ARTICLES

Gaslighting: A Deceptive Psychological Tool Taking Aim at Jews Today

By Arlene Bridges Samuels 

Recently, the topic of gaslighting has been gaining enormous interest worldwide. In fact, in 2022 the Merriam-Webster Dictionary chose gaslighting as its Word of the Year—based on an increase of 1,740 percent over internet searches the year before. That increase reflected widespread concern about wild conspiracy theories, “fake news,” and rampant misinformation being disseminated.

The term comes from the 1944 suspense film Gaslight, in which a man uses diabolical techniques to convince his wife that she’s going mad. And, after Hamas’s horrific invasion on October 7, 2023, instances of gaslighting have continued to explode across social media accessible worldwide—lies reaching approximately 5.24 billion people, or nearly 64 percent of the global population.

Interestingly, the Gaslight film was released during Hitler’s reign of terror. Hitler’s appointed media architect, Joseph Goebbels, controlled all the media that existed at the time—radio, newspapers, and film. Goebbels’ official title, German Reich Minister of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment, was not obscure; the word “propaganda” proclaimed his purpose. Nevertheless, Germans did not grasp reality—or the fact that Goebbels had gradually manipulated them with lies about Germany’s and Europe’s Jewish population. 

Hitler coined the phrase “the big lie” during his 1924 imprisonment, while writing Mein Kampf. He described the big lie as “so colossal” that no one would believe that someone “could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.” And indeed, Hitler and Goebbels—with too few brave exceptions—deceived the public. As experts in gaslighting the German population, they watched their lies eventually shape the culture into allowing or denying the Holocaust (Shoah).

Too many in our modern world are imitating most Germans 80 and 90 years ago—people who readily swallowed Goebbel’s dangerous lies against Jews. As a case in point: For nearly two years, Hamas media has successfully manipulated facts about the events of October 7. The world’s mainstream media cooperates in this travesty by disseminating Hamas-created “facts.” 

They do no research, nor do they question Gazan press releases—and so the staged photos of emaciated children from other countries play on public emotions rather than credible facts. Those emotions transition into irrational rage against Jews and Israel worldwide. Moreover, millions of minds packed with Jew-hatred choose not to question the fact that they are ingesting so-called “news” promoted by the evildoers themselves. Gaslighting reverses accusations against the perpetrators and blames the victims instead. The Nazi demonic spirit is overactive today. 

Reviewing the film Gaslight helps us understand various strategies. A psychological thriller, Gaslight featured superstars Ingrid Bergman (Paula) and Charles Boyer (Gregory) as newlyweds. Gregory’s romantic pursuit of Paula concealed his real plan. Gregory had murdered her famous opera-singer aunt years before. His marriage to Paula, the now-wealthy niece living in a Victorian London home that she inherited from her aunt, enabled him to continue his search for her aunt’s hidden jewels. He manipulated his unsuspecting wife into questioning her own sanity by creating peculiar happenings in their home. His elaborate strategies began in simple ways, such as when the home’s gaslights dimmed and then brightened repeatedly, thus the film’s name. 

Whenever Paula noticed odd events, Gregory convincingly charmed her into thinking she was imagining things—time after time. Gregory escalated by adding bullying to his deception. In her presence, with a smile, he placed small objects in her purse like his mother’s “alleged” brooch. He later removed it and then accused Paula of losing it. The deceptions climaxed dramatically when a perceptive detective reopened the Scotland Yard cold case. He investigated Gregory, discovered his crime, and arrested him. Paula was not losing her mind. She had been gaslighted. 

Countries and broad swaths of people are also targets deceived about Jews and Israel. Globally—in streets, on campuses, and at various events—psychological methods designed to manipulate facts are rampant. The method takes various forms—whether outright lying, blaming Israel for starting the Hamas war, or denial the October 7, 2023, massacre, rape, and atrocities despite massive evidence. Even when confronted with proof, gaslighters will deny their actions outright. Those wielding power, whether in mainstream media, Hamas terrorists, institutions like the United Nations, or politicians, can use their power for good or evil. Back in the eighth century B.C., the prophet Isaiah described our prevalent strategic chaos in Chapter 5, verse 20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness

One example of gaslighting is denying reality when proof exists. Nowhere is this better explained than after Hamas terrorists using their body cams to record their own brutality on October 7, 2023—footage that later came to light. Israel’s Government Press Office and the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson’s unit invited over 100 members of international media—among them French, British, American, Australian, Indian, and Argentinian—to view the horrific Hamas recordings. The graphic footage was so sickening, some viewers left quickly because they found the brutal footage to be nauseating. Yet what was the outcome of that presentation? Where are those irrefutable facts now? In a dustbin of denial and neglect. 

