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American and Israeli Eagles in the Storms of Life

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The American bald eagle—renowned as one of the world’s most iconic birds—serves as a powerful symbol of courage and resilience. When storms brew overhead, unleashing thunder and lightning, eagles do not retreat to safety like many other birds. Instead, both males and females fly straight into the heart of the tempest.

Their extraordinary ability to harness the wind’s power propels them higher than usual, lifting them into calmer air. From this vantage point, their view is clearer, and their flight becomes smoother. Rather than evading storms, eagles confront them head-on. In much the same spirit, the responses to the recent, catastrophic Guadalupe River storm in Texas—along with Israel’s Operation Rising Lion and the United States’ Operation Midnight Hammer—vividly exemplify the resilience and strength embodied by eagles.

The aftermath of the deadly flood that began in the dark, early hours of July 4th is heartbreaking. At this writing, at least 110 people have lost their lives, and 171 remain missing.

Residents of the usually scenic Texas Hill Country are no strangers to flooding—hence the region’s reputation as “Flash Flood Alley”—but this deluge defies description. Reports indicate that the National Weather Service (NWS) issued timely warnings. Janice Dean, Fox News senior meteorologist, posted on X: “There were warnings. The NWS offices were staffed. It came overnight on a holiday weekend in a flood-prone area. A worst-case scenario in terms of timing and magnitude.”  

Yet even amid this unprecedented disaster, critics have found ways to politicize the tragedy, blaming President Trump for events beyond any human control. In a particularly egregious example, Texas pediatrician Dr. Christina Propst posted a cruel remark claiming that flood victims, including children, were Trump supporters who got “what they voted for.” After immense backlash, Blue Fish Pediatrics in Houston rightly terminated her employment. When a pediatric physician expresses such hatred toward children, it underscores how damaging political agendas can become when they eclipse basic compassion.

Despite the politicization of this heartrending disaster, countless workers and volunteers—like eagles flying into the storm—are placing themselves in hazardous areas to help those in need. With support from Texas National Guard helicopters and U.S. Coast Guard airlifts, volunteers have responded in an inspiring outpouring of compassion. The world is witnessing Americans aiding one another on rescue missions large and small, with teams trekking through rough terrain to deliver help wherever possible. The Mountain Mules, who famously navigated treacherous mountain passes in western North Carolina to deliver supplies after Hurricane Helene, are now on the ground in Texas, leading the way once more.

Isaiah 40:31 offers a perfect prayer for everyone affected by the Texas river tragedy: But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  

Other symbols of eagles flying into a different kind of storm are the American and Israeli pilots whose courage deserves the world’s applause.

Their successes in the storms of war are nothing short of remarkable. The U.S. and Israeli Air Forces have flown with precision into enemy territories over Iran and its proxies. Despite differing opinions about these operations’ outcomes, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at least temporarily restrained from unleashing its campaign of terror against the wider world. The Islamic regime remains focused on its long-standing goal: re-establishing a caliphate to impose cruel Shia religious oppression.

Though the current conflict is called the Twelve Day War, Iran effectively launched hostilities in 1979 by capturing and holding U.S. Embassy staff as hostages for 444 days. After overthrowing the Persian government, the Shia ayatollahs began oppressing their own population and arming terror proxies to attack Israel. In reality, the so-called Twelve Day War could more accurately be called the Forty-Six Year War. It began in 1979—and, as history and Scripture remind us, it has not yet ended.

Since declaring its modern independence in 1948, Israel—now 77 years strong—has brought immeasurable blessings to the world through her remarkable innovation, resilience, and perseverance. God’s promise in Amos 9:15 remains clear: “I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.” His promise is permanent, with no future exile or relocation.

Nevertheless, choosing to trust our faithful Father God is often difficult amid storms of lawlessness, antisemitism, and national disasters at home and abroad. While Israel and Middle East turmoil dominate headlines—much of it filled with distortion—the lawlessness and disinformation are not only antisemitic but also deeply anti-Christian.

