Worthy Brief - 11/30/2023

[WorthyNewsBot]

Friend, another pearl of wisdom for you!

Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Some time ago, we wrote about pearl harvesting as an illustration of how the Lord takes us into His "shell" like an irritating grain of sand, and over time, covers us with His beautiful covering, forming us into polished and precious gems for his glory and delight. This image of sanctification takes the metaphor in one direction: but here is another interesting thought. The beautiful pearl inside the oyster cannot be seen or enjoyed without a great price being paid. The oyster must die. It must be torn open in order to find the treasure within. This speaks to me of the original foundation and source of our beauty. Yeshua (Jesus) our Messiah had to be bruised, afflicted, torn and killed so that the beautiful treasures God intended us to be from the beginning, could be discovered and released from the darkness of sin.

Each one of us is a treasure in the Lord's sight. We are His pearls of great value for which He paid the highest price! What a great honor -- even the greatest honor -- to be called sons and daughters of the Living God! Through His sacrifice, we become holy, and obtain the beauty and glory of eternal life.

Friend, we so bless the Lord when we radiate the polished beauty He alone can give us. Our works shine forth before men, glorifying our Father in Heaven and preparing the way for his coming Kingdom. Let's remember who we are and walk with this beautiful radiance. There are so many people who need to see, and know Him.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Dallas, TX)
(Baltimore, MD)

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Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out!

 

Editor's Note: If you have a desire to contribute to the support of Israel, we've established a dedicated fund where every dollar you contribute will go towards supporting helping Israeli believers in Yeshua.

Editor's Note: We are planning our Winter Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.

Around the World
U.S. Imposed Sanctions on Financial Network Linked to Financing Iran
The United States has imposed sanctions on over 20 individuals, entities, and their financial networks for providing resources supporting Iran's military and terrorist proxy groups throughout the Middle East.
New Class of Chinese Submarines Has Stealth Like Technology
China has developed stealth technology for its Yuan-Class Submarine, enhancing its ability to evade detection, according to a report published in Naval News.
U.S. Navy Warship Shoots Down Iranian-Drone Launched from Yemen
Earlier today, a U.S. Navy Destroyer intercepted and shot down an Iranian-made drone launched by Houthis from Yemen. The drone, directed toward the warship, was successfully shot down over the Red Sea, according to the U.S. Central command.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
16 Hostages Released on Wednesday, 12 Israelis and 4 Thai Nationals
After spending 54 days in captivity, Hamas released a total of 16 hostages on Wednesday. The released individuals comprise 12 Israelis and 4 Thai nationals who were freed from Gaza.
EU and Arab Nations Agree Two-State Solution to Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is Required After War in Gaza Has Ended
The European Union and the heads of a number of Arab states agreed on Monday that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be resolved through a two-state solution, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell adding that the Palestinian Authority should rule the Gaza Strip once the Hamas terror group has been removed from power there, Reuters reports.
US Tells Israel to Avoid “Significant” Displacement of Palestinians in Southern Gaza Once Military Operations Resume
The US has informed Israel that if it resumes its ground offensive to dismantle Hamas in Gaza, it must operate with greater precision to avoid “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians in the southern part of the Strip, the Associated Press reports.

Inside the United States
House Overwhelming Passes Resolutions Recognizing Israel’s Right to Exist and Demands Hamas Release Hostages
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed two measures: one affirming Israel's right to exist and the other demanding that Hamas, a designated terrorist organization by the U.S., release the remaining hostages from the deadly massacre in Israel on Nov. 7, known in Israel as the "Black Sabbath."
Biden Sends Email to 813K Borrowers on Student Loan Forgiveness
Approximately 813,000 student loan borrowers received an email from President Joe Biden, informing them of their debt forgiveness due to his actions, the White House said on Tuesday.
Moody’s Dims Credit Outlook for U.S. Federal Government
The last of the Big Three credit-rating agencies to keep the federal government's credit at AAA has put lawmakers on notice.
Judge Rejects Nevada Ballot Initiative Seeking to Codify Abortion
A Nevada judge has rejected a 2024 ballot initiative aimed at codifying the right to abortion in the state's constitution, deeming the proposal was breaking state law.

Christian News
DRC: United Methodist Church is a Symbol of Hope to Internally Displaced Congolese
A United Methodist church in Kananga, central Democratic Republic of Congo has become a beacon of hope to thousands of Congolese who are returning to their country after being forced to flee to neighboring Angola during the 2017 Kamuina Nsapu insurgency, UM News reports.
Pakistan: Islamist Murders Christian Man After Claiming to Hate Jews and Christians
A young Christian man in Punjab, Pakistan, was murdered earlier this month by a Muslim neighbor whose historically violent behavior and claimed hatred of Christians and Jews worsened after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Hamas Palestinian terror group, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Nigeria: Kano State Islamic Police Threaten to Kill 5 Christian Girls Because “Israel is Killing Our Sisters in Gaza”
Five Christian girls in Nigeria’s Kano state were recently violently harassed by Islamic police who blocked them from going to church and who threatened they might kill them, saying: “Israel is killing our sisters in Gaza,” International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

Worthy Insights
Released Israeli Hostages Tell Horror Stories From Time With Hamas
Hamas, the brutal terrorist group that massacred Israeli civilians on Oct. 7 and provoked a war with the Jewish state, over the last few days let some of its hostages go as part of a ceasefire deal. Released hostages have described hellish conditions and torture while they were in Hamas captivity.
US And UK Military Contractors Created Sweeping Plan For Global Censorship In 2018, New Documents Show
A whistleblower has come forward with an explosive new trove of documents, rivaling or exceeding the Twitter Files and Facebook Files in scale and importance. They describe the activities of an “anti-disinformation” group called the Cyber Threat Intelligence League, or CTIL, that officially began as the volunteer project of data scientists and defense and intelligence veterans but whose tactics over time appear to have been absorbed into multiple official projects, including those of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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