Worthy Brief - Christian Newsletter » Newsletters » 2020 » July » Worthy Brief - 7/30/2020

Worthy Brief - 7/30/2020

Friend, be ministers of reconciliation!

2 Cor 5:18-21 And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us. Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For He has made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As we’ve been traveling across the United States, one of the messages we’ve been carrying is being a minister of reconcilation for bringing restoration of relationship between parties that have been divided and wounded.

Throughout this journey we’ve spoken at multiple venues hearing numerous stories of congregations who have split for one reason or another. Yet through our outreach, divided communities have come together, in some instances for the first time since they parted ways.

The enemy works skillfully and diligently to divide, disrupt, and destroy the body of Messiah. But we have a duty and an obligation to be ministers of reconciliation and work toward spiritual unity.

When, through humility and prayerful seeking of God's mind, we learn to resolve conflicts, we will realize the unity of the Spirit and display the reconciling power of love (agape) and give testimony of Yeshua as He said," “They will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:35]

The spirit of reconciliation does not necessarily require uniformity of belief, but a unity in deferential love, where disagreements are not in essentials. My wife and I disagree in a number of areas, for example, but we will not allow these disagreements to override our love for one another.

One of the greatest revivals in history, the Moravian revival endured for 100 years, as all the saints were commited to practicing this maxim, “In essentials UNITY, in non-essentials LIBERTY, and in all things LOVE.”

If we can unify in the essentials of our faith … without surrendering sound doctrine … not based on the spirit of ecumenism, but the unity of the Holy Spirit, our testimony will be authentic and powerful as we bring the message of the Kingdom, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand."

Friend, reconciliation is the work of the Messiah, accomplished on His cross to reconcile men to God. Yeshua's examplary work of reconciliation lays a completely sufficient foundation for us to walk in as well. We must diligently seek unity and reconciliation with one another, both individually and corporately through humility, prayer, confession and forgiveness. Our enemy the Devil loves and knows how to divide us. Will we pursue the Lord's way? By the power of His Spirit we can love one another and fight to achieve the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Twin Falls, Idaho

Editor's Note: We will be speaking in Colorado this week! We will be in Kentucky and Indiana next week! If you want to catch us on the road, contact george [@] worthyministries.com

Around the World
Iran fires ballistic missiles from underground for 1st time, during major drill
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles for the first time, as part of an exercise involving a mock-up aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday.
Russia and China in Talks About Building a Joint Moon Research Base
Looking to strengthen its space cooperation with China amid heightened geopolitical tensions with the United States, Russia is in talks with Beijing about the possibility of building a joint lunar research base.
Concerns Growing Over Press Crackdown in Hungary
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has urged the European Union to help end an alleged government crackdown on independent media in Hungary.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu and Pompeo say Trump peace plan remains on the table but give no timeline for Israeli annexation plans
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s peace plan was still on the table, although neither leader gave any indication as to when Israel would extend sovereignty to those parts of the West Bank the plan provides for, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Inside the United States
U.S. is expected to report a record-breaking economic plunge
Having endured what was surely a record-shattering slump last quarter, the U.S. economy faces a dim outlook as a resurgent coronavirus intensifies doubts about any sustained recovery the rest of the year.
US Federal Agents Agree to Leave Portland, With Conditions
The U.S. government says it will withdraw the federal tactical teams that have clashed with protesters in Portland, Oregon, beginning Thursday provided they are confident of an end to the violence and vandalism that have accompanied weeks of protests in the Pacific Coast city.
Coalition of 18 states petition US Supreme Court to uphold Mississippi 15-week abortion law
Referencing “advances in science” and “brutal” abortion methods, a group of 18 states is petitioning the US Supreme Court to uphold Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation, Christian Headlines reported Tuesday.

Christian News
China threatens to forcibly take children from Christian families to re-education camps
The International Christian Concern (ICC) non-governmental organization has received a new report that Chinese authorities threatened to send children from a church in Chengdu to re-education camps, Christian Today reports. ICC has previously reported that Chinese authorities had removed children from Christian families on the grounds that they were "trapped by an evil religion."