Worthy Brief - 7/22/2022
Friend, you are chosen in the furnace of affliction!
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
The great evangelist and teacher Charles Spurgeon had a plaque on his bedroom with the words written on it, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."
Spurgeon, writing about the trials and afflictions that the saints endure, said, "It is no mean thing to be chosen of God." He continued, "God's choice makes chosen men choice men … we are chosen, not in the palace, but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed, strength is melted, glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its secrets, and declares its choice."
In the midst of trials and tribulations comes the burning question: "Why do the righteous suffer?" Some answer with theology, others with platitudes; C.S. Lewis offers a rhetorical, "Why not? They're the only ones who can take it!"
One friend suggests, "Suffering was the personal choice of God at the beginning of creation. [Revelation 13:8] If I want to know Him personally and intimately how can I not embrace it?"
Friend, embrace your trial and the suffering involved, but only if you want a deeper relationship with your personal savior.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Baltimore, Maryland
Be sure to listen to Baht Rivka's version of Kari Jobe's song "The Blessing" in Hebrew and English.
We are planning our Fall Tour so 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.
Check out our unique Worthy App, which allows you to follow our news instantaneously and directly access over 50 news sources with 24/7 coverage. Download from Apple App Store (for Iphones) or download our Android version.
Italian Premier Draghi resigns amid political turmoil, collapsed government
Italian Premier Mario Draghi resigned Thursday after key coalition allies boycotted a confidence vote, signaling the likelihood of an early election and a renewed period of uncertainty for Italy and Europe at a critical time.
China Ramps Up Censorship As Protests Break Out Across The Nation
Chinese censors are removing videos, posts and hashtags related to protests over mortgage payments from Chinese social networking sites such as Douyin and Weibo, according to Reuters.
Sri Lanka Tense After New President (Worthy News In-Depth)
There were fears Thursday of new unrest in Sri Lanka after Parliament elected Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president of the bankrupt Buddhist-majority nation.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel: Archaeologists unearth 2,000 Judean villa with ‘mikvah’
Archaeologists in Jerusalem’s Old City have unearthed a 2,000-year-old Judean villa with its own Jewish ritual bath (‘mikveh’), overlooking the site of the Biblical temples, the Associated Press reports.
IDF unveils new Judea and Samaria security fence
The IDF continues its efforts to strengthen the Judea and Samaria security barrier as part of the IDF's recent counterterrorism activities. The construction of the barrier which began in April constitutes a significant step in Operation “Break the Wave'' and the ongoing efforts to thwart and prevent terrorism as well as strengthen the Judea and Samaria security barrier. This operation led to significant progress in the construction of the security barrier in the Judean Desert, and also led to a significant decrease in the number of illegal infiltrations into Israeli territory.
3 Syrian soldiers killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes near Damascus
Three Syrian soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded in alleged Israeli airstrikes that targeted sites near Damascus on Thursday night, according to Syrian state news agency SANA.
Inside the United States
Supreme Court won’t reinstate Biden immigration policies, pending litigation
The Supreme Court on Thursday denied a bid by the Biden administration to block a ruling from a federal judge that barred immigration officials from following its enforcement guidelines.
House Passes Bill Prohibiting States From Limiting Contraceptives, Abortifacients
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would prohibit states from limiting the possession and distribution of contraceptives and abortifacients, even if they have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Christian News
Iran: Christian converts convicted of house-church membership
Four Christian converts in Iran have been convicted of criminality due to their membership of house churches, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Worthy Watch
House Democrats Block Republican Resolution Condemning Violence at Churches, Pregnancy Centers
House Democrats on Tuesday blocked a Republican resolution that would have condemned the violence seen by radical pro-abortion activists at churches and pro-life pregnancy centers in recent months.
Mystery solved: DOJ secretly thwarted release of Russia documents declassified by Trump
In the final hours of the Trump presidency, the U.S. Justice Department raised privacy concerns to thwart the release of hundreds of pages of documents that Donald Trump had declassified to expose FBI abuses during the Russia collusion probe, and the agency then defied a subsequent order to release the materials after redactions were made, according to interviews and documents.
Worthy Watch
CIA Director: China Will Use ‘Overwhelming Force’ To Invade Taiwan
Russia’s ongoing struggle to defeat Ukraine has altered the scale and timeline surrounding China’s Taiwan invasion strategy, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said Wednesday.
House-Passed Defense Bill Mentions ‘Gender’ 29 Times, Establishes a ‘Gender Advisor Workforce’
The word “gender” is mentioned 29 times in the House-passed version of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which also formally establishes a full-time, funded, stationed, and resourced “Gender Advisor Workforce.”
Worthy Insights
Drag queens, incest, pedophilia dominate taxpayer-funded film festival
American taxpayer dollars contributed to a queer film festival that featured films on drug culture, incestuous siblings, and sexual relationships between adults and minors.
Fentanyl-traffic suspects skip California court date after release on cashless bail
Two men accused of trafficking multiple thousands of fentanyl pills failed to show up for their court date Thursday after having been released on cashless bail last month.
Solar Panels Suffer Stunning Failure as Weather Becomes ‘Too Hot’ for Them to Handle
In an article Tuesday headlined “Weather ‘too hot’ for solar panels,” The Telegraph of London reported Tuesday that temperatures of over 104 degrees Fahrenheit — “for the first time ever in Britain” — severely negatively impacted local solar panels’ ability to store energy.