Worthy Brief - 12/21/2022
Friend, how dedicated are you?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have of God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
As we mentioned a couple of days ago, Chanukah commemorates of the desecration of the holy temple of old, (just another attempt of the enemy to wipe out the Jewish people and the things of God), God's great grace and the re-dedication of the temple to Him.
While there is no longer a physical temple today, the Bible declares that we, as believers in Yeshua (Jesus), are living temples of God. But we need to recognize that our enemy is constantly at work, trying to erect idols and desecrate our temple in various ways so that we cannot be used to glorify God. How long has it been since we cleansed and rededicated our temple to the Lord? We should really be doing it daily!
Friend, we want to be more holy -- purer -- more righteous so that we can be found a peculiar people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, as the scripture says. Let's pull down the strongholds and destroy the idols that pollute us! Let's strive to be a people who shine forth the glory of God today!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Going to Christian College in Dallas, Texas)
Orlando, Florida
Join us on an epic, life changing journey through Israel, through the eyes of those who are well acquainted with the culture, the people and the Land. This is not your average Israel tour— bring your family, bring your friends, and experience the REAL ISRAEL with George and Baht Rivka as your personal hosts.
Ukraine’s President To Visit US
Ukraine’s wartime President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington on Wednesday, where he is due to visit the White House and address the U.S. Congress, several sources said Tuesday.
Afghanistan Women Barred From Universities
Afghanistan’s Islamic government on Tuesday barred women from attending private and public universities in the latest severe blow to women’s rights.
US arrests six ISIS operatives in helicopter raids in Syria
US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces arrested six ISIS operatives in three helicopter raids in eastern Syria in the past two days, CENTCOM announced on Tuesday.
Thailand Navy Says Dozens Missing After Warship Sinks
Thai military officials say 31 sailors are missing after their warship carrying more than 100 crew capsized and sank during a storm in the Gulf of Thailand.
Netherlands Prime Minister Apologizes For Slavery In Historic Speech
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has apologized for his nation’s role in centuries of slavery when millions of Black people were traded as cattle, and many died. In a historic speech, he called it a “crime against humanity.”
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
IDF says troops downed suspected Hezbollah drone on Lebanon border
Israeli forces on Tuesday downed a small drone that Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group apparently flew over the border, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Inside the United States
Court rules White House can’t force contractors to guarantee workers have COVID vaccinations
A federal appeals court on Monday ruled that the Biden administration cannot enforce its planned COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors.
Magnitude 6.4 earthquake shakes parts of Northern California, 70,000 without power
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook parts of Northern California early Tuesday, jolting people awake, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
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Christian News
UK government admits prosecutor was wrong to say parts of the Bible are “no longer appropriate” in society
A high-ranking UK government lawyer admitted last week that it was wrong of Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service to have argued that sections of the Bible are ‘no longer appropriate in modern society’ when it charged a Christian street preacher with committing a ‘hate crime,’ Christian Concern (CC) reports.
Nigeria: Fulani jihadists slaughter 41 people in pre-Christmas attacks on Kaduna state Christian areas
Fulani jihadists in Nigeria’s Kaduna state murdered 41 people in a series of attacks on predominately Christian areas this month, Anglican Ink (AI) reports. The attacks have raised concern of even more intensified violence in these Christian areas during the run-up to Christmas.
India Releases Evangelical Leader On Bail
A jailed leader of more than 30 churches and congregations in northeastern India has been released on bail after International pressure, Worthy News learned Tuesday.
Uganda: Muslim extremists attack their own brothers for converting to Christ
Muslim extremists in eastern Uganda last month severely beat up two of their own brothers for leaving Islam and putting their faith in Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Although Muslims are a minority in Uganda, where Christianity is legal, Islamic extremists are carrying out attacks against preachers and new believers in Christ at an increasing rate.
Worthy Insights
Shock wave from sun has opened up a crack in Earth’s magnetic field, and it could trigger a geomagnetic storm
A mysterious shock wave in a gust of solar wind has sent a barrage of high-speed material smashing into Earth’s magnetic field, opening up a crack in the magnetosphere. The barrage of plasma could lead to a geomagnetic storm today (Dec. 19), according to spaceweather.com.
Latest ‘Twitter Files’ Bombshell Shows FBI Neck-Deep In Russian Disinformation Lie To Kill Hunter Biden Laptop Story
The night before the New York Post published emails recovered from an abandoned Hunter Biden laptop that established Joe Biden’s connections with his son’s business dealings, the FBI used a private communications channel to send 10 documents to a top Twitter executive.
Twitter Files Part 8: Platform ‘directly assisted’ U.S. military’s influence operations
Investigative journalist Lee Fang released the eighth edition of the "Twitter Files" on Tuesday, putting a spotlight on how the social media juggernaut "quietly aided the Pentagon’s covert online PsyOp campaign."