The Pour Over Today - Japan Earthquake, Israel Supreme Court Ruling, & More | 01.03.24

Episode Date: January 3, 2024

Today we’re talking about a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Japan, Israel’s controversial ruling on a controversial law, who made the College Football Championship, and other top news for Wednesday, January, 3rd. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Sponsored by LMNT

Today we're talking about a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Japan, Israel's controversial ruling on a controversial law, who made the college football championship, and other top news for Wednesday, January 3rd. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over today. Here's the quote of the day. with the pour-over today. Here's the quote of the day. He who goes about to reform the world must begin with himself, or he loses his labor. Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Let's get started with some espresso shots. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Japan on New Year's Day, claiming at least 57 lives. The epicenter was on Japan's Noto Peninsula near the small town of Suzhou, where 90% of homes are

believed to be destroyed. Roads were damaged, fires ignited, and over 100,000 people were left without water or power as temperatures dipped below freezing. A major tsunami warning was issued for the first time since 2011, but was quickly downgraded and eventually canceled, and lower-level alerts were issued as far away as Russia. Then on Tuesday, a commercial flight landing at Tokyo Haneda Airport burst into flames after colliding with a Japanese Coast Guard plane on the runway. All 379 people on the Japan Airlines flight evacuated safely, but five died in the Coast Guard plane, which was leaving to provide earthquake relief.

In the wake of disaster, pray not only for protection and safety, temporary blessings, but also for Christ's light to shine through his compassionate, generous followers on the ground. 1 Peter 1, 3, 4, and 6 says, In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. In an 8-7 vote Monday, Israel's Supreme Court struck down controversial judicial reform legislation passed by Prime Minister Netanyahu's conservative government last year.

In an 8-7 vote Monday, Israel's Supreme Court struck down controversial judicial reform legislation passed by Prime Minister Netanyahu's conservative government last year. passed by Prime Minister Netanyahu's conservative government last year. The legislation limited the court's ability to overturn laws the justices, who are appointed, not elected, consider unreasonable in the extreme. Supporters said it returned power to elected lawmakers, while critics said it removed an important check on politicians' reach, undermining Israel's democracy. Thousands protested the reform every

day for months last year. Netanyahu's government scolded the court for threatening Israel's wartime unity, but it's unclear if they will fight the ruling. Hours before the ruling, Israel announced that it would withdraw thousands of troops from Gaza to alleviate economic burdens and strengthen reservists for future fighting. The IDF is focusing its operations in central and southern Gaza and expects fighting to continue throughout 2024. Pray for the peaceful end to fighting at home and abroad, even as we wait for God's kingdom to come in full. For the day when God's reign of peace will settle every dispute and all nations will walk in his paths. Zechariah 9 verse 10 says, I will take away the chariots from Ephraim

and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. College football fans got two instant classic semi-final games to start their new year on Monday. First, in the granddaddy of them all, Rose Bowl, number one Michigan overcame multiple special teams miscues to tie it in the fourth quarter and defeat number four Alabama 27-20 in overtime. The win caps off Michigan's adversity-peppered season with their first college football playoff, CFP Championship, appearance. Then, New Orleans' Sugar Bowl saw the No. 2 Washington Huskies continue its Nobody Believes in Us tour as they took down No. 3 Texas 37-31.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 430 yards, the fourth most in CFP history, but it was a fourth down stop with one second remaining that gave the Huskies their victory. The two undefeated teams, each looking to win its first title since the 90s, will play We'll play in Houston Monday night. Sports can teach us a lot about everyday life, the value of teamwork, perseverance, and even loyalty as a fan. The commitment of athletes to their sport encourages us to press on as we seek to win a crown that will last forever at the end of our faith journey. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 25 says, Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last,

but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. This episode is sponsored by Element. Rob Wolf, a biochemist, New York Times bestselling author, and member of the Navy SEAL Resiliency Committee, started doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu because, you know, he's clearly a slacker. When he told his trainers he felt depleted, they said he needed electrolytes. And Element was born. Element is a tasty electrolyte drink mix that gives you everything you need and nothing you don't, whether you're doing jujitsu or listening to podcasts. That means a science-backed electrolyte ratio, 1,000 milligrams sodium, 200 milligrams potassium, 60 milligrams magnesium, and no sugar. With any order, Element is giving TPO Today listeners a free 8-count sample pack,

including three new chocolate flavors, which are meant to be enjoyed hot. They offer no questions asked refunds, so it's truly risk-free. Try it today with the link in our show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates. U.S. Navy helicopters sank three boats operated by Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea, killing their crews while responding to a distress call from a Maersk shipping vessel over the weekend. Iran has since moved a warship to the Red Sea. In case you're wondering, yes, that does make things more tense. Harvard President Claudine Gay announced her resignation yesterday,

saying it's in Harvard's best interest that focus beyond the institution rather than any individual. Gay faced pressure to step down following her lackluster performance during a congressional hearing about anti-Semitism on Harvard's campus and allegations of plagiarism in her academic work. Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill banning transgender medical treatment for minors and preventing transgender athletes from girls' high school sports. Simultaneously, DeWine announced plans to administratively ban transgender surgeries for minors, saying he hoped the hybrid approach would garner support amongst the state's Republican lawmakers,

who are considering a veto override. On New Year's Eve, Denmark's popular Queen Margrethe II gave a sign-off to more than 2023. Her Majesty, the longest-standing monarch since Britain's Queen Elizabeth, made the surprise announcement that she'll be abdicating to her son, Crown Prince Frederick, on January 14th, the 52nd anniversary of her ascension to the throne, saying, now is the right time. Local rescue workers became fishers of fishermen on Friday when they responded to 122 people stranded on a detached sheet of ice, in ice flow, in Minnesota's Upper Red Lake on Friday. Unseasonably warm weather caused the chunk to drift about 30 feet from the main ice, carrying ice fishermen gathered there

with it. Everyone was evacuated safely. And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Friday.