Blaming Israel for Hamas evil is isolating Jews anywhere possible—questioning the credentials of supportive Jewish and Christian Israel advocates, as well as our perceptions. Another example of such gaslighting lies in the frequent photos from reliable sources that show tons of food for Gazans sitting inside Gaza, not distributed by the United Nations, which was tasked with delivering it. Accusing Israel of preventing food delivery? That’s gaslighting again, this time from the UN.

Psychologists deem gaslighting to be a learned trait. The hatred exhibited by the Islamic Regime, as well as by its surrogates like Hamas and among the Palestinian Authority, is a destructive lesson in brainwashing a population with loathing, which is then used to gaslight a naïve world. 

Clear-eyed individuals and certain nations are generally not vulnerable to gaslighting, but vigilance is essential. Bible-believing Evangelicals who view God’s covenants with Jews and Israel as eternal, embrace God’s biblical truths and trust His redemptive plan when it comes to Israel. Although not a perfect nation or a perfect people, Israel is the nation God chose to birth the Christian faith in the cradle of Judaism. After all, God is the original Zionist. 

Ingrid Bergman won an Academy Award for her performance in Gaslight. Her scene where Paula fully comprehended Gregory’s murder of her aunt and his ongoing deception was brilliant. In the end, filmmakers exposed Gregory’s convoluted schemes. 

After reading more about gaslighting, I encourage you to ask yourselves questions about the source of news you are reading. If it is the Gazan Health Ministry or Al Jazeera, the Qatar TV network, dismiss it. Remember that mainstream media’s sources are highly questionable. 

Consult reliable media based on facts, such as CBN Israel, CBN News, Jerusalem Dateline, Allisrael.com, The Watchman on TBN, and International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. I hope that all who have fallen under the spell of gaslighting will imitate Ingrid Bergman when she woke up to deception.

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us in prayer and to share this article with anyone you believe may have been a victim of gaslighting—or who might benefit from its insights.

Prayer Points 

  • Pray for more Evangelicals to share reliable news about our spiritual homeland, Israel.
  • Pray for the Israel Defense Forces in their current operations in Gaza City.
  • Pray for 60,000 reservists deployed to Gaza to free hostages and bring Gideon’s Chariots II to a successful conclusion.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

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CBN Israel’s Resilience Center Helps Trauma Victims

Just as Israelis were finally emerging from the trauma of COVID, they were suddenly thrust into the horrors of the October 7 terrorist attacks—and the war with Hamas and Hezbollah. Since then, the nation has been running on adrenaline, with families still in shock and survival mode.

And with the war winding down, most Israelis will face complex emotional, psychological, and financial challenges in adjusting to a “new normal.”

Thanks to caring donors, CBN Israel is addressing the nation’s need for healing by opening a “resilience center.” Manager Yonathan Ameida, who is also a clinical psychologist and pastor, observed, “Many resilience centers exist around the country. But we understood that after the war, the need for these was going to skyrocket.”

The CBN Israel Resilience Center will serve as a hub that matches patients’ needs to a pool of counseling professionals, including psychologists for both adults and children, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, and financial and parenting coaches.

While the government does provide therapy for direct victims, often the victims’ family members, such as the families of hostages, are outside the loop. The Resilience Center can fill that gap for them, by reaching people who are not eligible for government therapy programs.

And since the war began, donors have already created trauma recovery groups through CBN Israel, and offered courses and private counseling. The Resilience Center will be doing that same work, but on a much larger scale, as well as offering support for the therapists themselves.

Plus, Almeida plans to assist the faith community, saying the war brought up spiritual questions for everyone about why this happened—even many believers, whose faith has been shaken.

He sums up the center’s mission, saying, “People can begin to think coherently again….We are here to help them find an explanation that will give them peace, and give them new tools.”

And your gift to CBN Israel can offer compassionate relief to hurting Israelis in other ways, including hot meals, shelter, and basic essentials.

Please help us bring healing to those in crisis! 

GIVE TODAY

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Lessons from the Jordan

By Stephen Faircloth

The land of Israel is marked by one of the most dramatic geographical features on earth—the Rift Valley. Carved by shifting tectonic plates, this great scar runs through the land as part of the Syro-African Rift, the longest fracture line on the planet. In Israel, this valley is best known as the Jordan River Valley, for the river that winds its way through its depths.

