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The Daily Brief:
An Online News Source for Intercessors
"Decreeing the Word of God Over the News of the Day"
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United We Stand Tuesday, July 28, 2026
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TODAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF 100 DAYS UNTIL THE DATE OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD.
IT IS TIME FOR ALL OF US TO "PRESS IN" EVEN HARDER TO SEE GOD'S CANDIDATES WIN THIS ELECTION!
We are pleased to let you know that PrayTheVote.org is once again available to help you find your state's election calendar, including registration methods and deadlines. Each day, we will share targeted election-related prayer items to keep our focus on the key issues and concerns facing our nation. (Source: Presidential Prayer Team)
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Join our Bible Readathon, every night except Sunday morning, from midnight to 6:00 a.m. Call 508-924-5411 (no access code). Our moderator will welcome you and invite you to share in our reading. Go here to learn more. Thank you.
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> > > Please go here to pray through today's 24/7 International Strategic Prayer Guide. You may also call in at any time to read these prayers with others by calling:
712-770-4340 Code: 543555 #.
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>>> Be sure to read today's thoughts on repentance by Pastor Jeff Daly | National Day of Repentance. Go Here.
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Start your day with us in WORSHIP to our King! Today's selection is ""I Will Choose Christ" by KathyTroccoli. Go here!
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Taliban doubles down on Sharia law,
but oppression is opening hearts to Jesus
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Afghanistan (MNN) — The Taliban says it will not back down from enforcing Sharia law despite international outcry. Vice and Virtue Minister Khalid Hanafi defended the arrest of women accused of not dressing appropriately, claiming that human rights in Afghanistan are protected under “Islamic principles.” Greg Yoder with ministry Keys for Kids says, “Many of the people who are Muslim within the nation, moderate or not, hate the Taliban. They don’t like that form of Islam.”
Since retaking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has required women to wear full-body veils and have male chaperones. The Taliban’s supreme leader has repeatedly called for complete obedience to his directives as a matter of national and religious obligation. Greg Yoder says he is hearing stories of portions of villages being wiped out for not agreeing with the Taliban’s form of Islam.
In a country of public floggings, oppression, and fear, people are looking for a message of hope. “But then when they hear about God being a loving God who wants to have a relationship with you — that’s beyond what they ever imagined in their form of Islam. That’s when it starts changing,” Yoder says. Keys for Kids distributes solar-powered MP3s called Storytellers that have an audio Bible. God opened the door for them into Afghanistan when a former member of the Taliban came to faith in Christ and started bringing the Storytellers across the border. (Mission Network News) Read More Here |
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Father, we Praise You for the testimonies of new believers in Afghanistan declaring Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life! We ask for a protective blood-covering upon our newly transformed brothers and sisters, as their testimony brings many others into Your holy Kingdom. Bless the 'Keys for Kids' ministry and those distributing audio bibles to share the gospel within communities. In the Name of Jesus and by the Blood of the Lamb, we declare an unveiling of minds, alongside an abundant harvest of genuine salvations in Jesus Christ. We give You all the GLORY! By the Name of Yeshua, we pray- Amen.
Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except thorough me." (John 14:6)
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Netanyahu: Iran ‘first and foremost’ on agenda during White House visit
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Iran would be “first and foremost” on the agenda during his upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
“I am on my way to Washington for a meeting with our friend, President Donald Trump,” said Netanyahu according to a statement released by his office before he departed from the Nevatim Air Force Base near Beersheva.
The prime minister said the visit would mark his eighth meeting with Trump since the U.S. president was elected to a second term in the White House, “more than any other world leader.”
“This is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility,” said Netanyahu. “From my experience as prime minister, during these complex times we must act with both great determination and great wisdom.”
“Our goal is to safeguard our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us,” he added. (JNS.org) Read more here.
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Lord we pray over this meeting and all those involved that it would be uplifting, positive, encouraging and productive. We pray Lord for wisdom for President Trump has he hosts P.M. Netanyahu. Give Bibi and the others who are making tough choices waging this war Your wisdom and the courage to do what’s right. We ask this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen.
