The Daily Brief: Tuesday, Dec. 5th, 2017

The Daily Brief: Tuesday, Dec. 5th, 2017

1. Supreme Court allows full enforcement of Trump travel ban - CBS

The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to fully enforce a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries. The justices say in an order Monday that the policy can take full effect even as legal challenges against it make their way through the courts. The ban applies to travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Lower courts had said people from those nations with a claim of a "bona fide" relationship with someone in the United States could not be kept out of the country. Grandparents, cousins and other relatives were among those courts said could not be excluded. (Read more)
- Thank You, Father, for this win at the Supreme Court! We ask as the rest of the court actions come out, that You will continue to work to protect Americans from harm.

- "He who is surety for a stranger will suffer for it." (Proverbs 11:15a)

2. Trump Admin Orders Withdrawal From UN Migrant Accommodating Agreement - New American

On Saturday, December 2, the Donald Trump administration alerted the office of the United Nations secretary-general that the United States of America is withdrawing from a UN agreement aimed at handling migrant and refugee issues. "Today, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations informed the UN Secretary-General that the United States is ending its participation in the Global Compact on Migration," the U.S. mission to the United Nations announced in a press release.

In September 2016, the UN General Assembly unanimously agreed on a resolution - the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants - that the organization's member states would be committed to the document, which "reaffirms the importance of the international refugee regime and represents a commitment by Member States to strengthen and enhance mechanisms to protect people on the move," as described in a UN statement on the goals of the policy. The Declaration contains a call to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to propose a "global compact on refugees" by 2018.

None of this apparently sits well with President Trump.

"The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with U.S. immigration and refugee policies and the Trump Administration's immigration principles. As a result, President Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018," the U.S. statement said. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that "America is proud of our immigrant heritage and our long-standing moral leadership in providing support to migrant and refugee populations across the globe," and that "our generosity will continue."

She added: "But our decisions on immigration policies must always be made by Americans and Americans alone. We will decide how best to control our borders and who will be allowed to enter our country. The global approach in the New York Declaration is simply not compatible with U.S. sovereignty."

And that is the core issue.

Sovereignty surrendered to the United Nations or to any other governing body whether it be through resolutions or trade agreements, is not compatible with the U.S. Constitution which in Article 4, Section 4 guarantees to each state a "republican form of government." (Read more)
- Lord, we thank You that the US will no longer be forced to comply with an agreement that destroys our sovereignty. Let us be free to choose whom we allow to enter and whom we do not for the safety of all US citizens.

- "The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, their own foot is caught." (Psalm 9: 15)

3. Trump shrinks Utah monuments created by Obama, Clinton - Fox news

Capping months of speculation, President Trump on Monday signed a pair of executive orders to significantly shrink two of Utah's national monuments - Bears Ears and the Grand Staircase-Escalante - that were created by his Democratic predecessors. The controversial move was pitched by Trump as a win for states' rights and follows an April review conducted by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on the boundaries of large national monuments. The review initially looked at more than two dozen sites designated by presidential decree since the 1990s.

"I know you love this land the best and you know how to protect it and you know how to conserve this land for many, many generations to come," Trump told a group of people at Utah's Capitol in Salt Lake City. "They don't know your land. They don't care for your land like you do."

Trump's presidential proclamations cut Bears Ears by 85 percent and Grand Staircase-Escalante in half. The action is also likely to trigger a legal battle that could alter the government's approach to conservation. Utah's congressional and state leaders lobbied the president to reduce the size of the monuments so the state would have more control on what can be done on the land. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah praised the announcement and said Trump was giving the people of Utah "a voice in the process. (Read more)
- Lord, this action is almost sure to create lawsuits as the President simply returned some of the land back to the people for recreational use, but the narrative is making him look like a monster. We ask that You preserve the rights of the citizens in this matter, and protect Your will regarding these monuments.

- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5)

4. Senator: It's time for US military families to leave South Korea - Military Times

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that he believes it's time to start moving the families of American military personnel out of South Korea as North Korea pushes the U.S. closer to a military conflict. Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he will also urge the Pentagon not to send any more dependents to South Korea.

"It's crazy to send spouses and children to South Korea, given the provocation of North Korea. South Korea should be an unaccompanied tour," the South Carolina Republican said on CBS' "Face the Nation." ″So, I want them to stop sending dependents, and I think it's now time to start moving American dependents out of South Korea."

About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to deter potential aggression from the North. (Read more)
- Lord, it is difficult for our service members to be without their families, as so many thousands of them already have been in other parts of the world. We pray Your covering of wisdom, and comfort to the decision makers in this situation.

- "Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me." (Psalm 17:8b,9)

5. Devin Nunes, House Intel Committee Prepare to Find FBI in Contempt for Mueller Cover-up - Breitbart

House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has instructed committee staff to prepare to cite the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in contempt of Congress after the agency failed to turn over documents explaining why agent Peter Strzok had been removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

Byron York of the Washington Examiner reported Saturday that the committee had subpoenaed the FBI in August for information about why Strzok was dropped from Mueller's team. Over the next three months, the FBI repeatedly refused to turn over the requested information. Nunes met and spoke to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, York reported, to no avail. Nunes and the committee continued to pursue the matter right up through Friday, Dec. 1.

