Worthy Brief - 3/26/2019
Friend, abide!
John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
How do we produce much fruit? What is the Lord saying?
In the modern world, the work ethic is, achieve and produce by working longer and harder! The focus is on getting results through human effort -- we've become product oriented and the bottom line is......the bottom line! But God's way runs contrary to this approach -- His way is much more oriented toward process and relationship rather than performance and production. He IS interested in results which He calls "fruit"; but not by pushing or egging us on to work harder or longer.
The Lord's way is to work with and through us so that every result or product comes out of our abiding in Him, since without Him WE CAN DO NOTHING.
This is opposed to of the culture we live in today, and to human nature in general. Think about it -- we're constantly bombarded with self-help books promoting self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-control -- our society is all about SELF! But God's way of success produces the results which He values; results which are not produced by self-effort, but which grow out of an intimate relationship with Him, in which we seek to constantly abide.
Friend, the only way we can become abundantly fruitful is to understand the Lord's fruit-bearing process. As we lay down self-effort, our natural human independence, and seek communion with Him, abiding in the Vine, then His power, His will, and His desires will be realized in our lives, which then, will bear fruit that remains throughout eternity!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
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Russia, Syria, and Lebanon on Monday criticized the United States for recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
Russian military planes carrying troops and Moscow defense official land in Venezuela
Two Russian air force planes arrived in Venezuela over the weekend, carrying about 100 troops and nearly 40 tons of cargo.
Theresa May: No ‘sufficient support’ for third vote on Brexit deal
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May told the House of Commons that there was still not enough support among MPs to bring her Brexit deal back for a third vote.
Trump turns to trade fights with Congress, China and Europe now that the Mueller probe is mostly out of the way
President Donald Trump will throw himself fully into his battle to overhaul U.S. trade deals this week with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation -- mostly -- behind him.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
IDF bombs Hamas targets, including ‘secret HQ,’ after rocket hits Israeli home
The Israeli military began bombing targets throughout the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, some 12 hours after a rocket fired from the coastal enclave slammed into a home in central Israel, injuring seven people.
Alongside PM, Trump signs proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty on Golan
US President Donald Trump on Monday formally recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying the dramatic shift in American policy will help Israel defend itself against regional threats.
Israeli Missile Defense Chief: 1st Test of Arrow 3 over Alaska Coming Soon
Israel’s missile defense chief says his nation will soon use U.S. airspace for the first time to conduct a flight test of a system designed to protect the Jewish state from a long-range Iranian missile strike.
Inside the United States
Pentagon approves $1B transfer for 57 miles of border wall projects
The Pentagon has signed off on $1 billion for the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to support the Homeland Security Department and Customs and Border Protection in constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Defense announced Monday.
Democrats demand full Mueller report; Trump says that’s OK with him
President Donald Trump said Monday that the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report 'wouldn’t bother me at all' as congressional Democrats clamored for the Justice Department to release the entire document and not just the summary from Attorney General William Barr.
Michigan bars Christian adoption agencies from refusing LGBT couples after legal settlement
Adoption and foster care agencies in Michigan who contract with the state can no longer refuse to place children with qualified same-sex parents over religious reasons thanks to a legal settlement Friday that some fear will put faith-based agencies out of business.
Rubio leads constitutional push to stop Democrats ‘packing’ Supreme Court
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a constitutional amendment Monday which would preserve the Supreme Court at nine justices and prevent Democrats 'packing the court,' as some 2020 candidates have proposed.
The end for Obamacare? Trump administration says it will ask a court to throw out entire health law
The Trump administration told a federal court late Monday that it would ask judges to toss out the entire Affordable Care Act, a decision that cast further uncertainty over the future of a federal law that has extended health insurance to millions of Americans.
Ohio abortion clinics may lose funding if elective procedures are performed
Ohio officials have given notice to Planned Parenthood and other health care providers that the state may soon end their funding if they 'perform or promote' elective abortions, under a state law recently deemed constitutional by a federal appeals court.
The Flood-Hit Midwest Is Bracing for Even More Rain
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Trump Boost Bills to Teach Bible in Public Schools
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Miss. Governor Signs Heartbeat Bill
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Christian News
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