Worthy Brief - 1/16/2017
Friend, beware of the explosion!
Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Yesterday, scientists warned that Mount Paektu, on the border of North Korea and China could blow at any time due to nuclear testing by North Korea and unleash one of the most violent volcanoes in the world. It reminded me of another volcanic explosion that took place in 1991.
Mount Pinatubo, dormant for over 500 years, began to erupt on June 12, 1991, and three days later exploded with twice the power of the 1980 Mount St. Helen's eruption. The release of power blasted a cubic mile off the mountaintop and the earth shook for eight hours. The eruption produced an ash cloud that rose over 50,000 feet into the atmosphere. If that wasn't enough, Typhoon Yunga then struck the island nation with fierce winds and torrential rains which mixed with the ash creating what the locals called "Black Saturday!"
The United States was forced to abandon and eventually close Clark Air Force base, located just a few miles from Mount Pinatubo, due to the devastating blanket of fallen ash. When a vulcanologist was asked to account for the widespread damage which sent thousands of American soldiers and Filipinos fleeing, he replied, "When a volcano is silent for many years, people forget it's a volcano and begin to treat it like a mountain."
Now here's a lesson from nature. We should always be aware of how our sinful nature has the potential to erupt. It would be a big mistake to ignore this possibility simply because it has lain dormant for a season...even a seemingly long one.
Solomon writes a profound statement in his book of Proverbs, which, when paraphrased goes something like this; "Can someone play with fire in his lap without incinerating his clothes?"
The enemy of our souls would love for us to believe that we can somehow play with sin, without it negatively affecting our spirit and our walk with the Lord -- oh how deceptive Satan can be!
D.L. Moody was a fairly simple man and I love the way he dealt with sin. He said, "When you're thinking sin, think scripture!"
Friend, let's be on guard! Sin is a dormant volcano which can erupt at ANY moment and set our house on fire. How do we prepare? First, by being aware of the possibility...then...;"Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee". [Psalm 119:11] Let's meditate upon His Word, allowing it to sink deep into our minds and our hearts, so that the only fire which burns there...is the fire of God's Holy Spirit. Amen.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Mobile, Alabama
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Around the World
Russia, China Agree To Take Countermeasures Over US Anti-Ballistic Missile System Deployment
Russia and China have agreed to take countermeasures over deployment of a U.S. anti-ballistic missile system in the Korean Peninsula, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Thursday. The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea to tackle growing nuclear threat from North Korea has left Beijing and Moscow concerned over security in the region.
Trump's offer to Putin: an end to sanctions for nuclear arms cut
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will propose offering to end sanctions imposed on Russia for its annexation of Crimea in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he told The Times of London.
Kremlin counts days to Trump's inauguration, blasts Obama
With eager anticipation, the Kremlin is counting the days to Donald Trump's inauguration and venting its anger at Barack Obama's outgoing administration, no holds barred.
Donald Trump: I'll do a deal with Britain
Donald Trump will offer Britain a quick and 'fair' trade deal with America within weeks of taking office to help make Brexit a 'great thing'.
8 Men as Rich as Half the World
The gap between the super-rich and the poorest half of the global population is starker than previously thought, with just eight men, from Bill Gates to Michael Bloomberg, owning as much wealth as 3.6 billion people, according to an analysis by Oxfam released Monday.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Syria calls on UN to 'punish' Israel over airport attack
Syria on Friday called on the international community to 'punish' Israel for an apparent missile attack near a major military airport west of Damascus, and accused the US, Britain and France of supporting the assault.
Kerry calls PM from Paris, vows no further UN action
US Secretary of State John Kerry called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Paris peace conference, promising to prevent any followup action to a resolution set to be drawn up there on Sunday, either at the confab itself or at the United Nations Security Council.
Palestinians establish embassy at the Vatican
The Palestinian Authority has opened an embassy at the Vatican on the eve of a peace conference meant to revive long-stalled talks with Israel.
Major Powers Warn Israel, PA Against Unilateral Measures Harmful to Peace
Some 70 countries on Sunday reaffirmed that only a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians could resolve the conflict and warned that they would not recognize any unilateral steps taken by either side that could prejudge negotiations.
Inside the United States
Trump Vows 'Insurance for Everybody' in Replacing Obamacare
US President-elect Donald Trump aims to replace Obamacare with a plan that would envisage 'insurance for everyone,' he said in an interview with the Washington Post published on Sunday night.
Christian News
China Senior Pastor Gu Yuese Re-Arrested in Zhejiang
Pastor Gu Yuese (also known as Joseph Gu) the former pastor of the state-sanctioned Chongyi Church in Zhejiang Province, was formally arrested on 7 January 2017, charged with 'misappropriation of funds.'
Egypt drops case against mob that attacked Christian woman
Egyptian prosecutors have thrown out a case brought by an elderly Christian woman against several members of a Muslim mob who stripped off her clothes and paraded her naked through the streets, her lawyer said Sunday.