The 700 Club: August 14, 2009

The 700 Club Daily Broadcast Friday, August 14, 2009 GORDON ROBERTSON: Well, welcome to The 700 Club. The White House continues to push for public support of the health care bill. President Obama is heading west for town hall meetings in Montana and Colorado. TERRY MEEUWSEN: He has his work cut out for him. The western United States is known for being very skeptical of big government. Here is reporter Jennifer Wishon. CARE JENNIFER WISHON: It's a pivotal time for the President. After investing so much political capital in health care reform, he's taking a hit in the polls. The latest Rasmussen daily tracking poll shows Mr. Obama's approval rating at an all time low: 47 percent of voters at least somewhat approve of his performance, 52 percent disapprove. Woman: My trust and faith in the United States government and its leadership has been destroyed. JENNIFER WISHON: The President will likely hear more critical comments out west, after enjoying mostly friendly crowds on the east coast. Tickets to the town hall meeting in Montana will be handed out to the first people in line. Members of Congress are still hearing from angry constituents at their town hall meetings. Sen. Arlen Specter ([D] Pennsylvania): I've never seen anything like this or anything near this. JENNIFER WISHON: And the Senate Finance Committee appears to be listening. Many seniors and lawmakers were very concerned about a section of the bill that provides Medicare reimbursements for doctors who discuss end-of-life planning with their patients, including information about hospice care. Sen. Charles Grassley ([R] Iowa): We should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on Grandma. JENNIFER WISHON: Grassley says the Senate has pulled the plug on that portion of the bill for fear it could be misinterpreted. The Obama Administration says end-of-life counseling could save the government millions. Robert Gibbs (White House Spokesman): We hope to quell the misconceptions that are apparently held by even some in the Senate about what the bill is and what the bill isn't. JENNIFER WISHON: To spread its message, the White House sent a multi-page, mass e-mail Thursday, but it is citizen e-mails that had the greatest impact. Americans flooded congressmen with so many messages, they overloaded the House of Representatives' primary web site. Many Americans are telling their representatives to tighten the federal purse strings. Kathy Malcom (Retired Teacher): They're spending money that doesn't even exist. You know if we do that, we go to jail. I think somebody in Congress needs to go to jail, a whole bunch of them. Rubie Peters (Teacher): What concerns me overall is getting a bill and getting that bill on the floor and getting something passed, so that we have people who are covered. JENNIFER WISHON: Political participation tends to drop off during the hottest vacation month, but this August, public involvement on health care continues to heat up. Jennifer Wishon, CBN News. GORDON ROBERTSON: Congress seems to be hearing your voice, but continues. This is one where we need the debate. We need vigorous debate on this bill. Exactly how is it going to be structured? What’s going on? And then for me the most important question: how are we going to pay for it? Lee Webb has the rest of our top stories from the CBN Newsroom. Lee. GIRL LEE WEBB: Gordon, the family of Rifqa Bary says she has nothing to worry about. The 17-year-old Ohio girl says she’s afraid, though, of what her family might do to her after she converted to Christianity. Now her case is in the courts. Efrem Graham has the story. EFREM GRAHAM: Seventeen-year-old Rifqa Bary has been placed with a foster family of evangelical Christians, and she is attending their church. A court will decide August 21st whether Bary will be emancipated and allowed to stay in Florida or return to her parents in Ohio. She fears they will send her back to her native Sri Lanka, where she will be killed. Rifqa Bary (Fled Muslim Family): I'm now a Christian. I'm from a Muslim background. It's an honor, if they love God more than me. EFREM GRAHAM: But Bary’s Muslim parents say their daughter’s fears are unwarranted, and they will not kill her for converting. Muhammed Bary: Not at all. It is completely false. It honestly is not my daughter who is speaking. I feel that she has been coached to say these things. EFREM GRAHAM: But others disagree. Robert Spencer (Jihad Watch): Well, she has every reason to be afraid. She’s got actually two reasons to be afraid. One is that the Islamic religion, all of its sects and all of its schools of law mandate the death penalty for those who leave Islam. And also, then there is the shame/honor culture that runs through the Islamic world, that commands a parent to cleanse the purity of the family if it is perceived to have been sullied. And in this case, it has been sullied by the girl’s conversion from Islam to Christianity. And so for those two reasons, her family wants to kill her. She herself well knows. EFREM GRAHAM: Efrem Graham, CBN News. LEE WEBB: Bary’s case has received a great deal of coverage on the Internet, including a YouTube interview in which she has spoken out about her situation. GRAPHIC: FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO CBN.COM DRESS LEE WEBB: A former United Nations employee is on trial in the African nation of Sudan for violating Islamic Sharia law. Her crime: wearing pants in public. Now she faces a painful punishment if convicted. Dale Hurd explains. DALE HURD: Lubna Hussein wore pants to her trial, the very act that got her arrested. Article 152 in Sudanese law prohibits women from wearing pants in public. It falls under indecent acts, according to Sudan's implementation of Islamic Sharia law. Lubna, a former journalist who works for the United Nations, says on July 3rd about 15 policemen came into a cafe, selected about a dozen women wearing pants and took them to the police station where they were flogged. As a UN employee, Lubna could be granted immunity. Instead, she’s chosen to quit her job and stand trial to purposely challenge Sudan's decency laws that she says are used to harass women. If convicted, she could get 40 lashes. Lubna says, “The charge is in contradiction of the 2005 constitution. The law also contradicts the human rights charter included in the constitution and stated in the comprehensive peace settlement. And I can tell you, as far as I know as a Muslim, article 152 is in contradiction of Islamic Sharia law.” Her boss, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said he was deeply concerned about the case and that flogging is a human rights violation. But Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir is not likely to care. He has ignored a warrant for his own arrest for war crimes in Darfur. Dale Hurd, CBN News. LEE WEBB: Sudanese authorities have forbidden Hussein from leaving the country. She tried to leave earlier this week to appear on a TV show in Lebanon, but airport security officials had told her she was blacklisted last Friday. That was the day French President Sarkozy invited her to come to France. CHRISTIANS IN IRAN LEE WEBB: At least 30 Christians have been arrested in Iran over the past two weeks. Compass Direct News reports most of them have been released. But eight remain in prison, including these two women. Miriam and Marzi were arrested for ministering to prostitutes. An Iranian judge recently ordered them to recant their Christian faith. They refused, so the women were sent back to jail indefinitely to, quote, “think about their decision.” TAX LEE WEBB: Americans are having to work later in the year just to make enough money to pay their taxes, especially with the federal deficit growing by nearly 1.5 trillion dollars this year alone. Now people have to work into August to pay all of their taxes. John Jessup has that