Worthy Brief - 1/11/2021
Friend, be a good citizen!
Phillipians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
When we think of a good citizen, we probably think of a law-abiding, productive contributor to society who takes pride in his country. I'm sure all of us would like to be thought of as good citizens of the countries in which we live. My wife has dual citizenship, she's both Israeli and American -- I guess that means she has to work extra hard at being loyal!
We, as believers in Yeshua (Jesus), have to remember that we also have dual citizenship. We must become good citizens of both Heaven and Earth. How do we do this? We love God with all our heart, mind and soul and love our neighbor as ourselves. We become productive contributors in our local assemblies and/or in our local communities, and we continually give our best to the Lord, living our lives for Him and for His Kingdom.
Friend, so often we forget that we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13), but let's remember that while we make our pilgrimage in the flesh here, we are ambassadors of the King of Kings, and citizens of His Heavenly Kingdom!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Lucas, Texas
Editor's Note: We're starting to schedule our Winter tour of the Southern United States. If you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.
Editor's Note: Be sure to visit Watchman in the Wilderness as George has posted nearly twenty times over the weekend with current events.
Thousands of Refugees Stuck in Bitter Balkan Winter
The United Nations says thousands of migrants fleeing war, persecution, and poverty urgently need proper shelter and care in Bosnia-Herzegovina after weeks outdoors in the freezing cold. With authorities declining to open more adequate facilities, many are now sleeping in unheated tents or rough near the northern town of Bihac.
Iran threatens to start enriching uranium to 90 percent: report
Iran warned Thursday that the country could ramp up its uranium enrichment to 90 percent -- just around the weapons-grade level.
Indonesia Plane Carrying Dozens Plunges Into Sea
A passenger plane carrying dozens of passengers plunged into the Java Sea after leaving the Indonesian capital, investigators suggested.
China: New defense law increases military control of war powers, makes it easier to deploy against U.S.
China has amended a defense law to give increased control for its military to the Central Military Commission (CMC) which oversees the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and is chaired by President Xi Jinping, Anti-War reports. The Chinese military can now deploy much more quickly if it wants to challenge US warships that frequently patrol near the Chinese coast.
China builds 135 factories inside Xinjiang detention camps; Rights advocate says ‘stop producing and sourcing from Xinjiang’
A new report by Buzzfeed News reveals that among hundreds of detention camps recently built by China in Xinjiang, at least 135 compounds hold factories where prisoners can be forced to produce goods for export into major supply chains around the world. The report is based on government records, interviews, and hundreds of satellite images, Buzzfeed News said.
WHO Concerned About New COVID Variant
In a controversial move, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to do more to curb the new COVID-19 variant. The WHO has expressed concern about the rapidly spreading mutation new of the novel coronavirus.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu: We will start vaccinating 170,000 people a day
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, as a shipment of 700,000 Pfizer COVID vaccines arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport, that the Pfizer vaccines would continue to arrive, with a "huge" shipment expected.
Netanyahu: Most Israelis will be able to get vaccinated by March
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that most Israelis will be able to get vaccinated by March, with a large shipment of the Pfizer vaccine expected to land in Israel as soon as next week.
Inside the United States
Pelosi push to oust Trump to start with 25th Amendment legislation, then impeachment
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s effort to oust President Trump during his final week in office will be taking a two-pronged approach, first passing legislation trying to force the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and then advancing to impeachment proceedings.
2 Seattle officers placed on leave in probe into Capitol mob
Seattle’s police chief says two city officers were apparently in Washington, D.C., Wednesday when a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the nation’s Capitol and that an investigation will be launched to find out whether they committed criminal acts.
Justice Department files criminal charges against 13 individuals involved in breach of U.S. Capitol
The Justice Department has charged 13 individuals in federal court in the District of Columbia related to crimes committed on January 6 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., according to a Justice Department press release.
Parler Suspended From Amazon, Apple, Google; CEO Says It’s a ‘Coordinated Attack by the Tech Giants’
Parler, the conservative-leaning social media platform, will been suspended from Amazon's cloud hosting service starting Sunday evening over claims that users were "inciting violence" following last week's protests at the Capitol.
Twitter Bans Trump Amid Social Media Boycott
Social network giant Twitter has permanently banned U.S. President Donald J. Trump because the free world leader allegedly violated its policies by inciting violence.
Pelosi says she’s taken steps to prevent Trump from ‘using the nuclear codes’ and ‘ordering’ strike
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her House colleagues on Friday detailing efforts to prevent President Trump from "using the nuclear codes" during his final days in office.
Policeman Defending Capitol Dies Of Injuries
A policeman injured while protecting the U.S. Capitol during the riots has died, officials confirmed.
Christian News
India: First Christians arrested and jailed under anti-conversion law in Uttar Pradesh state
The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has charged and jailed its first Christians under a new anti-conversion law, International Christian Concern reports. A Korean Christian and three Indian nationals in the Gautam Buddh Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh were arrested under the new Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance on December 19, 2020.