The 700 Club - August 5, 2011

Mickey Mantle came up, put his arm around me and said, “Come on kid, step in here and take some swings.” He was the Mick’s protégé and later, his closest friend. Bobby Richardson: On all those occasions, Mickey and I talked about the things in life that really mattered. Yankee legend, Bobby Richardson on life in and out of pinstripes. Plus, he was muzzled by political correctness. Now he’s speaking out about censorship. Juan Williams joins us live on today’s 700 Club. Well, welcome to The 700 Club. Wall Street and also Main Street finally got some good news on the economy today. The unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent as the economy added 117,000 new jobs. That could lead to a rebound in stocks. That’s something investors have been hoping for after the market has plunged in the last few weeks. Efrem Graham has the story. The recent string of reports, showing the economy has come to a virtual standstill, have taken their toll on the markets, with sell-offs driving down the Dow more than 10 percent. The U.S. economy is losing momentum. It shows up in the numbers. Investors see those numbers and they think, and I think for good reason, that it's time to move to the side lines. The average 401k saw a loss of more than $11,000. The stock market has now given back everything it gained this year, even after Congress reached a deal to raise the debt ceiling. There isn't much Washington can do right now. And even if there was, there isn't much trust that they will do the right thing. This is bigger than Washington. Much of the selling has been triggered by concerns of the growing debt crisis in Europe, especially in Italy and Spain. And here at home, there is worry that the economy may stop growing altogether. Investors now believe there's a real high probability that the economy will go into another recession. Manufacturing fell last month, consumer spending dropped for the first time in almost a year, and unemployment numbers aren't improving. Even when there are jobs, people are willing to relocate to get those jobs. But they can't do that, because they can't sell their homes. However, interest rates are also falling, which could mean lower mortgage rates. And the price of oil has fallen to its lowest level in six months, which means cheaper gas prices. Both of those are good news for consumers. Efrem Graham, CBN News. Well, welcome news for the economy with the jobs report, but let’s be cautious. I like saying let’s all be cautiously optimistic about the future. Well, Lee Webb has the rest of our top stories from the CBN Newsroom. Lee. Gordon, three Republican presidential candidates say they will support a narrowly written pledge against gay marriage. Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum have all agreed to the statement created by the National Organization for Marriage. It supports a federal marriage amendment. It defends the Federal Defense of Marriage Act known as “DOMA,” and supports the appointment of federal judges that oppose a constitutional right to gay marriage. Romney had declined to sign that pledge but later changed his mind. It was created by The Family Leader, a conservative Iowa organization. A heat wave, still scorching much of the U.S. The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for 14 states now from New Mexico to North Carolina. The high temperatures are causing people to turn up their air conditioners, creating a record demand for electricity. In Texas, rarely used power plants are being opened just to meet the demand. Some Oklahoma residents are being asked to set their thermostats higher to conserve energy. Officials there are trying to prevent rolling blackouts. The hot weather is expected to continue, though, through the weekend. Tomorrow, thousands of Americans will respond to a call by Texas Governor Rick Perry to gather and pray for the nation. It’s something that hasn’t happened in modern history in this country, but Perry says America needs God’s help. Jennifer Wishon is in Houston now with more on what to expect. This is Governor Rick Perry, and I’m inviting you to join your fellow Americans in a day of prayer and fasting on behalf of our nation. It’s called "The Response.” Saturday, Houston’s Reliance Stadium will house Americans from across the country gathering for a day of praise, solemn prayer, and fasting for the nation. More than 8000 plan to attend. Rev. Samuel Rodriguez calls it “a national convocation.” And If this nation will repent, seek God, then we will see and seek and find the solution that we need to so many of these issues that we are confronting. The event is unprecedented, not necessarily because of size of the crowd expected, but because it’s an elected leader, the governor of one of the largest states in the union, Rick Perry, who’s leading the charge. (Interviewing): What will you personally be praying for on Saturday? I'm going to be praying for our country's economic prosperity. There are just so many people that can't take care of their family, because government's over taxed, over regulated, over litigated. It’s caused roadblocks to economic prosperity, and I don't see any relief in sight. The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit to stop Gov. Perry from sponsoring the event. A judge threw it out, but the criticism has continued. I daresay he's used the time right here in this building to promote this thing and to advertise it. I can't imagine that he's just doing this at home, and on the weekends and at nights and so forth. Perry has also been accused of using the event to catapult his expected bid for the Republican nomination for president, something he denies. This is me, just me, private citizen Rick Perry. As I take that stage, yeah, I'm going to be the governor or Texas, but this is about me and God. It's not about the agenda of the donkey or the elephant. This is a gathering about the agenda of the Lamb. Those who can't attend can watch it streaming online. People as far away as Indonesia say they’re logging in. We think it's gonna be a powerful event that will help us really get this country back on track again through the power of prayer. The event starts at 10 o’clock. It wraps up at 5:00 with prayer for the nation’s youth. Jennifer Wishon, CBN News, Houston, Texas. And, of course, CBN News.com will be providing full coverage of that prayer rally. Gordon? I think we should all join in with what’s going on here. We should all spend tomorrow in prayer and fasting if you choose to do so. If people from Indonesia can join with us, if people from around the world are concerned about America, and they’re saying we need to pray, how much more so should Christians right here do that. You can watch it online; you can join that way. But you can also just join on your knees and say, “It’s time to pray.” And let’s pray for America. Terry? Well up next, he was fired for his on-air comment about Muslims. Prize-winning Washington journalist Juan Williams shares his side of the story, after this. Still ahead . . . . . . . . he was the mixed protégé. Mickey Mantle came up, put his arm around me and said, “Come on kid, step in here and take some swings.” And later, his closest friend. On all those occasions, Mickey and I talked about the things in life that really mattered. Yankee legend, Bobby Richardson on life in and out of pinstripes. 