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:6-8)
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‘Far More Than We Need’: Trump Dismisses Claims U.S. Is Short on Munitions in Iran Fight
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President Donald Trump dismissed reports that the United States is running short on munitions for the conflict with Iran, telling the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the U.S. military has “far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need” as his administration continued weighing diplomacy alongside the possibility of renewed military escalation.
Trump’s comments pushed back against reports from the New York Times and other outlets that concerns over declining stocks of Patriot and other air defense interceptors factored into internal deliberations over whether to expand the U.S. military campaign against Iran, even as the administration has emphasized that diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain underway.
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz reinforced Trump’s message, declaring that “the U.S. military, and I’ve verified this every which way, has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” while insisting Trump is “keeping all options on the table” as he gives negotiations “some space” to continue.
“I have to tell you, the people that are leaking this nonsense deserve to be in jail,” Waltz said on Meet the Press, while acknowledging that years of military support for Ukraine and operations against the Houthis had strained some inventories before President Donald Trump took office. Waltz argued the administration is rebuilding stockpiles while shifting toward newer, less expensive munitions and other emerging technologies. (Breitbart)
Read more here.
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Lord we continue to pray these escalations decrease and not increase. We pray for wisdom for our President and our military that they make righteous and just decisions about this war. We pray for everybody serving in our military that you would continue to give them boldness and the courage to do what is right. And we pray protection over them that they are supernaturally kept safe from all harm, in Jesus' name, amen.
“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7)
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U.S. Intelligence Says Mojtaba Khamenei ‘Far More’ Inclined to Pursue Nuclear Weapons
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President Donald Trump’s intelligence community has concluded that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is far more inclined than his father to pursue nuclear weapons, raising concerns that Tehran’s long-term nuclear ambitions may have hardened despite the devastating damage inflicted on its atomic program.
The assessment, first reported Friday by the New York Times and based largely on intelligence collected before the current war, found Mojtaba significantly less hesitant than his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, about pursuing a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. officials briefed on the intelligence.
Mojtaba assumed Iran’s highest office after his father was killed during the opening strikes of Operation Epic Fury. The younger Khamenei was reportedly seriously injured in the attack and has not been seen or heard from publicly since taking power, with officials telling the Times that his limited communications have made assessing his current intentions more difficult.
U.S. officials said they have seen no evidence that Iran has resumed nuclear enrichment or weaponization efforts since the conflict began. Instead, they believe Tehran has concentrated on preserving surviving nuclear assets and expertise that could eventually allow it to revive the program.
Rather than immediately rebuilding the facilities destroyed or heavily damaged during the war, Iran has reportedly sought to protect surviving components of its nuclear infrastructure, including equipment believed to have been moved toward the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz. (Breitbart) Read more here.
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As the corporate body of Christ, we continue to push back the darkness in the Middle East, and we continue to come against all division, strife, plots, schemes and plans of the enemy to create a hostile living environment and war in Jesus' name. We pray over Iran’s new leader that he would change his ways, humble himself, and choose to be different than his father and his family. We pray he will be a righteous and just leader in the Middle East, in Jesus' name, amen.
“Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.” (Psalm 44:5-8)
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Justice Department Deploys Election Monitors to Six States
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The Civil Division is working to ensure that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.
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Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced earlier this month that election monitors would be deployed to 15 jurisdictions in Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Virginia during the primary election season.
The assistant attorney general highlighted the longstanding practice of presidential administrations deploying election monitors, as they were sent to nine jurisdictions for the 2022 primaries and twenty-seven during the 2024 elections.
The Department of Justice also sent warning letters to election officials nationwide regarding the consequences of knowingly allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections. The letter stated that election officials “could be criminally prosecuted for aiding and abetting” noncitizen voting.
A department spokesperson stated, “The Department sent these letters to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, asking for voluntary compliance in a timely manner with their obligations under federal law to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections.” (Presidential
Prayer Team) Read more here.
