ARTICLES

“He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear of God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success” (2 Chronicles 26:5).

King Uzziah began his life with great promise. Early in his reign, he made a deliberate choice to seek God. He surrounded himself with wise counsel, listened to instruction, and walked in reverence before the Lord. And as long as he continued on that path, his life flourished.

But his story does not end the way it began. Over time, Uzziah drifted. Success led to pride, and pride led to disobedience. The king who once sought God began to rely on himself. What started as a life marked by faithfulness ended in tragedy. His life stands as both an encouragement and a warning.

What does it really mean to seek God? Scripture makes it clear that seeking God is not merely an emotional experience. It is not defined by feelings or fleeting moments of inspiration. To seek God is to walk in reverence before Him, and that reverence is expressed through obedience. It is choosing His ways daily, even in small and unseen decisions. Yet the danger comes when we begin well but fail to continue.

It is possible to start with sincere devotion and slowly shift our focus. We may still speak about God, still identify as people of faith, yet our actions reveal that something else has taken His place. Pride can quietly replace dependence. Self-confidence can overshadow trust.

Seeking God is not a one-time decision. It is a daily posture. Each day presents us with the opportunity to choose again. Will we listen? Will we obey? Will we walk in humility before Him?

The life of Uzziah reminds us that consistency matters. Finishing well is just as important as starting well. God is not looking for occasional moments of devotion, but for hearts that remain turned toward Him over time.

When we truly seek Him, it shows in how we live. Our priorities shift. Our decisions reflect His truth. Our lives begin to align with His will. And in that place, we find what we are truly searching for.

PRAYER

Father, help us seek You not just in words, but in how we live each day. Guard our hearts from pride and self-reliance. Teach us to walk in humility and obedience, so that our lives remain anchored in You. Amen.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Emor (Leviticus 21:1-24:23). Read on Shabbat, May 9, 2026 / 21 Iyar 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them” (Leviticus 23:4).

Parashat Emor highlights the sacred rhythm of time. God appoints seasons and gatherings that shape the life of His people. These appointed times are not random observances. They are invitations to pause, to remember, and to realign the heart with God’s purposes. Each festival carries meaning, pointing back to God’s faithfulness and forward to His promises.

The listing of the feasts creates a pattern that weaves holiness into the calendar. From Sabbath rest to the celebrations of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot, the people are reminded that time itself belongs to God. Life is not meant to be lived without reflection. It is structured with moments of remembrance, gratitude, and renewal. These rhythms protect the heart from forgetting and anchor the community in shared identity.

Emor also emphasizes the role of those who serve in sacred spaces. The priests are called to live with care and integrity, recognizing that their actions reflect the holiness of God. Their responsibility points to a broader truth. Every person is called to honor God not only in special moments but in daily conduct. Holiness is not limited to certain places or times. It extends into every part of life.

This portion invites us to consider how we mark time in our own lives. Without intention, days can pass without reflection or gratitude. God’s appointed times remind us to stop and remember. They teach us to celebrate His provision, to acknowledge His presence, and to renew our commitment to walk in His ways.

Some may feel caught in the busyness of daily routines, moving from one responsibility to the next without pause. Emor encourages creating space for rest and reflection. Others may be in seasons of waiting or uncertainty. These rhythms provide stability, reminding us that God is faithful in every season and that His timing is trustworthy.

As this Shabbat arrives, take time to honor the rhythm God has given. Pause from your work and reflect on His goodness. Consider one way you can build regular moments of gratitude and remembrance into your life. Let your time become a testimony that your days belong to the Lord who orders every season.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the gift of time and the rhythms that draw me back to You. Teach me to pause, remember, and honor You in every season. May my life reflect gratitude for Your faithfulness and trust in Your perfect timing. Amen.

Imagine living in a country whose very existence—and yours—is constantly threatened. For generations, Israel’s people have faced persecution, tragedy, and danger. In fact, a staggering one third of all Israelis live with some form of anxiety or trauma-related distress.

The horrors of the October 7^th attack by Hamas only intensified the trauma—followed by the ballistic missile attacks from Iran. How can any nation recover from so much terrorism?

Thankfully, friends like you were there through CBN Israel. Because they understand the escalating mental health needs on the ground, CBN Israel launched the Community Support and Resilience Center. Using innovative strategies, the center is designed to help residents not only cope, but to truly heal and rebuild their lives.

And it marks a significant milestone for the ministry’s work in the Holy Land. The center serves as a crucial network for counseling professionals, as well as individuals seeking help. Through workshops, seminars, and public events, it will facilitate training on essential self-care strategies, stress reduction, coping skills, and processing devastating events.

As the demand for professional counseling has overwhelmed government and healthcare systems, you are providing assistance at the community level to those who are still waiting. For those who are grappling with dark memories and loss, caring donors are giving them, as the ancient promise in Jeremiah 29:11 says, “a future and a hope.”