Today, an estimated 340 million Christians face widespread persecution. Nigeria, known as “the world’s center of Christian martyrs,” has seen at least 52,250 Christians murdered over the past 14 years, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law. Hatred against Jews continues to escalate worldwide in many forms. Since October 7, 2023, at least 17 synagogues have been targeted by arsonists, and countless acts of hatred and intimidation against the Jewish people have continued to surge.

President Trump responded swiftly, signing a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County and offering these words of support: “God bless all of the people who have gone through so much.” He plans to visit Texas as early as tomorrow (Friday), provided his arrival does not disrupt recovery efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed solidarity, stating: “My wife Sara and I and all of Israel are praying for the Great State of Texas. Israel knows disaster—we’ve lived through war, fire, and flood. Dear friends, we stand with you!”

As a Christian community, we must uphold Israel in prayer and provide tangible support through trusted Christian and Jewish organizations. Let us draw inspiration from the eagle—soaring above storms—and strengthen our resolve to stand with Texas and Israel alike.

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us in prayer for rescuers in Texas, that they might “soar on wings like eagles.”

Prayer Points:

  • Pray for families in shock who have lost loved ones and friends.
  • Pray for strength for all rescuers and compassionate providers.
  • Pray for donations to meet needs of victims who have no homes.  
  • Pray for the restoration of kindness among those who are hard-hearted toward Israel, Jews, and persecuted Christians.

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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Bringing Hope to Missile Strike Survivors

In Bat Yam, a coastal city south of Tel Aviv, terror struck an entire neighborhood when an Iranian missile destroyed a residential building. Hundreds of residents were displaced. It was a direct hit which obliterated that building, and damaged nearby buildings for blocks, making them unlivable.

One frightened survivor recalled the horror, saying, “The building was shaking, and I was holding the door shut. And it felt like the door would fly out.”

Since the beginning of the war with Iran, Israel faced relentless missile and drone attacks, leaving communities in a state of upheaval and despair. With so many people left homeless and traumatized, where could they turn for help?

Fortunately, friends like you came to their rescue, through CBN Israel. Thanks to the support of generous donors, a bus arrived in Bat Yam to take the elderly, Holocaust survivors, and those with disabilities to safer places, including temporary shelter in a hotel.

And in the wake of the attacks, their gifts helped to launch a trauma hotline, offering counseling, comfort, and hope to those reeling from loss.

At a time when it seems that so many forces in the world are aligning against Israel, it means a great deal to the Israeli people to know caring partners are standing with them. And your support can convey volumes to those who are hurting.

You can be there for terror victims with hot meals, safe lodging, professional trauma therapy, and encouragement. And you can bring ongoing relief to refugees and new immigrants, single moms, Holocaust survivors, and others in need.

Please consider a special gift to support those in crisis across the Holy Land!

GIVE TODAY

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Magdala: Faith by the Lake

By Stephen Faircloth

Nestled along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, just a few miles north of Tiberias, the ancient settlement of Magdala offers a remarkable window into Jewish life during the time of Jesus. Known by multiple names—Magdala or Migdal Nunaya in Hebrew and Aramaic, and Taricheae in Greek and Latin—this city played a central role in the economy and culture of the region.

Greek sources called it Taricheae, meaning “factories for salting fish,” a reminder that everyday labor and community life were part of God’s provision. The bustling harbor connected smaller villages, including Capernaum, to wider trade networks, illustrating how God often uses ordinary places to accomplish extraordinary purposes. When the Gospels describe Jesus arriving by boat in the region of Gennesar, He likely stepped ashore in Magdala’s thriving port.

Though tradition has long identified Magdala as the hometown of Mary Magdalene, there is no conclusive historical proof of this connection. Still, her life shows how God can redeem any story, and how an encounter with Christ transforms us from the inside out.

