Worthy Brief - 9/28/2018
Friend, enter in!
Psalms 105:3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
As we close out the fall feasts here in Israel I’m meditating on the deeper significance of this season. I’m realizing how God’s ordering of the festivals contains a deeper meaning than one might see at first glance. It’s not just about apples and honey and building tabernacles. The Lord gave the Jewish people these feasts as a beautiful picture of His ultimate plan; repentance, faith, atonement, forgiveness and joy. He carefully ordered these feasts to call us to a profound internal reflection designed to lead us from sin and alienation to reconciliation, fellowship, freedom and great joy.
Beginning with Rosh HaShannah and the days immediately following, (commonly called the Days of Awe) we are invited to a season of deep self examination and repentance, culminating at Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). This highest holy day reveals the way in which God forgives our sins through the offering of a spotless lamb, which lays the foundation for the joy of reconciliation with God and one another experienced at Sukkot.
As we can see, this entire sequence is a precise picture of the Lord’s New Covenant redemptive plan. We cannot enter the joy of the Lord except through repentance, faith and redemption through His Son.
Friend, enter the joy of the Lord! Let's examine ourselves today, confess our sins, trust in the absolute forgiveness of God through faith in His Son -- and REJOICE!!!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel
Editor's Note: We're starting to put together our Winter Tour to the States. If you would like to us minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or host a Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyemail.com for more information.
Iran video threatens missile strikes on UAE, Saudi Arabia
An Iranian media outlet close to the hard-line Revolutionary Guard published a video Tuesday threatening missile attacks on the capitals of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, further raising tensions after a weekend militant attack on an Iranian military parade.
Britain slated to outlaw the entire terrorist entity Hezbollah
The United Kingdom’s Home Secretary Sajid Javid will designate the entire Lebanese organization Hezbollah as a terrorist movement at next week’s Conservative Party conference.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Abbas tells UNGA 'Jerusalem is not for sale'
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that Jerusalem 'is not for sale' while urging US President Donald Trump to rescind his decisions recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and cutting aid to the Palestinians, which he said had undermined the two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
All eyes on Iran after Netanyahu’s bombshell revelation -- but probably not for long
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bombshell speech at the UN Thursday, featuring revelations about a secret nuclear warehouse in the heart of Tehran, which included its precise location for people to look up at home, had everything you’d expect: It was rich on Biblical themes, included praise for Israel’s vibrant democracy, was marked by the scolding of European anti-Semitism, and contained outraged rebuttals of Palestinian accusations.
Palestinians: 'Israel owes us $360 million from 17 years of unpaid taxes'
The Palestinian Authority has demanded that the Israel government transfers $360 million in back taxes it has collected for commercial activity in Area C of the West Bank.
Iran: Israel will ‘regret’ further attacks on Syria
The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has said Israel will be sorry if it continues to attack Syria's army and its allies.
European Parliament committee votes to freeze €15M to PA over inciting textbooks
The European Parliament’s budgetary committee voted to freeze more than 15 million euros from the Palestinian Authority if they do not remove incitement from their textbooks.
Inside the United States
Kavanaugh Emotionally Refutes Allegations, Calls Them 'Grotesque and Obvious Character Assassination'
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gave an intense and tearful testimony Thursday, shooting down multiple allegations of sexual abuse during a historic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Senate Panel Still Plans to Vote on Kavanaugh Friday
Republican senators say the Judiciary Committee plans to vote Friday morning on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.
U.S. 30-year mortgage rates hit seven-year peak: Freddie Mac
Interest rates on U.S. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to their highest levels in more than seven years in line with bond yields which rose on the view of sturdy economic growth and heavy debt supply, data from Freddie Mac showed on Thursday.
Christian News
India: Police Arrest 10 Pastors, Families in Mass Raid on Churches
At least 10 pastors were arrested with their families last Sunday as they worshiped in church services across the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a leading persecution watchdog has reported.
7,000 Christian Evangelicals parade through capital in annual Jerusalem March event
Some 7,000 Christian Evangelicals from more than 100 countries took part, along with thousands of locals, in an extravaganza of color, music and flags on Thursday in the annual Jerusalem Feast of Tabernacles March.
Palestinian Pastor Recalls Personal Encounter with Jesus That Led Him to Repent of Hatred for Jews
Bassam Adranly was born a Palestinian and grew up in the Greek Orthodox Christian tradition.