And your gifts to CBN Israel can offer a lifeline of hope in even more ways. You can bring groceries, financial aid, safe housing, and more to those in crisis.

Please join us as we reach out and care for others!

GIVE TODAY

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… standing firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

What does your life communicate about your faith? Not just in words, but in daily choices, attitudes, and responses. Paul’s encouragement to the believers in Philippi invites us to consider not only how we live, but why it matters.

Paul wrote this letter with deep joy. Though he had faced hardship and opposition in Philippi, he later heard that the believers there were growing strong in their faith. They had not given up. They were standing firm despite pressure. That news filled him with gratitude, but also with purpose. He urged them to continue living in a way that reflected the gospel they believed.

At first glance, his instruction sounds personal: live a life worthy of the gospel. But Paul quickly widens the focus. He speaks of standing firm “in one Spirit” and striving “together as one.” In other words, the way each person lives affects the strength of the whole community.

This challenges the way we often think. Faith can feel like a private matter, something between us and God alone. But Scripture consistently points us toward something bigger. Our walk with Christ is personal, but it is never meant to be isolated. We belong to a larger body, a people, a shared witness.

Every act of faithfulness strengthens that witness. Every compromise weakens it. When we choose integrity, we encourage others to stand firm. When we pursue humility, we help create unity. When we remain steady in difficult moments, we give courage to those around us. Our lives become threads woven into something greater than ourselves.

Paul also reminds the Philippians not to be intimidated by opposition. Living for Christ will not always be easy. There will be resistance, misunderstanding, and pressure to conform. But when believers stand together, rooted in the same Spirit, they find strength that goes beyond what any individual could carry alone.

So, the question becomes more than “How am I living?” It becomes, “How is my life shaping the community God has placed me in?”

A life worthy of the gospel is not about perfection. It is about alignment. It is about allowing the truth of Christ to shape how we think, act, and relate to others. And as we do, we become part of a community that reflects His character to the world.

Your faith matters. Not only for you, but for those walking beside you.

PRAYER

Father, help us live in a way that reflects Your gospel each day. Shape our lives so that we strengthen and encourage those around us. Unite us in Your Spirit and make us a community that honors You. Amen.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1-20:27). Read on Shabbat, May 2, 2026 / 14 Iyar 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).

Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim brings together two powerful themes: atonement and holiness. After the death of Aaron’s sons, God gives instructions for approaching His presence with care and reverence. The Day of Atonement becomes a sacred moment when the people are cleansed and restored. This foundation of mercy leads directly into the call to holiness in daily life.

Kedoshim expands the meaning of holiness beyond ritual. It speaks into relationships, justice, honesty, and compassion. Commands such as loving your neighbor, caring for the vulnerable, and acting with integrity show that holiness is not distant or abstract. It is lived out in ordinary interactions. God’s character becomes the model for how His people are to live with one another.

This portion teaches that holiness begins with God but is expressed through human action. To be holy is not to withdraw from the world but to live within it in a way that reflects God’s nature. Every choice becomes an opportunity to honor Him, whether through fairness in business, kindness in speech, or patience in difficulty.

At the same time, the reminder of atonement keeps this calling grounded in humility. Holiness is not achieved through perfection but sustained through God’s mercy. The people are invited to pursue a life that reflects Him while continually returning to His grace when they fall short. This balance of responsibility and mercy shapes a life of steady growth.

Some may feel the weight of trying to live rightly in a complex world. Acharei Mot-Kedoshim offers both direction and reassurance. God shows what is good and also provides a way back when we fail. Others may be experiencing a season of clarity and purpose. This is an opportunity to walk more fully in the call to reflect God’s holiness in every area of life.

As this Shabbat arrives, take time to reflect on what holiness looks like in your daily actions. Consider one relationship or situation where you can act with greater love, integrity, or compassion. Let your choices be shaped by the character of God, trusting that His mercy sustains you as you grow.

PRAYER
Lord, You are holy and You call me to reflect Your character. Help me live with integrity, compassion, and humility. Thank You for Your mercy that restores me when I fall short. May my life honor You in all I do. Amen.

Ziva has always lived in a close-knit neighborhood in Beit Shemesh, where families share life’s joys and burdens. That sense of community was shattered in March 2026 when an Iranian ballistic missile struck her area directly, devastating blocks of apartment buildings and displacing hundreds of residents.

At first, Ziva thought the blast was a construction accident. Then the horrifying reality became clear. Nine people were killed, including a member of her extended family. Many others, including children, were rushed to hospitals for surgery after suffering severe injuries. The neighborhood she once knew was left covered in rubble and broken glass.

For Ziva, the trauma has been overwhelming. A mother of four children with special needs, she now struggles with post-traumatic stress while trying to care for her family. The explosion left her too shaken to immediately return to her apartment. “I don’t have the headspace,” she admitted, describing the urgent need for food, clothing, and a safe roof over their heads.

