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Worthy Brief - Christian Newsletter » Newsletters » 2016 » May » Worthy Brief - 5/3/2016

Worthy Brief - 5/3/2016

Friend, make the call!

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

A young woman at a textile mill in rural Texas was new on the job. A flaming red warning sign on her sewing machine read “If Your Thread Becomes Tangled, Call the Foreman Immediately."

After working diligently for an hour or two, suddenly the young worker’s thread became tangled. Fearing the foreman’s reaction at such an early mistake, she thought, “I’ll just quickly straighten this out myself.” Though she tried desperately to untangle the thread, the situation only worsened. Finally, she had no choice but to call the foreman. As soon as he arrived, the foreman could tell that the young worker had tried to do some of her own maneuverings before calling him. “I did the best I could,” she said. “No you didn’t,” the foreman replied. “To do the best, you should have called me. Now this sewing machine will need to be repaired. If this happens again, you will be fired.”

Hmm. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have tried to do something on my own strength. I exhaust myself trying before becomes clear that I just can’t do it without my Great Foreman. Thankfully, He hasn’t fired me yet!

It may sound radical to say but when we rely on our own strength, really, it is a form of idol worship. We exalt our own strength above the Lord’s. This is unacceptable to a Holy and All-Powerful God. Even our greatest efforts cannot compare with how much more effectively a job can get done if we would only call upon His Name!

Friend, we are weaklings in need of a great God. We cannot do anything without Him. Let’s begin putting our trust fully in the Lord today and see great things get accomplished!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Negev Desert, Israel

Editor's Note: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?

Today's Breaking News
Around the World
U.S., Russia to meet this week on Syria ceasefire
Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hope to meet by Thursday to find a way to boost the deteriorating ceasefire in Syria.
IS Threatens to Publish British Military Secrets
Islamic State has claimed to have hacked Britain's Ministry of Defense and threatened to publish details of British military personnel.
China blocks US Navy aircraft carrier from Hong Kong port
China blocked a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier from arriving at a port in Hong Kong as tensions ratcheted up over disputed islands in the South China Sea, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed Friday.
Religious freedom under 'sustained assault' around the world, report finds
Citing the Islamic State's attacks on Christians and other religious minorities, rising bigotry against Jews and Muslims in Europe and Beijing's campaign against churches in China, a new U.S. government report said Monday that attacks on religious freedom have grown measurably around the world over the past year.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Palestinian Authority Deceives US, Uses Taxpayer Money To Pay Jailed Terrorists
Palestinian Media Watch, an organization that not only monitors Palestinian media but also does research on issues related to the Palestinian Authority, just released a new report detailing a billion-dollar fraud with money donated to the PA by Western countries, including the United States.
After F-35 makes aliyah, it will get new Israeli identity
The development of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter has been the subject of widespread criticism over performance issues, but the Israeli Air Force has already made extensive preparations to welcome the next-generation aircraft, which will be known as the Adir.
UK Labour chief Corbyn rejects call to denounce Hamas, Hezbollah
British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn rebuffed calls Sunday to denounce contacts with terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah, while declaring that his party is against anti-Semitism, amid a roiling scandal over accusations of widespread anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiments among Labourites.

Inside the United States
In 6 Months Since Budget Deal: Debt Up More Than $1 Trillion
In the six months that have passed since then-retiring House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cut a budget deal with President Barack Obama that suspended the legal limit on the federal debt until March 15, 2017, the federal debt has increased by more than $1 trillion.
Inside the Secret Meeting Where Wall Street Tested Digital Cash
On a recent Monday in April, more than 100 executives from some of the world’s largest financial institutions gathered for a private meeting at the Times Square office of Nasdaq Inc. They weren’t there to just talk about blockchain, the new technology some predict will transform finance, but to build and experiment with the software.
Obama budgets $17,613 for every new illegal minor, more than Social Security retirees get
President Obama has budgeted $17,613 for each of the estimated 75,000 Central American teens expected to illegally cross into the United States this year, $2,841 more than the average annual Social Security retirement benefit, according to a new report.
Conservatives in Congress urge shutdown of IRS
It's a U.S. taxpayer's dream: make the Internal Revenue Service go away, and the largest conservative group in Congress is endorsing just that.
U.S. data is being leaked, ECB study suggests
Key U.S. economic information may have been leaked ahead of its release, judging from the price moves in key equity and bond futures contracts, according to a study released Monday.

U.S. Politics
Trump on track to win GOP nomination on first ballot, delegate analysis finds
Donald Trump was only a tad presumptuous when on April 26 he said, “I consider myself the presumptive nominee — absolutely.”
Obamacare's November surprise
The last thing Democrats want to contend with just a week before the 2016 presidential election is an outcry over double-digit insurance hikes as millions of Americans begin signing up for Obamacare.
Cruz's faltering campaign shows the risks of depending on a few wealthy donors
Ted Cruz, in his outsider's bid for the White House, has depended heavily on the largesse of just three wealthy donors to establish credibility and stay afloat amid a chaotic nominating process that killed off most of his rivals.
Trump trouncing in Calif. by 34 points: Poll
Donald Trump is leading Ted Cruz by a whopping 34 percentage points -- 54%-20% -- among likely Republican voters in California, a SurveyUSA poll for KUSA found.
Obama targets 6 Republicans, shifts Garland message to Democratic takeover of Senate
President Obama took to the airwaves Monday to pressure six Republican senators in their home states over his Supreme Court nominee, amid signs that Democrats are shifting their focus to winning control of the Senate in November rather than filling the high court vacancy.

Christian News
Mosul: IS destroys iconic clock church
Last week, Islamic State jihadists employed explosives to destroy Iraq's iconic Clock Church.
Muslim herders expand into Southern Nigeria
Last week Muslim Fulani herdsmen murdered 45 Nigerians after destroying Christian properties in Enugu State.
Two US Missionaries Beaten to Death in Jamaica
The family and friends of slain U.S. missionaries Randy Hentzel and Harold Nichols are remembering their love for the Lord and devotion to sharing the Gospel.
LGBT Activists 'Out' Christian Schools over Title IX Exemption
Oklahoma Wesleyan University President Dr. Everett Piper says he's not concerned about LGBT activist efforts to 'out' Christian colleges seeking a religious exemption from Title IX.
Jonathan Cahn Calls Out Obama for 'Striking Down' God's Law
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn has called out President Barack Obama and Supreme Court justices for overruling 'the rulings of the Most High' regarding marriage.
Dutch dreamer hopes to bring Noah's Ark replica to Americas
A Dutch carpenter inspired by a dream to build a massive replica of Noah's Ark has a new and equally daunting vision - to bring the 410-foot vessel to the Americas in time for this summer's Olympic Games in Brazil.