Worthy Brief - 3/23/2016
Friend, time to step up!
Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Tonight begins the feast of Purim, which celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from one of many of Satan's attempts to purge them from the world. Mordechai gave Esther a great challenge then, "and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
This is a challenge for all of us! As each generation is raised up, God appoints men and women to rise up to the challenge of that age. We are alive in this day and in this hour (an amazing day and hour, at that) and God is saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" He is awaiting those who will come forward and say "Hineni" here am I, in Hebrew! And if we fall short of this challenge, "deliverance may arise from another place!"
Friend, let's not let that happen -- God wants to use us! Let's rise to the occasion! God has great things ahead!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Baltimore, Maryland
Editor's Note: We hope to see you on our travels across the United States. Check out our schedule online.
Editor's Note: Watch George's message: Which voice will you listen to in the last days?
Around the World
How ISIS terrorists carried out the brazen Brussels terror attacks that killed dozens
The triple terrorist bombings that killed at least 31 people on Tuesday morning in the heart of Brussels — the European Union's capital - prompted a swift reactions from European leaders, with France's prime minister declaring that "we are at war" and Britain's prime minister asserting that "we will never let these terrorists win."
Brussels, Europe's jihadist breeding ground, now itself under attack
Brussels has become infamous as a hotbed of Islamic extremism because of links to a series of recent attacks in Europe, and now the Belgian capital itself has suffered the worst ever terror attack in its history.
Belgians 'Know They're Sitting on a Time Bomb': Official
Current and former U.S. and European counter-terrorism officials told NBC News that Tuesday's deadly attacks in Brussels raise questions about the ability of Belgian authorities to cope with the scale of the country's terror problem.
Brussels Ridiculed Idea Of Islamic Violence In Ad
In the wake of Tuesday's deadly bombing that killed at least 34 people, Brussels officials may regret an advertisement two months ago ridiculing the idea the city was a center of Islamic radicalism.
Belgium attack: Capture of Saleh Abdeslam revealed extensive network in Europe
The arrest of a jihadist linked to the November attacks in Paris revealed a large network operating in the Molenbeek area, the epicenter of terrorism in Brussels.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu: Brussels attacks show it's not the occupation that drives terror
Speaking via satellite from Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the American Public Affairs Committee's closing plenary session that the terrorist attacks Tuesday morning in Belgium highlighted Israel's own struggle against the murderous and extremist imperative of its enemies.
Poll: Most Palestinians support return to an armed intifada
The poll's findings indicate significant changes in attitudes since the second half of 2015. A majority of respondents now back a two-state solution, and support for stabbing attacks has dropped.
Trump promises veto on UN resolutions, stability for Israel
In a wide-ranging speech, presidential candidate Donald Trump promised a 'total veto' of UN initiatives to force a peace framework on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 'dismantle' the Iran nuclear deal, and move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Netanyahu to AIPAC: UN resolution would kill chance for peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he hoped the United States would continue to reject any move towards a UN Security Council resolution backing Palestinian statehood.
Inside the United States
Belgian Terrorists Can Still Enter US Without a Visa
Leading lawmakers identified Belgium as a hotspot for terrorism months ago and are warning that many of the radicalized individuals living there are still able to travel to the United States without first obtaining a visa and undergoing thorough security checks.
House Speaker: Iran deal legitimized nuclear program
House Speaker Paul Ryan hammered the Obama administration on Monday for the nuclear deal with Iran, telling America's leading pro-Israel group that the agreement legitimized Iran's nuclear program instead of dismantling it.
U.S. Politics
Trump backs waterboarding and a lot more after Brussels attacks
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States should use waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques when questioning terror suspects, and renewed his call for tougher U.S. border security after the attacks in Brussels.
Christian News
Campus Pride calls on NCAA to cut ties with Christian colleges
Campus Pride, an LGBT activist group, is pressuring the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to cut ties with Christian colleges over their views on transgenderism and homosexuality.