Worthy Brief - 11/24/2021
Friend, call upon your God!
Jonah 1:6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish."
At this point, the captain (who probably worshiped Baal and Yamm, god of the sea) has more faith than Jonah.
Frantic in the midst of impending catastrophe, he jolts Jonah back to life and intercession. They say there are no "foxhole atheists"; when great danger comes God somehow bursts into existence. But these sailors were polytheists, and desperation led them to implore the local god of every man in the boat for mercy and salvation. Even these idol worshipers knew that prayer is the only recourse in the hour of desperation.
It's something to remember and apply in our day to day encounters with people. So many these days are dealing with serious and even desperate situations, while they're waiting there at the checkout counter...and while they don't much care to hear a sermon, they might really appreciate our prayers.
We've been in situations, with hardly a clue whom we were speaking with, and simply said, "Do you mind if I pray for you?" Suddenly eyes light up, "Yes, please do!" Prayer brings people back into direct relationship with God and reminds them of their dependence on Him, and whether we're on a ship in a storm, or facing some other potential catastrophe, we all desperately need His grace and favor. And connecting with people this way is actually easier than you might think.
Friend, the times are coming, and are already here, when more and more people facing desperation may turn and cry to us, "Call on Your God to save us!" They may even wake us up from our spiritual slumber to do it. Rather than rubbing our eyes and groaning, "Duh, what?" we ought to be already awake, looking for them now.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Phoenix, Arizona
Editor's Note: Our preferred social media platform is Telegram [ Follow us on Telegram ]. However, we've also set up a Facebook page for Worthy News. [ Follow us on Facebook ].
Israel sees Iranian atomic bomb in five years, deal or no deal
Iran is five years away from developing a nuclear weapon, and international talks due to restart next week will do nothing to slow it down, Israel said on Tuesday, adding it reserved the right to act to protect itself.
North Macedonia Mourns Dozens Killed In Bus Crash
Flags are flying at half-mast in the young nation of North Macedonia after a bus accident in neighboring Bulgaria killed dozens of people.
Australia labels all of Hezbollah a terrorist organization
Australia on Wednesday listed all of Hezbollah as a “terrorist organization,” extending an existing ban on armed units to the entire organization, which wields considerable power in Lebanon.
Chinese hypersonic weapon fired a missile over South China Sea
The hypersonic weapon China tested this summer, alarming US military leaders, fired something off midflight while inside the atmosphere somewhere over the South China Sea, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the intelligence.
Top US, Russian Generals Speak as Tensions Mount
The top U.S. and Russian generals spoke by phone Tuesday, as tensions along the Russian-Ukrainian border appeared to reach new highs.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
PM Naftali Bennett: Israel will not be bound to nuclear deal with Iran
Israel will not be bound by a new nuclear deal with Iran, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Tuesday.
PM’s son, 9, gets COVID vaccine as Israel officially launches shots for ages 5-11
Israel officially launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign on Tuesday for children aged 5-11, hoping to stem the spread of COVID-19 in schools and patch the largest remaining gap in its drive for national immunity from the pandemic.
2 civilians killed, 6 soldiers wounded in Israeli strike on Homs, claims Syria
Israeli forces struck a site in Homs in central Syria in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to Syrian state TV. Two civilians were killed and a third civilian was wounded, and six soldiers were injured in the attack, according to reports in Syrian media.
Abbas meets Putin, seeks Quartet role in peace process
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for talks on reviving the peace process with Israel, in the context of Russia’s support for the two-state solution.
Israeli girl finds 2,000-year-old silver coin in Jerusalem
An Israeli girl found a 2,000-year-old silver coin which some experts believe was minted at the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem’s Old City as part of the Jewish revolt against the Romans.
Inside the United States
Overturn Roe v. Wade? Why It Might Happen This Time
On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the abortion case that some say is the most important since the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Child 6th Fatality In US Christmas Parade Attack
An 8-year-old boy became the sixth person to die after a car plowed into Sunday’s Christmas parade in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, his family said.
Milloy: Biden’s Release of 50M Barrels of Oil is Less Than 3 Days of U.S. Consumption
President Joe Biden's decision to release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower gas prices is "less than three days of U.S. oil consumption," and will have "no meaningful impact on gas prices," said Steve Milloy, a former Trump EPA transition member and the founder of JunkScience.com.
‘Kill before being killed’: Antifa urges members to take up up arms after Rittenhouse verdict
Some members of Antifa are responding to the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse last week by getting guns themselves.
Christian News
India: District authorities in Madhya Pradesh state ban all Christian gatherings
As the suppression of Christianity in India continues, earlier this month local authorities in Madhya Pradesh state imposed a ban on Christian religious gatherings in the Jhabua district, effectively shutting down over 50 house churches, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
National Bible Week: ‘Global Impact’ Bibles to be given away at special event in Washington DC
In honor of National Bible Week, the Museum of the Bible Christian organization will be giving away copies of its unique "Global Impact Bible" at David’s Tent on the Washington D.C National Mall this weekend, CBN reports. Focussing on the influence Scripture has had around the world, the Global Impact Bible is an English Standard Version containing within it “900 beautifully illustrated articles.”
Iraqi Kurdistan: Christians flee their homes under Turkish airstrikes
Christian villages in Iraqi Kurdistan have been “emptied” in the last year as Turkey’s air force continues to bomb Kurdish forces connected to the PKK movement, Asia News reports. Christians have also fled from the cities of Zakho, Dohuk, Erbil, only to return because of airstrikes on the areas they escaped to.
Nigeria Condemned Over Detention Christian Journalist
Aid workers have condemned the detention of a Nigerian Christian journalist after he covered attacks against mainly Christian communities in Nigeria.
Pakistan Frees Christian After 10 Years On Death Row For Blasphemy
A Christian who faced the death penalty in Pakistan for “blasphemy against Islam” was acquitted and quietly released after nearly 10 years in prison, Christian sources say.