The Jordan begins south of Mount Hermon, where three streams join together to form its headwaters. From there, the river flows through the fertile Huleh Valley, pours into the Sea of Galilee, and then continues its southward journey. Over just sixty-five miles of descent, the Jordan drops more than 1,900 feet before emptying into the Dead Sea. Along the way, it twists and meanders nearly two hundred miles, shaping both the land and the biblical story.

The river plays a central role in Scripture. Israel crossed the Jordan at flood stage to enter the Promised Land, a moment of faith and fulfillment (Joshua 3-4). Elijah and Elisha crossed its waters on the prophet’s final day before being taken into heaven, and Elisha later parted the waters again with Elijah’s mantle (2 Kings 2).

Naaman the Syrian dipped seven times in the Jordan and was healed of his disease (2 Kings 5:14). Centuries later, John the Baptist carried out his ministry in the region of the Jordan, calling Israel to repentance and baptizing Jesus in its waters.

The Jordan often served as a boundary, marking transitions between wilderness and promise, between old life and new. For the Israelites, crossing the river meant leaving behind the wandering years and stepping into God’s inheritance. For Naaman, it was obedience in humility that led to cleansing. For Jesus, the waters marked the beginning of His public ministry and the Father’s declaration, “You are My beloved Son.”

Today, pilgrims still gather along the Jordan to remember and to renew. The river’s winding course reminds us that God often leads us on unexpected paths, yet always toward His purposes. The waters of the Jordan invite us to trust Him at the thresholds of our own lives.

The Jordan River serves as one of the central geographic boundaries and features that plays so prominently in so many biblical stories.

What “Jordan” lies before you today? Is God calling you to step into something new, to trust Him in transition, or to let Him cleanse what you cannot heal on your own?

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

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Weekly Devotional: Trusting God for Today

When the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, God provided for their daily needs in a miraculous way. He told Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day” (Exodus 16:4).

The manna came with a test. They could only gather enough for one day, except on the sixth day when they collected a double portion so they could rest on the Sabbath. God was teaching His people to depend on Him one day at a time.

Years later, before Israel entered the Promised Land, Moses reminded them of what those years in the wilderness had taught: “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

The hardships of the wilderness revealed Israel’s need for obedience and trust, yet God faithfully provided. His gifts were never excessive, never lacking, but always exactly enough for each day.

Our world often celebrates the “self-made” person. We pride ourselves on independence, self-sufficiency, and planning for every contingency. But Scripture reminds us that life is not sustained by our own hands. God is the giver of every breath and the provider of our daily bread.

If we let it, the constant pressure of our busy lives can crowd God out. Anxiety about tomorrow convinces us that everything depends on us. The lesson of the manna speaks across the centuries: God is your source. He provides for today. He is the sustainer of life. Our part is simple—trust Him and follow His instructions.

Do you only turn to God when you are desperate, or do you recognize Him as your daily provider? Each morning, we are invited to remember: He gives us what we need, and He calls us to walk in obedience.

Where do you feel the pull to rely on yourself instead of trusting God? How can you remind yourself each day that He is your true source of life and provision?

PRAYER

Father, thank You for being the giver of life and the provider of daily bread. Help me to trust You with today’s needs and to walk in obedience to Your Word. Teach me to rest in Your faithfulness. Amen.

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Torah Reading Devotional: Parashat Re’eh (רְאֵה)—“See”

This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17). Read on Shabbat, August 23, 2025 / 29 Av 5785. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“See, today I set before you blessing and curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today; the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27).

Moses stands before the people and urges them to truly see the choice God places before them. Blessing or curse, life or death, depending on obedience. He calls Israel into intentional awareness. This is not a passive inheritance but a living covenant.

The portion elaborates on central practices such as gathering tithes, treating the poor with dignity, observing dietary laws, safeguarding festivals, and recognizing the sanctity of the appointed place of worship. In each commandment, Moses underscores that following God’s ways brings reward while deviating brings consequence.

When we pause to truly see our choices today, we realize they are not abstract. Our daily decisions such as how we treat others, how we celebrate God in our lives, and how we steward what we have reveal which path we are walking. To see is to choose with intention.

In life, we often drift into routines, taking for granted our privileges, neglecting celebration, and forgetting those in need. Re’eh calls us back. It invites us to see how our actions align with God’s justice and faithfulness.

