Worthy Brief - 3/21/2019
Friend, time to step up!
Esther 4:14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Last night began the feast of Purim, which celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from one of many of Satan's attempts to purge them from the world. Mordechai gave Esther a great challenge then, "and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
This is a challenge for all of us! As each generation is raised up, God appoints men and women to rise up to the challenge of that age. We are alive in this day and in this hour (an amazing day and hour, at that) and God is saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" He is awaiting those who will come forward and say "Hineni" here am I, in Hebrew! And if we fall short of this challenge, "deliverance may arise from another place!"
Friend, let's not let that happen -- God wants to use us! Let's rise to the occasion! God has great things ahead!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
Around the World
EU summit readies for Brexit in May - or next week
EU leaders will tell Theresa May on Thursday she can have two months to organize an orderly Brexit but Britain could face a hugely disruptive ejection from the bloc next Friday if the prime minister fails to win backing from parliament.
Genetic Manipulation Enters a New Era As Chinese Scientist Oversees Birth of First Successfully Gene-Edited Babies
The science world is abuzz with news of the world's first successfully gene-edited babies.
Putin Kicks Off Massive New Gas Field in Russia’s Arctic
President Vladimir Putin has kicked off the full-scale development of one of Russia’s largest proven gas fields in the Yamal peninsula, the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.
May urges parliament to back her on Brexit, tells Britons 'I'm on your side'
Prime Minister Theresa May made an impassioned appeal to MPs to support her on Wednesday after the European Union said it could only grant her request to delay Brexit for three months if parliament next week backed her plans for leaving.
High potency marijuana, daily use 'strongly linked' to psychosis
Smoking high-potency cannabis, used daily, has been linked to diagnosis of conditions like schizophrenia, paranoia and other psychosis disorders, new findings say.
Pompeo heads to Lebanon, where Hezbollah is at peak strength
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hopes to use his first visit to Lebanon this week to step up pressure on Iran and its local ally, Hezbollah. But he could face resistance even from America's local allies, who fear that pushing too hard could spark a backlash and endanger the tiny country's fragile peace.
Trump Marks Persian New Year With Call for 'Rebirth of Liberty in Iran'
Amid talk of possible terror blacklisting of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, President Trump greeted Iranians around the world on the Persian new year (Nowruz), on Thursday, while condemning the 'dictatorial' regime in Tehran, and saying he joined those praying for 'the rebirth of liberty in Iran.'
Rwanda sparks human rights concerns in proposing world’s first nationwide DNA database
Rwanda has proposed the world’s first country-wide DNA database, a project that will involve collecting samples from all of the country’s 12 million citizens in an effort to crack down on crime.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Condemned by UN for Defending Itself Against Gaza Border Riots
Nearly a year after Palestinians launched violent protests along Israel’s border with Gaza, a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report calls for some Israelis to be tried as war criminals for the military’s response to those border riots.
Israel, US intercept long-range missiles during joint drill
Israel and the U.S. have successfully intercepted a series of medium to long-range ballistic missiles in a joint drill.
Inside the United States
Federal Reserve Says No Rate Hikes, 2.1% GDP Growth In 2019
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded its meeting at 2 PM ET today and announced that the Federal Reserve would not raise fed fund rates. The revised dot plot—which records individual committee members' projections for where interest rates will be at year-end—indicated that the Fed will pause any further rate hikes until 2020.
U.S. farmers face devastation following Midwest floods
Midwestern farmers have been gambling they could ride out the U.S.-China trade war by storing their corn and soybeans anywhere they could - in bins, plastic tubes, in barns or even outside.
US Democrats Broach Audacious Changes to Elections, High Court
Frustrated in the Trump era, several Democratic presidential hopefuls are proposing dramatic reforms that would shake up US institutions and their centuries-old traditions, including abolishing the Electoral College and adding justices to the Supreme Court.
Arkansas House OKs bill requiring schools offer Bible course
The Arkansas House has approved a bill that requires public schools to offer an elective course on the Bible if students request one.
'It looked like an ocean': Severe Midwest flooding could last all spring
Gov. Kim Reynolds is warning Iowans what millions of Midwesterners have come to understand in recent days – the severe flooding that has swamped much of the region may be a long way from over.
Religious 'nones' now as big as evangelicals in the US, new data shows
The number of religious 'nones' in the United States are now statistically equal than the number of evangelicals, according to a political scientist who analyzed data from the recently released 2018 General Social Survey.
Powell calls for returning focus to the federal debt
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that reducing the federal debt needs to return to the forefront of the agenda, warning that the government's finances are unsustainable.
Trump set to sign executive order on campus free speech
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that addresses campus free speech as well as other higher education issues, according to several sources familiar with the White House’s plans.
Gillum’s ‘red flag’ plan to stop Trump: 1M more Florida voters
Andrew Gillum announced a plan Wednesday to register and turn-out 1 million new and low-propensity Florida voters in an effort to crush President Donald Trump’s reelection chances in the nation’s largest swing state.
