Worthy Brief - 2/9/2016
Friend, feeling empty?
Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
In one sermon, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, "How can I get the air out of this glass?" One man shouted, "Suck it out with a pump!" Moody replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass." After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, took out a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed."
He used this simple demonstration to explain that living a victorious life is not accomplished by "sucking out a sin here and there," but by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Later, he said, "I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God's law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."
Friend, let's begin emptying ourselves today! We need to be filled with God's Spirit so that we can be empowered to do great things! There's no way around it!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Phoenix, Arizona
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Around the World
European Stocks Tumble as Greek Shares Fall to Lowest Since 1990
The rout fueled by concern over the strength of the economic recovery took European stocks to their lowest levels in more than a year, with Greek shares again suffering the most.
UN condemns NKorea launch, pledges significant new sanctions
The U.N. Security Council condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders called a banned test of ballistic missile technology and another 'intolerable provocation.' The U.N.'s most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with 'significant' new sanctions.
How Europe's Banks Got Hit by a Perfect Storm in Five Charts
A stock plunge by Europe's banks deepened Monday, while credit markets showed investors are most worried in years about lenders' bond risks.
Syria troops make more gains in Aleppo, near Turkish border
Syrian army troops recaptured a new village north of Aleppo Monday, bringing troops and allied militiamen to within a few kilometers of the Turkish border as part of a major Russian-backed offensive in the area, the Syrian government and opposition activists said.
Saudi offer to send troops to Syria comes with uncertainty
Saudi Arabia's offer to send troops to fight Islamic State in Syria is as much about the kingdom's growing determination to flex its military might as it is about answering U.S. calls for more help from its allies in the Middle East.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel mulling twin gas pipelines to Turkey, Greece
Israel is looking to exploit its substantial natural gas reserves with two potential pipeline projects to Turkey and Greece, its Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced Sunday.
Hamas and Fatah make yet another try at reconciliation
Hamas and Fatah representatives were scheduled to begin talks in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday in yet another bid to end their dispute and implement previous reconciliation agreements signed between the two sides.
S & P's confirms Israel's A+ credit rating with a stable outlook
International credit rating company Standard & Poor's on Friday said that it was leaving Israel's credit rating unchanged at A+ with a stable outlook.
Khamenei: Americans supporting 'child-killing Israel'
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Monday launched yet another tirade against the United States and Israel.
Inside the United States
California Grants Driver's Licenses to 605,000 Illegal Aliens
Some 605,000 undocumented immigrants who live in California were granted driver's licenses in 2015, the first year they have been able to enjoy that benefit, officials said Monday.
U.S. Politics
Rubio: GOP must be 'truly committed' to undoing Obama 'damage'
In one of his final pitches to New Hampshire voters, Sen. Marco Rubio called for the GOP to avoid nominating a candidate who is not devoted to reversing the policies put into place by President Obama's administration.
Presidential hopefuls Sanders, Clinton in dead heat - Reuters/Ipsos poll
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has erased Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's wide lead for the Democratic presidential nomination since the start of year, putting the two in a dead heat nationally, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Poll: Trump, Sanders leading into New Hampshire primary
Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders lead their respective fields with mere days before the New Hampshire primary.
Christian News
China: More crosses removed from Zhejiang province
Chinese authorities have again resumed removing crosses from churches in Zhejiang province.
Radical Revival Falls on China's State-Controlled Churches
CBN News traveled to southern China and obtained exclusive, never-before-seen images, from inside these churches.
ISIS supporter arrested for plan to 'shoot up' 6,000-member church in Michigan
A 21-year-old man from Michigan, who is believed to be a supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS), has been arrested by federal authorities after telling an undercover FBI agent that he wanted 'to shoot up a church one day.'
California sued by church for forcing it to provide abortions under health insurance in violation of its religious belie
A church in San Diego, California has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Managed Health Care for forcing it to provide abortions through its health insurance plans.