Worthy Brief - 1/19/2017
Friend, do not become weary in well doing!
Revelation 7:9-10 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Have you ever heard how the Karen people of Burma were prepared for the gospel? This unique people's history reveals how the Lord had sovereignly preserved, in their traditions, their yearning for the one true God.
For centuries, the Karen people rejected the teachings of Buddhism and spiritism and clung to their ancient understanding of the true God, whom they called "Y'wa", suggesting the influence of the Hebrew, "Yahweh". Karen traditions also point to Adam and Eve and their fall, in the garden of Eden. According to the tradition, because of transgressions, they fell from grace. An ancient poem powerfully expresses their hope and expectation of redemption:
"O children and grandchildren! If we repent of our sins, and cease to do evil--restraining our passions--and pray to Y'wa, he will have mercy on us again. If Y'wa does not have mercy on us, there is no other one who can. He who saves us is the only one - Y'wa."
Their stories relate how they negligently lost the ancient books of Y'wa, and were now anxiously awaiting the "white men", who would restore the ancient books to them.
Another Karen poem is virtually "prophetic":
"The sons of Y'wa, the white foreigners, obtained the words of Y'wa. The white foreigners, the children of Y'wa, obtained the words of Y'wa anciently."
In the late 1800's Christian missionaries arrived in Burma bringing the gospel of Jesus. Their message was overwhelmingly received ! Today a majority of the Karen people are believers, because God had prepared their hearts to receive the message over hundreds of years. The Karen waited expectantly for the "white man's" message of redemption from "Y'wa", and "Y'wa" proved faithful to reach and redeem these Burmese tribes, in His time.
Friend, as we continue to share the good news, let's remember that the Lord initiates the work of redemption -- and that we need to stay focused on the job at hand, and continue to labor in the harvest fields. The seed we've planted in patience, will soon bear fruit; so let us not grow weary in well doing, for we shall reap if we faint not!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Grenada, Mississippi
Editor's Note: Let President-Elect Trump know the Importance of Israel: Sign our Petition!
Editor's Note: We are on a cross-country speaking/music tour this winter and early spring in the United States! If you see that we will be close to your area and you want to hear a timely word from Worthy News Founder and Director, George Whitten and powerful Israeli Worship Music from Baht Rivka Whitten, Lazman Hazeh Music, as well as testimony of life and ministry in the Land, we invite you to join us -- or even invite us to speak/sing at your Congregation, Conference, Church, Midweek Meeting or Israel focused Event, especially if you see a free date on our way! We hope to hug you! Send us an email to george [ @ ] worthyemail.com for more information. Check out our calendar and see if we're speaking near you!
Around the World
Russia In The Middle East: Libyan Military Leader Talks Major Moscow Arms Sale, Political Support
Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar has reportedly begun negotiating billions worth of arms deals with Russia, intended to give the strongman a political and tactical advantage over other competing factions in his country's six-year civil war, Reuters reported Tuesday.
In an epic final speech, Joe Biden warns that the progressive democratic world order is at risk of collapse
Vice President Joe Biden delivered an epic final speech Wednesday to the elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The gist of his speech was simple: At a time of 'uncertainty' we must double down on the values that made Western democracies great, and not allow the 'liberal world order' to be torn apart by destructive forces.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Deploys 'Star Wars' Missile Killer System
Israel's upgraded ballistic missile shield became operational on Wednesday, in a “Star Wars”-like extension of its capabilities to outer space where incoming missiles can be safely destroyed.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: Fatah, Hamas To Form Unity Government
Rival Palestinian sides Hamas and Fatah announced a plan to form a Palestinian unity government, a decision made in light of several recent geopolitical events. The agreement, reached late on Tuesday in Moscow, marks the end of the more than decade-long hiatus, since both groups participated in elections.
Israeli police officer killed as fights break out over demolitions
An Israeli officer was killed Wednesday after a Bedouin man with Islamist ties allegedly rammed his SUV into a crowd of police amid violent demonstrations over a string of demolitions.
Senators introduce bipartisan anti-BDS bill
Two senators introduced a bill providing protection from lawsuits to state and local governments passing anti-BDS legislation.
'Volatile stuff': Obama warns Trump against moving U.S. Embassy in Israel
President Obama said Wednesday he's cautioned President-elect Donald Trump and his team against moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, warning them that the action would have 'enormous consequences' on Middle East tensions.
Trump's UN nominee to blast world body over Israel
US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be US ambassador to the United Nations will blast the world body over its treatment of Israel at her Senate confirmation hearing, according to prepared testimony seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
Inside the United States
Trump to Take Handful of Executive Actions on Day One - Transition
President-elect Donald Trump may take four or five executive actions on Friday, the day he is sworn into office, spokesman Sean Spicer said.
House to vote on Obamacare abortion bill
The House is planning a vote next week on legislation banning Obamacare subsidies from being used for insurance plans that cover abortion services.
CIA unveils new rules for collecting information on Americans
The Central Intelligence Agency on Wednesday unveiled revised rules for collecting, analyzing and storing information on American citizens, updating the rules for the information age and publishing them in full for the first time.
Obama commutes Chelsea Manning's sentence for leaking Army documents
President Obama commuted the vast majority of former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning's 35-year prison sentence for leaking classified documents, the White House announced Tuesday.
For second week, bomb threats rock US Jewish institutions
At least 18 Jewish institutions across the United States have received bomb threats, Jewish security officials said, in the second wave of such mass disruption in two weeks.
Ads in two dozen cities offer protesters up to $2,500 to agitate at Trump inaugural
Donald Trump may have a point about paid protesters: Job ads running in more than 20 cities offer $2,500 per month for agitators to demonstrate at this week's presidential inauguration events.
Christian News
Fourth Coptic Christian murdered in 10 days
A Coptic surgeon was found murdered in his flat on Friday (13 Jan) in Upper Egypt, making him the fourth Coptic Christian murder victim in 10 days.
German Pastor Says Government Unfairly Deports Christian Refugees
Dr. Gottfried Martens, a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Berlin, says the government is rejecting almost all applications for asylum from most of the church's Iranian refugee members and many Afghan refugee members as well. Many have waited years in Germany for the government to hear their cases and are now receiving deportation notices.
Radical Buddhists Destroy Sri Lankan Church but Christians Refuse to Stop Worshiping Jesus and Gather Under a Tree
A small Christian community in Paharaiya, a village in northwestern Sri Lanka, say they won't be seeking revenge against a group of radical Buddhists who destroyed their local church, and will continue to worship and pray -- even if only under a tree.