Worthy Brief - 7/24/2017
Friend, revealer of secrets!
Gen 41:45a And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah (“Decipherer of Secrets”);
Joseph interpreted dreams and revealed their meaning to those around him, and so Pharaoh gave him the name, Tsofnat Paneach (Zaphnathpaaneah) which means the "Decipherer or Revealer of Secrets". Yeshua, (Jesus) at his first advent coming as the suffering servant or otherwise known as "Mashiach ben Yosef" also came revealing secrets; not as an interpreter of dreams, but as one who disclosed the secrets of men.
Yeshua's teaching consistently exposed the innermost thoughts of the heart, forcing them into the light. As the living Word of God His words like a sword, cut through deception and went straight to the motives of men. Exposing sin through deep conviction, He presents the opportunity for real and sincere confession. He can then remove those sins through His atoning death.
Friend, Yeshua's insight and the conviction of His word are a gift. If He probes you in the secret places it's only because He loves you so much, and because He wants to reveal His grace and power to cleanse you. When you read His Word or seek Him in prayer, don't be surprised if you discover some of your own secrets, things you may have even hidden from yourself. He will reveal what He wants you to see, what He wants you to confess, and what He wants to help you change. And then, you will also discover a "secret" love He was waiting to show you.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
Hezbollah says seizes strategic valley from militants at Syria-Lebanon border
Hezbollah said its forces seized a strategic valley from Sunni Muslim militants on Monday, the latest advance in an offensive to oust jihadists from their last foothold along the Syria-Lebanon border.
Star Wars redux: Congress eyes space to counter Kim Jong Un in North Korea
The day national security planners feared and anticipated arrived this month when Kim Jong Un's regime successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile theoretically capable of hitting Alaska. But with the North's threat looming larger than ever, the high ground for U.S. ICBM defenses might not be ground at all.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Arab League to hold urgent meeting over Jerusalem tensions
The Arab League will hold an urgent meeting on Thursday to discuss the escalating crisis surrounding Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, amid widespread unrest in the Israeli capital and the West Bank.
'Campaign for Jerusalem' has begun, Palestinian Authority Claims
The Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party called Saturday for a continued struggle “to take control of the Al-Aqsa mosque.”
Netanyahu to speak with Jordanian king after embassy attack
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to speak by phone with Jordan's King Abdullah on Monday in an attempt to ease tense relations between their two countries after an attack at the Israeli embassy in Amman, Channel 2 reported.
IDF foresees possible outbreak of new intifada as tensions escalate
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet on Sunday in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Halamish Friday evening and ongoing riots over tensions on the Temple Mount.
Second Gaza rocket in 24 hours hits southern Israel
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip late on Sunday night landed in open territory near Israel's security fence in the Eshkol Regional Council.
World Council of Churches Endorses Palestinian Protests Over Temple Mount Security Measures
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has declared its support for the Palestinian campaign against Israeli control of Jerusalem’s holy sites, describing new Israeli security measures at the Temple Mount as a “corrosive act in the midst of an already-fragile peace.”
Three Israelis Dead, One Wounded in West Bank Stabbing Attack
Three Israelis were killed and one seriously wounded in a stabbing attack in the West Bank town of Halamish on Friday evening.
Inside the United States
Eleven states have counties with more registered voters than voting-age citizens
Government watchdog group Judicial Watch has filed a new election integrity lawsuit against the Maryland State Board of Elections and Montgomery County for denying the group access to voter registration files requested under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit.
Congress’ bipartisan agreement to take hard line against Russia puts Trump to test on sanctions
Congress will vote this week on codifying Obama-era sanctions against Russia, pursuing a bipartisan deal that will mark lawmakers’ first major show of independence from President Trump.
Fact-checkers drawn into heated debate over number of noncitizens who vote illegally
A right-leaning fact-checker is fighting critics on the left who say its conclusion that a lot of noncitizens vote illegally is bunk.
60 votes or nothing: Senate parliamentarian warns Republicans about rules for health care bill
Key parts of the Republican health care bill, including defunding Planned Parenthood and barring the use of tax credits for abortion coverage, are not eligible for the fast-track process Republicans are using to prevent a Democratic filibuster, says the Senate’s referee, throwing yet another roadblock in front of President Trump’s attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare this week.
Sean Spicer resigns as White House press secretary, calls Scaramucci hire a mistake
In another White House staff shakeup, President Trump appointed friend and New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as his communications director Friday, a move that prompted press secretary Sean Spicer to resign.
Trump axes 860 Obama regulations, 179 from 'secret' list
White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney accused the Obama administration Thursday of keeping a “secret list” of proposed regulations during Mr. Obama’s eight-year regulatory onslaught against businesses, and touted President Trump’s rollback of more than 800 Obama-era rules and proposals.