If you find yourself drifting, take this Shabbat to see one area such as relationships, generosity, or your spiritual practice where blessing or curse hinges on your choice. It may be small, but intentional action shifts trajectory.

Reflect on how you can choose intentionally today through a word of kindness, an act of generosity, or a moment of worship so that your life embodies the blessing God offers.

In your own life, consider a recent moment when a simple choice reflected deeper values such as compassion, faith, or integrity.

Let that encourage you. Blessing begins in the everyday, when we choose to see and act with awareness.

PRAYER
Lord, open my eyes to see the choices before me. Help me choose Your blessing in the small things and the big. Amen.

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The United States and Israel: The Ties that Bind

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The early connections, relationships, and responsibilities between the United States and Israel go deep, in a grand story mostly forgotten. That story starts in 1772—before we became a country—when a Polish-Jewish immigrant to the American colonies became a hero. At the request of General George Washington, Haym Salomon, a successful merchant, helped establish America during the Revolutionary War.

Although Salomon’s efforts were mostly unsung at the time, a commemorative stamp issued more than 200 years later, in 1975, described him as “responsible for raising most of the money needed to finance the American Revolution and later to save the new nation from collapse.” Despite a surge of antisemitism demonstrated by yelled insults, aggressive social media posts, and hostile actions, the ties that bind Israel and the United States together remain robust and mutually beneficial. As patriots—Salomon, a Jew, and Washington, a Gentile—the two men set the stage for the United States and Israel with a strong underlying bond of Judeo-Christian values.

Today, how is our relationship with Israel beneficial for the United States and vice versa? Let’s begin with the U.S. economy. The numerous deep connections between Israel and the U.S. are packed with trade benefits, including partnerships that support over 255,000 American jobs. Israel has contracts with over 1,000 companies in 48 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.

The 1985 Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Israel was the United States’ first FTA and created a bonanza for both countries. In 2024, for example, goods and services traded rose to an estimated $55 billion. Keep in mind that Israel is called the “innovation nation” for a reason. Although the goods and services into the U.S. from Israel are too numerous to name, they include electrical, optical, photo, and technical devices, as well as electronic equipment, precious stones, medical instruments, and pharmaceuticals.

Here’s a little-known fact that is part of our annual congressionally approved security assistance to Israel: Both Democratic and Republican administrations have approved Israel’s aid. Despite repeated and heated disagreements in both the House and Senate, the final outcome rests on the benefits that this security aid adds to the safety of the United States.

Such security aid is often challenged—but it is essential to America. Since Israel gained modern independence in 1948, its enemies have forced the world’s ancestral homeland onto the front lines of freedom—fighting their enemies, which are also our enemies, when the Islamic Regime established its oppressive dictatorship in 1979. The Regime, the purveyor of international terror, views Israel as the “Little Satan” and the United States of America as the “Great Satan.”

For the U.S., Israel is the only democracy we can count on in an explosive region with their shared intelligence and counter-terrorism cooperation. The necessary weaponry manufactured in the U.S. not only directly creates over 20,000 American jobs, but Israel spends 75 percent of that security assistance within the U.S.—purchasing weapons and military equipment exclusively from American companies.

The U.S. State Department lists various military exercises with Israel, such as Juniper Oak and Juniper Falcon, plus joint research and weapons development. Bilateral defense cooperation agreements from 1952 onward reflect strong cooperation, which is necessary in a progressively perilous world.

Our strategic relationship with Israel also reaches into other sectors. Israel is a world leader in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and works with the United States to help prevent and treat PTSD in American troops. It is essential to know that Israel’s policy is to defend itself by itself—with no U.S. soldiers fighting on the ground in Israel.

If you are on a tour flying non-stop from New York to Tel Aviv about 6,000 miles away, it may seem surprising to learn that more than 2,500 U.S. businesses are in Israel. It is likely not on your itinerary but driving by Israeli locations and seeing huge logos affixed on buildings for Intel, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and others is an amazing example of Jerusalem’s ancient walls contrasted with modern U.S. corporations. Seeing these familiar names is a reminder that the mobile phones we hold in our hands depended on key Israeli components and advancements, even the ones used by Jew haters who have no idea that Israel had everything to do with this invention.

Collaboration with Israel isn’t limited to federal laws and initiatives. Individual states have enacted mutually beneficial agreements with Israel through organizations including the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD), established in 1977. BIRD provides grants to small businesses involved with software, instrumentation, communications, medical devices, and semiconductors.

