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Worthy Brief - 8/11/2020

Friend, learn from His example!

Luke 6:12-13 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:

In these days, we have to pray for wisdom! In the letter of James, the Lord's brother, he writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally...” [James 1:5] The context for this request is trials! Since this is a time of almost constant trials, God knows we need His wisdom, more than ever.

As a minister and watchman, I’m often asked what I expect to happen, and what is my advice for it. I can say one thing for sure; the world situation is extremely volatile, with shifting paradigms, and we absolutely must get God's individual and personal wisdom to navigate these last days.

Yeshua (Jesus) Himself spent a lot of time in prayer. You might think He didn't need to do that since He was in constant fellowship with his Father, anyway. But it's clear He needed to get away to concentrate on that relationship and to listen carefully and intently. If the very Son of God needed that time in prayer, how much more do we?

Luke reports that the Lord spent all night in prayer before He chose His disciples. Apparently this was a prerequisite for one of the most important decisions He had to make. Take it to heart; important decisions should NEVER be made without committing yourself to God in prayer, and the more significant the decision, the more concentrated time you should spend hearing God's mind on the issue.

Friend, make sure you are seeking the Lord for wisdom in these days, to be led of His Spirit, especially when decisions are before you. Rely on His promise to grant you wisdom generously, as He will to all that ask. Perhaps, in the past we've made bad decisions because we neglected to seek Him in prayer. We didn't ask, and thus failed to receive His wisdom. This time, and every time, from now on, follow the Lord’s example…

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Lafayette, Indiana

Editor's Note: We will be having a conference call on tonight at 7 PM EST. We will be using a new service that will allow international callers to join the online meeting. Please contact george [@] worthyministries.com for more details.

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

Around the World
Iran nuclear deal at risk as U.N. council prepares to vote on arms embargo
The U.N. Security Council is preparing to vote this week on a U.S. proposal to extend an arms embargo on Iran, a move that some diplomats say is bound to fail and put the fate of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers further at risk.
Lebanon Government Resigns After Beirut Blast Kills 160 People
Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced Monday that he and his government have resigned amid public outcry over a Beirut port explosion that killed 160 people. The August 4 blast also injured 6,000 men, women, and children and left hundreds of thousands of residents homeless.
Britain Increasing Border Security As Migrants Cross Channel In Risky Boats; Europe Concerned
Britain's government pledged Friday to strengthen border security, as a daily record number of people crossed the English Channel to the U.K. in small boats. The measures that reportedly could involve the Royal Navy, come amid broader concerns in Europe about a rising number of migrants re-emerging following lengthy coronavirus lockdowns.
Belarus President "Wins" Bloodstained Ballot
Election officials in Belarus say the county's longtime President Alexander Lukashenko has won his sixth consecutive term, taking over 80 percent of the vote. Monday's announcement followed a night of riots in which dozens of people were injured, and possibly one person was killed amid mounting anger over his perceived autocratic style.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Bipartisan US bill aims to advance normalized ties between Israel, Arab states
Two US senators introduced bipartisan legislation last week aimed at promoting normalized relations between Israel and Arab countries.
Israel closes Gaza border crossing after spike in arson balloon attacks
Following waves of explosive balloons launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory over the last few days, Israel will shut the Gaza Strip’s Kerem Shalom commercial crossing beginning Tuesday morning “until further notice,” the Israeli military liaison to the Palestinians announced.

Inside the United States
Powerful derecho with 100mph winds causes chaos across Midwest
A rare storm packing 100 mph winds and with power similar to an inland hurricane swept across the Midwest on Monday, blowing over trees, flipping vehicles, causing widespread property damage and leaving hundreds of thousands without power as it moved through Chicago and into Indiana and Michigan.
Federal deficit swells to nearly $3 trillion in first 10 months of fiscal year 2020
The federal deficit so far this fiscal year is at $2.8 trillion, roughly $2 trillion higher than the deficit for the same period last year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
House will be mostly absent until mid-November
The House will be in session just three weeks between now and Nov. 16, Democratic leaders announced Monday.
Seattle City Council votes to scale back police department funding as officer pay on chopping block
The Seattle City Council approved steep cuts to the city's police department but avoided the 50% scale back in funding social justice activists had sought.
Johnson subpoenas FBI in review of Russia probe origin
The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Monday subpoenaed the FBI and Director Christopher Wray as part of its broad review into the origins of the Russia investigation, Fox News has learned.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) launches campaign for mass clemency as systemic response to racist incarceration
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is launching a years-long campaign for the clemency and release of 50,000 prisoners as a means to address “decades of racist, punitive, and degrading incarceration," Fox News reported last week. "The Redemption Campaign" will be lobbying state governors to grant mass clemency to "older incarcerated people," "people convicted of drug distribution and possession offenses," "people incarcerated for technical probation or parole violations," and people who would have received a lesser sentence if convicted under current laws.
End of July jobless rate remained high, although lower than forecast
Although the number of employment claims at the end of July was over 1 million for the 20th straight week, it was also the lowest number of new claims since the US was struck by COVID-19 in March, the Washington Examiner reports. The end of July saw 1.2 million claims when economists had forecast there would be 1.42 million.

Christian News
Lebanese Christians Suffering More Misery After Deadly Beirut Blast
The Beirut blast that killed 160 people adds to the suffering of Christians who already face food shortages and social unrest due to the coronavirus crisis, aid workers say. Their warnings came shortly before the government resigned Monday amid public outcry over the explosion, triggered by ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the Beirut port.
California pastor holds services for 1,000 people in defiance of COVID-19 court order
Defying a California court order issued amid coronavirus concerns, the leader of Godspeak Calvary Chapel, Ventura County held indoor church services for around 1,000 people on Sunday, the Washington Examiner reports. Prior to holding the services, Pastor Rob McCoy described the county rules on indoor services as “draconian” and stated that no one in his church was infected with COVID-19.