Worthy Brief - 2/10/2016
Friend, your victory is near!
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Growing up, one of my favorite Saturday activities was watching ABC Sports. I can still remember the opening line -- “The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat!” One of the greatest prophets of the Bible, Elijah, experienced his share of victories -- but he also knew that sudden feeling of defeat. If you recall, Elijah was on Mount Carmel, the only prophet of the Lord standing against four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. (2 Kings 18) When it was all said and done, Elijah was absolutely victorious! But wouldn't you know that in the next chapter, we find Elijah under a juniper tree saying -- “Lord take my life!” (2 Kings 19:4)
We’re so quick to forget the victories that the Lord has given us, aren’t we? There are countless examples of great men of God who struggled this way. If they can go from victory to defeat so easily, how much more are we susceptible to the same attacks of the enemy? We must remember that this is precisely what they are -- attacks of the enemy upon our lives -- attempting to draw our attention away from all that God has done.
Friend, if you are finding yourself in the midst of a valley -- try focusing on the victories the Lord has already displayed in your life. And more importantly, focus on the power of victory you can walk with today!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Phoenix, Arizona
Editor's Note: We hope to see you on our travels across the United States. Check out our schedule online.
Editor's Note: If you missed us in the States, then you can watch a typical message being preached across the States online!
Around the World
Global central banks are running 'out of ammo'
Central banks are pulling out all the stops to turn around the global economy.
Intel Chief: 'We Don't Know' Whether Iran Will Build Nuke Weapons
The top U.S. intelligence official told Congress on Tuesday that Iran could move forward with the construction of a nuclear weapon at any time and that there is no way to know the Islamic Republic will build these weapons following the implementation of a landmark agreement hailed by the Obama administration as a definitive step towards preventing an Iranian nuclear bomb.
6 founding EU nations commit to the original unity goals
The six founding nations of the European Union on Tuesday stressed their commitment to seek an 'ever closer union' at a time of deep rifts among the current 28 member nations on the way ahead and Britain's impending referendum whether to stay in the bloc.
UN experts: North Korea continues to evade UN sanctions
U.N. experts say North Korea is continuing to evade U.N. sanctions, using airlines, ships, and the international financial system to trade in prohibited items for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Vladimir Putin puts Russian troops on high alert as part of massive military drills
President Vladimir Putin has scrambled thousands of troops and hundreds of warplanes across southwestern Russia for large-scale military drills intended to test the troops' readiness amid continuing tensions with the West.
Have Einstein's gravitational waves finally been found?
Scientists are set to make a major announcement on Thursday on efforts to pinpoint the existence of gravitational waves, or ripples of space and time that transport energy across the universe.
Kerry calls on Russia to help agreement on ceasefire in Syria
Russian activities in Syria are making it difficult to hold peace talks on ending the Syrian conflict, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday, calling on Moscow to join efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire.
U.N. report: Syrian government torturing, killing thousands of civilian detainees
Syrian government forces have tortured or beaten to death thousands of detainees throughout the civil war there, according to a new report detailing 'horrors' similar to war crimes committed by terror groups such as the Islamic State.
Wall Street inches lower, Europe shares sink on growth fears
U.S. stocks recovered from early losses to end slightly lower on Tuesday while European shares plunged for a second straight day on fears of slowing global growth, with particular concern over the health of the banking sector.
Pentagon, South Korea to Deploy Advanced Missile Defenses
After delaying nearly two years, the Pentagon on Monday announced plans to deploy advanced missile defenses in South Korea as soon as possible.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu: We'll surround Israel with fences to 'protect from predators'
The government is preparing a plan to entirely surround Israel with a security fence to 'protect ourselves from the predators', Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday during a tour of the eastern fence under construction along the length of the Jordanian border.
Iran said to hack former Israeli army chief-of-staff, access his entire computer
A cyber-hacker working for Iran hacked the computer of a former IDF chief-of-staff, an Israeli television report said Tuesday, and gained access to the unnamed army chief's entire computer database.
Inside the United States
Obama Budget Would Add Another $9.3 Trillion to the Debt
President Barack Obama presented a budget to Congress on Tuesday that if enacted would add nearly $10 trillion to the national debt, according to the White House's projections.
Supreme Court halts key Obama climate rule
The Supreme Court has put a stop to President Obama's plans to curb carbon emission while 29 states challenge the law in a lower court.
Obama budget includes $2T in tax hikes
President Obama has packed more than 20 new tax increases into his proposed 2016 budget, which Republicans roundly blasted Monday as a tax-and-spend agenda that won't get their support.
Intelligence director warns of 'likely' Islamic State plot to strike in U.S. in 2016
In testimony before Congress on Tuesday, National Intelligence Director James Clapper said the Islamic State will likely attempt an attack on U.S. soil this year and that North Korea has restarted a plutonium reactor.
Top U.S. intel official: ISIS agents hiding among refugees
The number of illegal aliens from terrorist nations slipping across the U.S. border has been on the rise in recent years and shows no sign of abating, according to an investigative report citing confidential leaked documents.
Pro-choice group cries foul over Doritos commercial 'Ultrasound'
A pro-choice group kicked off a corn chip controversy Sunday night when it mocked a Doritos commercial as being 'anti-choice' for using the 'tactic of humanizing fetuses.'
U.S. Politics
Trump wins, Kasich takes 2nd in GOP New Hampshire primary; Sanders Wins Every Demographic Group Against Clinton
Donald Trump is the winner in the New Hampshire Republican primary and Ohio Gov. John Kasich will take second place, Fox News projects.
Judge irked by State Dept.'s delay in releasing rest of Clinton's emails
A federal judge said Tuesday he was disturbed by the State Department's failure to meet a deadline he ordered to finish the public release of 54,000 pages of email messages Hillary Clinton sent or received during her four years as secretary of state.
Trump puts a price on his wall: It would cost Mexico $8 billion
Donald Trump on the day New Hampshire voters head to the polls in the primary election estimated for the first time that his infamous wall on the southern border would cost $8 billion -- and insisted yet again that Mexico will pay for it.
Christian News
Egypt: Army begins promised restorations
The Egyptian Army has finally begun to rebuild the country's churches as per a promise made by President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi almost three years ago.
NASA bans the word 'Jesus'
The name of Jesus is not welcome in the Johnson Space Center newsletter, according to a complaint filed on behalf of a group of Christians who work for NASA.
PCUSA on Track to Lose Over 400K Members by 2020
Presbyterian Church (USA) is expecting to see a loss of over 400,000 members between 2015 and 2020, according to a reported internal document.