Daniel 2:21 states that God “changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” God’s sovereignty is unchanging. Nevertheless, we must do our part to follow Moses and Esther, biblical role models for political advocacy. Moses’ persistent appeals to the Pharoah freed the Jews after 400 years. Esther’s brave request to King Ahasuerus saved the Jews from Haman’s murderous goal.

Two much-slandered organizations are key to providing ongoing U.S. congressional security aid, which is mutually beneficial for the United States and Israel. Two American organizations—the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Christians United for Israel (CUFI)—represent millions of Christian and Jewish activists who contact and educate members of the U.S. Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, to vote for Israel’s security aid favorable in multiple mutual benefits to both nations. Yes, it is “politics,” yet for a high calling.

Our times demand our attention and our activism politically, for the land God calls His own and for His chosen people whom He has not and will not abandon. 

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us in prayer this week and to share “wisdom and knowledge” with others.

Prayer Points:

  • Pray for more U.S. citizens to interact with Congress in the footsteps of Moses and Esther.
  • Pray for wise decisions in our government benefiting the U.S.-Israel relationship.
  • Pray for AIPAC and CUFI for their successes in educating U.S. Congress members about our ally Israel.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.

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Answering the Cry of the Hungry

Before the war with Iran and its terror proxies in the region, more than 20 percent of Israelis lived below the poverty line. Since then, that number has more than doubled as families have been pushed into financial crisis.

Today, thousands of citizens remain displaced across Israel. Many have lost jobs or been forced to close their businesses. Some are living in temporary shelters without a way to cook a hot meal, while others struggle daily against rising prices that make survival even harder. Local charities now report a 60 percent increase in families asking for help since October 7.

The need is staggering. According to Israel’s 2024 Alternative Poverty Report, more than 22 percent of families now live in poverty and nearly 40 percent of them are children. Over 10 percent of households face severe food insecurity, not knowing where their next meal will come from. And during holidays, when families should be celebrating around a full table, many experience the pain of empty cupboards and loneliness instead.

In the face of this crisis, CBN Israel and its partners are working every day to bring relief. With the help of generous supporters, monthly food packages, fresh groceries, and hygiene items are being delivered to tens of thousands of families. These efforts reach Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Bedouin households alike, ensuring that no one is forgotten.

Supporters are also making possible large-scale food rescue initiatives, where surplus food from manufacturers and retailers is salvaged and redirected from waste into the hands of those in need. Families are receiving shelf-stable and fresh items, poultry, and other proteins that provide balanced nutrition and restore dignity.

One local partner shared heartfelt thanks, saying, “You made us feel we are not alone in a very lonely and scary time.”

The generosity of CBN Israel’s friends is already answering the cry of the hungry. But the need continues to grow, and there is room for you to join in this vital mission. By standing with Israel’s most vulnerable, you can help bring food to empty tables, relief to displaced families, and encouragement to those who feel forgotten during one of the hardest seasons in Israel’s history.

Your gifts to CBN Israel can give hope and aid to so many in need who feel alone. You can offer them hot meals, safe lodging, financial help, and more.

Please consider a special gift to bless others today!

GIVE TODAY

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Where Heaven Meets the Water

By Stephen Faircloth

The Sea of Galilee is unlike any other place on earth. Though it is a freshwater lake, it sits 600 feet below sea level, making it the lowest freshwater lake in the world. Luke, ever the careful historian, calls it a lake in his Gospel, reminding us of its true nature (Luke 5:1; 8:22, 33).

Fed by the Jordan River from the north, where three mountain streams converge, the waters flow through Galilee and then continue south toward the Dead Sea. Hills rise around the lake on nearly every side, with fertile valleys to the northwest and northeast. These valleys, Gennesar and Bethsaida, were home to fishing villages, farmland, and most importantly, the heart of Jesus’ ministry. Nearly 95 percent of His recorded works took place in this very region.

Here He taught on the hillsides, healed the sick, calmed storms, walked on the waves, and fed the multitudes. The Bethsaida Valley was home to Peter, Philip, and Andrew. Capernaum, often called “His own city,” became a hub of miracles and teaching. Yet these same towns, so familiar with His works, were warned for their hardness of heart.

The Sea of Galilee is also a place of sudden storms. The geography funnels fierce winds across the water, stirring waves up to 10 or 12 feet high. Fishermen feared these squalls, and the disciples themselves cried out in terror when one such storm arose. Yet it was here, in their fear, that they heard the voice of Jesus: “Peace, be still.”