Modern excavations have brought Magdala to life in vivid detail. Archaeologists uncovered streets laid out in a precise grid, elegant homes with expertly cut stone, intricate mosaic floors, and fine pottery and glassware—all signs of a prosperous community. Many of these homes contained private ritual baths (mikva’ot), even though the Sea of Galilee was just steps away. This dedication reveals how seriously the people of Magdala took purity and devotion, weaving faith into the fabric of daily life.

Among the most significant discoveries is Magdala’s ancient synagogue—one of the earliest ever found. Though modest in size, it was rich with spiritual meaning. The main hall was ringed with benches, frescoed walls, and mosaic floors. At its center stood a beautifully carved stone, likely supporting the sacred Torah as it was read aloud. The carvings include the seven-branched menorah from the Jerusalem Temple, reminding worshipers that even in Galilee, their faith was anchored in God’s promises and presence.

While the Gospels do not specifically mention Jesus teaching in Magdala, He traveled throughout Galilee, proclaiming the Kingdom and opening the Scriptures in synagogues just like this one. It is entirely possible—perhaps even likely—that He stood in this very space, reading and explaining the Word of God, calling people to repentance, hope, and new life.

Magdala is a powerful reminder that faith is not reserved for holy places alone. It flourishes in workshops, fishing boats, kitchens, and markets—wherever people choose to honor God with their lives. Like the men and women of Magdala, we are called to integrate worship into our work, to pursue purity of heart even in ordinary routines, and to welcome Jesus into every corner of our day.

Are there areas of your life where you have separated faith from daily tasks? What would it look like to invite Jesus into your own “harbor,” your own “workshop,” and live every moment for His glory?

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Weekly Devotional: Set Free to Serve the King

“Let My people go, so that they can serve Me” (Exodus 7:16).

Freedom captivates every heart. From the earliest stories of humanity, the longing to be free has shaped our dreams and driven our pursuits.

The Exodus stands as one of history’s most powerful accounts of liberation—God Himself intervening to rescue His people from centuries of bondage. This narrative was so revolutionary that slaveholders in America once distributed Bibles that deliberately omitted the book of Exodus, fearing its impact on the enslaved.

Today, as followers of Jesus, we often speak about freedom in Christ. We celebrate that we have been delivered—freed from sin, shame, and spiritual death. But what is this freedom ultimately for?

Scripture makes it clear: God doesn’t simply set captives free so they can wander aimlessly. He delivers us to belong to Him, to worship Him, and to serve His purposes. True freedom is not the absence of all restraint; it is the joyful surrender of our lives to the One who made us.

When Moses demanded the Israelites’ release, he wasn’t asking Pharaoh to let them do whatever they pleased. God’s purpose was specific: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.” This was a call to leave the false gods of Egypt behind and to become wholly devoted to their Redeemer and King.

Even Jesus taught more about servanthood than self-determination. He warned that every heart is committed to something—either God or a rival master. In His kingdom, freedom is found in willingly taking the posture of a servant, trusting that God’s rule leads to life, peace, and purpose.

Today, we still face the same choice. We are offered freedom—but it is not freedom for our own agendas. It is freedom to love, worship, and serve the King who reigns forever. How will you use the liberty you’ve been given?

PRAYER

Father, I offer You my heart and my will. Teach me what it means to be truly free by serving You alone. You are my King, and I long to live for Your purposes today. Amen.

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Does the Cyrus Cylinder Hold Hope for the Jewish Community in Iran?

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The Islamic Republic of Iran is home to some 10,000 to 15,000 Jews, who remain as the modern remnants of ancient Jews captured in Jerusalem and forcibly deported to Babylon in 587/586 B.C. While it’s not common knowledge, even now Iran’s Jewish population is the second largest in the Middle East after Israel. Also not well known is the existence of the Cyrus Cylinder, an archaeological treasure dating from the sixth century B.C. and displayed in London’s British Museum.

Discovered in Babylon (modern-day Iraq) in 1879, the clay cylinder draws a straight line from ancient Persia to Jewish people and their history with inscriptions from King Cyrus. In part, Cyrus observes in the cuneiform text, “I took up my lordly abode in the royal palace amidst rejoicing and happiness. … My vast army marched into Babylon in peace; I did not permit anyone to frighten the people.”