The following day, the New York Times and the Washington Post reported that Strzok had been kicked off Mueller's team because of anti-Trump text messages that he was found to have exchanged with FBI lawyer Lisa Page during the 2016 presidential election. Strzok had also worked on the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's storage of emails, including classified information, on an illicit private server. She was not prosecuted. (Read more)
- Lord we pray that every illicit hidden secret within the FBI be revealed, and that justice will prevail over their actions.

"For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." (Isaiah 30:18c)

6. Trump now voices full support for Roy Moore - One News Now

President Donald Trump endorsed embattled Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race on Monday, looking past sexual misconduct allegations against the GOP candidate to argue that his vote is needed in Congress.

Trump tweeted early Monday that "Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama." It was Trump's strongest show of support for Moore since allegations surfaced that the candidate had sexually assaulted teenage girls decades ago, including one who said he molested her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s. Many national Republicans have called on Moore to step aside in the wake of multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations.

Shortly after Trump's tweet, Moore responded on Twitter: "Thankful for President Trump's support. The America First agenda will #MAGA. Can't wait to help him #DrainTheSwamp."

Trump also had assailed Moore's Democratic rival Doug Jones, tweeting that "Putting a Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Puppet Jones into office in Alabama would hurt our great Republican Agenda of low on taxes, tough on crime, strong on military and borders . . . & so much more." (Read more)
- Lord, all of the allegations against him are decades old, and who among us all doesn't have things we are shamed of in our past? We pray against the dirty tactics used against Mr. Moore. We ask that You will search the hearts of the two men running for the Alabama seat, and choose whom You will to win.

- "For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds." (Psalm 7:9c)

7. Soros Army in Alabama to Register Convicted Felons to Vote Against Roy Moore - Breitbart

An organization partnered with a George Soros-financed group and led by a radical leftist who is the half-brother of the infamous controversial Rev. Al Sharpton has been diligently working over the past few weeks to register convicted felons across Alabama. The aim of the effort has been to get as many felons as possible on the roster before last Monday, the deadline to register in order to vote in Alabama's Dec. 12 senate special election that pits Republican Roy Moore against Democratic challenger Doug Jones. The man spearheading the campaign has stated outright that his effort is meant to ensure a Democratic victory in Alabama. The thousands of felons reportedly newly registered over the past few weeks were most likely not included in any recent polling on the Alabama senate race put out by major firms. Jones himself is tied to some of the specific organizations associated with the drive to register felons here. Indeed, as Breitbart News first reported, Jones spearheaded a project for a massively Soros-financed legal activist group demanding full voting rights be given to felons released from prison, including those convicted of murder, rape and other violent crimes. (Read more)
- Father, we ask that You put an end to these plots by George Soros against all that is righteous. We pray that every plan he makes be thwarted and all Your enemies be scattered.

- "For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for behold Your enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered." (Psalm 92:9)

8. Former N.S.A. Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Information - NYT

A former National Security Agency employee admitted on Friday that he had illegally taken from the agency classified documents believed to have subsequently been stolen from his home computer by hackers working for Russian intelligence. Nghia H. Pho, 67, of Ellicott City, Md., pleaded guilty to one count of willful retention of national defense information, an offense that carries a possible 10-year sentence. Prosecutors agreed not to seek more than eight years, however, and Mr. Pho's attorney, Robert C. Bonsib, will be free to ask for a more lenient sentence. He remains free while awaiting sentencing on April 6.

Mr. Pho had been charged in secret, though some news reports had given a limited description of the case. Officials unsealed the charges on Friday, resolving the long-running mystery of the defendant's identity.

Mr. Pho, who worked as a software developer for the N.S.A., was born in Vietnam but is a naturalized United States citizen. Prosecutors withheld from the public many details of his government work and of the criminal case against him, which is linked to a continuing investigation of Russian hacking. (Read more)
- Father, we pray a hedge of protection around any documents that Mr Pho might have taken. We thank You for deleting any negative plans from whoever stole the documents, and protect every inch of the classified information in them from all foreign governments.

- "Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant, but he does not know that the dead are there." (Proverbs 9:17,18a)

9. Half of Yazidis kidnapped by IS still missing - al-Monitor

Around half of the Yazidis kidnapped by the Islamic State group three years ago are still missing, Iraqi Kurdish officials said Sunday. In 2014, IS jihadists killed thousands of Yazidis in Sinjar and kidnapped thousands of women and girls from the religious minority to abuse them as sex slaves.

