Worthy Brief - 12/20/2016
Friend, be monopolized!
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
D.L. Moody has been influential in my personal life as I study and read about his life and ministry in the 1800's. I remember reading a story about how D.L. Moody was preparing to lead a revival throughout England to which an elderly pastor protested and said, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?"
A younger, yet wiser pastor stood up and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."
Do you truly want to be monopolized by the Holy Spirit? Let's face it -- the degree of fullness of the Spirit of God is in direct proportion to the intensity of our true desire. The reality of the spirit-filled life is -- we have as much of God as we truly want.
Friend, let's seek to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to monopolize our lives and in doing so -- we'll be empowered to do the great things God has called us to do in these days!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Tampa, FL
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Editor's Note: We are on a cross-country speaking/music tour this winter and early spring in the United States! If you see that we will be close to your area and you want to hear a timely word from Worthy News Founder and Director, George Whitten and powerful Israeli Worship Music from Baht Rivka Whitten, Lazman Hazeh Music, as well as testimony of life and ministry in the Land, we invite you to join us -- or even invite us to speak/sing at your Congregation, Conference, Church, Midweek Meeting or Israel focused Event, especially if you see a free date on our way! We hope to hug you! Send us an email to george [ @ ] worthyemail.com for more information. Check out our calendar and see if we're speaking near you!
Around the World
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Russia, Iran and Turkey have started the process of finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said at a meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers in Moscow on Tuesday.
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China returns underwater drone, U.S. condemns 'unlawful' seizure
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Turkey, Russia vow cooperation after ambassador's killing
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Hours after the Russian ambassador to Turkey was assassinated in Ankara, a gunman fired his weapon outside the nearby U.S. embassy.
German state minister says: 'We are in a state of war'
The interior minister of the German state of Saarland said on Tuesday Germany is in a state of war after a man drove a truck into a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people and injuring 48, in a suspected terrorist attack.
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Israel-Palestinian Conflict
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Netanyahu planning unprecedented new construction during Trump reign
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his strongest statement in years on Monday in favor of construction in Judea and Samaria, giving hope to settler leaders that massive construction will begin when Donald Trump replaces Barack Obama as president of the United States.
UN appeals for $547 million in aid for Palestinians
The United Nations launched an appeal Monday for $547 million (524 million euros) to help 1.6 million people in the Palestinian territories in 2017.
IDF uncovers major West Bank weapons cache in overnight raid
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Inside the United States
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Donald Trump easily won the nationwide Electoral College vote on Monday, surpassing the minimum 270 votes needed to officially become the president-elect of the United States.
North Carolina considers transgender bathroom law repeal this week
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Federal agencies can spy on phones with 400 cell-site simulators
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Bringing the holiday spirit to some people who surely did not expect it, President Barack Obama commuted or pardoned 231 people currently serving prison sentences -- the largest single-day act of clemency in the history of the presidency.