Scholars often call Cyrus’s decrees for the Jews the “first charter of human rights.” Cyrus, a pagan king, allowed all the people he conquered—including Jews—to keep their religions and cultures. Today, in exploring the destiny of modern Iranian Jews we find another Middle Eastern set of complicated facts and questions.

Let’s take a moment to revisit the 70-year Jewish exile in Babylon. The annals of biblical and archaeological history recount Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Solomon’s Temple and eventually the rise of Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C. Why is Persian King Cyrus described as “great?” Apart from his military achievements, tolerant rule, and political astuteness, God tapped this secular ruler to liberate the Jewish exiles by repatriating Jews to their homeland.

Some 50,000 exiled Jews undertook the grueling 900-mile journey to Jerusalem. Most remained behind, however, possibly because many felt they were too old, or they preferred their good lives in Cyrus’ kingdom. The prolific prophet Isaiah mentioned Cyrus by name in Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1—some 150 years before Cyrus freed and financed not only the return of the Jews but also the wherewithal to rebuild the second Temple!

Cyrus’ words are not only inscribed in the Cyrus Cylinder but also in Ezra 1:2-3 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.”

This link gives added historical insights: [view here].

In modern times, millennia after the human-rights King Cyrus, the Islamic Regime conquered what was called Persia in 1979 and rebranded the country with its Shia Islam. Its apocalyptic ayatollahs are bent on welcoming the so-called Twelfth Imam to rule the world in the end times, an oppressive, one-sided religious governance. Their theology is light years away from the freedom-loving historic King Cyrus.

That said, surprisingly the Jewish community has lived a somewhat unrestricted life under the Islamic Regime. With 30 synagogues, Jewish schools, youth sports, kosher butcher shops, restaurants, and a matzah factory, Jews are an official religious minority and hold one seat in the Iranian parliament. Nevertheless, with upwards of 100,000 Jews living in Iran in 1979, numerous individuals and families fled to Israel and the United States before and after the revolution in waves of mass immigration.

The continuation of comparative calm for the Jewish community is now highly questionable since the Twelve Day War started on June 13. The Iranian Jewish community’s concerns are multiplying by the day. The Regime is arresting dozens of Jews, and some are held without any outside contact. Detainees include rabbis and other Jewish leaders amid a sobering headline in Israel’s Ynet Global News: “Anyone Can Disappear.”

The Regime is focusing right now on Jews with relatives in Israel. The Persian Human Rights News Agency HRANA mentions a November 2011 law that had already restricted family ties between Israeli and Iranian Jews. The Iranian Parliament banned Iranian Jews from travel to Israel. The punishment is up to five years in prison and passport ineligibility. A leader in the Tehran Jewish Association commented anonymously, “We’ve seen limited summonses during previous crises, but the current scale is unprecedented and has raised serious concerns about the psychological and social well-being of our community.”

As the world’s largest sponsor of terror, the Islamic Regime has a track record of fostering horrific evil outside its borders. But it also holds another world record: the second-highest number of executions inside Iran, according to Amnesty International. Only China outpaces Iran in that regard. I daresay all Iranians are aware of the prisons, public hangings, and hateful cries against Israel and the United States even now—in their parliament and funerals after their recent widespread losses in weapons, nuclear sites, and leadership.

I am puzzled now about the Islamic Regime’s leaders amid their war losses. When I recall the total defeat of Japan and Germany in World War II, I have concluded that Iran’s culture is so vastly immersed in cruelty and domination that it has transitioned into more than its Shia Religion. It is a literal Religion of Evil. They will not give up. Even now.

The 2,700-year-old Jewish community is walking an incredibly fragile tightrope. Some diaspora Iranians tend to think Iran’s Jews voicing support for the Regime is a survival strategy. On the other hand, the Central Jewish Committee of Tehran states that “Judaism is a religion, not a political ideology,” adding that Iranian Jews are completely separate from the Zionist (Israel) regime.