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As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Assistant Attorney General Dhillon and Civil Division officials as they seek to ensure that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.
- For Acting Attorney General Blanche to be led by the Lord as he heads the Justice Department.
- For state election officials to be discerning in their administration of elections in their jurisdictions.
Sources: Newsweek, NBC News
(Prayers offered by the Presidential Prayer Team)
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Democrats, Republicans Mark 100 Days to Midterms With Different Messages
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The national party committees on both sides marked 100 days until the midterm elections on July 26 with a weekend series of memos, statements, and advertising announcements that framed the final three months of the campaign around largely different subjects. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Four Democratic committees—the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), and the Democratic National Committee (DNC)—built their statements around household costs.
Republican committees also made affordability claims and paired them with election security and arguments about the Democratic Party’s direction.
A July 26 DCCC memorandum states that the committee will “stay grounded in messaging that centers around the cost of living.”
“One hundred days out from Election Day, Senate Democrats are well-positioned to win the majority, with multiple paths to get there,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
“Across the map, we have strong Democratic candidates running formidable campaigns laser-focused on the issues that matter most to voters, from the affordability crisis that Republicans created to the healthcare access cliff Republicans built when they passed their billionaire tax giveaway bill one year ago.”
GOP Focuses on Elections, Socialism
Republican committees stated that Democratic policy would raise taxes and increase federal spending and directed much of their messaging at the Democratic Party’s direction.
“The stakes have never been higher,” said Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters.
“We know what Democrats will do if they take control: investigate, obstruct, impeach, and reverse all the progress Republicans have made for the American people. We have the resources, the candidates, and the best messenger in the history of our party—President Donald J. Trump. And in 100 days, Republicans will defy history and protect our majorities in Congress.”
“Democrats want to export New York’s ‘commie corridor’ to a state near you, bringing crippling tax hikes, dismantled law enforcement, and bloated government spending with it,” NRSC National press secretary Bernadette Breslin said. “Americans will reject Democrats’ socialist spending spree this November and elect Republicans committed to advancing an affordability agenda that keeps the American Dream within reach.” (The Epoch Times)
Read more here.
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We cover our upcoming midterm elections in the blood of Jesus that no harm or evil can come near them, in Jesus' name. We pray every seat in both the Senate and in the House is filled with a righteous individual. Protect our nation from unjust laws and arbitrary power. Raise up leaders and citizens who honor Your design for liberty and stewardship over every sacred right. In Your Name, Holy One, we offer this prayer, amen and amen!
“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11)
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1. Israel’s security agency warns Iran could target Israeli elections and candidates
- World Israel News
Shin Bet (Israel’s security agency) director David Zini cautioned during a meeting that Iran and other countries are attempting to meddle in and undermine the vote, Channel 13 reported on Monday.
Although he did not cite specific strategies used by saboteurs, those present said the Shin Bet chief looked “very disturbed” by the threat.
Kan news also said that officials expressed concern that Iran might plan actual attacks against candidates.
At a classified meeting of the Knesset Subcommittee for Intelligence and Secret Services, committee chairman Boaz Bismuth reportedly said the election season “will be a central target for enemies of Israel, and there is a substantial fear that elected officials and candidates will be physically harmed.” (Read more)
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2. Iran, Turkey seeking regime change in Israel via foreign interference, Likud MK tells 'Post' - Jerusalem Post
Likud MK Amit Halevi identified Iran and Turkey as the primary orchestrators of a strategic effort to sow internal division and achieve "regime change" in Jerusalem in an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
Halevi, a member of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, issued a stark warning regarding what he describes as sophisticated foreign intervention in Israel's domestic process.
While Israel’s use of paper ballots makes direct mechanical tampering with elections nearly impossible, Halevi emphasized that foreign actors can still influence the outcome.
(Read more)
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3. IDF: Drone shot down near Jordanian border, point of origin is unclear
- Times of Israel
IDF: A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force intercepted a UAV in the area of the Jordan border.