As sirens continued to sound across Israel, fear remained a daily reality for families like hers. With over 250 people displaced and entire buildings deemed unsafe, the path forward feels uncertain.

But in the midst of this crisis, caring and compassionate friends like you were there.

Thanks to the support of generous donors, CBN Israel immediately reached out to Beit Shemesh to provide urgent relief. Food, emergency supplies, and practical assistance were given to families who had lost so much in a single moment. The steadfast partnership of friends like you became a lifeline for Ziva and those facing sudden homelessness and trauma.

Your gifts to CBN Israel can bring hope and stability to families torn apart by war. Mothers, children, and entire communities can receive the help they desperately need as they begin the long process of rebuilding.

Please join us today in standing with Israel’s families in their time of greatest need.

GIVE TODAY

“If you carefully obey my commands I am giving you today, to love the Lord your God and worship Him with all your heart and all your soul, I will provide rain for your land in the proper time, the autumn and spring rains, and you will harvest your grain, new wine, and oil. I will provide grass in your fields for your livestock. You will eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15 hcsb).

In an agricultural world where farmers depended entirely on rain, timing could mean the difference between life and loss. If the rains came too early, the crops could be ruined. If they came too late, the fields would dry out and die. Everything depended not just on rain, but on rain arriving at the right time.

As the people of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, God gave them a promise that required trust. Unlike Egypt, where irrigation systems could control water, this new land depended on rain from heaven. Survival would rest in God’s hands.

They would plant their fields and wait. Imagine the tension of that waiting. Seeds buried in the soil, no visible growth, eyes scanning the sky day after day. Would the rain come? Would it come in time?

God’s promise was clear. If they loved Him, obeyed Him, and remained faithful, He would send the rain in its season. He would provide what they needed, exactly when they needed it.

But the temptation was real. Other nations worshiped gods they believed controlled rain and fertility. Turning to those gods offered a sense of control, a way to ease uncertainty. It was a way of saying, “What if God doesn’t come through?”

We may not bow to ancient idols, but the struggle is familiar. When God’s timing feels slow or uncertain, we look for ways to take control. We try to secure outcomes on our own. We place our trust in what we can see, manage, or manipulate.

Yet God calls us to a different posture. He invites us to trust Him, not only for provision, but for timing. The rain does come. But it comes in its season.

There are seasons in our lives when we are planting and waiting, when nothing seems to be happening. Prayers feel unanswered. Progress feels delayed. But just as the farmer trusts that growth is happening beneath the surface, we are called to trust that God is at work even when we cannot see it.

God is not late. He is precise. He knows when to send what we need. His provision is not random. It is intentional, timely, and sufficient. When we walk in trust and obedience, we can rest in the assurance that He will care for us.

The question is not whether God will provide, but whether we will trust Him while we wait.

PRAYER

Father, teach us to trust Your timing. When we feel anxious or uncertain, remind us that You see what we cannot. Help us remain faithful and patient, knowing that You will provide exactly what we need in the right season. Amen.

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Tazria-Metzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33). Read on Shabbat, April 25, 2026 / 7 Iyar 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“This shall be the law of the one with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest” (Leviticus 14:2).

Parashat Tazria-Metzora addresses matters of purity, healing, and restoration. It describes conditions that separate individuals from the community and outlines the process by which they may be examined, healed, and welcomed back. While the details may seem distant from modern life, the deeper message speaks to the human experience of brokenness and the hope of renewal.

The person who is afflicted is not abandoned forever. There is a path toward restoration. The priest examines, guides, and confirms healing. When cleansing takes place, it is marked by careful steps that acknowledge both the seriousness of the condition and the joy of return. The process shows that God values not only purity but also the restoration of people to community and relationship.

Tazria-Metzora reminds us that separation is never the final word. Whether the separation comes from physical illness, emotional pain, or spiritual distance, God provides a way back. Healing may take time, and the journey may involve reflection, humility, and change, but restoration remains possible. God’s desire is not to leave people isolated but to bring them back into wholeness.

This portion also invites us to consider how we respond to brokenness in others. The role of the priest is not to condemn but to discern and guide. There is a balance between recognizing what is unclean and participating in the process of healing. Compassion and truth work together to create a pathway toward renewal.

Some may feel distant or set apart, whether by circumstances, mistakes, or struggles that seem difficult to overcome. Tazria-Metzora offers hope that God sees and provides a way toward healing. Others may be in a position to support someone else’s restoration. This portion encourages patience, kindness, and a willingness to walk alongside others as they seek wholeness.

As this Shabbat arrives, take time to reflect on areas where healing is needed in your life or in the lives of those around you. Bring these before God with honesty and trust. Choose one step toward restoration, whether through prayer, reconciliation, or extending compassion. Let your actions reflect the truth that God restores and renews.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for being the source of healing and restoration. Help me trust You in seasons of brokenness and guide me as I seek wholeness. May I extend compassion to others and reflect Your renewing grace in all I do. Amen.