Kurdish fighters backed by the US-led coalition against IS captured Sinjar from the jihadists in November 2015 before Iraqi security forces took control of the region in October. A top official with the ministry of religious affairs of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq said that some 6,417 Yazidis were abducted by the jihadists from August 3, 2014. Up until December 1, 2017, only 3,207 of them have been rescued or managed to flee their captors, said Khairi Bozani. The remaining 3,210 Yazidis -- including 1,507 women or girls -- were still either held by the jihadists or considered miss ing, he told AFP. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for Your deliverance and mercy over these captives, and for a move of Your Holy Spirit among them and their jailers. The damage that has been done to them cannot be over emphasized- so we pray Your healing touch emotionally and physically.

- "You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah." (Psalm 32:7)

10. Ancient forbidden Christian text of Jesus' 'secret teachings' to his 'brother' found - Fox News

Biblical scholars have discovered the first-known original Greek copy of an ancient forbidden Christian text that purportedly describes Jesus' secret teachings to his "brother" James, an early leader of the Church.

Geoffrey Smith and Brent Landau, religious studies scholars at The University of Texas at Austin, located the rare text in Oxford University archives earlier this year. The experts found several fifth- or sixth-century A.D. Greek fragments of the First Apocalypse of James, one of the books from an ancient collection known as the Nag Hammadi library. Previously, the text was thought to be preserved only via translations in the Egyptian Coptic language.

Only a small number of texts from the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of 13 Coptic Gnostic books discovered in Egypt in 1945, have been found in Greek, their original language of composition. Also known as the "Gnostic Gospels," the books are seen as key documents for understanding Gnosticism, an ancient belief system. (Read more)
- Lord, these doctrines were considered "forbidden" for a reason. We believe the Word of God - Jesus was real, the Son of God, the Lamb - God's perfect offspring- who was sacrificed for our sins so that we might have eternal life.

- "God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, received up in glory. Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 3:16b, Chapter 4:1)

The Daily Brief: Monday, December 4th, 2017

The Daily Brief: Monday, December 4th, 2017

1. After victorious Senate vote, GOP leaders confident about tax reform, avoiding shutdown - Fox News

Senate Republican leaders on Sunday touted a GOP-led Congress perhaps finally in sync and ready to hit two key deadlines -- approving a spending bill to keep the government from shutting down after Friday and the House and Senate agreeing on landmark tax-reform legislation by Christmas.

"We're not that far apart," Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Republican Policy Committee," told "Fox News Sunday" about the chambers' separate tax overhaul measures.

House and Senate lawmakers return to Capitol Hill on Monday to begin working on a compromise bill -- just two days after GOP senators narrowly approved their chamber's plan on a 51-to-49 vote. The House, which has a larger Republican majority, approved its version last month. (Read more)
- Father, we continue to lift up this bill as it moves today into conference committee, where the language of the House and Senate versions can be merged into one new tax reform package. We ask for strength, energy, wisdom and insight to rest upon these members as they take the next and final step towards passage in Congress. Amen.

- "I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight . . ." (Isaiah 45:2)

2. Holder, Comey fight Trump's FBI slam: 'Not letting this go' - Fox News

ormer Attorney General Eric Holder and ex-FBI Director James Comey fired back Sunday at President Trump, who claimed the FBI's reputation is in "tatters" after its handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. "Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI's reputation is not in 'tatters,'" Holder, who served as attorney general under President Obama, tweeted. "It's composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job." Holder added, "You'll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now," referring to the White House. Trump earlier Sunday said that "after years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in history! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness." (Read more)
- Father, we thank You that You have placed a man in the Oval Office who is a fighter, and who will not give up until all the evidence has come to light, and truth prevails. We ask continued strength, grace, wisdom and insight to rest upon President Trump as he works to make America great again. Amen.

- "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

3. Trump court pick Kyle Duncan is the Neil Gorsuch of Louisiana - The Hill

President Trump has consistently nominated men and women with diamond-studded legal resumes and rock-solid commitments to the rule of law rather than rule of judges. Conservatives and Republicans are united in their high praise for the president's inspired picks for the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeal.

Indeed, it's not too much to say that Kyle Duncan, Trump's pick for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and whom I know personally and professionally, is the Neil Gorsuch of Louisiana. Not only do they both come with prodigious academic and legal resumes, but they also share a judicial philosophy. They believe that judges must follow our laws and the Constitution - and not base decisions on their own moral preferences or policy positions. They are both keen on protecting religious freedom within the confines of our Constitution. In addition, Duncan and Gorsuch have that gift of being able to boil complex legal issues down to the basics, and explain in terms the general public can appreciate. It's time for the Senate to give Duncan a hearing and an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. (Read more)
- Dear Lord, we thank You that President Trump has picked such well qualified candidates to fill the many judicial vacancies open. We pray that You will work to remove the blockages that are holding these candidates back from being quickly approved. Father, we pray for more and more right-minded, capable men and women be placed in these important positions.

- "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment." (Psalms 37:30)

4. U.S. Third-Quarter Growth Revised to Three-Year High of 3.3% - Bloomberg

The latest results for GDP, the value of all goods and services produced, show the economy withstood major hurricanes to reach a more solid footing as it entered the final stretch of the year, thanks to stronger business spending that's helping cushion a softer pace of consumption. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday, just before the GDP report, that the expansion is "increasingly broad based across sectors as well as across much of the global economy."