Christian News
Christians respond after deadly cyclone tears across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe
Christian Aid is appealing for donations as it assists communities affected by Cyclone Idai, which has killed hundreds and devastated communities across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
China Tells Christianity To Be More Chinese
The headlines out of China last week sounded ominous. In strident language not heard in a long time, the head of China’s Protestant church gave a speech supporting the government’s policy of reducing Western influence on religion and making it 'more Chinese,' a process dubbed sinicization in English.
EU summit readies for Brexit in May - or next week
EU leaders will tell Theresa May on Thursday she can have two months to organize an orderly Brexit but Britain could face a hugely disruptive ejection from the bloc next Friday if the prime minister fails to win backing from parliament.
Genetic Manipulation Enters a New Era As Chinese Scientist Oversees Birth of First Successfully Gene-Edited Babies
The science world is abuzz with news of the world's first successfully gene-edited babies.
Putin Kicks Off Massive New Gas Field in Russia’s Arctic
President Vladimir Putin has kicked off the full-scale development of one of Russia’s largest proven gas fields in the Yamal peninsula, the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.
May urges parliament to back her on Brexit, tells Britons 'I'm on your side'
Prime Minister Theresa May made an impassioned appeal to MPs to support her on Wednesday after the European Union said it could only grant her request to delay Brexit for three months if parliament next week backed her plans for leaving.
High potency marijuana, daily use 'strongly linked' to psychosis
Smoking high-potency cannabis, used daily, has been linked to diagnosis of conditions like schizophrenia, paranoia and other psychosis disorders, new findings say.
Pompeo heads to Lebanon, where Hezbollah is at peak strength
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hopes to use his first visit to Lebanon this week to step up pressure on Iran and its local ally, Hezbollah. But he could face resistance even from America's local allies, who fear that pushing too hard could spark a backlash and endanger the tiny country's fragile peace.
Trump Marks Persian New Year With Call for 'Rebirth of Liberty in Iran'
Amid talk of possible terror blacklisting of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, President Trump greeted Iranians around the world on the Persian new year (Nowruz), on Thursday, while condemning the 'dictatorial' regime in Tehran, and saying he joined those praying for 'the rebirth of liberty in Iran.'
Rwanda sparks human rights concerns in proposing world’s first nationwide DNA database
Rwanda has proposed the world’s first country-wide DNA database, a project that will involve collecting samples from all of the country’s 12 million citizens in an effort to crack down on crime.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Condemned by UN for Defending Itself Against Gaza Border Riots
Nearly a year after Palestinians launched violent protests along Israel’s border with Gaza, a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report calls for some Israelis to be tried as war criminals for the military’s response to those border riots.
Israel, US intercept long-range missiles during joint drill
Israel and the U.S. have successfully intercepted a series of medium to long-range ballistic missiles in a joint drill.
Inside the United States
Federal Reserve Says No Rate Hikes, 2.1% GDP Growth In 2019
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded its meeting at 2 PM ET today and announced that the Federal Reserve would not raise fed fund rates. The revised dot plot—which records individual committee members' projections for where interest rates will be at year-end—indicated that the Fed will pause any further rate hikes until 2020.
U.S. farmers face devastation following Midwest floods
Midwestern farmers have been gambling they could ride out the U.S.-China trade war by storing their corn and soybeans anywhere they could - in bins, plastic tubes, in barns or even outside.
US Democrats Broach Audacious Changes to Elections, High Court
Frustrated in the Trump era, several Democratic presidential hopefuls are proposing dramatic reforms that would shake up US institutions and their centuries-old traditions, including abolishing the Electoral College and adding justices to the Supreme Court.
Arkansas House OKs bill requiring schools offer Bible course
The Arkansas House has approved a bill that requires public schools to offer an elective course on the Bible if students request one.
'It looked like an ocean': Severe Midwest flooding could last all spring
Gov. Kim Reynolds is warning Iowans what millions of Midwesterners have come to understand in recent days – the severe flooding that has swamped much of the region may be a long way from over.
Religious 'nones' now as big as evangelicals in the US, new data shows
The number of religious 'nones' in the United States are now statistically equal than the number of evangelicals, according to a political scientist who analyzed data from the recently released 2018 General Social Survey.
Powell calls for returning focus to the federal debt
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that reducing the federal debt needs to return to the forefront of the agenda, warning that the government's finances are unsustainable.
Trump set to sign executive order on campus free speech
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that addresses campus free speech as well as other higher education issues, according to several sources familiar with the White House’s plans.
Gillum’s ‘red flag’ plan to stop Trump: 1M more Florida voters
Andrew Gillum announced a plan Wednesday to register and turn-out 1 million new and low-propensity Florida voters in an effort to crush President Donald Trump’s reelection chances in the nation’s largest swing state.
Christian News
Christians respond after deadly cyclone tears across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe
Christian Aid is appealing for donations as it assists communities affected by Cyclone Idai, which has killed hundreds and devastated communities across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
China Tells Christianity To Be More Chinese
The headlines out of China last week sounded ominous. In strident language not heard in a long time, the head of China’s Protestant church gave a speech supporting the government’s policy of reducing Western influence on religion and making it 'more Chinese,' a process dubbed sinicization in English.