Worthy Brief - 2/9/2024

[WorthyNewsBot]

Friend, abide!

John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

How do we produce much fruit? What is the Lord saying?

In the modern world, the work ethic is, achieve and produce by working longer and harder! The focus is on getting results through human effort -- we've become product oriented and the bottom line is......the bottom line! But God's way runs contrary to this approach -- His way is much more oriented toward process and relationship rather than performance and production. He IS interested in results which He calls "fruit"; but not by pushing or egging us on to work harder or longer.

The Lord's way is to work with and through us so that every result or product comes out of our abiding in Him, since without Him WE CAN DO NOTHING.

This is opposed to of the culture we live in today, and to human nature in general. Think about it -- we're constantly bombarded with self-help books promoting self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-control -- our society is all about SELF! But God's way of success produces the results which He values; results which are not produced by self-effort, but which grow out of an intimate relationship with Him, in which we seek to constantly abide.

Friend, the only way we can become abundantly fruitful is to understand the Lord's fruit-bearing process. As we lay down self-effort, our natural human independence, and seek communion with Him, abiding in the Vine, then His power, His will, and His desires will be realized in our lives, which then, will bear fruit that remains throughout eternity!

Have a great weekend ... Shabbat Shalom!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Dallas, TX)
(Tulsa, Oklahoma)

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: 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
Dutch Security Forces At Israeli Embassy After ‘Serious Threat’
The Netherlands rushed special police forces and explosive experts to the Israeli embassy in The Hague late Thursday after a threat that “must be taken extremely seriously,” the city’s major Jan van Zanen confirmed.
China Had Access to U.S. Critical Infrastructure for At Least 5 Years According to U.S. Gov’t
Hackers supported by China have accessed key U.S. critical infrastructure for at least five years, according to a U.S. Intelligence Advisory seen by Worthy News on Wednesday.
World Saw 171% Increase In Antisemitic Incidents Last Month
A new report shows there were at least 468 reported incidents of antisemitism worldwide in January 2024, representing a 171% increase in such incidents from January 2023.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu Says ‘Complete Victory’ Is Within A ‘Matter Of Months’, Rejects Hamas Cease-Fire Deal
Following a discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Hamas' proposal for a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement, which called for a 135-day truce, a complete Israeli retreat from Gaza, and the release of over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Despite Netanyahu's rejection of these terms, those involved in the talks maintain that there is still potential for hope.
Argentina Will Move Embassy To Jerusalem, New President Says
In a show of solidarity with the Jewish people amid Israel’s war against Hamas, Argentina’s newly elected President Javier Milei announced this week that he will be moving the Argentinian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.
Israeli Scientists Develop Pioneering Immunotherapy Approach To Treating Cancer More Effectively
Israeli scientists have developed a ground-breaking immunotherapy approach to treating cancer that is effective in preventing the growth of secondary tumors after the removal of the primary tumor, Ynet News reports. Developed by researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, the study is published in the scientific journal Cell.

Inside the United States
Classified Documents Report Calls Biden’s Mental Capacity Into Question
President Joe Biden won't be charged with a crime for his handling and sharing of classified documents, but the special counsel report accompanying the decision raises questions about his memory.
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Challenge Colorado’s Actions To Keep Trump Off Ballot
All nine U.S. Supreme Court justices challenged constitutional arguments for removing former President Donald Trump from Colorado’s 2024 presidential primary ballot during arguments before the court on Thursday.

Christian News
Global South Has The Most Christians, Asia Has Fastest Growing Christian Populations, Report Shows
A recent report on the status of Christianity around the world shows that - despite intense persecution in many countries there - the largest number of Christians are in the Global South, and that Asia (five regions) has the fastest growing Christian populations of all. Titled ‘Status of Global Christianity, 2024, in the Context of 1900–2050,’ the report was published by the US-based Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC).
Pakistan: Islamic Man Attacks Two Christian Women With Ax, Attempts Rape
A spate of extremely violent attacks on Christians in Pakistan’s Punjab Province was manifest again when a Muslim man attacked two Christian women with an ax and attempted to rape one of them last month, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

View the full article