Worthy Brief - 3/4/2021
Friend, get on your sweat pants!
2 Timothy 2:3-4 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
In Hebrew, the word for hardness is "kosher". Interestingly enough, the word "kosher" also means "fitness", as from a workout in the gym. Yes -- it's a workout to serve the Lord in this world -- but God has called us to it!
These days, many people are working out intensely to beautify and strengthen their bodies. A lot of them are obsessed with appearance and youthfulness. It has virtually become a religion to be beautiful and/or "ripped", and people are willing to make serious sacrifices for the sake of their bodily condition.
Believers are called to a different kind of "workout" which can be equally or even more intense. Our "obsession" isn't with our bodies, but with our spirit. It is easy and "natural" to become caught up in the affairs of this life, even to adopt the worldly obsession with physical appearance. Yet our "workout" calls us to minimize the attention we give to worldly affairs, and to endure the hardness of spiritual warfare and service.
Are we aware of the reality of the eternal life which belongs to us, and of ALL its implications? Our life in this world is incredibly short, yet filled with tremendous opportunity for the Lord and our place in the world to come. If we want to please Him, (and we ought to think about why we would), we will make the most of our time, and work out with the greatest spiritual energy possible. That will involve saying no to worldly priorities and concentrating on spiritual ones.
Friend, if we have been chosen to be soldiers for God's great army this is no small thing! We will increasingly disentangle ourselves from prioritizing worldly pursuits, and be seeking first the things of the Kingdom of Heaven. When we do that we have two promises: earthly provision for all of our needs [Matthew 6:23], and treasure in Heaven [Luke 18:22]. Let's get free from the cares of this life and get focused on eternal blessings!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Mansfield, Texas
Editor's Note: We've added a minute-by-minute channel to Telegram. Follow us on Telegram.
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.
US: Russia blocks Syria chemical weapons use accountability
The United States accused Syrian President Bashar Assad and his close ally Russia on Thursday of trying to block all efforts to hold Damascus accountable for using chemical weapons during attacks on civilians.
North Korean nuclear activity detected, possibly extracting plutonium
North Korea could be at it again. New activity has been detected at the Yonbyong nuclear site north of Pyongyang.
New Zealand downgrades tsunami threat after 8.1-magnitude quake
Officials in New Zealand on Friday downgraded a tsunami warning after multiple powerful earthquakes struck off the coast earlier in the day.
Facebook trains A.I. to ‘see’ using 1 billion public Instagram photos
Pugs, Ferraris, mountains, brunches, beaches, and babies — Instagram is full of them. In fact, it’s become one of the largest image databases on the planet over the last decade and the company’s owner, Facebook, is using this treasure trove to teach machines what’s in a photo.
US urges ‘serious consequences’ for Syria’s Assad over chemical weapons use: envoy
The UN National Security Council must hold the regime of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad accountable for the use of chemical weapons, US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Thursday.
‘Space hurricane’ seen hovering above Earth for the first time ever
As if humanity didn’t have enough weather phenomena to worry about, scientists have discovered a “space hurricane” that occurred over the Earth's upper atmosphere for the first time.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Gantz: IDF updating military plans for potential strike on Iran nuclear sites
Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday said the Israel Defense Forces is continuously updating its plans for a prospective military strike on Iranian nuclear sites.
Inside the United States
US Democrats Pass Controversial Voting Law
U.S. House Democrats voted for the most extensive overhaul of the nation’s election law in at least a generation despite unanimous Republican opposition and warnings is could undermine democracy.
Winter storms caused $155 billion in economic damages
Devastating coast-to-coast winter weather is estimated to have caused around $155 billion in economic damages, making it likely that February 2021 was the costliest in terms of weather impact in recent US history, UPI reports. The estimated economic damage costs for the entire 2020 Atlantic hurricane season were a comparatively small $60 billion to $65 billion.
House passes George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
The US House of Representatives passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Wednesday, in an effort to increase police accountability and end practices that facilitate the use of excessive force against unarmed citizens, USA Today reports. Drafted by Democrats, the bill was first introduced in the last Congress after the death in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020.
$100 trillion in new debt over next 30 years: CBO
The government has opened the spending spigot over the last year to deal with the coronavirus crisis — but the Congressional Budget Office says unless something changes, Uncle Sam’s freewheeling ways will last long after the pandemic is over.
Mississippi Gov. Reeves tells Biden after ‘neanderthal’ jab we should trust, not ‘insult’ Americans
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeve is responding to President Biden's "neanderthal thinking" comment after he and Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott announced earlier this week that they are lifting their coronavirus mask orders, saying the president should "trust Americans, not insult them."
Number Of ‘Unaccompanied Minors’ Crossing Border On Pace To ‘Shatter’ Records
The number of unaccompanied minors jumping the United States-Mexico border seeking asylum has risen dramatically over the last several weeks and, according to the Domestic Policy Council, which briefed President Joe Biden on the situation Tuesday, that number is growing and is likely to exceed the record by a shocking 45%.
Christian News
Algeria Jails Pastor and Assistant For Evangelism
Algerian Christians have urged prayers for a pastor and his assistant who were jailed and fined for evangelizing in Algeria, an Islamic nation, Worthy News learned.
Islamic Militants Free Nigerian Pastor On Execution Day
Islamic militants have released a Nigerian pastor who they threatened to kill unless their demands were met, security sources said. Bulus Yikura of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) was held captive since December 24, 2020.
2,000 More to Go: Wycliffe Bible Translators Keeps On Task During the Pandemic
Wycliffe Bible Translators says the COVID-19 pandemic displaced some of its staff but that the urgent work continues as 1.5 billion people still do not have the full Bible available in their language.
U.S. Supreme Court grants another victory for religious worship in California
The U.S. Supreme Court has sided once again with California houses of worship in their most recent request for an injunction against a county health order, pending appeal in the Ninth Circuit and disposition of a petition for a writ of cert.
Worthy Watch
‘God’s Will Is No Concern of This Congress’: NY Dem Jerry Nadler Rejects God During Debate Over Equality Act
ICC refuses to prosecute war crimes by Palestinian while actively pursuing Israeli leaders
New Report Urges Accelerated Use of Artificial Intelligence for National Security