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Worthy Brief - 10/24/2017

Friend, come on in!

Hebrews 10:19-22 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Near Eilat, in Southern Israel, there is a life-size replica of the tabernacle in the Negev desert, a couple hours from where we live. One particular year, as we visited and entered the Holy of Holies, the guide shared something I never heard before.

According to Jewish tradition, even to this day, when a son dies, his father tears his shirt as a sign of his agony and mourning. You can see this at traditional Jewish funerals worldwide.

Years ago, right when His Son Yeshua (Jesus) died, His Father tore His veil. It is because of His great mercy toward us, that He allowed His Son to die for our redemption. And the tearing of that veil allows us to enter the Holy of Holies and fellowship with Him.

Friend, we can come to the throne boldly -- not because of anything we've done -- but because of God's wonderful love and compassion. Let's enter the Holy place with the Lord today -- worship Him and thank Him, boldly make our requests known and expect Him to do great and mighty things for the way was paved through the death of His Son! So enter into your Abba's presence fresh and new today -- He's waiting with outstretched arms!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Arad, Israel

Editor's Note: We have our preliminary schedule online. Be sure to check it out and see where you can meet us on the road! There are still a few holes we are hoping to fill along the way. 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.

Around the World
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U.S. President Donald Trump will urge President Xi Jinping to make good on his commitments to pressure North Korea when he visits China next month, a senior White House official said on Monday, stepping up a strategy to have Beijing help rein in Pyongyang.
UN to vote on extending Syria chemical weapons inspectors
The U.N. Security Council has scheduled a vote Tuesday on a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would extend the work of inspectors seeking to determine who is responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria, and the big question is whether Russia will veto it.
Five weeks after Maria most of Puerto Rico remains an island in the dark
More than a month after Hurricane Maria ravaged this island with 155-mph winds, three-quarters of the residents are still without power, lining up at banks for cash and gathering at shopping malls, hotels or government buildings just to charge their cellphones.
2-Hour Air Support Delay in Niger Ambush That Killed 4 Troops: Dunford
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said Monday that about two hours passed before fixed-wing and rotary French air support arrived in the Oct. 4 ambush in Niger that killed four U.S. soldiers.
Abadi defends role of Iranian-backed paramiltaries at meeting with Tillerson
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi defended the role of an Iranian-backed paramilitary force at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday in Baghdad.
Anti-regime protests spreading across Iran, says country's opposition
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Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hamas 'begging Iran' for help, US envoy says
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Israeli police arrest Palestinian for ‘good morning’ Facebook post
Relying on an automatic translation, Israeli police mistakenly arrested a Palestinian man last week because they thought he had published a Facebook post saying 'Hurt them' when what he had really written was 'Good morning.'
US ‘Can’t Allow’ Iranian IRGC Supply Lines Through Middle East, Sen. Tom Cotton Declares
A leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee has warned that the danger posed by Iran towards Israel is only increasing as the Tehran regime extends its political influence and military footprint across the Middle East.

Inside the United States
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Tony Podesta and The Podesta Group are now being investigated as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into collusion claims between the Trump campaign and Russia, NBC News reported.
ACLU rejects Christian baker’s free speech claim: ‘This is not about the cake’
The American Civil Liberties Union told the Supreme Court on Monday the First Amendment doesn’t give a Christian baker the right to discriminate against a same-sex couple by refusing to bake them a wedding cake.
Studies reveal power of liberal bias among politically active internet giants
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Maryland governor signs order blocking Israel boycotts
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FBI informant’s testimony sought as Clinton-Russia uranium case re-emerges
A controversial 2010 deal that cleared the way for a Kremlin-backed company to gain control of a huge chunk of America’s uranium supply is getting new scrutiny as a Capitol Hill inquiry gears up to probe the Obama administration’s suspected silencing of an FBI informant who reportedly had information on high-level corruption by Russian nuclear officials who engineered the deal.
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Christian Magistrate Fired for Views on Gay Adoption Loses Court Appeal
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1 in 4 Church of England Congregations Did Not Have Any Children Attend Worship: Report
About a quarter of congregations belonging to the Church of England did not have any children for their worship services, according to recently released figures.