Yasmin Shalom Mottahedeh, an Israeli who made Aliyah in the 1980s, put it this way in an interview a few years ago: “The country can never be empty of Jews. It’s a community that has survived since the Babylonian exile after the destruction of the First Temple.” Yasmin concluded, “Jews have had the opportunity to leave, but those who are there have chosen to stay for a reason.”

It is impossible for us to know or understand why every Jew did not flee Iran both leading up to and following 1979. But we do know that the Islamic Regime is a deadly one. Prayers for the Iranian Jews are necessary, as the oppressive leaders attempt to rebuild the country by murdering anyone who stands in their way, Jews and non-Jews. And the ultimate prayer: That all Iranians will rise in freedom to rebuild their beautiful Persian country.

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us in prayers for Iranian Jews by reflecting on King Cyrus’ quote in Ezra 1:3—“And may their God be with them.”

Prayer Points:

  • Pray the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will reveal His fullness to the Jews of Iran.
  • Pray that God’s heavenly armies will surround the Iranian Jewish families with safety.
  • Pray that the Islamic Regime will release the Jews they arrested back to their families.
  • Pray Iranian Jews will not suffer the evils leveled against Israeli Jews on October 7, 2023. 

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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Hostage Families Find Healing in the Desert

For the families of hostages, the nightmare began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists stormed across the border and abducted their loved ones. In the days and weeks that followed, their world stood still—marked by anguish, uncertainty, and desperate hope.

For some, that hope was tragically shattered when the remains of their loved ones were found in Gaza. These innocent victims had been killed by Hamas. For others, there was a bittersweet relief as a hostage deal brought their family members home. But even for the survivors, the trauma lingers.

Today, many families continue to face an uphill battle for emotional healing. But thanks to caring friends like you, they are beginning to experience much-needed comfort and closure—through a series of therapeutic retreats, sponsored by CBN Israel.

In a peaceful retreat center in Eilat—nestled between the Red Sea and the surrounding desert mountains—these grieving families are finally finding space to breathe, to process, and to begin healing. CBN Israel, in partnership with Kamim (an organization providing long-term support to former hostages and their families), is hosting these restorative retreats for 25–30 participants at a time.

With the help of professional therapists, social workers, and trauma experts—along with an escape from daily stress—these families are receiving the care they desperately need. Caring donors are helping provide not only emotional and psychological support, but also legal, financial, and career guidance, in hopes of preventing a widespread PTSD crisis across Israel.

Because of compassionate friends like you, these hurting families are finding light in the darkness. One father, his voice filled with emotion, shared, “This retreat has been so meaningful. I am so grateful to those who helped make it possible.”

And the need continues.

Your gift to CBN Israel can make a powerful, life-changing impact for others still recovering from the trauma of October 7. You can be a source of hope—providing groceries, housing, emergency aid, and heartfelt encouragement to those in crisis across the Holy Land.

Please join us today in bringing healing, help, and hope to those who need it most.

GIVE TODAY

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Caesarea: Where the Gospel Penetrated the Gentile World

By Stephen Faircloth

Tucked along the sparkling coast of the Mediterranean, the ancient city of Caesarea wasn’t just a marvel of Roman engineering—it was a stage where God’s unfolding plan for the world stepped into the Gentile arena. For anyone walking its ruined streets today, it’s easy to imagine Roman chariots racing in the stadium or waves lapping against Herod the Great’s grand harbor. But the stones of Caesarea whisper of something greater: the unstoppable reach of the Gospel.

It was here, in Caesarea, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ broke through a cultural and spiritual barrier that had long divided Jews and Gentiles. In Acts 10, the apostle Peter was summoned to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion described as “God-fearing.” As Peter preached, the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household—Gentiles receiving the same Spirit as the first Jewish believers in Jerusalem. In that moment, the family of God flung its doors wide open. No longer was the good news reserved for one people, but for all nations, just as Jesus had promised.