While the revised growth rate is in line with President Donald Trump's goal, economists generally see such a pace as unsustainable and expect growth to slow sometime in 2018. Trump and congressional Republicans are pushing a tax-cut plan with the aim of lifting GDP gains to 3 percent annually, though analysts expect any economic boost to be modest, on balance, if the proposal becomes law. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy, continues to be the main driver of growth, though revisions showed it was slightly weaker than previously estimated on purchases of both durable and nondurable goods. (Read more)
- Thank you, Father, for these great figures. We are so encouraged to see these results as we pray for our new president who is surely making America great again, amen.

- "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord!" (Psalm 150:6)

5. The Soros District Attorney-Buying Binge - FrontPageMag

Left-wing currency manipulator George Soros's push to radically reshape the judiciary and elect extremist district attorneys across the country to weaken law enforcement and protect lawless sanctuary cities is bearing fruit. Soros has been pouring money into local elections because he supports local efforts to resist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and wants to cripple police in order to advance the neo-Marxist abstraction known as social justice that simplistically breaks the world down into race, class, and sex or gender.

Getting people who share Soros's worldview into public office at every level is key to promoting his ugly vision of how America, which he calls "the main obstacle to a stable and just world order," should look. According to a Daily Signal analysis, in the 2016 election cycle Soros shelled out almost $11 million in 12 DA races. Democrat candidates backed by Soros ended up winning in 10 of those dozen contests. Soros has also funded district attorney candidates in Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Soros's plans for sweeping local district attorney races in 2018 was discussed last Friday at the four-day meeting of the super-rich leftists of the Democracy Alliance at upscale La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif. The Democracy Alliance, which Soros co-founded, is a donors' collaborative whose members secretly fund left-wing political infrastructure projects, such as think tanks, leadership institutes, and activist groups. (Read more)
- Lord, George Soros has a lot of money that he is using for evil against You and everything that our national pledge states, " . . .one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." We pray that George Soros will come to repentance. Let the scales fall from his eyes so he can see You clearly to turn to Your ways and plans for his life. If he doesn't choose You deal with him as You will. In the name of Jesus. The name above all names!

- "Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth." (Proverbs 17:24)

6. Why Roy Moore Matters - Buchanan.org

Why would Christian conservatives in good conscience go to the polls Dec. 12 and vote for Judge Roy Moore, despite the charges of sexual misconduct with teenagers leveled against him? Answer: That Alabama Senate race could determine whether Roe v. Wade is overturned. The lives of millions of unborn may be the stakes.

Republicans now hold 52 Senate seats. If Democrats pick up the Alabama seat, they need only two more to recapture the Senate, and with it the power to kill any conservative court nominee, as they killed Robert Bork. Today, the GOP, holding Congress and the White House, has a narrow path to capture the Third Branch, the Supreme Court, and to dominate the federal courts for a decade. (Read more)
- Father, Judge Roy Moore made his stand for all to see that he is a Christian when he refused the removal of the Ten Commandments from his courtroom. Bless this man as he is innocent of any misconduct. As the December 12 Alabama Senate elections approach, let every voter be led by the Holy Spirit to guide their vote. Your way is the only way to keep conservatives in control of the Senate. Thank You for guiding this election.

- " . . . because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)

7. Terry McAuliffe And Tony Rodham Sued Over Green Card Investment 'Scam' - Daily Caller

A group of Chinese investors is suing Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the brother of Hillary Clinton, saying they were defrauded of $17 million in a cash-for-green card "scam." The investors filed suit in Fairfax Co., Va. circuit court last week, Politico first reported. The suit alleges that McAuliffe and Clinton's youngest brother, Anthony Rodham, "exploited" the 32 investors by promising to "leverage . . . political connections" to ensure that their visa applications "will get to the top of the pile, and then be approved."

The green cards were to be granted as part of the federal government's EB-5 visa program. The program grants legal immigration status to foreign nationals who invest at least $500,000 in American companies. Companies must meet certain criteria regarding job creation in order for their investors to qualify for immigration benefits. The 32 Chinese investors say they paid $560,000 apiece in 2012 and 2013 to invest in GreenTech, an electric car company controlled by McAuliffe and Rodham. (Read more)
- Father, we pray that if McAuliffe and Rodham defrauded the Chinese then they should be held accountable. Reveal the truth and bring to light what actually took place.

- "Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel." (Proverbs 20:17)

8. The Air Force admits the Texas church shooter was 'not an isolated incident' - and it's investigating 60,000 cases that could be similar - Business Insider

An Air Force review has found that the branch failed to report "several dozen" service members found guilty of violent offenses to the federal gun background check database, with representatives of the service telling the New York Times that the reporting failure that allowed disgraced airman Devin Patrick Kelley to purchase the firearms he used to murder 26 parishioners in a Sutherland Springs, Texas, church on Nov. 5 "was not an isolated incident."

