ARTICLES

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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The Olive Tree’s Trunk, Roots, and Branches: A New Dimension of Building Bridges

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

In November 2024, a one-of-a-kind story unfolded along the Gaza border during the first tour of Root & Branch. As you may recall, this amazing humanitarian organization has as its goal the promotion of Christian-Jewish unity, offering trips for Christians to harvest olives in Israel with Jewish people—and exemplify the ancient connection between Christians and Jews. Led in a partnership by Marziyeh (Marzi) Amirizadeh, CEO of NewPersia.org, and Jonathan Feldstein, creator of the Genesis 123 Foundation, their team on the 2024 trip harvested more than olives. On that occasion, a surprising and particularly profound moment awaited their group.

Root & Branch is a collaboration that is expanding the profound truth and symbolism of Israel’s ancient olive tree. The olive tree reflects the ancient Jewish faith described by the Jewish Apostle Paul in Romans 11, where he expressed that Christians are grafted into the covenant that God made with the Jewish people, that the root supports the branch.

The November 2024 encounter took place between Marzi and one of the elite units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). As part of the Root & Branch itinerary, Marzi, Jonathan, and their tour group hosted a meal for the IDF soldiers. Afterwards, as artillery fired in the background, Marzi told her esteemed guests, “As an Iranian woman, I know the evil nature of the Islamic Republic Regime.” She explained how Islam hijacked the land of her birth—and how she was arrested and sentenced to death “because of the ‘crime’ of converting to Christianity,” and for distributing thousands of forbidden Bibles.

The former death row inmate emphasized how “Israelis and Iranians have suffered at the hands of the ayatollahs, our common enemy.” Marzi described her imprisonment in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison: “I witnessed the execution of my cellmates and best friend, as well as the torture and abuse of countless innocent women. The regime killed my husband and destroyed my father’s life.” After nine horrific months in this place, she was miraculously released.

Marzi’s shocking revelation is possibly the first time that any IDF soldier heard statements of such weight and significance from an Iranian-born Christian, someone who could understand the deep trauma of being imprisoned as a hostage.

Her next words added heartfelt encouragement. “I want to apologize to you having to leave your families to fight the Islamic Regime. Please know that Iranians are not the Islamic Republic. Millions, like me, have been oppressed and held hostage in Iran. Like many Iranians, I have never hated you. Our cultures share similarities—kindness, hospitality, and a love for life.”

Marzi prays for the day that friendships between Israel and Iran are restored, in a shared history “going back as far as King Cyrus.” She expressed her hope that Israeli and Iranian tourists, pilgrims, and businesspeople will build a bright future together.

She then reached out for their hands. When the circle formed, she prayed for her Jewish guests. Afterwards the IDF commander, identifying as a Christian, thanked her. “What you said and prayed as an Iranian, my soldiers will remember as long as they live.”

I agree wholeheartedly with the IDF commander. Marzi’s story and prayers will last a lifetime. One way for Jews and Christians to be part of future hopes and prayers is the upcoming Root & Branch Unity Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Jonathan, a modern Orthodox Jewish-Israeli American, and Marzi, a Christian Iranian-American, have planned programming aimed at friendship and teamwork. Three main sessions over two days will harmonize with Friday’s Shabbat dinner, where guests will enjoy an uplifting time of worship with Marzi as the featured speaker. Learning what happened last November is an inspiring appetizer for gathering with fine speakers, panels, and conversations. People are already registering from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Kentucky.

Jonathan, among his plentiful abilities, is a prolific writer who initiates cooperative entrepreneurial projects. He views the future with this observation: “Following Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June, our friendship, partnership, and the Root & Branch Unity Conference, are more vital than ever. Ours is a model of how things can and should be in prayers actively prayed that our unity will develop into the norm for us all.”

Although the conference is not meeting in Israel, the commitment to September collaborations in Atlanta makes Christians and Jews stronger together and moves toward action. Given the urgency of Jew-hatred accelerating in more forms and venues in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, the time is right to unite in the new Root & Branch partnership of specialized tours and September’s first conference. The theme Root & Branch has adopted is clear and expressive: “Building Bridges and Planting Roots in Israel & Among the Jewish People with Unconditional Love.” Psalm 133:1 expresses their aspirations, How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Please use this link to register or learn more about the conference: [visit here].

The host committee welcomes you to invite friends, family, pastors, rabbis, and Jews individually—with a request to refrain from mentioning it on social media posts. Increased security measures for meetings among Jews and Christians have become the norm. After registering, you will receive the event venue and hotel location. For Sabbath-observant Jewish participants, there are special accommodations and discounted hotel rates for all out-of-town participants.

The symbolism and reality of the olive tree’s trunk and roots connecting the branches portrays God’s gracious sovereignty. As noted in Romans 11, God grafts Gentiles into the branches—those Christians who esteem Israel scripturally and celebrate the land that birthed the Christian faith. Israel is our spiritual homeland. God adopts us into the family and plants our spiritual DNA within us as recorded in the Old and New Testaments in His redemptive plans.

Our CBN Israel team welcomes you to join us this week in prayers for the new Root & Branch outreach reflecting on Psalm 133:1—How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Prayer Points:

  • Pray for Root & Branch directly connecting Jews and Christians together in shared projects.
  • Pray for conference participants to learn from each other and from the experts who speak.
  • Pray for Jewish and Christian organizations that deem Israel to be the Promised Land in compassionate outreaches.

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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When Waters Speak of God

By Stephen Faircloth

The land of Israel is more than a backdrop for biblical events. Its rivers, hills, animals, and even its changing seasons fill the language of Scripture. The land itself shaped the metaphors, poetry, and images used by the prophets, psalmists, and storytellers of the Bible. To stand in certain places today is to hear, see, and feel the very scenes they described. The Dan Spring is one such place.

Located at the base of Mount Hermon, the Dan Spring is the largest of the three main sources that come together to form the Jordan River. Flowing with remarkable force, it produces an estimated 240 million cubic meters of water each year. In the winter and spring, as rains fall and snow melts from Mount Hermon, the sound of the rushing water becomes a deep, steady roar.

It is not difficult to understand why the psalmists drew spiritual imagery from this place. In Psalm 29, the writer describes the voice of the Lord over mighty waters, breaking cedars, and shaking the wilderness. References to Lebanon, Sirion, and Kadesh place this picture in the northern region surrounding the Dan Spring. To the psalmist, the roar of these waters reflected the power and majesty of God’s voice.

Psalm 42 offers another glimpse into the spiritual symbolism of these waters. Here, the psalmist compares his longing for God to a deer thirsting for fresh streams. Standing in the humid heat near the Dan Spring, he hears the thunder of its rushing flow and likens his feelings of being overwhelmed to waves and billows crashing over him. The geography is more than a backdrop. It is part of the message itself. The sound, the setting, and the experience all speak to the soul’s deep need for God.

Visiting the land of Israel is more than seeing historic sites. It is stepping into the physical world of the Bible and allowing the land to deepen our understanding of God’s Word. At the Dan Spring, creation itself declares the glory of God, reminding us that the geography of the Bible is one of its most vivid teachers.

If the psalmists could listen to rushing waters and hear the voice of God, what in your own surroundings can remind you of His power and presence? What everyday sights and sounds could you use as a prompt for worship?

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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