The city witnessed not only divine breakthroughs but also divine judgments. Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, died in Caesarea, struck down after accepting the praises of the people as if he were a god (Acts 12:19-23). Both Scripture and the historian Josephus record this sobering event, reminding us of the peril of pride and the glory that belongs to God alone.

Caesarea also served as a crossroads for the apostle Paul. From here, he sailed on missionary journeys, faced trials under Roman rulers like Felix and Festus, and ultimately appealed to Caesar, setting the course for his voyage to Rome (Acts 23-27). During this time, Luke, Paul’s companion and the author of Luke and Acts, likely remained free to move about the land. It’s not hard to imagine Luke walking the streets of Jerusalem or sitting with eyewitnesses, gathering the material he would later weave into his Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). Even in chains, God’s servants were at work, and His Word was moving forward.

The city itself was a testament to Roman ambition. Herod the Great transformed a modest Phoenician port known as “Strato’s Tower” into a grand harbor he called Sebastos, honoring Caesar Augustus. Around it rose temples, palaces, theaters, and baths. Yet amid all this grandeur, a simple stone discovered by archaeologists stands out: the Pilate Inscription, a dedicatory plaque mentioning Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who condemned Jesus. It’s a quiet reminder that even powerful men like Pilate lived in the shadow of a much greater King.

In A.D. 66, Caesarea again became a flashpoint—this time as the First Jewish Revolt ignited. The city’s tensions exploded in violence, and in its stadium, the Roman general Titus forced 2,500 Jewish captives to fight to the death in grisly celebration. What had once been a place of Gospel peace now echoed with the horrors of war and vengeance.

Yet God was not done with Caesarea.

In the centuries that followed, Caesarea became a beacon of Christian thought. The great teacher Origen spent over two decades here, establishing a theological school and one of the ancient world’s finest libraries. From this treasure trove of knowledge, Eusebius, the “Father of Church History,” would write his sweeping account of early Christianity, preserving the memory of martyrs, apostles, and faithful communities.

Caesarea reminds us that God’s story moves through unlikely places. It marched into a Roman stronghold, shattered cultural boundaries, and transformed a harbor of empire into a harbor of faith. Whether you’re standing in a grand city or feeling small in your corner of the world, remember this: the Gospel has never been confined by walls, rulers, or borders.

Like Peter, may we be ready to go where God sends us, even if it surprises us. Like Paul, may we be faithful—even in chains. Like Cornelius, may we hunger for truth and welcome it when it comes. And like those who walked the streets of Caesarea long ago, may we be part of God’s great story—anchored in Christ and carried by the Spirit to the ends of the earth.

Stephen Faircloth serves as President of CBN Israel, where he is passionately committed to supporting the nation and people of Israel. He leads a broad range of advocacy efforts and humanitarian initiatives that bring practical aid and lasting hope to some of Israel’s most vulnerable—terror victims, Holocaust survivors, refugees, and families facing deep poverty.

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Weekly Devotional: Rooted to Flourish

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2 NKJV).

You’ve probably heard the phrases, “You are what you think,” and, “Choose your company wisely.” Psalm 1 echoes both sentiments. It tells us that the person who experiences God’s blessing is the one who avoids destructive influences and instead finds joy in God’s Word—meditating on it continually.

Who we surround ourselves with shapes our thinking, our actions, and ultimately our character. The psalmist warns us to stay alert and discerning, steering clear of voices that lead us away from truth. Instead, we’re called to intentionally delight in God’s instruction and let it shape our hearts and lives.

The one who does this, the psalmist says, is like “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (v. 3). In a dry, arid land, this image speaks of vitality, strength, and resilience. A life rooted in God’s Word will flourish—even in harsh conditions. 

But it’s not just about surviving—the tree bears fruit. It thrives. In Scripture, fruit is a common metaphor for the visible evidence of inward transformation. It represents character, choices, and actions that flow from a life deeply rooted in God.