In the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting, the Department of Defense determined that Kelley's 2012 court-martial conviction for beating his wife and infant son should have disqualified him from purchasing firearms, but he was not reported to the FBI for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), the database for firearms-related background checks for private dealers and state outlets. The Air Force review found that since 2002, a whopping 60,000 incidents involving airmen that "potentially" merited inclusion in NICS went unaddressed, according to the New York Times.

Under federal law, anyone dishonorably discharged from the armed forces is prohibited from possessing or receiving firearms or ammo transported across state lines. The 1996 Lautenberg amendment that extends that prohibition to military personnel with domestic violence convictions. (Read more)
- Father, we see this is the season of You revealing those things that are displeasing to you and the laxity of the Air Force in reporting the violent crimes of this shooter is one of them. We thank You for the honesty they have shown and the plans they have to remedy this error. We pray that they will take care of this error with great speed. Above that, Lord, we pray that men would cease their evil ways and turn to You to solve their problems.

- "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;" (Proverbs 27:23)

9. Benghazi victims' relatives outraged over Khatalla verdict - Fox News

Family members of two victims of the 2012 Benghazi attack lashed out Tuesday after a suspected Libyan militant was cleared of the most serious charges against him, with one relative calling the verdict "a miscarriage of justice." Ahmed Abu Khattala, 46, was convicted by a federal jury on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted on 14 others, including murder. Tyrone Woods' father, Charles, told Fox News the verdict was "outrageous," and compared Khatalla to a getaway driver who is "just as guilty as the robber who kills the bank teller. I am very bothered by the fact the U.S. government gave constitutional rights and due process rights to a foreign national who allegedly killed Americans outside the U.S.," Woods added.

Pat Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, told Fox News she was "not surprised" and "not happy" with the Khatalla verdict. "I think the people who bear responsibility -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- aren't even touched," said Smith, who has repeatedly criticized Clinton for her response to the deadly attack. I am his mother. He was 34 years old, but he was still my baby," Smith said at the time. "I know what the government thinks of me, and I think just that much of the government - it stinks. This is how you get treated by the government, or, at least the way you used to." (Read more)
- Father, we are disturbed at this miscarriage of justice and call on You to arrange for Your kind of justice in this situation. We ask that our dead heroes would be honored by a verdict rendered by a more appropriate court system. We pray that You would work in this situation to bring closure to the hurting families and that the end result of this terrorist's actions would be a warning to others throughout the world who want to terrorize our country.

- "I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and every work." (Ecclesiastes 3:17)

10. Prominent Scientist Censured for Suggesting Faith-Based Theory of Evolution - Breaking Israel News

Over the last year, Dr. Günter Bechly went from being a respected member of the scientific community to a pariah, losing his position as a museum curator and having his Wikipedia page removed, for the crime of combining faith and science. The battle against the Bible is being played out in the media and many scientists complain that in the end, the search for truth is the ultimate victim.

"I have not become a Christian in spite of being a scientist but because of it," Dr. Bechly wrote on his website. "My conversion was based on a critical evaluation of empirical data and philosophical arguments, following the evidence wherever it leads." This initiated a process in which Dr. Bechly realized that random mutation and evolutionary theory could not explain many of his own findings in paleontology. As a true scientist, his theories changed to conform to his observations. In a blog post in 2015, Dr. Bechly rejected Darwinian evolution. (Read more)
- Father, thank you for opening the eyes and heart of Dr. Bechly. We are sorry that he has lost his position but intercede on his behalf, that You provide him with a better job. You are Jehovah Jireh, his provider. We pray that he is a light to others that will bring more scientists into the kingdom.

- "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us . . . " (Ephesians 3:20)

The Daily Brief: Monday, November 27, 2017

The Daily Brief: Monday, November 27, 2017

1. ISIS Attack in Egyptian Mosque Kills Over 300 - Breaking Israel News

At least 305 people were killed when the Rawdah Sufi mosque in Bir al Abed in the northern Sinai was attacked on Friday by 25-30 ISIS militants armed with automatic rifles. 27 children were among the dead and an additional 128 people were injured.

The attackers drove up to the mosque in five SUV's and took positions at the entrances. An explosive was set off in the building adjacent to the mosque and the Islamists killed worshippers as they exited the mosque. The attackers, wearing military fatigues, had heavy machine guns and had long beards and hair. At least one man was carrying a flag of the Islamic State (ISIS), which later took credit for the attack. The assailants continued their assault, firing on ambulances as they arrived.

The mosque marks the birthplace of the founder of Sufism. Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam Islamists consider to be heretical. ISIS has targeted Sufis in the past and has also killed more than 100 Coptic Christians in Egypt in the past year. (Read more)

See also: Report: Egypt Mosque Attackers Carried ISIS Flags - Daily Caller

The militants who carried out a massive terror attack on an Egyptian mosque were carrying Islamic State flags, the country's chief prosecutor said Saturday. Nabil Sadeq also said that the death toll had risen to 305 people, including 27 children, making it the deadliest terrorist incident in Egypt's modern history.