story from Washington. JOHN JESSUP: Imagine if you had to turn over your entire paycheck to the government all year until you paid off your share of federal, state and local taxes. If that were the case, you finally earned your financial freedom this week, meaning you no longer work for Uncle Sam. You now can work for yourself. We all know that’s not how it works in real life, but Cost of Government Day is a way to gauge how much the government burden is on American workers. This year, Cost of Government Day fell a month later than it did last year, 26 days to be exact. It shows the size and scope of government has grown significantly. The group Americans for Tax Reform, which calculates the annual date, blames the extension on the 787 billion dollar stimulus plan and the troubled asset relief program for banks. Critics worry other proposals like cap and trade legislation will only make matters worse. Phil Kerpen (Americans for Prosperity): This is scary stuff. We're now working eight and half months to pay for the cost of government. We've got only three and half months to work for ourselves. If policies like this are passed, there will be little if any time left for us to work for ourselves. JOHN JESSUP: But cost of government is not limited to taxes. It also applies to government-imposed regulations. Grover Norquist (Americans for Tax Reform): The total cost of government is how much money the government spends and the regulations it imposes. When they say you have to use certain light bulbs, they don't take your money and buy you a light bulb. They just tell you, “You have to buy the light bulb we want.” Well, it may be a good idea or a bad idea, but it isn't free. It has a cost. JOHN JESSUP: Americans for Tax Reform also measures the cost of government by state. Thirty-five states get there before the federal government. Alaska, Louisiana and Mississippi top that list. Fifteen states, including the District of Columbia, fall behind the national day. Connecticut gets there last September 7th, fitting as it happens to fall on Labor Day this year. I’m John Jessup reporting in Washington. Now back to you. GAY MARRIAGE BATTLE LEE WEBB: Thank you, John. And California gay rights groups are split on when to challenge the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. One of the state’s biggest gay rights organizations says it will wait until 2012 to take the issue back to the ballot. But others say they’re going to try to change the law next year. Some political consultants, though, say that’s way too early. Californians have voted twice in support of measures that say marriage is only between a man and a woman. GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP? LEE WEBB: Well, if you think you could get by on only six hours of sleep a night, you’re probably wrong. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco say they have found a gene that does let people get enough sleep, rest, with just six hours of sleep. But they say that only three percent of humans have it. Sleep deprivation has been tied to serious problems, including an increase in traffic accidents, eating more because of a stronger appetite, problems with short-term memory, focus and attention, and a depressed mood. The National Sleep Foundation says people need seven to nine hours every night, but the government says an estimated 50 to 70 million people suffer from lack of sleep or sleep disorders. Gordon. GORDON ROBERTSON: Well, I do not have the gene. I can tell you that. I need my sleep, and I try to get it. Sometimes I don’t succeed. How about you? TERRY MEEUWSEN: I am very bad about that. I probably do five to six. GORDON ROBERTSON: Ooh. Well, maybe you have the gene. Five to six. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. GORDON ROBERTSON: Yes, I don’t remember. TERRY MEEUWSEN: I might have the gene. I don’t know. I do okay. Well, coming up, they’ve been called the Christian Mafia. Man: Their cloak of secrecy has not served them well. I think if they were a little more open about what they do, a little more candid about who they are, that maybe they would avoid some of that labeling. TERRY MEEUWSEN: What goes on inside the C Street Ministry, after this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GRAPHIC: ALVEDA KING GORDON ROBERTSON: Still ahead, she’s Martin Luther King’s niece and, like her uncle, leading the charge for civil rights. Alveda King: In certain parts of America, more of our babies are being aborted than are being born. GORDON ROBERTSON: Later on The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 1: EPIDUO Announcer: Day 87 and Tyler B. is still in that aisle, determined to find the answer for his acne. Man: Kid, get a life. Tyler: I’m trying. Man: The truth is acne, even when it’s mild, is a medical condition. Tyler: Huh? Man: Medical, as in doctor. Tyler: Oh. Announcer: And that’s how Tyler came to his senses, sort of, and learned about once a day prescription Epiduo gel. If you’re not getting the results you want, ask your doctor about Epiduo, two of the most doctor prescribed acne fighting ingredients in one gel medication, a product you can’t get in the acne aisle. Dryness, redness, peeling, stinging, burning or itching may occur. Don’t use irritating products when using Epiduo. Overexposure to sun, sunlamps, extreme wind or cold may increase the risk for irritation. Use of sunscreen and protective clothing is advised. Go to truthaboutzits.com and learn how to pay no more than 20 dollars for your Epiduo prescription. To learn more about Epiduo gel, talk to your doctor, call or go to truthaboutzits.com. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEXT DAY PROMO GRAPHIC: PRODIGAL SON GORDON ROBERTSON: Monday. The son of a preacher gets caught in a life of crime. Man: I went from being a church boy to being a thug. GORDON ROBERTSON: What finally brought this prodigal son back home. * * * GRAPHIC: WALKING TALL GORDON ROBERTSON: Plus . . . . Man: Definitely going to make it through this. GORDON ROBERTSON: Doctors feared he would never walk again. Man: I couldn’t put any weight on it. GORDON ROBERTSON: See how he did, just three weeks later. * * * GRAPHIC: A BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET GORDON ROBERTSON: And then, the secret that made this man a billionaire. Monday on The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GORDON ROBERTSON: Recent political scandals have put a Washington Bible study in the headlines. It’s known as the C Street Ministry. And its members include South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford and Nevada Senator John Ensign. Here is reporter David Brody. C STREET MINISTRY DAVID BRODY: On the outside, it's just a normal Victorian townhouse nestled a few blocks from Capitol Hill, but inside is the much talked about C Street Ministry. Governor Mark Sanford even mentioned it by name when he went before cameras to admit his affair. Gov. Mark Sanford: I was part of a group called C Street when I was in Washington. DAVID BRODY: C Street is run by a Christian group well known in Washington political circles. “The Fellowship” grabs headlines for running the National Prayer Breakfast, but it goes much deeper than that. This townhouse is a place where congressmen live. They discuss the Bible and share their personal lives. But details are hard to come by, and cameras not allowed. So what exactly goes on up these steps and through that door at the C Street Ministry? It has been somewhat secretive, but we talked to someone who's been behind that green door. Reverend Rob Schenck has counseled congressmen at C Street. Rob Schenck (Faith & Action President): What you might see inside is a small group of people huddled in a corner, maybe three or four of them praying together, sometimes with an open Bible on someone's lap, talking about a verse. DAVID BRODY: Think of C Street as a small