Worthy Brief - 6/14/2018
Friend, has someone been watching?
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
We came across this interesting story by Leslie B. Flynn in her book Dare to Care Like Jesus.
A Christian baroness, living in the highlands of Nairobi, Kenya, told of a young national who was employed as her houseboy. After three months he asked the baroness to give him a letter of reference to a friendly sheik some miles away. The baroness, not wishing the houseboy to leave just when he had learned the routine of the household, offered to increase his pay. The lad replied that he was not leaving for higher pay. Rather, he had decided he would become either a Christian or a Muslim. This was why he had come to work for the baroness for three months. He had wished to see how Christians acted. Now he wanted to work for three months for the sheik to observe the ways of the Muslims. Then he would decide which way of life he would follow. The baroness was stunned as she recalled her many blemishes in her dealings with the houseboy. She could only exclaim, "Why didn't you tell me at the beginning!"
I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the minute we label ourselves "Christian", we must know that people will be watching us everywhere we go. This does not mean that we have to be perfect (although that is what the world often expects to see)! But what it means is that we have to be daily walking in repentance, frequently examining our behaviors and motives, and praying for God's deliverance from all the ways we fall short. We must be bettering ourselves for the Kingdom every single day! Yes, it must be the main focus in our lives!
Friend, none of us have arrived. We all have work to do. Let's make it a point to be in daily, or even hourly contact with the Lord, asking Him to restore our hearts and minds for His sake and for the sake of all who are watching!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
Editor's Note: My wife, Baht Rivka, will be coming to America and Mexico to sing at a number of conferences and events most of July and beginning of August. We don't know what we'll do without her but I need to stay in Israel and take care of things on the ground and also work on my long overdue book, while our kiddos focus on school. Let us know if you want her to stop in and bless you with some fun Israeli Music and testimony! Please also keep us in prayer.
North, South Korea slated to hold military talks for first time in 10 years: Report
North and South Korea are slated to engage in high-level military talks on Thursday for the first time in more than 10 years, a new report states.
Pompeo clears the air: No sanctions relief for North Korea until 'complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization'
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a press conference with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts Thursday morning in Singapore to elaborate on the post Trump-Kim summit strategy for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
Hezbollah to be outlawed in Britain
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid plans later this year to outlaw Hezbollah in Britain, according to a report in the London-based Jewish Chronicle.
Putin and Rouhani meet in China, discuss joint efforts in Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met in China on Saturday during a weekend summit of the Chinese- and Russian-led security bloc.
Saudis, allies launch long-awaited, high-risk assault on key Yemeni port
The Saudi-led coalition battling Iranian-backed Houthi separatists in Yemen launched a long-awaited, high-risk campaign to break the back of the insurgency, with American military assistance, in a mass offensive against a key rebel stronghold in the country.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
U.N. votes down U.S. bid to condemn Hamas violence against Israel
In a public relations blow to Israel’s right to self-defense the United Nations General Assembly voted not to condemn Hamas violence and in favor of international protection for the Palestinian people along the Gaza border, in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
UN General Assembly condemns Israel for ‘excessive’ force at Gaza border
With a huge majority, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning Israel for using 'excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate' force during the recent clashes at the Gaza border and calling for an “international protection mechanism” for Palestinian civilians.
Kushner, Greenblatt to visit region for peace plan talks
Senior Trump administration officials will visit the Middle East next week to consult regional governments on their plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Inside the United States
House passes 25 bills to fight opioid addiction and overdoses
The House has passed 25 bills to combat rising drug-related deaths from opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin.
Congress moves to ban child sex robots favored by pedophiles
The U.S. House approved a ban Wednesday on the importation and trafficking of anatomically correct child sex dolls and robots that 'normalize sex between adults and minors.'
Robert Mueller seeks 150 blank subpoenas for Manafort trial
Special counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday asked for 150 blank subpoenas in the Eastern District of Virginia where he has filed charges against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Even Democrats Oppose U.S. Abortion Laws, Gallup Poll Shows
Most American adults oppose legalized abortion in the second and trimesters according to a new Gallup survey that shows people who call themselves pro-choice actually disagree with current U.S. abortion laws.
Christian News
Algerian pastor ‘amazed’ as three churches reopened
Three churches recently closed down by authorities in Algeria’s northern province of Oran were permitted to re-open on Sunday, 10 June.
New DOJ Initiative Protects Churches Against Zoning Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday its new 'Place to Worship Initiative,' which aims to protect 'the ability of houses of worship and other religious institutions to build, expand, buy, or rent facilities—as provided by the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).'