Worthy News
A district court judge on Monday blocked the continued implementation of Wyoming abortion bans that also expressly prohibited the use of abortion pills to end pregnancies, the Washington Times reports.
Ukraine has launched its first strikes inside Russian territory using U.S.-made long-range missiles, according to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In response to the Biden Administration allowing Ukraine to use U.S. missiles, Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a revised nuclear doctrine that eases the conditions for using nuclear weapons.
A former adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin says the militaries of the United States and Britain have become “legitimate” targets as the U.S. is directly involved in the war “by allowing” Ukraine to fire its long-range missiles at Russia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed to the Knesset that Israel’s October “Days of Repentance” operation destroyed part of Tehran’s nuclear program, despite U.S. calls to avoid such sites. He also stated that the operation weakened Iran’s defense and missile production capabilities and vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Just 62 days before President-Elect Donald Trump takes office, the Biden administration imposed new sanctions on Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, days after allocating $230M in aid for Palestinian economic recovery and essential services.
The Bible Society of Brazil (SBB) announced earlier this month that it celebrated printing 200 million Bibles and New Testaments, Christian Daily reports.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Monday that mail-in ballots without a correct handwritten date on the return envelope should not be counted, siding with the Republican National Committee (RNC) in the ongoing U.S. Senate election between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick.
Sweden began issuing millions of pamphlets to its citizens on preparing for a potential war, and Finland unveiled a new website aimed at crisis preparedness on Monday. This activity coincided with an incident today involving a major fiber optic cable, believed to have been cut, between Finland and Germany.
The Ohio Senate passed legislation Wednesday afternoon that would ban transgender students from using restroom facilities that align with their gender identity and multi-sex bathrooms at schools across the state.
The incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune threatened Sunday to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) unless it drops the arrest warrant it issued against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes committed after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel triggered the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
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As we find ourselves in the midst of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), our hearts are centered this week on repentance as we prepare for Yom Kippur, which is approaching this Friday. In this spirit, I want to share something I discovered while studying the Jewish roots of many of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) parables. I came across an insightful teaching from a Jewish Rabbi, which I believe holds a valuable lesson for us today.
After our very small wedding in Jerusalem, my wife and I planned to have the big ceremony she’d always dreamed of, in Havre De Grace, Maryland. Rivka had it planned it to the tee. It was an outdoor wedding next to the longest standing lighthouse on the east coast. We were going to wow our guests with an entrance by way of sailboat. Ten dancers with candles in glasses were to proceed my beautiful bride as I awaited her under our hand-crafted chuppa, lit by the sunset on the bay.
Between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur are ten days. These days are known as “Yamim Noraim”, “the Days of Awe” — or also translated, the “Awesome days”. In Judaism it has been long believed that these days seal your fate for the upcoming year — and also allude to your final destiny, concerning whether your name continues to be written in the Book of Life.
One of the major themes of Rosh Hashana is called Akedat Yitzchak, which means the Binding of Isaac. According to Jewish tradition, God told Abraham that the ram’s horn – otherwise known as a shofar – should be blown on Rosh Hashana to remind people of the sacrifice that God provided Himself when Abraham was about to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah.
The concept of ownership often influences how one can view the world, but if we recognize the truth that our time here is short and we can’t take anything with us, it will change our perspective. We are simply stewards of what has been entrusted to us. I’ve been running Worthy and its sites for 25 years, and I’ve never thought I was an owner but rather a steward of a ministry.
The last and most intimate metaphor for Messiah’s relationship with us is as Bridegroom to Bride. For some, the Lord’s intention to marry will be the most significant and wondrous purpose in all of Creation. The preparation for the wedding will be the most meticulous and profound of all historical processes, orchestrated by His Holy Spirit in cooperation with every devoted and expectant saint who ever lived.
One constant pitfall we must watch for is taking credit for something that God does in or through us, or using the gifts and callings of God for self-exaltation. In that light it may be easier to handle poverty, weakness, or insignificance, than wealth, ability, power or authority, since poverty and frailty are not normally things we boast about, and they cause us to recognize our need for God. Prosperity, gifting, and anointing, on the other hand can be powerful temptations, leading to pride, covetousness, and self-sufficiency.
Reading this parable, we are struck by the serious consequences of failing to produce Kingdom fruit. But there’s something I want to particularly point out. Many of the great heroes of the faith — people like Moses and David, were not given great responsibilities immediately. Each of these men first served as a lowly shepherd, tending sheep. Having tested them first in this humble vocation, God then felt confident to elevate them to positions of greatness — but it all started with a small step!
Talking to people about God has become a regular part of our lives. Between meeting people on the boards and in our chat rooms (which you should really come and visit at !) and the opportunities which open up in our daily lives, we find ourselves sharing with people from all walks of life – unbelievers, new believers, people who have come and gone from the faith and back again.
The place we call home in Israel is in the rebuilt city of Arad, an ancient city rebuilt in 1962 near the historic site of Tel Arad. It was the first planned city in Israel.
Tel Arad was an ancient fortress that, according to archaeologists, has been destroyed and rebuilt at least ten times. The citadel was thought to have originally been built during the times of King David and Solomon. The Negev desert’s arid conditions have remarkably preserved the fortress’s archaeological layers, providing a continuous record of its history for hundreds of years.
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