The Israeli Air Force intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near the Jordanian border a short while ago, the IDF says.
The UAV did not cross into Israeli territory, the IDF says, adding that “no sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.” (Read more)
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4. First Temple-period figurine mold uncovered in Jerusalem excavation - JNS
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare mold used to cast the face of a female figurine dating to the First Temple period—the first production mold of its kind ever found in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday.
The mold was found during excavations at the Kishle, a former Ottoman-era prison on the grounds of the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Dr. Amit Re’em and Dr. Ayala Zilberstein, who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, said the mold was uncovered while soil from First Temple-period fills was being sifted. “The Kishle excavation, which has been ongoing for several years, continues to surprise us time and again,” they said. (Read more)
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5. Twelve Torah scrolls stolen in targeted antisemitic break-in at synagogue near Paris - Jerusalem Post
Twelve torah scrolls were stolen on Sunday night from the Grand Synagogue of Levallois (ACCIL) on the outskirts of Paris, the synagogue's rabbi and the Jewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ) confirmed on Monday.
According to initial reports, two individuals broke into the building and stole the scrolls. This occurred despite the premises being protected by cameras and extensive surveillance systems.
Rabbi Chalom Lellouche said he discovered the theft on Monday morning while preparing to host a bar mitzvah. As soon as he reported it, SPCJ conducted a thorough search of the premises and then called the police. The investigation is ongoing. (Read more)
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1. Spanish PM warns of 'complex hours' ahead as wildfires displace 270,000 in Spain and France - BBC
Wildfires continue to burn in Europe, with hundreds of thousands displaced in France and Spain. Three fires have merged near the Spanish capital of Madrid; the interior ministry says just under 60,000 have been evacuated, with another 28,000 told to stay in their homes.
One person died after a separate fire near Valencia, according to local firefighters.
In France, 60,000 were evacuated from Bordeaux's suburbs, after the entire Cap Ferret peninsula was evacuated earlier in the week - almost 200,000 have been displaced in total, as fires rage in the Landes and Gironde regions.
France's military has mobilised 1,500 personnel alongside specialist equipment from other European countries including Germany, Croatia and Slovakia. (Read more)
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Lord, we pray that You would extinguish these fires ravaging through France and Spain. We pray that the people who have been evacuated will be able to return to their cities quickly. Restore what was lost in Jesus' name. Amen.
"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed."
(Joel 2:25-26)
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2. Measles Cases Hit New Record in U.S., as Vaccination Rates Wane - New York Times
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that there have been 2,318 confirmed cases of measles so far this year. The case count toppled the record set last year, when measles infected more than 2,200 Americans and killed two unvaccinated children. More measles cases have been reported in the United States in the last two years than in all the years from 2000 through 2024 combined.
Reversing course on measles would require a nationwide push to improve vaccination rates, a prospect that experts said seemed unlikely under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He has halted funding for vaccine hesitancy research, downplayed the risks of measles and spearheaded a hunt for evidence that vaccines are unsafe.
“This is just going to keep happening,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health. “It’s going to mean living in a perpetual state of vulnerability and risk until we get vaccination levels up.” (Read more)
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Lord, we ask that You stop the spread of measles in the United States. We pray healing for the children and speak for the outbreak to stop.
"God will save you from deadly diseases and the plague that destroys at midday." (Psalm 91:3-7)
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3. Trump says US prepared for intensified strikes on Iran as Tehran continues attacks on Gulf states- Jerusalem Post
US President Donald Trump said that the United States is "locked and loaded" to increase its strikes on Iran, though he has not yet made a final decision, during a press conference at the White House on Friday.
“We’re locked and loaded and ready to go, but we’re talking to them," said Trump in response to a reporter's question on the subject. "We’ll see what comes of it.”
“I think they are getting more serious as days go by for maybe obvious reasons," he added. "But we are talking to them right now. We’ll see.”