When we immerse ourselves in His truth and allow it to reshape us, it doesn’t stay hidden inside. It overflows—producing love, righteousness, peace, and wisdom that bless others and glorify God. True spiritual growth will always manifest in how we live, how we serve, and how we love.

The psalm brings this powerful image to a close with a promise: “Whatever he does shall prosper.”

Spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It requires vigilance, intention, and a steady delight in the Lord’s ways. The question for each of us is: Are we bearing fruit, or are we more like the chaff blown away by the wind (v. 4)?

What do you delight in—and what does your life reflect?

PRAYER

Father, help me to guard my heart and mind from anything that would draw me away from You. Teach me to love Your Word and meditate on it daily. May my life be rooted in Your truth and bear fruit for Your glory. Amen.

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Israel’s Lion Rises—and the U.S. Hammer Strikes at Midnight

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

On Thursday afternoon, June 12, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked to the Western Wall (Kotel) with his prayer shawl draped over his suit and the customary kippah on his head. He wedged a note from Numbers 23:24 into the crevice, “Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion.”

The note in the Kotel was made public the next day—after Netanyahu’s address during Israel’s Operation Rising Lion ascending out of ancient Jewish history before the air strikes on Iran early the next morning. Indeed, the Lion is rising with God’s Hand—evident in extraordinary plans and miracles, despite the faltering Islamic Regime that deliberately targeted Israeli civilians and infrastructure.

Days passed during which Israel fought alone with extraordinary success against the Islamic Regime, the world’s largest terror threat. Global news outlets and commentators declared that division existed between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Would the U.S. commander-in-chief utilize our B-2 stealth bombers to drop the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), often dubbed the “bunker buster” bomb—on Fordow, Iran’s deepest underground nuclear production site?

The answer exploded into headlines in the early hours of Sunday, June 22. Our commander-in-chief, President Donald J. Trump, who earlier gave the Islamic Regime a final two-week ultimatum for diplomacy, acted militarily after the Regime’s pointed refusal. The United States B-2 Spirit stealth bombers struck Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation was code-named Midnight Hammer, and President Trump enacted his covert maneuvers with his words and schedule. He spoke in nonspecific terms, presented a calm demeanor, and maintained a normal schedule—that is, until right before Midnight Hammer began.

Planned diversionary flights by U.S. stealth bombers headed east in an aerial fake. Other B-2s flew west toward Iran, their true destination to destroy three nuclear sites. In a cooperative goal to disable the terror regime, Midnight Hammer and Rising Lion implemented their own specialized skills and weaponry. Israel never asks the United States for boots on the ground, and during the B-2 attacks, Iran fired no missiles at our U.S. Air Force and no military personnel were harmed. The precision of the Israel and American air forces in targeting only military sites and Islamic Regime terrorists is admirable. In contrast, Iran’s leaders directly attack Israeli civilians, which is unsurprising since that is how Iran’s proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis have functioned during decades of evil.

At this writing, a ceasefire is in place between Iran and Israel, brokered by President Trump. Currently described as the Twelve Day War, Israel extraordinarily met its goal to disable Iran’s nuclear dream of destroying the world’s only Jewish state. Since 1979, the Islamic Regime and its surrogates have attacked and killed Americans upwards of 45 times. In the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, 66 Americans were held captive for 444 days in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. In 1983, Iran-backed Hezbollah drove a truck bomb into a U.S. Marine compound in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 220 Marines. In the Iraq War, Iran-backed terrorists killed at least 603 American soldiers. In 2020, an Iranian ballistic missile hit an American air base, leaving 100 American soldiers with traumatic brain injuries. President Trump not only aided Israel with our precision stealth bombers, he enacted justice for our country!

Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and our State Department have issued domestic and global alerts for our vigilance, it seems the U.S., Israel, and the world can rest a little easier for now. 