In a coordinated attack during Friday prayer services, Islamic militants bombed the al-Rawdah mosque in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and opened fire on worshipers as they tried to flee to safety. Survivors told Sadeq's office that the attack was carried out by 25 to 30 militants wearing masks and military-style uniforms, reports ABC News.

As of Saturday afternoon, ISIS had not formally claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIS-aligned militants are entrenched in the Sinai Peninsula and have clashed with Egyptian security forces there for several years. The al-Rawdah mosque is frequently attended by Sufi Muslims, a mystic school of Islam considered heretical by Sunni Islamic militants, including ISIS. Although past ISIS attacks in Sinai have targeted Egyptian troops and police, as well as Christian churches, the terror group has struck Sufis in other countries such as Iraq.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former armed forces commander, has promised the "utmost force" in retribution for Friday's attack. "What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism," Sisi said Friday in a televised address, according to the BBC. "The armed forces and the police will avenge our martyrs and restore security and stability with the utmost force." Egyptian officials said Saturday that the military had carried out air strikes and raids overnight against militants believed to be responsible. (Read more)
- Father, we mourn for those killed in this attack in a mosque in Egypt. As the people of Islam turn against each other, seeking to destroy each other, we ask that You, O Holy One, would reveal Yourself to them for salvation, bringing your peace. We ask this in Your name, amen.

- (Please study Ephesians 2:14-17)

2. Syria peace talks: Putin discusses political solution with Erdogan & Rouhani amid ISIS demise - RT

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a meeting in Sochi with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Hassan Rouhani of Iran to share their views on Syrian reconciliation. The three countries previously agreed to be guarantors of the Syrian peace process.

Welcoming his dignitary guests, Putin said the meeting comes at a crucial moment in the Syrian armed conflict, when there is an opportunity to end it.

"The militants in Syria have sustained a decisive blow, and now there is a realistic chance to end the multiyear civil war," he said. This would require giving the Syrians a period of peace, during which they would be able to settle their differences, Putin added. This will require compromise by all parties in Syria, both the government and the rebels, he stressed.

The three leaders "are planning to discuss further steps to ensure long-term stability in this country" amid "the successes in combatting terrorism and visible reduction of violence in Syria," the Kremlin statement said.

Previously, Putin also held telephone conversations with US President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow and Washington had reached "a fairly sustainable cooperation" on Syria, though there were "huge problems in condemning terrorists and extremists." (Read more)
- Father, as we gaze upon the photo shown in this article, our blood almost runs cold. We see a smiling Vladimir Putin, standing in between Iran's Rouhani (on his left) and Turkey's Erdogan (on his right), with the flags of all three nations lined up behind them.

Could this new alliance between Turkey, Iran and Russia signal the beginning of what will soon become the Ezekiel 38 war between Gog and Magog?

Father, help us to prepare our hearts for this hour, and help us reach as many souls as we can for You, while there is still time. Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayer, amen and amen.

- "All the people shall keep the watch of the Lord." (2 Chronicles 23:6)

3. The GOP Tax Plan's Number One Goal: Back to Growth - The National Interest The "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" has passed the House of Representatives, and the Senate will vote on its version of the legislation the week after Thanksgiving. Should both bills pass and the bodies agree on a final compromise legislative wording, it will change the American economy, American politics and the world. Just what single piece of legislation could be that powerful? The outlines of the tax reform/tax reduction bills are known. And the likelihood of final passage is as certain as anything can be in Washington, DC, as the House and Senate bills and the president's vision all live within the "framework" agreed upon months ago. The only real differences are in timing and focus. The corporate rate will drop from 35 percent-the highest in the industrialized world-down to 20 percent. After-tax cash flow for $100 in earnings will increase from $65 to $80-a 23 percent increase. Imagine what that will do to the stock market valuations. American competitiveness will allow firms to stay in the United States, rather than continuing to be at risk of purchase by foreign companies that enjoy lower corporate tax rates. And Americans will join the rest of the world in adopting a territorial tax system that allows us to repatriate American business earnings without penalty. (Read more)
- Our Father, we thank You for the GOP tax plan. It seems better for America and our people. We pray that this plan will have Your hand on it to lead the Senate when they, too, vote on this bill. Let there be nothing hidden in this legislation, we pray. In Your Name, amen.

- "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." (Proverbs 25:2)

4. Uranium One noose is tightening - American Thinker

Now that the FBI's informant on the Uranium One deal has been outed and the nondisclosure agreement formerly muzzling him abrogated, it is possible to see the outlines of the devastating case to be made against not just Hillary Clinton, but the entire Obama administration.

Two intrepid reporters, John Solomon of The Hill and Sara Carter of Circa News and Sinclair Broadcasting, are gaining access to some of the reported 50,000 documents in the possession of William Campbell, the whistleblower who went to the FBI with the scary details of what appeared to him to be an illegal attempt by Russian entities to take over the world uranium market, including even the uranium resources in our ground.

