal estate and gift tax marital deductions - all important issues that factor into married couples' long-term financial planning.
Pray that our nation does not continue down this Sodom and Gomorrah path of destruction. Pray that sound voices of logic and reason would align with God's Word on the subject of homosexual sin. Pray that those who advocate the sin of homosexuality would bend their knees to the Lord's sovereignty and that the Lord would deliver their souls from the death-grip of Satan's domain while there is yet some time to do so. Pray, too, for God's mercy on the U.S., and that a heaven-sent, widespread revival will sweep through the Church in America and bring many to repentance and a true heart-change on these deeply divisive issues.
"You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22)
"If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them"
(Lev. 20:13)
"But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He love us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) . . ." (Eph. 2:4-5)
Capitol Hill aides spent their Memorial Day weekend scanning hundreds of pages of documents related to the IRS scandal in order to prepare their bosses for what will inevitably be a frantic month of June involving multiple simultaneous investigations into government wrongdoing. By the time lawmakers return to session next week, at least four different investigations will be underway. As The Daily Caller has reported, at least five different IRS offices including Cincinnati, Ohio; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois and El Monte and Laguna Niguel, California improperly targeted conservative nonprofit groups for extra scrutiny between 2010 and 2012.
Give thanks to God for bringing these questions to the light of inquiry so they can be examined. Pray that all corruption would be exposed and dealt with in a fair and equitable manner. Pray for the restoration of a rightly balanced Internal Revenue Service.
From: “Focus on the Family” (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
The U.S. military is embracing a celebration of homosexuals (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/23/military-gives-a-salute-to-gay-pride-month/) in the ranks this month by sending out a homosexual pride poster and a directive to commands, while planning a Pentagon symposium that will be attended by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. In the aftermath of ending the ban on open homosexuals in the military, the Pentagon last June recognized Homosexual Pride Month for the first time in a subdued recognition of uniformed and civilian homosexuals. As defense secretary at the time, Leon E. Panetta gave a public statement, and a Pentagon event featured an active-duty homosexual Marine, a homosexual Air Force civilian lawyer and a female homosexual who had served in the Army.
As these decisions and celebrations in the military stem from a pro-homosexual administration, let our intercession begin at the top. Pray that the president and his advisors will treat all citizens and citizen groups with equal fairness. Pray that conservative Christians and evangelical chaplains will have at least as much voice and receive the same respect and recognition that the homosexual lobby demands and gets. Pray that the Lord would deliver our nation from leadership that rebels against God's Word. Pray for righteous leadership in the land. Pray for the strengthening of righteous decisions for our military command. Pray for protection and for the elevation of those leaders in our military who will not bend their knee to unrighteous edicts.
Eight drug kingpins, also known as "plaza bosses," were identified by a multi-agency effort earlier this month.
The bosses, covering a drug network spanning the length of the southern U.S. border, are members of the Sinaloa Cartel, according to a release from Customs and Border Protection.
The eight men were identified as follows:
- Cenobio Flores Pacheco (a.k.a. Luis Fernando Castro Villa)
- Jesus Alfredo Salazar Ramirez
- Guillermo Nieblas Nava (a.k.a. Adelmo Niebla Gonzalez)
- Ramon Ignacio Paez Soto
- Felipe De Jesus Sosa Canisales
- Armando Lopez Aispuro
- Jose Javier Rascon Ramirez
- Raul Sabori Cisneros
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) special task force along with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the State of Department say these men helped oversee the illegal flow of drugs over the border.
PRAY:
- Mighty God, capture, convict, and bring down the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel Plaza bosses: Cenobio Flores Pacheco, Jesus Alfredo Salazar Ramirez, Guillermo Nieblas Nava, Ramon Ignacio Paez Soto, Felipe De Jesus Sosa Canisales, Armando Lopez Aispuro, Jose Javier Rascon Ramirez, Raul Sabori Cisneros.
- Capture and convict Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, known as Public Enemy No. 1.
- Give success to law enforcement and military personnel in the breakup and destruction of the TCO/DTO supply lines, distribution, and sales operations.
- We pray for key cartel leaders to come to repentance and faith in Christ and that word of their salvations would shake the trafficking underworld.
- Lord, protect our law enforcement as they carry out their God-ordained responsibilities to keep law and order and defend our citizens.
PRAISES!
May 13, 2013: Federal agents have arrested 12 Mexican nationals accused of smuggling drugs into the United States and seized hundreds of pounds of marijuana. The Border Patrol estimates the street value of the drugs at $282,000.
May 14, 2013: Border officers found more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the rear bumper of a car being driven across the Nogales border crossing. A drug dog at the Mariposa crossing alerted officers to a sedan Officers pulled 33 packages of the drug from the bumper. The estimated street value was $512,000, the release said.
May 17, 2013: Federal agents intercepted more than 2,300 pounds of marijuana following a traffic stop in Nogales. A search of the van turned up 12 boxes containing more than 930 pounds of marijuana. Information provided by the suspects led agents to a warehouse, where a search led to the seizure of an additional 1,370 pounds of marijuana.
From: BridgeBuilders Int’l (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Student Volunteer Movement 2 (SVM2) is pleased to announce the 2013 dates for the “21 Days for Global Harvest” prayer campaign. It will take place from September 29 – October 19, 2013.
“21 Days For Global Harvest” encourages local churches, campus ministry fellowships and Bible schools to promote small group prayer for spiritual awakening in the body of Christ resulting in global harvest among the unengaged over a 21 day period. A daily prayer guide helps bring focus to our prayer and intercession. It is an opportunity to focus our prayers from around the world on God’s glory among the unengaged.
