Worthy Brief - 9/22/2017
Friend, cast your bread upon the waters!
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. [in Hebrew mercy is the word "ch-sed" -- which has a much deeper meaning. Click here to read an explanation of the richness of this word.] He will turn again, He will have compassion on us, and He will subdue our iniquities. Yes, You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
One of the more beautiful ceremonies during this season is called "Tashlich". Tashlich means to cast away. Every year between Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur, Jewish people around the world journey to a nearby river or stream and cast in bread crumbs as they confess their sins. As the bread crumbs are swept downstream soon to be out of sight, so they believe God will sweep away their sins.
We as believers in Yeshua (Jesus), know that true forgiveness doesn't come by doing works, keeping traditions and taking part in beautiful ceremonies. Reconciliation with God comes by truly giving up our lives for His purposes and receiving atonement for our sin through Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), as the Hebrew scriptures clearly show.
We all struggle with sin. Let's take this opportunity to tashlich it today! Cast it away! The Scripture says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, cleanse us from all unrighteousness and remove those sins as far as the east is from the west!
Friend, let's not be burdened any longer with sin -- confess it and be cleansed! The Lord is in the business of restoration -- let's give Him our lives once again. And let’s pray for God to do a work among the Jewish people. That they would see the truth of their blessed Messiah!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
Defying Trump, Iran says will boost missile capabilities
Iran will strengthen its missile capabilities and will not seek permission from any country to do so, President Hassan Rouhani said on Friday in an undisguised snub to demands by U.S. President Donald Trump.
North Korean foreign minister: We may test hydrogen bomb in Pacific
South Korean media reports that North Korea’s top diplomat says his country may test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean to fulfill leader Kim Jong-un’s vow to take the “highest-level” action against the United States.
Magnitude-6.1 earthquake strikes off coast of Japan
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-6.1 earthquake has hit off the coast of Japan.
Trump signs executive order targeting North Korea's trading partners
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday targeting North Korea’s trading partners, calling it a “powerful” new tool aimed at isolating and de-nuclearizing the regime.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli jets reportedly strike weapons convoy outside Damascus
Israeli warplanes early on Friday morning struck a Hezbollah weapons convoy outside Damascus, Arabic-language media outlets reported.
Starving cells of oxygen can help them kill cancers, Israeli researchers find
Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a method to reinforce the power of cells that kill cancerous tumors by starving them of oxygen, allowing immunotherapy treatments to be used in targeting previously immune solid tumors.
Southern barrier proves 100% effective in preventing infiltration
Not a single infiltration from the Sinai Peninsula into Israel was recorded over the past 12 months, the Population and Immigration Authority said on Sunday.
Inside the United States
Mitch McConnell to bring up Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill on Senate floor next week
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to bring the latest Obamacare overhaul bill to the floor next week, a McConnell spokesman confirmed.
Facebook will release Russia-linked ads to Congress, Mark Zuckerberg says
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the social network would hand over to Congress the political ads purchased by Russian operatives.
Christian News
Half-a-Million People Gather in the Streets of Ukraine to Praise the Name of Jesus
The streets of Kiev filled with songs of praise and thanks as 500,000 evangelical, Ukrainian Christians gathered to celebrated the 500th anniversary of the protestant reformation.