Worthy Brief - 4/19/2023
Friend, don't be fooled!
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
In 1941 the United States and Japan were in negotiations to resolve their difference as the rest of the world was at war. The special delegation of Japanese ambassadors, ostensibly sent on this “peace” mission, arrived shortly before the massive surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, in which 2,403 Americans were killed, 1,143 were wounded, eighteen ships were sunk or grounded, and 300 planes were destroyed or damaged. President Franklin Roosevelt called it a “date which will live in infamy.”
The ambassadors from Japan must have been good actors, carefully trained to set the Americans at ease and completely assuage any suspicion of their nations' true intentions, thus disarming their enemy with subtle subterfuge.
So, we wonder, how does a serpent, or a dragon, appear as an angel of light? Or how does a self-centered charlatan or a brilliant narcissist transform himself into a "Christian" preacher or a modern "prophet"? Or, how does a power-hungry government official, or a billionaire philanthropist, or a "qualified" medical professional present himself as a servant of mankind, with a comprehensive program for benefitting humanity? ...when, in fact, they are bent on destruction...
1 Thessalonians 5:3 warns us of last day's deception: "For when they shall say, "Peace and safety" then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape." In the end, the deceivers will deceive themselves, but meanwhile...
Friend, the devil may have horns, but he will somehow adorn them to look like halos. Beware. Yeshua said, "I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; Therefore, be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Remember, the enemy may pretend to be your friend, but his deception may have devastating consequences.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Going to Christian College in Dallas, Texas)
Arad, Israel
Editor's Note: Worthy Wrap-Up Episode recorded from Israel: Convergence of Events ... Is this a water breaking moment?
US Reporter Remains Detained Rules Moscow Court
A Moscow court ruled Monday that the Wall Street Journal paper reporter Evan Gershkovich, the first American journalist held in Russia since the end of the Cold War, must remain in pre-trial detention.
Sudan Army, Rival Forces Agree On 24-Hour Truce
The Sudanese army and rival forces battling since the weekend agreed Tuesday to a temporary, 24-hour cease-fire, Arab media report after an American diplomatic convoy was attacked.
Nicaragua Expels ‘Mother Theresa’ Nuns
Nuns from the order founded by the late Mother Teresa have been expelled from Nicaragua amid a broader crackdown on perceived church opponents of the country’s autocratic President Daniel Ortega, Catholic sources confirmed.
East Europe Nations Ban Ukraine Grain Imports
Slovakia on Monday joined Hungary and Poland in banning food imports from Ukraine despite objections from the European Union.
Iranian regime executed nearly 600 people last year, report shows
A new report by the Iran Human Rights (IHR) reveals that the Iranian Shiite governmental regime executed 582 people in 2022, a 75% increase from 2021, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Iran threatens to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, as Israel marks Holocaust memorial day
Iran’s president threatened on Tuesday to flatten Tel Aviv and Haifa, as Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, and a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Islamic Republic the modern-day equivalent of Nazi Germany.
Sirens Wail In Israel To Remember Holocaust Victims Amid Tensions
Sirens wailed in Israel at 10:00 a.m. local time Tuesday to remember at least six million Jewish people who perished in the Holocaust, also known as the Shoah in Hebrew.
Calls For Unity At Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day
Ceremonies were underway in Israel on Tuesday to mark the National Holocaust Memorial Day after the nation’s President Isaac Herzog urged Israelis to unite followings weeks of violence and protests.
Inside the United States
Fox News Settles Case For 787.5 Million With Dominion Voting Systems
The conservative-leaning Fox News Channel and Dominion Voting Systems have reached a $787.5 million out-court settlement agreement, both parties confirmed.
US Could Hit Debt Ceiling in June, Banks Warn
The U.S. government's deadline to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling could be sooner than expected, raising the prospect of a short-term debt limit extension, analysts said Tuesday.
Senate GOP report: COVID leaked from Wuhan lab where US funded gain-of-function research
Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is warning that a new virus could break out of China and cause another worldwide pandemic as he releases "Muddy Waters," a comprehensive new report on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christian News
Nigeria report: 5,068 Christians murdered by Islamic jihadists last year, 52,250 Christians murdered since 2009
A new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) attests that 5,068 Christians in Nigeria were murdered by Islamic jihadists on account of their faith last year and that 1,041 were murdered in the first 100 days of 2023. Intersociety is “globally known and respected for strongly advocating for the end of religious radicalism through the propagation of radical Islamism and fanatical Christianity in Nigeria.”
Nigeria: Radicalized Fulani herdsmen murder 33 Christians in Kaduna state
In what has been described as “mindless bloodletting,” radicalized Fulani herdsmen murdered 33 Christians in an attack Saturday night through the early hours of Sunday (April 15-16) in Kaduna state, Nigeria, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Uganda: Jihadists set off fuel bomb on Pentecostal church premises
Claiming that this was the way to serve Allah during the month of Ramadan, Islamic jihadists in western Uganda set off a fuel bomb on the premises of a Pentecostal church during a Good Friday service on April 7, Morning Star News (MSN) reported on April 17. Christianity is legal in Uganda, although believers have come under increasing violent attack from radicalized Muslims.