Trump noted that the US had several "exit strategies" for its war with Iran, including a "military exit," which would involve a continuation of its strikes on the Islamic regime, with the potential of a "heavier dose." (Read more)
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Lord, we pray for an end to the Iran war. We pray the talks will be successful and Iran will hold true to any negotiation.
"Lying lips are hated by the Lord, but those who act faithfully please him."
(Proverbs 12:22)
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4. US Embassy warns of potential flight cancellations due to security situation - Jerusalem Post
The US Embassy in Jerusalem warned that due to "heightened tensions in the Middle East," US citizens should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, and other travel disruptions on Friday in a post to X/Twitter.
Anyone planning to travel from Ben-Gurion or Haifa Airport is advised to check their flight status with their airline and airport.
The embassy later issued a second security alert, temporarily restricting all US government personnel and their families from personal travel to the West Bank.
It cited “security concerns and increased volatility” as the reason for the restriction, which took effect immediately after the warning was issued and will remain in place through Sunday unless extended or rescinded. (Read more)
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Lord, we pray over these security concerns for U.S. citizens in the middle east. We pray safety for all United States citizens if they are traveling abroad.
"But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."
(2 Thessalonians 3:3 )
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5. Trump’s patience with Thune ‘is running out’ - POLITICO
With each passing month Trump’s frustration has grown, taking to rallies and Truth Social to vent his displeasure.
“The Senate is a place you send things when you want them to die,” Trump said in Georgia on Wednesday. “We’re not going to take this any longer, we’re not going to take it. I’m trying to be nice.”
The House on Wednesday passed the latest version of a reconciliation bill that includes $10 billion to incentivize states to adopt portions of Trump’s voting overhaul, called the SAVE America Act.
But the bill is unlikely to meet the parliamentary standard for reconciliation bills in the Senate.
“He wants to see as much of the SAVE America passed as possible by the August recess,” Leavitt said. “He knows that’s what the American people want to see passed.” (Read more)
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We pray for a breakthrough in these negotiations before the Senate takes a recess.
"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19)
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Listening to the Voice
The Daily Jot, Bill Wilson, July 27, 2026
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11, Va'etchanan (“I Pleaded”), opens with Moses pleading to enter the Promised Land, yet the LORD allowed him only to see it from a distance. Moses then commands Israel to obey the Torah, promising the surrounding nations would recognize the wisdom found in God's law. He designates the cities of refuge east of the Jordan, reiterates the Ten Commandments, and proclaims the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Moses reminds the Israelites that God loves them and that they are to remain faithful to His covenant, just as He has faithfully kept His oath to their forefathers. The foundation of that relationship begins with one simple command: hear.
Herein is the great verb of obedience, shema, meaning “to hear,” “to listen,” or to give focused attention. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 says, “Shema Yisrael! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad!, meaning Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD is one; and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being, and all your resources.” The key word is shema. God is not someone we see, but a voice we hear. Moses reminded Israel of the revelation at Mount Sinai: “Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice” (Deuteronomy 4:12). The pagan cultures surrounding Israel worshipped visible gods fashioned from wood, stone, the sun, the moon, or the stars. Israel's God revealed Himself differently. He called His people to know Him by listening rather than by sight. Read More
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Report: US special forces preparing potential raid to seize Iran’s enriched uranium
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Possible targets included the damaged Fordo and Isfahan facilities, as well as the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz
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US special operations forces were preparing for a possible mission to seize enriched uranium from Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities, the New York Post reported, citing a source familiar with military planning and US security experts.
The operation could involve thousands of troops securing nuclear sites, clearing damaged or booby-trapped entrances and establishing protected routes to an airfield. A smaller team of special operators would then enter the facilities and remove the nuclear material, according to the report.
Joseph Rodgers, deputy director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Post that a military operation could become the most likely option if negotiations failed to produce an agreement on Iran’s uranium stockpile. He described any such mission as exceptionally complex and dangerous.