The Russian plot to "control global energy resources" was reported by Campbell to the FBI a year prior to approval of the acquisition. There is every reason to expect - and the proof would be available to congressional investigators or (cough) a special counsel or U.S. attorney - that this information was passed up the chain to A.G. Eric Holder and even President Obama.

Yet CFIUS - the group of agency heads that must approve such transactions on which Holder and Hillary sat - went ahead and approved this sale that the U.S. knew was part of a Russian plot to control the world uranium and energy markets. (Read more)
- Father God, we praise You that this wicked deed is coming to light and being evaluated for its affect on our country. We pray that You would direct the paths of those who are looking into all the documents involved and that Your kind of justice would be done. We pray this would bring a new level of uprightness to those who work in our government.

- "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." (Proverbs 16:6)

5. FBI Investigating House Democrat For Paying His Opponent To Drop Out Of Race - ZeroHedge

The FBI is investigating Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Bob Brady for conspiracy, false statements and campaign in relation to payments his campaign allegedly made to 2012 primary opponent Jimmie Moore in order to persuade him to drop out of the race, court documents reviewed by The Daily Caller show. FBI special agent Jonathan R. Szeliga filed a search warrant request on November 1 in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for all emails associated with Brady's campaign email, BobCongress@Aol.com

Szeliga asserted he had "probable cause to believe that Kenneth Smukler, Robert Brady, Donald 'D.A.' Jones, Jimmie Moore, and Carolyn Cavaness and others known and unknown have committed violations" including charges of conspiracy, false statements, producing false records, causing false campaign contribution reports and violating limits on campaign contributions and expenditures. (Read more)
- Father, we see that an FBI investigation will determine if Rep. Bob Brady violated the law during his campaign by paying his opponent to drop out of the race. In Your name, let all things hidden be revealed. We give You honor an glory.

- "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13)

6. White House confident Mick Mulvaney trumps outgoing director's pick to head CFPB - Washington Examiner

The White House insisted Saturday that President Trump has the authority to appoint a successor to temporarily oversee the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rather than a former acting director. The White House had sought council from the Office of Legal Counsel within the Department of Justice, which weighs in on decisions to guide the executive branch on what is legal and what is not. The dispute over who is in charge of the agency began when two officials were appointed to the post Friday.

Trump said Friday that he was naming White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney to the post temporarily, but outgoing CFPB Director Richard Cordray announced he was tapping his chief of staff, Leandra English, to be his successor.

The CFPB was established during the financial crisis that began in 2007 to set regulations on consumer finance products, like credit cards and auto loans. Republicans want to revamp the agency because they say it is responsible for saddling banks with unnecessary regulations, while Democrats have tried to stave off the influence of the Trump administration on CFPB. Asked whether the case would end up in court, a senior administration official replied, "We're hoping that it doesn't." The official continued, "We have gone out of our way to avoid a legal battle with Cordray and his actions show he is trying to provoke one." (Read more)
- Father God, President Trump has appointed Mike Mulvaney to temporarily fill the position as overseer of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This appointment has been met with opposition. Let the president lend His ear to You for guidance as he chooses the right person to permanently fill this important position. Thank You, Lord.

- "Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, "What are you doing?" (Ecclesiastes 8:4)

7. Judicial Watch: New FBI Records Show FBI Leadership's Conflicts of Interest Discussions on Clinton Email Investigation - Judicial Watch

Judicial Watch today released 79 pages of Justice Department documents concerning ethics issues related to FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe's involvement with his wife's political campaign. The documents include an email showing Mrs. McCabe was recruited for a Virginia state senate race in February 2015 by then-Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam's office.

The news that Clinton used a private email server broke five days later, on March 2, 2015. Five days after that, former Clinton Foundation board member and Democrat party fundraiser, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, met with the McCabes. She announced her candidacy on March 12. Soon afterward, Clinton/McAuliffe-aligned political groups donated nearly $700,000 (40% of the campaign's total funds) to McCabe's wife for her campaign.

An October 23, 2016, email shows McCabe running the response effort to a Wall Street Journal article that was published that day, titled "Clinton Ally Aided Campaign of FBI Official's Wife." McCabe provides Michael Kortan, the assistant director of Public Affairs, his version of a timeline of events surrounding the Clinton investigation and his wife's campaign. McCabe said he contacted then-FBI Chief of Staff Chuck Roseburg about Jill McCabe's candidacy and was told that "the D [Comey] has no issue with it."

(Judicial Watch earlier this month released documents showing that McCabe finally did recuse himself from the Clinton investigation only a week before last year's presidential election.) (Read more)
- Father, we see the laws of our country and Your laws of righteousness being violated from one agency to another and up and down the agencies. Lord, we thank You for those who search out the truth and publish the doings of those to whom is entrusted the enforcing of our laws. We pray right now for a thorough cleansing of all these agencies that are now corrupted with evil intentions and alliances. Lord, fill our government with those who respect and obey our laws and have Your laws written on their hearts.

