Worthy Brief - 2/18/2016
Friend, look beyond the blessing!
Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people.
Yeshua (Jesus) told His disciples to go into the deep waters and let down their nets for fish. When they did, their nets were filled up with fish to the point of breaking. Being fishermen and businessmen, they may have been tempted to start doing business. I mean, think how much they could make!
But God had a different purpose. The disciples' occupation as fishermen was just a vehicle for God to demonstrate His great power and love. He wasn't blessing them with fish so that they would get excited about fishing -- He was blessing them with fish so that they could get their eyes off their fishing and on to the greater call He had for them! Thankfully, they left the fishing business and went off with the Lord to do great and mighty things.
Too many of us are wrapped up in fish. We seek the Lord for His blessings, prosperity, and success. But true discipleship is focusing not on the blessings of the Lord, but on the Lord of the blessings!
Friend, We can rejoice in our blessings, but let's not dwell on them! Let's set our eyes on the Lord and the calling He has for us. When He sees that we have pure and willing hearts, He will be faithful to use us to accomplish His glorious plan!
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: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?
Around the World
Radioactive material stolen in Iraq raises security concerns
Iraq is searching for "highly dangerous" radioactive material whose theft last year has raised fears among Iraqi officials that it could be used as a weapon if acquired by Islamic State.
President Obama to Make Historic Visit to Cuba, U.S. Official Says
President Barack Obama will visit Cuba in the coming weeks, a senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday night.
Pope leads politically-charged Mass at US-Mexico border
Pope Francis on Wednesday held a politically-charged Mass in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez - once considered the deadliest city in the world - less than 100 meters (328 feet) from the US border.
Freed Gitmo detainee, ex-bin Laden aide cements place as top jihadist in videos
When Ibrahim al Qosi was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2012, a lawyer for the former Usama bin Laden aide said he looked forward to living a life of peace in his native Sudan.
Air strikes destroy hundreds of millions of ISIS' dollars
Hundreds of millions of dollars are believed to have been destroyed in coalition air strikes targeting cash hoards used to finance the Islamic State group, a spokesman for the American military said Wednesday, according to AFP.
Pope problems: Francis' plane lasered; loses cool amid crowd in Mexico
Pope Francis seemingly lost his cool after he was grabbed by a spectator in a crowd and nearly fell. The incident happened one day before another Alitalia airline revealed his trip to Mexico had earlier been beset by another problem -- a laser pointed at his airplane.
White House: Obama to sign bill targeting North Korea violations
President Obama is to sign a comprehensive North Korea sanctions bill that can blacklist entities for assisting Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program or abetting its human rights violations.
Russia warns Turks: We might bomb your troops
Turkey's bombardment of a Syrian airbase recently recaptured by the Syrian Kurds from Islamic jihadists could lead to a direct confrontation with Russia if Ankara decides to send in troops, according to a new report in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
U.S.-China clash over South China Sea intensifies after missile deployment
The clash between China and the U.S. over who will control the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest waterways, escalated Wednesday as Secretary of State John F. Kerry lashed out at Beijing after the Obama administration said it confirmed reports that China had deployed advanced surface-to-air missiles on a built-up island it occupies in the contested sea.
U.S. planned unprecedented cyberattack on Iran if nuke talks failed: Report
The Obama administration was ready to launch a wide-ranging cyberattack against Iran that could have rivaled the 'Stuxnet' worm, but put its plans on ice after an agreement was reached last summer over the nation's nuclear program, a new documentary revealed.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Report: Israeli missiles hit Syrian army outpost near Damascus
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday said three Israeli rockets hit Syrian army positions near Damascus, according to Reuters.
Trump says he'd be 'neutral' with Israelis and Palestinians
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump said Wednesday that if he is elected president, he would be 'neutral' on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli archaeologists discover 7,000 year-old settlement in Jerusalem
Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered an ancient settlement which dates back as far as 7,000 years ago, they announced on Wednesday. They are calling it the oldest discovery of its kind in the area.
Inside the United States
Clinton email chain discussed Afghan national's CIA ties, official says
One of the classified email chains discovered on Hillary Clinton's personal unsecured server discussed an Afghan national's ties to the CIA and a report that he was on the agency's payroll, a U.S. government official with knowledge of the document told Fox News.
White House: Obama 'regrets' decision to filibuster Supreme Court Justice Alito
The top White House spokesman said Wednesday that President Obama regrets his 2006 decision to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court - after being accused of hypocrisy for blasting obstructionist Republicans now vowing to block his next high court nominee.
Transgender bathroom bill passes through South Dakota Legislature
South Dakota would be the first state in the U.S. to approve a law requiring transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their sex at birth if the governor signs a bill passed Tuesday by the state Senate.
U.S. Politics
Poll: Cruz takes top spot nationally after big Trump drop
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has surpassed Donald Trump for the top spot in a new national survey of the Republican presidential race from NBC News/Wall Street Journal.
Hillary Clinton: I don't know if the US is ready for a female president
Hillary Clinton believes she is a better candidate than her 2008 version but still wonders whether the US is ready for a female president.
Christian News
Saeed Abedini Asks Followers to Pray for His Marriage
Saeed Abedeini broke his four-year long Facebook silence Sunday, asking followers to pray for his marriage.
Visiting US Evangelical pastors: We stand unconditionally with Israel
Rev. Robert Stearns, a leading Evangelical figure from the United States, says it is crucial to educate the younger generation of Evangelical Christians in the US about the movement's strong connection to Israel.