Oppressed Iranian citizens are celebrating the possibility of freedom after more than four decades of Islamic tyranny. Nevertheless, almost immediately, outrage against President Trump was voiced by Democrats, leftists, and Islamist imams in the United States. President Trump has remained consistent since he first ran for president, repeatedly declaring, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.” He added on May 13, “Iran can have a much brighter future—but we’ll never allow America and its allies to be threatened with terrorism or a nuclear attack. The choice is theirs to make. We really want them to be a successful country.” Although he preferred demonstrated diplomacy smartly done, he acted on peace through strength as the only solution to disarm Iran’s goal of destroying Israel and America to gain worldwide dominance.

President Trump’s stance is the opposite of past American leaders’ appeasement. Their disastrous 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Joint (JCPOA) was based on their inability or refusal to recognize the difference between evil and good. During the Obama and Biden eras, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry directed an operation of deception to foist it onto Americans. Obama made a $400 million cash transfer to the Ayatollahs. Biden as president gave huge sanctions relief that amounted to $16 billion. When John Kerry ran the State Department, he blocked FBI arrests of Iranian operatives in the U.S. to protect the misguided JCPOA agreement.

When you hear less-than-reliable versions about the decisions of President Trump or Prime Minister Netanyahu, recall these examples of free speech hatred in the United States. Yasir Qadhi—a Muslim cleric in Plano, Texas, who is considered the “architect of Islamization in Texas”—pushes American Muslims to unite against non-Muslims, whom he refers to as Kaffir—“filthy unbelievers.” Praising the Islamic Regime, he is against Muslims who do not agree with his ideological warfare.

Say what you will, it does not change the fact that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu know the vast difference between evil and good. They have acted in a war they did not ask for but which was necessary to gain peace for our world through strength. They are rational leaders seeking peace by disabling the irrational Islamist Regime instigating hate through terror. Polling varies, and while Americans are anxious about what’s next, three in four voters now see Iran as a real security threat.

On June 21, when President Trump gave his speech after the U.S. Air Force’s precision strikes to cut off the head of the Iranian snake, he declared in closing: “I want to just say we love You, God.” On June 22, PM Netanyahu returned to the Kotel to give thanks for President Trump and pray for the IDF. Again referring to Numbers 23:24, he commented: “Today I return to the same place—and there is a new note: ‘And a nation rose as a lion.’”  

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us with prayers reflecting on this verse: 

Revelation 5:5: “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Prayer Points:

  • Pray for U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. 
  • Pray for Israeli civilians under fire from Iranian ballistic missiles.
  • Pray for displaced Israeli families and for Israel Defense Forces.
  • Pray for Iranians longing for freedom.

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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Hope Reaches Israelis Under Fire

Since the war with Iran began, Israel has endured relentless missile attacks, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Communities across the country are reeling, and the need for immediate relief has never been greater.

In the coastal city of Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, an Iranian missile struck a residential building—destroying it and rendering several surrounding buildings uninhabitable. Hundreds of residents were suddenly displaced, forced to flee their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

One elderly survivor shared her harrowing experience: “The building was shaking. I was holding the door shut—and it felt like it was going to fly off.”

CBN Israel’s Nicole Jansezian reported from the heart of the destruction: “It was here that an Iranian missile made a direct hit—demolishing one building and shearing off the side of another. The damage left many structures around this area completely unlivable.”

CBN Israel’s Roberto Torres-Cedillo was also on the ground, speaking with survivors and witnessing the relief efforts firsthand.

“Today, a bus is taking elderly residents—including Holocaust survivors and people with disabilities—from Bat Yam to a safe shelter in Netanya.”

Thanks to the compassionate support of donors like you, CBN Israel quickly launched a trauma hotline, providing emotional and spiritual care for those grappling with shock, fear, and grief.

Roberto shared the deep gratitude of those receiving help: “Thank you to the donors who are sharing God’s love during this time—reminding the people of Israel that the God of Israel sees them, and that even in mourning, they are not alone. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.’”

And your gifts to CBN Israel can make a life-changing difference for many others who are hurting in the Holy Land. You can be there for those in need with groceries, essentials, housing, financial aid—and encouragement.

Please help us bring healing to hearts and homes in crisis!

GIVE TODAY

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