Bible study group where politicians are held accountable in their relationships, a spiritual refuge of sorts. Rob Schenck: It's sort of a place outside the cacophony, the noise, the distraction of Capitol Hill. I find it a lovely place to visit, and I wish more people knew about it and why it's here. DAVID BRODY: But the public doesn't know much about it, and that's intentional. Doug Coe is the fellowship's founder. He simply doesn't do interviews. And though he's been in this town for decades, he keeps a very low profile. Michael Cromartie (Ethics and Public Policy Center): He works under the radar, not because he has something to hide, but because he wants to protect the integrity of those relationships with really well known people. DAVID BRODY: But make no mistake: what is taught in that house is very Christ-centered. Michael Cromartie: I think he feels that if people look at the life and the teachings and in fact the work of Jesus Christ, that they'll be drawn to Him, and so that's his method. DAVID BRODY: But Coe's decision to keep things hush-hush in the house has just led to more media scrutiny. GRAPHIC: YOUTUBE Reporter: It’s operated by a secretive religious organization. DAVID BRODY: It's been called the “Christian Mafia” or “The Family,” making skeptics wonder what is really going on in that house as imaginations run wild. Robert Schenck: Their cloak of secrecy has not served them well. I think if they were a little more open about what they do, a little more candid about who they are, that maybe they would avoid some of that labeling. DAVID BRODY: And speaking of labels, while the mainstream media has focused heavily on the two conservative Christian politicians caught up in affairs while attending C Street, the ministry does not cater to one party. Democrats, like Hillary Clinton, attend as well. Michael Cromartie: It is anything but a sort of conservative Republican cabal. DAVID BRODY: And yes, while Sanford and Ensign morally failed even while attending C Street, there is a flip side. Michael Cromartie: The fact of the matter is what you ought to do if you want to do a real story on C Street is find out how many affairs were thwarted because of the accountability of this house. DAVID BRODY: Holding politicians accountable spiritually in the nation's capitol. Not an easy job at all. David Brody, CBN News, Washington. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GORDON ROBERTSON: It’s not an easy job at all. And I applaud Doug Coe for what he’s doing and the fact that he keeps it secret, and the fact that he doesn’t do interviews. It enables him to be an effective minister to people in power. You don’t want to go to somebody with the fear, well, they may repeat what you say. And he’s non-partisan with this. It’s both on the Republican and the Democrat side, staunch evangelical faith. That’s what he is about, and that’s what this group is about, and trying to bring that to bear to people that don’t have access. And just imagine them trying to get counseling from a pastor in Washington, DC or in a church group in Washington, DC, and you have an idea of the complexities involved in this. So God bless them and may they continue. Terry. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. I love that definition: the secret religious organization. Okay. Well, up next, like her famous uncle, she has a dream of her own. GRAPHIC: ALVEDA KING Alveda King shares her dream when she joins us live after this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GRAPHIC: SIMPLY DELICIOUS GORDON ROBERTSON: Coming up later, bring your family back to the dinner table. GORDON ROBERTSON: I’m trying to give you as easy as possible. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Why did you look at me when you said that? GORDON ROBERTSON: With a Sunday feast to die for. GORDON ROBERTSON: That melts and creates something beautiful. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow. And then you call Jenny Craig. GORDON ROBERTSON: Sample the rest of the menu, on today’s 700 Club. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Oh, wow. GORDON ROBERTSON: That’s a wow. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s like layers of flavor. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 2: DIRECT BUY Announcer: If you plan on building, furnishing or remodeling your home, or you’re just tired of paying retail, don’t spend another dollar. 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The sooner you call, the sooner you’ll be buying direct, so call now. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, like her uncle and her grandfather, our next guest is a dreamer. She’s also the mother of six children and the child of a mother who wanted at one time to abort her. SET-UP PIECE Alveda King: Right now, in America, about half of our babies are being killed in the womb. And in certain parts of America, more of our babies are being aborted than are being born. RENELLE RICHARDSON: The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an unlikely woman to become a pro-life activist, because she suffered through two painful abortions herself. The procedures left her body damaged and her mind emotionally drained. Over the years, the reality of destroying her babies took its toll. But today, Alveda King is one voice among millions crying out for the unborn. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUEST: ALVEDA KING TERRY MEEUWSEN: Please welcome to The 700 Club Alveda King. Alveda, it’s wonderful to have you here. Alveda King: Thank you so much, Terry. Thank you. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Before you were even born, your grandfather had a prophetic dream about you. Alveda King: Yes, he did. TERRY MEEUWSEN: What did he dream? Alveda King (Dir., African American Outreach, Priests for Life): And you’ll often hear me say, as the niece of Martin Luther King, Jr., he had a dream, and I have a dream. It’s in my genes. And my grandfather, or my mother. And she was being counseled by the Birth Control League. She had become pregnant, and she wanted to finish college. And so her mother said, “Let’s go to talk to our pastor,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. And Granddaddy sat my mother down. She had the flyer from the Birth Control League, “If you don’t want a baby, come and see us.” Daddy King says, “That’s not a lump of flesh. That’s my granddaughter.” Now, listen to this. There was no ultrasound back there. How did the man know I was his granddaughter? He said, “She has bright skin and bright red hair.” And he had a dream. It was prophetic. And it was me. And, of course, they kept me. Mom and Dad had five children. And that’s the beginning of the pro-life history of the King family. TERRY MEEUWSEN: The beginning of pro-life in your life actually happened, the very beginning actually happened before you realized it was happening. You in your own life wound up having two abortions. Tell me about the first one, because everybody’s story is different. The reasoning in everybody’s life at that moment is different. Alveda King: Well, you see, my uncle, Dr. King, was assassinated in 1968. My dad, his brother Reverend AD King had worked very closely with him. I got married in 1969. And one week later, Daddy was killed. And so the doctor of our family—I got pregnant on my honeymoon, had my first baby. I went to the doctor. Unknown to us, he was also a pro-abortion doctor. We didn’t know it. And so I went for a checkup, and I had my little baby. And he says, “Well, you don’t need another baby. Let’s see.” And so in his office, he did D and Cs, which were abortions. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Which was just an abortion without calling it that, at that point. Alveda King: And so what he says—now he delivered the babies at the hospital. In his office he did the abortions. And he says, “You don’t need another baby. Let’s see. Let’s do a menstrual extraction.” I didn’t know what that was. And that was my first. TERRY MEEUWSEN: At 22, you had your second. What happened then? Alveda King: Well, he told me to go to Planned Parenthood. “Don’t talk to the church. Don’t talk to your family. Go to Planned Parenthood. They’ll help you.” And so I was already having marital problems, because I was post abortive and didn’t know it. I’m trying to ask them what’s going on in my life. I’m trying to reconcile marriage in ’73. Right after Roe versus Wade had passed on my birthday, January 22nd. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow. Alveda King: And so their advice was, “Well, you don’t need a baby. Let’s help you. There is a legal procedure now. It won’t hurt as bad as pulling a tooth.” It was a lie. They said, “We’ll take care of that little blob of tissue.” And I believed it, tragically. I was duped. I’m a victim of abortion just like my children were. TERRY MEEUWSEN: You talk about being post abortion in your emotional life. What impact did going through those two experiences have on you, Alveda? Alveda King: Until 1983 when I was born again and I received Jesus as my Lord, my Savior, my Master, I asked Him for forgiveness. I asked to forgive everyone who had harmed me. And at that time all of the secrets, all of the shame, all of the “don’t tell anybody and put on a smile for the world,” and I was smiling outside. But inside I was crying, and my body had been damaged, too, by the abortions and everything. So between the abortions and the physical pain and the emotional pain, which the Lord did heal, I went through that. TERRY MEEUWSEN: How did that evidence itself at that time? Did you have a lot of anger that was directed toward people and you couldn’t understand why? Or how did that evidence itself in your relationships and in your everyday life? Alveda King: Well, at Priests for Life, where I’m director of African American outreach, there is a wonderful healing program called Rachel’s Vineyard. And all of the anger and the pain that I had had when I went to Rachel’s Vineyard, one of the things I was asked to do was to write a letter to the person I was most hurt by, the most angry at. And I wrote it to the doctor who did the first abortion. And I told him I forgive him. I pray that I see him in Heaven. I pray that he repented. And so all of that pain and anger was washed away through the love of the Lord. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Boy, where else can you go and find that kind of healing when you have a wound that’s so deep? Alveda King: That’s so true. TERRY MEEUWSEN: God has blessed you with six wonderful children that you have had the pleasure and the fun of parenting. How has the decision you made to abort children early on in your life affected the six children that you’ve raised? Alveda King: Well, I remember our first conversations, and I talked to them about Philip, Jessica and Raphael, who was miscarried because of damage to my body by the procedures. And they were like, “We have brothers and sisters. You killed them.” I said, “Oh, Lord.” And so we had to go through that, and we had to cry. And we did. And most of my children now have joined me in the pro-life message. And my mother has, incidentally. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s wonderful. That is wonderful. How did you deal with the pain? There is the guilt when someone says, whether it’s your children or someone else, “You killed your children.” And there is the physical aftermath of all of that. But then there is that deep down pain that is resident in you. How did you come to a place where you learned how to give back to Jesus and let Him really, really take that out of your heart? Alveda King: Well, the example of Jesus Christ when Lazarus, His friend, died. Jesus went out and began to heal others. And so when I looked at that pain and I realized how God had forgiven me, I said, “Let me get out and begin to tell the truth and help others to receive healing.” And that’s how I deal with it. I spend my time telling the truth and seeing people set free. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Did you ever think you’d be a pro-life activist? Alveda King: Well, not really. But it progressively follows the civil rights movement, because the civil rights movement of the 20th century was dealing with skin color, racism, which was rooted in genocide and eugenics. And so it’s just natural to go back and look at the analogy. Dred Scott, a slave, was told, “You’re three-fifths human. You’re not a human being. So you’re less than human.” Little babies in the womb are told, “You’re not a human being. You’re less than human.” So the civil rights analogy follows that. Not the woman’s right to choose what she does with her body. Of course, she has that right. But the baby is not her body. We know that. So to follow the civil rights and the civil dignity and the divine dignity of the little babies is a natural civil rights procedure. TERRY MEEUWSEN: What would you say? I’m sure there are women who are watching right now who may find themselves inconveniently pregnant. Pregnancy is kind of like that. It doesn’t always come when you want it to. What would you say to them Alveda? Alveda King: Well, visit our web site and look at Rachel’s Vineyard or Silent No More Awareness Campaign. Seek healing. Pray. Know that Jesus loves you. His arms are already open. You just have to jump into His arms, so do that. TERRY MEEUWSEN: And what would you say to those who have walked the same road that you’ve walked in a moment of panic, a moment of poor advice from someone who didn’t really care about what was happening to them, and they made a decision they regret? Alveda King: Right. Well, I say to them, seek healing. And if anyone is listening to this and you have to make that decision now, find those wonderful pregnancy care centers and churches and outreach centers that will not only help you right now, but they will help you after the baby is here. Look for them. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Amen. There are lots and lots of people who are committed to that. When you talk about the three children that you did not have an opportunity to raise, you’ve named them. Alveda King: Yes. TERRY MEEUWSEN: What is your dream for the unborn? Alveda King: My dream for the unborn is that in America they will have the same dignity that all Americans deserve. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Right to life. Right to life. I want to mention also that this is a DVD. I believe it’s called Maafa21. GRAPHIC: FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO CBN.COM It’s a look at black genocide in the 21st century in America. And you can find out more about this DVD at our web site. If you go to CBN.com, we’ll link you to where you can get a hold of this. And also, if you are in a situation, the kind of situation Alveda found herself in, if today you’re finding yourself alone and pregnant and you’re not sure what to do, we would love to send you this little booklet. GRAPHIC: YOU’RE NOT ALONE 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM It’s called “You’re Not Alone.” Alveda talked about crisis pregnancy centers. They are located all around the country. And there are plenty of people standing by who would love to help you in the midst of the difficult decisions that face you today. So please, 1-800-759-0700 is the place to call if you’d like “You’re Not Alone.” And go to our web site, CBN.com, for more information. Alveda King, thank you. Alveda King: Thank you so much. TERRY MEEUWSEN: God bless you. Alveda King: God bless you, too. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Great to have you with us today. Alveda King: Thank you. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, we’re going to be back with more of The 700 Club, right after this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 3A: LIBERTY MEDICAL Announcer: Important news for diabetics on Medicare. Spokesman: I’m a diabetic, and I want you to know over 230,000 US doctors have authorized their patients to receive their diabetic supplies through Liberty Medical. And that begins with the OneTouch Ultra 2 meter, easy to use, fast results, at no additional cost. Liberty helps keep you on track by delivering diabetic supplies to your door and filing your claim. Woman: I never feel I’m going to run out of anything. Woman: With Liberty, I always have someone to talk to, and now, they refill all my prescriptions. Announcer: Call now to receive a diabetic cookbook free. Spokesman: Call to receive the OneTouch Ultra 2 meter at no additional cost and find out why 230,000 US doctors and over a million people with diabetes trust Liberty Medical. Announcer: Liberty. We deliver better health. Call now. Announcer #2: Call Liberty Medical today at 1-800-333-4080. That’s 1-800-333-4080. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 3B: CBN NEWS CHANNEL LEE WEBB: It’s the one thing news viewers can agree on. REPORTER: They want change. ANNOUNCER: Now, the world’s leading Christian news organization brings you national, international news and analysis throughout the day: mornings, the busy lunch hour, late afternoon and evenings. It’s news with a Christian perspective whenever you want it. Available on the web 24/7 at CBNNews.com. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SHRIVER REMEMBERED LEE WEBB: Welcome back to The 700 Club. Funeral services are being held today for Eunice Kennedy Shriver. The sister of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy died Tuesday at the age of 88. Shriver founded the Special Olympics and is credited for changing the way Americans treat the mentally disabled. She also supported several pro-life groups. Marjorie Dannenfelser (Susan B. Anthony List): She was a great inspiration to many pro-life groups. She had a special niche at the Susan B. Anthony List early on in our evolution. She just had a strong conviction of the biblical promise from Christ that what you do to the least of mine you do to me. LEE WEBB: Mrs. Shriver is survived by her husband Sargent, five children and 19 grandchildren. OB HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK LEE WEBB: There has been an increase in violence in Pakistan over the last few months, and Christians have often been the target. CBN's Operation Blessing is bringing emergency aid to the region, and the American Center for Law and Justice and their Pakistani partner organization, The Community Development Initiative, have joined in that effort. The three groups are helping 60 Christian families recently displaced by violence. Operation Blessing is feeding about 300 men, women and children for a week. The aid organization is also purchasing 60 electric floor fans for the families to help them cope in the intense heat in Pakistan. You can find out more by going to Operation Blessing's web site. It’s OB.org. GRAPHIC: FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO OB.ORG Gordon and Terry will be back with more of The 700 Club, after this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 4: SONGS FOR WORSHIP “Open the eyes . . . .” Announcer: These are the most powerful songs of our time. “Come, now is the time . . . .” Announcer: And now, for the first time, the biggest praise and worship songs are together. “How great is our God . . . .” Announcer: Presenting Songs 4 Worship 50, 50 songs in one specially priced collection. “Holy is the Lord . . . .” Announcer: You’ll hear 50 beautiful songs of hope. “I’m coming back . . . .” Announcer: Fifty powerful songs of faith. “Amazing love, how can . . . .” Announcer: Get Songs 4 Worship 50 on three CDs for only 24.99. “Here I am . . . .” Announcer: But wait, order in the next ten minutes with your credit card, and we’ll take 15 dollars off. “Shout to the Lord . . . .” Announcer: That’s right. You get 50 praise and worship songs for just 9.99. “God of wonders . . . .” Announcer: Then preview other great praise and worship collections, satisfaction guaranteed. “Blessed be the name . . . .” Announcer: So call now and get Songs 4 Worship 50, 50 beautiful songs on three CDs for just 9.99. “Savior, He can move . . . .” Announcer #2: Call 1-800-735-7412 to order Songs 4 Worship 50 on three CDs for 9.99, plus shipping and handling, when you use your credit card. Call now or order online at Timelife.com/Songs4Worship50. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MEEUWSEN: If you feed them, they will come. That’s the idea behind Gordon’s Sunday dinner recipes, and this week the menu includes succulent eye of round roast and ultimate scalloped potatoes, so bon appétit. SUNDAY DINNER GORDON ROBERTSON: Today we’re cooking Sunday supper. We want to encourage you all this summer to just re-imagine the kitchen and how you can have Sunday suppers with your family, with friends. Invite people over. And I’m trying to give you as easy as possible. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Why did you look at me when you said that? GORDON ROBERTSON: Because I just want to acknowledge you’re here. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Thank you. Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: Do you do Sunday suppers? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Sometimes. It depends on whether everybody is there or not. At my house, they’re often . . . . GORDON ROBERTSON: Gone. TERRY MEEUWSEN: . . . . gone. GORDON ROBERTSON: On Sunday? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, sometimes. It depends. It depends. But we try to. GORDON ROBERTSON: But if you had this kind of food . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Ooh, I’d be there . . . . GORDON ROBERTSON: . . . . would they be there? TERRY MEEUWSEN: . . . . or be square. GORDON ROBERTSON: They’d be there, right? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. They all call about 3:30 and say, “What’s for dinner?” GORDON ROBERTSON: See, food is a tremendous attractor of people. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, it is. GORDON ROBERTSON: And if you feed them, they will come. TERRY MEEUWSEN: What are we cooking today? GORDON ROBERTSON: Today, we are going to have eye of round. We’re going to have what I call my ultimate scalloped potatoes. And we’re going to have a pea and caramelized onion recipe. And for dessert, we’re going to have a wonderful apple tart. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: All right. You ready? TERRY MEEUWSEN: I’m ready. GORDON ROBERTSON: Eye of round. Now, a lot of people cook their meat at very high temperatures. You hear that a lot? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, I do. GORDON ROBERTSON: You know, when you set it up to 400 degrees? I kind of came to this gradually, that it’s much better to cook low and slow. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay. So what you do this, 325? GORDON ROBERTSON: I actually do it at 200. TERRY MEEUWSEN: No way! GORDON ROBERTSON: Yes. And you’ll see the result. TERRY MEEUWSEN: For two weeks? No, I’m just kidding. GORDON ROBERTSON: No. It’s an hour and a half cooking time total for a three pound. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Really? Wow, that’s amazing. GORDON ROBERTSON: And your prep time is really easy. First, you take salt. I’ve got about a teaspoon and a half here. And you just sprinkle. This is sea salt. I like the flavor. You sprinkle this all over. Then you take some pepper. Do the same. Make sure you get a coating. Then you’re going to take some olive oil, and this is what the thyme is going to adhere to. And then you take the thyme in a classic rub. What gets it its name is you’re not sprinkling, but you’re doing that. You’re also getting your hand on it, and you’re rubbing it in and you’re getting everything all happy. You turn it over and do the same. This becomes your top, and some eye of round comes completely trimmed. This is a very lean piece of meat. So if you have the fat, it will add more flavor to it. So, how easy is that? TERRY MEEUWSEN: So you do this whole thing on both sides, what you just did? GORDON ROBERTSON: Right. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: How easy is that? TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s easy. GORDON ROBERTSON: Is that easy? TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s easy. GORDON ROBERTSON: Okay, put it on a rack. Put it in the oven. That’s a three pound cut. Twenty minutes a pound at 200. And then you turn the oven off. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Oh, and you leave it in there. GORDON ROBERTSON: And you leave it in there for another half an hour. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: Okay. And this comes out. Now, how I get color when you’re cooking this low is you take that first into a heavy sauce pan, and three minutes aside at very high heat. And that gives it this color. And then you cook it low and slow. And it comes out looking like this. And then when you carve it, what you get is medium rare all the way through. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s perfect. GORDON ROBERTSON: So the sear colors it, sears it down just a quarter inch. And then you get a perfect color all the way through. Now, that looks good. That’s horseradish. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s horseradish sauce. Oh, yes. Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: All right. That’s one dish. That’s easy. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s perfect. GORDON ROBERTSON: It’s mostly in the oven. Very little work, very little prep. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, after you do the little bit of prep work, you’re . . . . GORDON ROBERTSON: You’re done. TERRY MEEUWSEN: . . . . hands free. GORDON ROBERTSON: Okay. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: Next is scalloped potatoes. And I call this the ultimate scalloped potato. This actually takes a lot of work. TERRY MEEUWSEN: So you need them as soon as you get them, right? GORDON ROBERTSON: So what I do is I break out a trusty mandolin. This is a great piece of kitchen equipment. It’s not that expensive. And instead of being labor intensive, you just use that over the guard. Put this here, and . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow! I vote for that. That’s great. GORDON ROBERTSON: And half a potato gets knocked out in 15 seconds. TERRY MEEUWSEN: And you’ve really got nice thin slices. GORDON ROBERTSON: And each slice will be uniform. That ends up looking like this in a bowl. And you come over here. You’re not trying to be fancy with this, because it’s all going to be covered by cheese and cream. You just want to space it out in the bottom. And you’re going to have so many potatoes, you’re going to create four layers of this. All right? Simple so far? TERRY MEEUWSEN: So far. GORDON ROBERTSON: Here comes a complicated step. You take leeks. You ever had vichyssoise? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. Love vichyssoise. GORDON ROBERTSON: What I’ve done is combined this sort of the flavors of vichyssoise and put them in with scalloped potatoes, where you take cream and the white part of the leek. You take these into a saucepan with a little bit of butter, and you just sweat them. You try to get some of the flavor out just in the butter. And then you take three cups of cream, heavy whipping cream. So this is not a low cal. TERRY MEEUWSEN: A nice lightweight meal. GORDON ROBERTSON: This is a we are trying to a hit the homerun on this dish. Put it all in a blender. And you’re trying to take these down to a smooth consistency, so you won’t ever bite into a piece of leek. You just get the flavor. TERRY MEEUWSEN: I see. Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: You’re trying to create sort of a mini vichyssoise sauce to go into the potatoes. Then I’ve got three different cheeses: romano, parmesan and gruyere. You put the romano on first, and this whole quarter cup goes the first layer. Try to do it evenly. You then put another layer of potatoes on. You pour on the cream, then a layer of gruyere. Another layer of potatoes and cream. A layer of parmesan. Another layer of potatoes, the final bit of cream. And then you press it all down to make sure the cream has gone everywhere. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Literally. GORDON ROBERTSON: With your hands. And then do the final layer of gruyere on top. And that melts and creates something beautiful. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow. And then you call Jenny Craig. Whoa! Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: It took me years to develop this recipe. I kept experimenting, experimenting. And this is at the end of all my experiments. I’ve done some others where you use roasted garlic in it, too. If you want to experiment, roasted garlic is a good experiment. This is sweet peas, frozen . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: I’ll get this out of the way, so we can see this. GORDON ROBERTSON: . . . . with caramelized onions. And here is a trick that I learned actually from a restaurant chef: never buy fresh pearl onions, because they’re so labor intensive to take the skins off. If you buy them frozen, they’re already peeled for you. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Oh, that’s great. GORDON ROBERTSON: And so you just get them in the freezer section, and you get the peas in the freezer section. Frozen peas are always better than fresh, because the fresh is never really as fresh as they say it is. And the two combine together into something beautiful. You take the pearl onions, put them in a heavy skillet with half a tablespoon of sugar. And you cook it at a medium heat. TERRY MEEUWSEN: You just keep moving them around? GORDON ROBERTSON: You keep moving them around until the sugar caramelizes on the outside. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s beautiful. GORDON ROBERTSON: And you get that beautiful look. And these are caramelized pearl onions, and this is a taste treat. You get the onion flavor, but that sugar . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, that just kind of, mm. GORDON ROBERTSON: And it comes in caramelized, and it’s wonderful. TERRY MEEUWSEN: It looks wonderful. GORDON ROBERTSON: This is really good. Now, here is a French secret. You take the peas, you pour it in. Again, a half tablespoon of sugar . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Really? GORDON ROBERTSON: . . . . in the peas with a quarter teaspoon of salt, with half a stick of butter cut into small little pieces. And you just let it sit there for two hours and get happy. TERRY MEEUWSEN: It’s looking real happy right now. GORDON ROBERTSON: And what the sugar and salt does . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: What do they do? GORDON ROBERTSON: . . . . is it helps draw out the flavor from the pea, and it sweetens the pea. And then this is all you need to cook. Put two tablespoons of water in the bottom of the saucepan, pour this in there, cover it. Stir it once in a while and cook it for 15-20 minutes. And it will be beautiful and sweet and fully cooked. The real calling card for this, kids love to eat these. TERRY MEEUWSEN: I was just going to say, this could make a child who is not a veggie eater go for it. GORDON ROBERTSON: They just will love them. And you combine the caramelized pearl onions with the peas. And it looks beautiful, and it tastes marvelous. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Fabulous. GORDON ROBERTSON: This is one of the best. You ready to try it? TERRY MEEUWSEN: I am always ready to try it. GORDON ROBERTSON: All right. I’m going to get you some warm potatoes to go with all of this. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Ooh, thank you. Move this maybe over here. Oh, look at that. Wow. No wonder you make your own scalloped potatoes. GORDON ROBERTSON: We had scalloped potatoes growing up. It was one of my favorite things for Mom to cook for me. And I just loved them and thought that they were wonderful. TERRY MEEUWSEN: I like them, too. I haven’t had them, when I think about it, since I was a kid I don’t think. Can I taste that first? GORDON ROBERTSON: Yes. But the gruyere really adds the flavor with the parmesan and romano. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Oh, wow! GORDON ROBERTSON: That’s a wow. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s like layers of flavor. Mm! Excelente! Okay. GORDON ROBERTSON: All right. You’re going to go for a . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Caramelized onion, with the peas. Mm. Oh, that’s a great combination. GORDON ROBERTSON: Isn’t that good? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Mm-hm. GORDON ROBERTSON: And with the roast, it really adds a whole other flavor profile to it. Make sure you slice it thin. You don’t want a thick slice, because eye of round can get a little tough. Here is one of my favorites. This is a French dessert. TERRY MEEUWSEN: That’s delicious, Gordon. GORDON ROBERTSON: And the French really know how to do tarts. And it’s a real simple one. It’s a simple crust you make for yourself. You don’t bake it in a pie pan. You just put it on a cookie sheet. You roll it out into a circle, and then you crimp up the edges. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Really? GORDON ROBERTSON: You take a couple of granny smiths. You take them, you peel them, you core them, you cut them in half. And then you slice thin. You just create a circle around the edge, and then you fill in the center to make it look like a flower. And this is a crowd pleaser. And you serve this with a scoop of ice cream, warm, and you’ll have them coming back for more. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow! GORDON ROBERTSON: And then you finish it with some apricot jam thinned with a little bit of water, and that gives it that beautiful sheen. The apples coming out of the oven will look at a little brown. When you put the apricot jam on top, it just gives it a beautiful thing that really works. It really, really works. GRAPHIC: FOR RECIPES LOG ON TO CBN.COM All of these recipes are available on CBN.com. They’re available right now. You can download them, and you can do the prep work necessary. This one takes a little more prep time than the other meals we’ve been showing you this summer, but it’s worth the effort. And once you taste the scalloped potatoes, you understand just how big of a wow this can be. So do it. This weekend, say, “We’re going to have some food of love on Sunday. We’re going to have an old fashioned Sunday dinner with roast beef and scalloped potatoes.” TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yum. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEXT DAY PROMO GRAPHIC: PRODIGAL SON GORDON ROBERTSON: Monday. The son of a preacher gets caught in a life of crime. Man: I went from being a church boy to being a thug. GORDON ROBERTSON: What finally brought this prodigal son back home. * * * GRAPHIC: WALKING TALL GORDON ROBERTSON: Plus . . . . Man: Definitely going to make it through this. GORDON ROBERTSON: Doctors feared he would never walk again. Man: I couldn’t put any weight on it. GORDON ROBERTSON: See how he did, just three weeks later. * * * GRAPHIC: A BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET GORDON ROBERTSON: And then, the secret that made this man a billionaire. Monday on The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 5: ALERT USA #2 Dr. Joyce Brothers: Hi, I’m Dr. Joyce Brothers. Those of us who are independent and live alone shouldn’t do so without having emergency protection. And for reliability and peace of mind, I recommend Alert USA. Announcer: With Alert USA, if you ever need assistance, just press your pendant to be connected to an operator who can summon help to your home 24 hours a day. Dr. Joyce Brothers: I’ve been giving advice for many years, and I believe Alert USA provides the best emergency support and value for your dollar. Call now for a free brochure. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GORDON ROBERTSON: Well, for ten years, Chris and Heidi struggled to keep their failing business afloat. When they finally closed the shop, Chris got an idea for a new company. And today, they’re making ten times more than they used to. CHRIS AND HEIDI GUSSA DORY NISSON: Chris Gussa has studied herbal treatments for years, so 14 years ago he and his wife Heidi opened an herbal clinic in their small town of Benson, Arizona. Chris Gussa: People would come to us with problems, and we would try to straighten their problems out as best we could in the natural means. DORY NISSON: Unfortunately, running a business like theirs in a small town had some drawbacks. Chris Gussa: Not a lot of paying customers in the area, and it just began to take its toll financially. I was so dedicated to it, and I wanted to keep doing it. But the finances just really weren’t there. Heidi Gussa: “I would take change jars and count out change at the end of the week to try and figure out my budget, I mean literally. And so we went through, oh, I don’t know, about ten really difficult years. DORY NISSON: Eventually they closed their business. Heidi prayed for God to give them new opportunities. Chris searched for herb business ideas on the web. Chris Gussa: This is what I did. Why don’t I just take what I do to the Internet? DORY NISSON: Before starting their web business, they agreed to do things differently. Heidi Gussa: This time when we started the herbal business, it was started in prayer. And I think that’s the beginning to God’s blessing, is He needs to be in control. DORY NISSON: They committed to tithing on all the money the business made. Heidi Gussa: Before we bought any supplies, we decided we would we were going to start tithing on the gross, before any expenses were out. Chris Gussa: I really thought, “Let’s do this. Let’s prove God.” I’d heard of this, and I got pretty fired up about it. And we just wanted to give to God, not for the purpose of the return, but we just wanted to give to Him, knowing that He knows what’s best, and He’s going to give back what He knows is best for us. DORY NISSON: They were amazed at what happened within a few months of starting up their web site. Chris Gussa: The opportunities just opened up, and the income started coming in. I can’t believe that we moved into the financial bracket that we did so swiftly. I wasn’t used to it. It was something entirely new to me. DORY NISSON: They give to The 700 Club as Club Gold members, both personally and through their business. Chris Gussa: Their outreach and the accomplishments and just the general welfare of people all over the world, that’s why we wound up giving to The 700 Club. It seems to me that it is doing exactly what God said to do. DORY NISSON: Chris and Heidi praise God for every blessing that has come their way. Chris Gussa: It’s just been tremendous. Every day is an amazing experience. Heidi Gussa: It’s overwhelming the way God has increased this past year. We are tithing more than what our annual income was three years ago. We’ve been faithful, and He is more faithful. We just have such a wonderful life now that we’re doing things ordered of God instead of trying to do it on our own. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GORDON ROBERTSON: If you’re trying to do it on your own, stop. Just realize when you start doing it with God, things get a whole lot better. And if you’ve been faithless, just realize He is more than ready to forgive. He will remain faithful. He cannot deny Himself. When we’re faithless, He remains faithful. So all He is waiting for you to do is say, “Okay, will you get on My side? Will you do things in accordance with My way, My rules, and then let Me bless you? If you will only let Me help you,” is what God says to us again and again and again. GRAPHIC: 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM If you want to try an adventure in giving, give us a call: 1-800-759-0700. And just say, “Yes, I want to join The 700 Club.” How much is that? Well, it’s 20 dollars a month, 65 cents a day. Some of you say, “Well, I can give more than that. I can give at 700 Club Gold.” That’s 40 dollars a month. We have something called 1000 Club, which is 84 dollars a month, and that equals 1,000 dollars a year. Founder is 5,000 or more a year. Then we have something special called Chairman’s Circle. That’s 10,000 or more a year. At whatever level God is telling you to give, do it right now: 1-800-759-0700. And we encourage you to do it through the Internet on CBN.com. When you do it that way, you automatically sign up for Pledge Express. GRAPHIC: FREE WITH PLEDGE EXPRESS 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM And we send out monthly teaching CDs to you called “Power for Life.” At whatever level God is speaking to you, call us right now: 1-800-759-0700. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BRING IT ON GORDON ROBERTSON: Well, we’ve got some time for Bring It On, some e-mail questions. So, what you got? TERRY MEEUWSEN: I’m going to Bring It On with Nanette first. She says, “I have heard people say that they have heard God’s voice, and I’ve gotten very jealous. How do I get to hear God’s voice? I became a Christian in March 2008, but still have not heard God’s voice.” GORDON ROBERTSON: All right, Nanette, you just need to know the promise. The promise is, “My sheep hear My voice.” And those are the words of Jesus Christ. So you can count on them. “My sheep hear My voice.” One of the things I do when I minister the baptism of Holy Spirit and then how to start using the gifts of the Spirit is I warn people, sometimes we come in with an expectation of too much, that we expect an angel to descend and hand us a golden scroll, and it’s going to be this transcendent moment. And we need to learn what Elijah wrote down so clearly, that God doesn’t come in the fire or the storm or the earthquake. It’s that still, small voice. He has put eternity in our hearts, and when we ask Him in, He’s going to communicate that way. It’s going to be that still, small voice speaking to you. One of the best ways to get started in discerning the voice of God, because there are other voices, and so you have to discern, you have to test, and one of the best ways is ask God, and do it in the morning, ask God, “Lord, I’d like a scripture today to guide me. Could you please tell me a scripture?” And He will speak to you. He will give you chapter and verse and a book of the Bible. And go read it. You have the confidence that whatever you’re reading is the Word of God, but you’ll find that that’s a tremendous source of guidance. And then you can build on that. You can take it to other levels once you’re there and you’re reliably hearing His voice. Then you can start asking for specific things and get into what I call God’s phone number, Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.” Don’t make it complicated. Make it very easy. And just start with the Word of God, and you’ll progress on. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Another great way of doing that—Nanette, you might try this—is journaling, where you write your prayer and then be very quiet and just write down what you feel God says back to you. And you’ll be amazed, not just as you write it then, but as you go back and look at it later, it’s really sometimes very profound, the things that . . . . GORDON ROBERTSON: And very encouraging. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, exactly. This is Evanne, who says, “My husband has a broken back. I have to have a nurse here during the day to care for him. He’s 82, and I’m 69. My nurse just told me she sees dead people. I don’t like the idea of having her here at all, but I need someone. What can I do?” GORDON ROBERTSON: Well, you can get another nurse. That would probably be the easiest thing to do. It’s not like you’re stuck in a situation where there’s only one option. Another thing to do is start witnessing to the nurse you have and show her a more excellent way. The Bible is very specific. We’re not supposed to communicate with the dead. And so if you’re seeing that kind of thing, what you’re really seeing are what the Bible calls familial spirits. And that’s not something you need to be in dialogue with. So you could witness to her. But if you’re looking for the easy solution, get another nurse. TERRY MEEUWSEN: This is Alicia, who says, “I have so much faith in God. I go to church, I’m saved, and I’m trying my best to live for God. But I need to know why I’m still not sure I’m going to Heaven. Please help me. I want to spend eternity with God.” GORDON ROBERTSON: Alicia, a lot of people have this problem. And the assurance always comes from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul called it our earnest deposit on our future with Him in Heaven. The Holy Spirit is the earnest deposit, the paid in money that proves to us we will spend eternity with God Almighty. So if you are not baptized in the Holy Spirit, start seeking it, start asking for it. Find a church, a pastor, where you live where they move in the gifts of the Spirit. And have them pray for you for receiving that. With the baptism comes the assurance of salvation. TERRY MEEUWSEN: This is Gene, who says, “I love the Lord, but I feel spiritually dead. What can I do to find real breakthrough in my spiritual life? I want to help people spiritually, but it’s not happening right now.” GORDON ROBERTSON: Gene, what you’re talking about is what the Christian mystics used to call the dark night of the soul. For me, I have found that when you go through a dry period, it’s always just so great just to go have times of refreshing in the Holy Spirit. Just go get on your knees, lay down somewhere, put on praise and worship and just ask God to fill you to overflowing. Another thing is exercising spiritual discipline, where it’s daily Bible reading, times of fasting and prayer. There are lots of disciplines, spiritual disciplines, you can get into. Celebration of Discipline by Foster is a wonderful book. I would encourage you to read that. That will cure dryness. We leave you with these words from Psalms . . . . GRAPHIC: Psalm 63:5 “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” (NLT) . . . . “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END SPOT: YOU WERE THERE TERRY MEEUWSEN: I have the privilege of traveling all over the world and seeing firsthand the life changing things you make possible through your partnership. Thank you for joining The 700 Club. Here in India, you’re demonstrating the love of God to such wonderful people, most of who are in great need, both physically and spiritually. You’re bringing hope and joy to millions around the world, just like you did for the Chens. Their home was destroyed in an earthquake, leaving them with nothing but heartache. You rebuilt their entire village and restored their dreams as well. Your monthly gift makes it possible to heal the sick, feed the hungry and preach the Gospel, both at home in America and throughout the world. So please watch for this mailing and send in your pledge. Imagine lifting someone’s life out of despair and filling it with hope instead. That’s what you make possible every day, and it only happens because you were there.