Potential targets included the damaged Fordo and Isfahan facilities, as well as the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz, where Iran was reported to have transferred hundreds of centrifuges. (i24News) Read more here.
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Lord of Angel Armies,
We cry out for protection for all our military and the special forces that will be taking on this complex and dangerous mission of removing the uranium from Iran should negotiations with the Iranian regime fail. Father, the regime in Iran falls into what you call the wickedness of the wicked. We pray, Father, that You will make a way where there seems to be no way and train our troops for war. Lord, we pray for You to go with them, before them and walk beside them and hover over them to keep them from harm. Lift up their feet so that they do not step on any mines or explosives in and around those tunnels and the booby trapped entrances!
Lord, give our President and his cabinet supernatural discernment and wisdom to know which strategy we need to take concerning the Iranian Regime and their nuclear materials. Lord, we know that nothing is impossible for You and we pray that You would destroy by Your hand the unfruitful works of darkness and set the Iranian people free. We ask that the world will be a safer place for our sons and daughters to grow up in.
You are Mighty, O, Lord and greatly to be praised! We humbly offer this prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen.
"Blessed be the Lord, my rock who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare." (Psalm 144:1)
See also: (Psalm 91:1-16)
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Russia pulled back from the Arctic, for now. NATO must act before those troops return
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Photo: The Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya burns after being hit during Ukraine’s June 18, 2026, drone attack on the Russian capital. (East2West)
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Satellite imagery shows missile systems vanishing as new barracks and depots rise near Finland and Norway
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While serving as an infantry battalion and brigade operations officer in Alaska, I learned that the Arctic is among the most unforgiving battlefields on earth. Aircraft can deliver soldiers to remote areas, but they cannot improvise roads, fuel or supply units once the fighting begins. In extreme cold, poor preparation kills soldiers as surely as enemy fire.
That lesson returned as I studied recent satellite imagery from Russia's far north. Advanced air-defense systems are disappearing from established Arctic positions even as Russia pours concrete for barracks and depots closer to Finland and Norway.
The two trends look contradictory. They are not. Russian President Vladimir Putin is operating on two clocks: sustaining today’s war effort while building options for a confrontation on NATO's northern flank once the Ukraine conflict slows.
The empty positions
Start with what Moscow is giving up. Near the Rogachevo airfield on Novaya Zemlya, Russia's Arctic archipelago, most air-defense assets at a longstanding missile position have been removed. Farther south, roughly two dozen S-300 and S-400 systems have disappeared from sites around Severodvinsk, the White Sea city where Russia builds and repairs nuclear submarines. Some protection may remain, but the reduction at these two vital locations is unmistakable. Russia is not abandoning the Arctic. It is accepting greater risk there.
Moscow apparently judges that NATO is unlikely to launch an imminent large-scale attack on Russia’s far north. That calculation allows the Kremlin to thin its Arctic defenses without incurring what it considers unacceptable risk. The empty positions show what Putin believes he can afford to expose today, and the reason traces straight back to Ukraine.
The new bases do not prove Putin has decided to attack Finland or Norway; they show Moscow wants the capability available. NATO has a window between Russia's northern construction and Moscow's ability to fill it with regenerated forces, and that window will not stay open indefinitely.
NATO's window
The alliance has begun to use that window. The accession of Finland and Sweden has already strengthened NATO’s northern posture. In February, NATO launched Arctic Sentry to integrate allied activity across the High North; in June, it established Forward Land Forces Finland, pairing a Swedish battlegroup in Boden with a multinational staff in Rovaniemi. But new organizations matter only if they produce deployable capability, and what NATO needs now is a clear division of labor.
Europe should provide the conventional mass required to defend its own territory: ground forces, counter-drone defenses, hardened ports and civil preparedness. The United States should keep providing what Europe cannot quickly replace: space-based intelligence, undersea surveillance, integrated air and missile defense and the nuclear deterrent underwriting the alliance.