- "Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from excepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil; he will dwell on the heights," (Isaiah 33:15-16a)

8. Washington Post reporter caught plotting liberal agenda with billionaire George Soros - Fox News

Allegedly unbiased Washington Post reporter Janell Ross spoke at a top-secret meeting of liberal movers and shakers last week, where Democratic donors including billionaire George Soros outlined the future of their progressive agenda. The Democracy Alliance, which hosted the event, bills itself as "the largest network of donors dedicated to building the progressive movement in the United States" on the group's official website. The liberal group also claims to "play a leading role in fostering the infrastructure necessary to advance a progressive agenda" in the United States.

The group intended to keep "the identities of its members and guests confidential," according to the Beacon, but the paper obtained a "detailed conference agenda that lists both events and featured guests." Once the Beacon revealed the attendees, the group reportedly beefed up security and asked participants to keep details off social media. One of the surprising guests was Ross, who used to pass as a somewhat impartial reporter for the prestigious Post. While the paper's slogan is, "Democracy Dies in Darkness," she apparently wanted to keep her bosses in the dark about attending the liberal planning session and hanging out with prominent Democratic donors such as Soros. (Read more)
- Precious Lord, we are appalled that this woman is participating in an activity that aims at controlling freedom in America, which would include freedom of the press. Lord, open her eyes and the eyes of all the participants to the fact that no one will be better off if socialists and communists take over. We speak utter failure to all these plans made in secret and promoted and funded by those who do not love You and do not love America.

- "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin." (Isaiah 30:1)

9. Trump's biggest win yet comes thanks to Congress - CNBC

President Donald Trump should give special thanks to two U.S. Senators this Thanksgiving weekend. One is still serving in the Senate, the other recently retired. One is a Republican. The other a Democrat. And what should President Trump be thanking them for? Quite simply they have handed him one of the biggest victories any president could claim in the past 45 years. Yes, this has happened even as one of the most widely covered stories of the past year has been President Trump's difficulties in working with Congress.

The growing rift between him and Republican Senators John McCain, Jeff Flake, and Bob Corker alone has made headlines for months. For a U.S. president to have this many public feuds with senators from his own party this early in his presidency is really unprecedented and makes for hot news copy.

But that story ignores a bigger and longer-lasting development in the federal judiciary. That brings us first to naming the Republican gift giver: Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa. The longtime member of Congress has big time clout as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. And Grassley has just used that clout to eliminate one of the final hurdles in the already furious pace of Trump administration judicial appointments to the federal bench.

Late last week, Grassley decided not to honor a Senate tradition of holding up hearings for judicial nominees who aren't cleared by their own home state senators. That tradition is known as the "blue slip courtesy" born out of time before nationwide communication technology when a given state's senators had access to much more information about nominees than their colleagues from the rest of the country.

Grassley correctly noted that Democrats were now trying to use the blue slips tradition to replace the filibuster, and he's having none of that. As recently as last month, the Democrats and much of the news media's punditry were expecting Grassley, who is no fan of the president, to keep the blue slip tradition in place. But Grassley gave Trump this very special gift instead.

And that brings us to the Democrat who provided the initial generous source of President Trump's solid triumph: Former Senate Majority Leader, and Democrat, Harry Reid. Reid is a major reason this good fortune has befallen President Trump because Reid was the one who killed the filibuster rule for judicial nominees in 2013. And when he killed it, it was gone for good. (Read more)
- Father, in ancient Greece, we learn the story of the Gordian knot -- a knot that was tied around an enemy to keep him "frozen in place" and unable to move. According to this history, the only way to loosen this intractable knot was to cut it off completely.

We thank You, Father God, that Your angels have now cut off this Gordian knot from our Senate rules, so that much of the President's agenda -- including filling judicial appointments -- can now move forward. Amen!

- "The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked." (Psalm 129:4)

10. Diplomats Sound the Alarm as They Are Pushed Out in Droves - New York Times

. . .The departures mark a new stage in the broken and increasingly contentious relationship between Mr. Tillerson and much of his department's work force. By last spring, interviews at the time suggested, the guarded optimism that greeted his arrival had given way to concern among diplomats about his aloofness and lack of communication. By the summer, the secretary's focus on efficiency and reorganization over policy provoked off-the-record anger.

Now the estrangement is in the open, as diplomats going out the door make their feelings known and members of Congress raise questions about the impact of their leaving.

In a letter to Mr. Tillerson last week, Democratic members of the House Foreign Relations Committee, citing what they said was "the exodus of more than 100 senior Foreign Service officers from the State Department since January," expressed concern about "what appears to be the intentional hollowing-out of our senior diplomatic ranks." (Read more)
- Father, we thank You that those angels are now working overtime to "drain the swamp" in Washington, D.C., making our city new and clean. We pray prayers of protection for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as he continues to work to get this job done, in Your Name, Abba, amen.

- "No weapon formed against you shall prosper . . ." (Isaiah 54:17a)