Worthy News
Israel has concluded its most extensive military operation against Iran to date, code-named “Days of Repentance.” The operation involved over 100 combat aircraft, spanned more than 1,200 miles (2,000 km) and targeted around 20 military sites, including missile, drone, and radar installations.
Israel says it struck military sites in Iran early on Saturday in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks earlier this month when the Islamic Republic fired some 200 missiles at the Jewish nation.
Tropical Storm Trami in the Philippines has left at least 82 dead and tens of thousands displaced due to heavy rains and flooding, authorities said Friday.
Several journalists have been killed and injured in an Israeli air strike overnight in southeastern Lebanon near the border with Syria, Israeli and Lebanese sources said Friday.
Israel’s military said Thursday it killed Hamas Commander Mohammad Abu Itiwi, who participated in the October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel while working for the U.N. aid agency in the Gaza Strip.
Israel says at least six journalists of Qatar-based Al Jazeera are working for Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) groups, prompting an angry response from the global broadcaster.
Vladimir Putin closed out the BRICS summit in Russia by calling for the emergence of a “multipolar world,” intensifying his challenge to the Western-led, U.S.-dominated global order.
Israel has postponed its expected retaliatory strike on Iran after classified Pentagon documents detailing the planned operation were leaked and shared on both social media and major news outlets including CNN, an intelligence source has told the Times UK.
Thousands of Hungarians, many waving their flags, including some with holes in them, gathered to protest against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whom they said stole the ideals of the 1956 Revolution against Soviet domination.
A federal judge has said he will issue a ruling by November 15 on whether Louisiana can enforce a new law requiring every public school classroom to have a poster on the wall with the Ten Commandments, the Advocate reports.
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Worthy Devotions
When my family and I were re-deployed to the United States during the Covid outbreak, all my plans were wrecked. I had planned becoming a licensed tour guide in Israel, allowing the ministry to continue while my kids would serve in the Israeli army for three years. Instead, I’m looking back at 150,000 miles of cross country driving throughout the US, and 350 speaking/ministry engagements. “…Man plans his way…” but, stuff happens, and sometimes we simply need to adjust. So, the adventure continues…
The Bible seems virtually redundant on the theme of courage. More than 125 exhortations for God’s people facing overwhelming trials and dilemmas, resound against fear, notwithstanding how natural that response may seem. Courage based on faith is the universal attitude for saints in all situations. Our omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere) Father says, and repeats, “Fear not! Be of good courage! Be strong and courageous!”
As my wife and I have been redeployed to the United States for a season we’ve traveled over 150,000 miles since 2020. Vehicles which deliver the kind of distances we travel need regular oil changes to stay reliable. So, our vehicles have enjoyed innumerable pit stops.
As we continue to inspect our hearts and take spiritual inventory of our lives during this month of Elul in preparation for the fall feasts, we should stay particularly aware of Yeshua’s prediction in Matthew 24:12, “The love of many will grow cold.” He warned that a sign of the last days would be abounding lawlessness and that callousness and hardness of heart would characterize the end times. The evidence of this is everywhere.
Traditionally in Jewish spirituality, these 40 days of prayer and repentance beginning the 1st of Elul to Yom Kippur parallel the 40 days that Moses spent on the mountain [Exodus 34:28] pleading God’s forgiveness for Israel’s sin of creating and worshiping the golden calf. Interestingly, Psalm 27 is read each day of the month of Elul, along with the shofar blast in preparation for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
As we continue our study for Elul, a month set apart for repentance in preparation for the fall feasts, we find a message hidden in the four Hebrew letters spelling the name of this special month. Alef-Lamed-Vav-Lamed form an “acronym” for a well-known passage in the Song of Solomon: Ani l-dodi v-dodi li or in English, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”
I happened (on rare occasion) the other day to see a CNN headline, “Health Officials Brace for Three Major Viruses this Fall”. Immediately, I thought, “Not again!” Yet, scouring the headlines, it now appears that several colleges are instituting mask mandates even though there isn’t a case of illness yet. While the world is being prepared for an “outbreak” of disease, I’m hoping we may learn a lesson from history so that, perhaps, we’ll see an “outbreak” of revival!
As we enter this season of Teshuva (Repentance) during the month of Elul, we enter a unique season approaching the Fall Feasts. This month initiates a 40-day countdown to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), and is traditionally known as the time the King would visit His people.
As we continue our study of the men who followed David, another characteristic was their ability to war.They learned how to battle with both the right hand and the left hand for hurling stones. If you have ever thrown a ball, you know that you can aim effectively with your dominant hand — but try it with the opposite hand — it’s far more difficult to throw accurately. But the men that followed David learned to throw with both arms effectively! It must have taken months of training to develop such skill.
When David was a fugitive from Saul, the men who followed him recognized his rightful place as King of Israel, and they developed a deep loyalty to him, this little band. As we read yesterday, these men were transformed from distress, debt, and discontentment [1 Sam. 22:1-2] into becoming mighty men of war. Having joined David, they quickly realized that they were joining a conflict.
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