That division of labor requires an orderly transition, not a politically driven pullback. Washington should preserve the bases, intelligence links and logistics nodes that make reinforcement possible even as European allies assume more of the conventional ground burden. (Robert Maginnis; Fox News) Read more here.
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Father God,
We thank you for this report, as it is alerting Your intercessors to an urgent need for prayer in a distant part of the world. We ask that You would lead us in taking up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to protect the land that Russia
has now vacated, and to provide the resources to cause the USA and our allies to hold that ground forever.
We also ask for clear lines of communication between our nation and our allies in NATO, so that each one knows and understands its responsibilities and works to fulfill our obligations. May Your peace descend upon this remote part of the world, now and forever. In Your Name, Father God, we offer this prayer, amen and amen.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." (John 14:27)
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France, Spain battle ‘monster’ wildfires with more heat on the way
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Firefighters battled massive blazes tearing through forests across France and Spain Monday, as authorities warned of a fresh heatwave set to engulf the scorched French wine-growing region around the major city of Bordeaux.
More than 325,000 people have fled their homes, mostly in the Gironde department, home to Bordeaux, as some of the worst forest fires in either country’s history rage across southwest France and central Spain near Madrid.
France’s fire has caused an unprecedented “pyrocumulonimbus” — a giant fire cloud that creates its own winds and packs lightning that causes more blazes, said the National Firefighters Federation of France (FNSPF).
“It’s a David-versus-Goliath scenario… at some point, we’ll find a weak spot and strike there,” said FNSPF spokesman Eric Brocardi.
French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a crisis cabinet meeting to discuss the emergency on Monday morning.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit fire-hit areas in Valencia, in the east of the country on Monday where firefighters are battling a new blaze and where 15,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.
Italy, too, was facing its own fires.
More than 400 tourists and beachgoers were evacuated by sea near the town of Peschici in the southern Puglia region, with 300 more expected to be rescued, said the coastguard. (Breitbart) Read much more here.
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Merciful God,
We pray for the people of France, Spain and Italy as the firefighters battle the massive fires that are destroying their countries. We cry out to You, Lord, for mercy! Father, You alone can calm the wind and the lightning in the devastating storms that have created these fires. Lord, in Your mercy send rains to put out these fires so that these people do not continue to lose their homes and places of business. Protect the firefighters and first responders as they evacuate people who are in danger. For those firefighters who have been injured by smoke and flames, we speak healing for them. Comfort those, Father, who have lost their homes and comfort the families of the two firemen who have lost their lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen and Amen.
"He gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields." (Job 5:10)
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18)
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And Now . . . Lion of Judah: ROAR!!!!
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"The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies."
(Isaiah 42:13)
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First Temple-period figurine mold uncovered in Jerusalem excavation
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Archaeologists have uncovered a rare mold used to cast the face of a female figurine dating to the First Temple period—the first production mold of its kind ever found in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday.
The mold was found during excavations at the Kishle, a former Ottoman-era prison on the grounds of the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Dr. Amit Re’em and Dr. Ayala Zilberstein, who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, said the mold was uncovered while soil from First Temple-period fills was being sifted. “The Kishle excavation, which has been ongoing for several years, continues to surprise us time and again,” they said.
After cleaning the mold, the Antiquities Authority revealed its finely detailed facial features. The authority then produced a cast from the mold, revealing a complete female face with an elaborate curly hairstyle.
Re’em said clay figurines from the First Temple period have turned up in nearly every excavation in Jerusalem and across Judea, but until now, no molds used to produce them had ever been discovered in the city. “The discovery of this mold at the Kishle is therefore the first of its kind in Jerusalem, providing direct evidence that at least some of these figurines were produced within the city itself,” he explained.
The figurines date to between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE, the final two centuries of the First Temple period, and generally stood 10 to 20 centimeters (four to eight inches) tall. They are most often found broken at the neck, a byproduct of a technique in which the head and body were shaped by hand while only the face was formed using a mold. (JNS) Read More
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"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered." (Psalm 32:1)
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"Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name."
- Provided By: Billy Graham
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