Worthy Brief - 2/2/2021
Friend, long time -- no hear!!
1 Kings 19:11-12 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
An Indian was walking in downtown New York City alongside a resident friend. As they approached a busy street corner in the center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend's arm and whispered, "Wait. I hear a cricket." "Come on!", the city boy sneered, "This is downtown New York -- how could you possibly hear a cricket?" His friend persisted, however, "No - seriously, I do!"
As cars were roaring, horns honking, people shouting, brakes screeching, cash registers clanging, subway clamoring and people bustling about, the Indian began leading his friend along slowly, every now and again stopping and turning his ear toward the seemingly noiseless sound. At last, the Indian insisted they were near and proceeded to follow the sound across the street and toward a small dark corner next to a graffiti-covered wall. There, he bent down to a minuscule tuft of grass and pulled out the cricket. "I told, you", he said, "I heard a cricket."
Astounded, the New Yorker marveled "How could you have heard that cricket in the middle of all this noise?" "Well", said his foreign friend, "My ears are different from yours. It simply depends on what you're listening to. Here, let me show you what I mean." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change --a couple of quarters, three or four nickels, and a dime and a few pennies. "Now," he said, "watch this." He held the coins waist high and dropped them to the sidewalk. At once, every head within nearly a block turned around and looked in the direction of the Indian.
"You see, It all depends on what you're listening to."
To what sounds are our ears trained to listen? Are they trained to hear the sound of money, of gossip, of complaining, of worldly things or are they trained to hear the still small voice of the Most High, directing and advising us in the way we should go?
Friend, let's ask the Lord to train our ears to hear the things of God today. We need to be listening for His direction in the hustle and bustle of this noisy and influential world or we will surely go astray!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Lucas, Texas
Editor's Note: We've added a minute-by-minute channel to Telegram. Follow us on Telegram, until our 90-day suspension of Facebook expires.
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.
Angela Merkel: COVID vaccines could be necessary ‘for years’
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said coronavirus vaccines may be needed for "many years to come."
Blinken: Iran could be weeks away from enough nuclear material for bomb
Iran could be “weeks away” from having sufficient material to develop a nuclear weapon if it continues to violate the 2015 nuclear deal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Monday in an interview with NBC News.
Nuclear war with China or Russia ‘a very real possibility,’ U.S. Strategic Command chief warns
The United States must be ready for a nuclear war with China or Russia and seek new ways to deter both countries’ use of newly acquired advanced strategic weapons, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command is warning in a major new review of the global balance of nuclear forces.
Taiwan Says Chinese Fighters, U.S. Aircraft Both Entered Defence Zone
Six Chinese fighter aircraft and a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone on Sunday, the island's defense ministry said, in an unusual admission of U.S. military activity.
Hungary Has Seaport Again After Century Of Open Wound
Hungary has a seaport again more than 100 years after losing most of its territory. Landlocked Hungary purchased a 32-hectare area with a 300-meter-long (0.2 miles) coastline for 31 million euros in northeastern Italy, officials confirmed.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
New Poll: Likud is regaining strength lost since March 2020
A new Israeli poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is regaining popularity it had lost since the March 2020 election, Israel National News reports. Conducted by Midgam and released Sunday, the poll surveyed 505 respondents by phone and the internet.
IDF takes on 13 nations in international cyber defense drill
Five teams representing various branches of the IDF recently completed a first-of-its kind international competitive cyber drill in which they competed against nearly 60 teams from 13 other countries.
Israel holds fresh trials of upgraded Iron Dome due to be installed on ships
An upgraded version of the Iron Dome air defense system on Monday completed a fresh set of trials simulating threats the system is likely to face on land and at sea, the Defense Ministry said.
Inside the United States
110 Million Americans in the Path of Monster Storm: ‘Preparing for the Worst’
The Northeast is being hit with a whopper of a storm, dumping well over a foot of snow in many areas and creating blizzard-like conditions, as powerful nor'easter barrels up the coast.
FBI concludes that pipe bombs planted at RNC, DNC were placed the night before Capitol breach
The two pipe bombs discovered at the Republican and Democratic national committee offices during the recent Capitol breach were placed in their respective locations the night before, according to federal officials.
GDP set for strongest growth in 17 years in 2021: CBO
The economy will grow in 2021 at its fastest rate in 17 years as vaccines are administered across the country and life returns to normal, the Congressional Budget Office projected Monday.
Homelessness activists take over Washington hotel reportedly using knives and machetes and tell officers to ‘choke and die’
Homelessness activists reportedly armed with hatchets and knives "forcibly" took over the lobby and 17 rooms at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, Washington.
Christian News
Uganda: Christian family violently attacked by Muslims for second time in a month
A Christian family recovering from an assault by Muslims in Uganda last month was attacked again last week, Morning Star News reports. On January 24, Muslim villagers again attacked the family of Pastor Moses Nabwana, this time breaking into his Nankodo Sub-County home and injuring his wife and two of his children. The pastor and his wife Lovisa Naura were still recovering from being hospitalized after beatings by local Islamists on December 27.
Mexican Evangelicals are helping Catholics turn to Christ, away from idols
Evangelical Christians in Mexico have been preaching the Gospel to their Syncretist Catholic neighbors, turning them toward Christ and away from idols, the Christian Post reports. According to a recent survey, the number of Mexican evangelical Christians has increased by 49% since 2010.
Pakistan: Christian nurse charged with blasphemy for saying “Jesus is the true Savior”
A Christian nurse in Pakistan was charged with blasphemy Friday, after an Islamist mob demanded police rescind their original decision to dismiss an allegation against her, Morning Star News reports. Accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan can result in lengthy jail sentences, and can also trigger mob lynchings and vigilante murders.
Twitter Censors Focus on the Family, Accuses Them of ‘Hateful Conduct’
Attacks against free speech by big tech companies have quickly escalated into a full-blown censorship campaign as social media giants are now regularly targeting and silencing Christians and conservatives. Their latest target? Focus on the Family.
‘We’re Just Getting Started’: God Poured out His Presence During ‘Let Us Worship’ Events in Florida
Souls are being saved and God is being lifted up in Florida as worship leader Sean Feucht presses ahead with his outdoor "Let Us Worship" rallies across the U.S.
Worthy Watch
Fauci reverses himself again, says double masking for COVID-19 doesn’t ‘make a difference’
Difference Between Billionaires and the Rest of the World during this year of Covid