A new updated video will soon be available on our website that you can use to Promote the Prayer Campaign (http://21daysofprayer.net/get-involved/spread-the-word/) among your constituency. Don’t forget to register (http://21daysofprayer.net/get-involved/21-days-registration/ yourself for “21 Days” and commit to participate as well.
Joel Iyorwa
21 Days of Global harvest coordinator
Mobile - +66 8427 82683 / Email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. /Website - www.SVM2.net / Abandoned Times Blog – www.SVM2.net/abandonedtimes/
This is the season for the children of the One and Only Living God to embrace the Father’s Heart in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Therefore, we invite the Global Body of the Christ to participate in A Day of Repentance 7/14 during Sunday worship services on July 14, using 2 Chronicles 7:14 as our common guide for unity, humility, prayer and repentance from our sins that the Lord may forgive and heal our land. We also encourage prayer gatherings on Saturday, July 13 to intercede for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, July 14 as we repent for our sins and the sins of the Church. For additional details and contact information, please visit www.prayersurgenow.net. As a follow up to A Day of Repentance 7/14 for your congregation or ministry, please consider 10 Days of Prayer: September 4-14, 2013 during the 10 Days of Awe - from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur - for your city or region. Please consider the following inspiration for "Repentance” and “10 Days”.
"Repent" was the first word Jesus spoke when He began to preach in Matthew 4:17. Repentance is not only the key to entering the Kingdom of Heaven, it is also the key final act by which the Lord - honoring His covenant with His People at a time when He has shut up heaven and has sent pestilence - hears from heaven, forgives our sins and heals our land as revealed in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14. There is now a growing realization in the body of Christ that we need to activate this Truth through days of repentance. A nonprofit, nondenominational Christian ministry is now supporting the season of repentance and welcomes all to join without cost to speak for repentance in their community: www.dayofrepentance.org.
10 Days is a vision rooted in Jesus' prayer in John 17, "let them be one as we are one". Believing that "Jesus gets what He prays for", it's a strategy for bringing city-wide churches together into a 10 Day season of worship, prayer, and fasting on an annual basis. The focus of the time is three-fold: (1) personal repentance, encounter with God, and transformation; (2) corporate prayer for Scriptural promises; and (3) promoting "eager longing" for the return of Christ. As Zechariah 8:20-21 states, "In that day people from one city will go to another saying, 'Come, seek the Lord with us. I myself am going". It's our hope that such a movement of prayer from city-to-city will take place during this annual time-table. Please visit www.10days.net (currently under construction) for more information.
Dai Sup Han, Facilitator, Prayer Surge NOW!, Serving with YWAM
Jonathan Friz, Facilitator, 10 Days of Prayer & New England Alliance
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.prayersurgenow.net, www.thefatherheart.com
About 20 years ago, the world had about 1.1 billion Muslims. Islam was a little known religion in most Western nations, and efforts on the part of the Church to share their Christian faith with Muslims were scarce. Today, that number is estimated at 2.1 billion. Endeavors to reach Muslims have increased ten-fold, and 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World is one of many tools that brings attention to the call to share the message of Jesus with them.
The Muslim world can be a challenge to Christians–especially since 9/11. Theological arguments or political manipulation may not impact Muslims, but we know prayer will. The 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World encourages a greater understanding of how to participate in God’s purposes for the Muslim world.
This guide will help you join with others in asking God:
- to reveal Himself in new ways to Muslim people
- to support the work of Christians among the Muslim people they love
- for greater breakthroughs for the Gospel among Muslims
It is not too late to join with millions of Christians around the world during the upcoming month of Ramadan, July 9 to August 7, 2013. The 30 Days Muslim Prayer Guide offers new information, statistics, stories and photographs from all over the Muslim world. Christians can follow and pray through the guide at the same time that Muslims fast and pray.
Check out a few sample pages and order this 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days/#sample-pages. You can also check out a sample page of the special 32-page, fully illustrated “Just for Kids” edition, which includes fun activities.
WayMakers has made it easy for your church and family to order from our website or by calling us. The cost begins at $3 for a single copy ($3.50 for kids) with discounts as great as 60% when ordered in quantity. Check out the details online at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days or call us at 512.419.7729.
For His glory,
Steve Hawthorne
P.S. Let’s pray throughout this time of Ramadan, that Muslims would experience God’s unconditional love for them and that they would encounter Jesus.
From: WayMakers (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Apologies for the email blast, but just wanted you to be aware of (and participate in) World Refugee Sunday, June 16th or 23rd, 2013. This is an opportunity to pray for those forcibly displaced “people on the move” around the world, as well as raise awareness and explore possible ministry. There are approximately 50 million people in that category (according to the United Nations), but there are literally millions more unaccounted for.
Three ways you can be involved:
- Participate! Click this link (http://refugeehighway.net/resources/world-refugee-sunday) for many free resources (posters/flyers/bulletin inserts, prayer points, media presentations, etc.) available for individuals, churches, fellowships, small groups, etc. The main poster is available in virtually all major languages (attached in English). Though an entire service can be structure around the theme of refugees and the opportunity they offer us, even just spending a few minutes in prayer is a great connection to the global Christian community. We are expecting hundreds of thousands around the world to participate in some way.
- Check out and like the World Refugee Sunday Facebook page
- https://www.facebook.com/worldrefugeesunday).
- Share this information with those in your networks, by forwarding this email or inviting them to the Facebook page.
See this press release (http://www.worldea.org/news/4229/wea-calls-upon-churches-around-the-world-to-observe-world-refugee-sunday-on-june-16-and-23-2013) for even more information. I would be more than happy to interact with you about theis. Thanks for listening – and caring for those most vulnerable in our world.
From: Brian O’Connell (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)