This lake provided food, trade, and travel for its people, but for Jesus it became a living classroom. Every shoreline, every wave, every storm, and every valley was used to reveal the kingdom of God.

When we picture Galilee, we see more than a lake. We see the stage of the Master Teacher, where heaven touched earth and ordinary lives were transformed.

What are the “lakes” in your life, the ordinary places where Jesus may be teaching you today? Like the disciples, we often meet Him in our storms, our work, and our everyday routines.

Stephen Faircloth is the President of CBN Israel, an initiative dedicated to sharing the true story of the Jewish nation and inspiring a global community of Christians to stand with Israel and support her people in need. Our vision is to reshape the global conversation about Israel by fostering understanding, hope, and healing between Jews and Christians around the world. For more than 50 years, the Christian Broadcasting Network has supported Israel. By joining CBN Israel, you become part of this enduring legacy, transforming lives today and strengthening Christian support for Israel for generations to come.

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Weekly Devotional: Walking in What God Desires

Have you ever opened your Bible and felt overwhelmed by all its instructions? Have you asked, “How can I possibly live this way and truly please God each day?” If so, you are not alone. God’s people have wrestled with that same difficult question throughout history.

The prophet Micah gives us one of the clearest answers in Scripture: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

Micah does not give us a list of rituals to complete or rules to check. Instead, he points to a way of life that pleases God. Do what is right. Show mercy. Live humbly before God. These are not abstract concepts. They are seen daily in how we treat others and how we walk with the Lord.

This is the heart of biblical faith. It is not simply agreeing with the right ideas or reciting words. Faith is expressed in obedience to God, and obedience is most visible in our love for others. James reminds us that faith without works is dead. Micah reminds us that God is looking for a life that reflects His character.

Jesus made the same point when asked about the greatest commandment. He replied, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength,” and added, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Both commands go hand in hand. Love God and love people. That is the life that pleases Him.

We often complicate things by chasing after new insights or spiritual goals. Yet God’s Word makes His will plain. If you want to honor Him, live in love, justice, mercy, and humility. This is what the Lord requires.

Where can you begin to simplify your faith today? How might you clearly show your love for God in the way you treat others?

PRAYER

Father, keep me from being distracted by many lesser things. Teach me to walk humbly with You, to live with mercy toward others, and to honor You always by doing what is right. Amen.

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Torah Reading Devotional: Parashat Eikev (אֵ֜יכֶב)—“As a Result”

This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25). Read on Shabbat, August 16, 2025 / 22 Av 5785. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.

“Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2).

As Moses spoke to the people on the edge of the Promised Land, he reminded them that every step of their journey had purpose. The wilderness was not wasted time; it was the training ground for faith.

God provided manna when they were hungry, water when they were thirsty, and forgiveness when they strayed. Every hardship was an opportunity to see His steadfast love and to shape their hearts for the life ahead.

The wilderness, in biblical language, is more than a place of trial; it is the classroom of God. It strips away the comforts and distractions that often dull our awareness of Him.

In the silence of the desert, the Israelites could no longer rely on Egypt’s provision or their own strength; they had to learn dependence on the One who sustained them. This is why Moses calls them to remember, not just the miracles, but the tests, the hunger, and the daily dependence on bread from heaven.

In our own lives, wilderness seasons may come in the form of uncertainty, loss, waiting, or unanswered prayers. We may be tempted to see them only as obstacles to overcome.

Yet often, these are the seasons where God does His deepest work, shaping our character, refining our priorities, and revealing whether we truly trust Him when the road is long and the destination unclear.

The absence of quick solutions forces us to look to His daily provision. And when we remember these seasons after they have passed, we see how His faithfulness never faltered.

If you are in such a season now, take heart. God is not absent. He is teaching you something about His nature and your heart that you could not learn in the abundance of the Promised Land.

And if you are walking in a time of blessing, do not forget the lessons of the wilderness. Gratitude and humility are the companions that will keep you steady when blessings increase.

In your own life, think about a time when God led you through uncertainty. Perhaps you did not see the full plan, but in hindsight you can trace His hand in the small provisions and unexpected turns.

The lesson of the wilderness is that God’s faithfulness does not depend on our comfort; it is constant whether the landscape is fertile or dry.

This week, look for ways to remember God’s past care. Write it down, share it with someone, or speak it in prayer. Gratitude will anchor your heart when the path feels unclear.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for leading me even when I do not understand. Help me remember Your goodness and trust You in every season. Amen.

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