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I don’t need easy; I just need possible. . . . . and showed us what it takes to be a true champion. Soul Surfer, now on Blu-Ray combo pack. Next week . . . . . . . . a dental student by day. a drug dealer by night. I really thought that I could kind of live a double life, and have my drug life along with my school life. Watch what happens when worlds collide. Right behind me under the counter was all my drugs. They really caught me red-handed. Plus . . . . . . . . a live performance from Darlene Zschech. Monday, on The 700 Club. In an ideal world news organizations are supposed to present a fair and open discussion of the issues facing our country. But sometimes the media does just the opposite and stifles debate. Freedom of speech is an inalienable right. Protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. It's a basic privilege bestowed upon every American except in the world of politics and journalism. Prize-winning Washington journalist Juan Williams knows this all too well. Williams was publicly rebuked and fired by National Public Radio after comments he made on the O'Reilly factor last year. If I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous. It's a feeling Juan says many Americans experience but may be afraid to admit. In his new book, Muzzled-The Assault on Honest Debate, the current Fox news analyst sets the record straight on how both liberals and conservatives use political correctness to squelch debate and push their agenda and on what he says is the more serious issue of intolerance. Juan Williams joins us now from Washington. Juan, welcome back to The 700 Club. Good morning Gordon. It's always good to see you. Let me ask you a provocative question. If you had said, “When people talk about Jesus, I get nervous. Would you have been fired?” No. I think that they felt somehow that this was politically incorrect at this moment to speak this way about Muslims. To me, it's just crazy that they seem to feel that I was a bigot, Gordon, and that I was somehow expressing some kind of bigoted attitude when, in fact, all I was doing was telling the truth. I have that feeling at airports. It wasn't an opinion. I wasn't endorsing any discriminatory action. But when you asked about Jesus, that was interesting to my mind; because you know, right now Gordon, people don't talk about it, but there's a woman up in Seattle, a political cartoonist by the name of Molly Norris. She said, “Wait a minute, we can draw caricatures of Jesus Christ in this country. You can say anything you want about Christians, but why can't we have a “draw Mohammad day,” to make a caricature of Mohammed? And she was besieged by so many death threats, Gordon, that she is still in hiding more than a year later. I just think it's an outrage that that's not a constant burr under our saddle. How can that be in our country? Well, your book points it out. You said the media is actually stifling the debate. We're all being muzzled. How so? Well, you know, it's so interesting to me, so many people—I see this all the time. People say to me, they bite their tongues. They feel like they can’t speak honestly about so many issues, that yeah you can hear things on the radio or the TV and, of course, from Hollywood with their whole pornographic extreme profane culture, you can hear people shout the worst things. But in terms of people in the middle, Gordon, like here we are talking, trying to have an honest conversation. If we bring up something like race relations, Gordon, you as a white man might have to say, “Well, I don't know if I should say that. I don't want to be misinterpreted. I don't want to be called a racist, or a bigot,” right? And then for me, I don't want to be said to have a chip on my shoulder. “If I bring this up, is Gordon going to think, ‘Oh, he’s just only focused only on racial issues.’” People don't feel like they're comfortable just speaking their minds and trusting in themselves, and in the broader light that you, Gordon, really hard genuine we interested in trying to understand me. I'm trying to understand you, and we’re trying to come to a common place. And, of course, in politics it seems like all the money these days goes to politicians who say something rude, extreme, outlandish. And, of course, in Washington in the recent debate over the budget ceiling, I saw the other day that 72 percent of Americans said, “That was just ridiculous. Why can't these people talk to each other? Why can't they make a compromise?” Well, it seems the political rhetoric has been ratcheted up, and I'm actually worried as we get into this latest political season that we’re going to see even more of this and attempts to really divide the nation. And whether that's on class rounds, economic grounds, racial grounds, we're going to see really heated rhetoric coming out. Are you concerned about that . . . . Yes. . . . . and if so, what's the path back? How do we get back to civil debate? Well, you know, I'm very concerned about it Gordon. I think you're exactly right in terms of looking forward to this 2012 campaign. What we see, and what we know is that right now the politicians look like they are in a constant campaign mode. They don't stop and say, “Okay, enough of the campaigning, enough of the rhetoric. To the contrary they think, “We're constantly campaigning. We're constantly raising money.” And to that extent, with they do is they're always blaming each other. They're always screaming out rude things at each other. And they think this is effective, because we know that if you run a negative ad, if Gordon says something terrible about Juan, then everybody remembers that. They're not going to pay attention to the substance of the actual debate about the law or how it affects our country or brings us closer to our families and friends. They're going to say, “Oh, he says something negative.” It's like gossiping. So, they now take that into debate in the Congress, and they spend all their time being so rude. They don't get anything done. I worry as we go into this next election, there's going to be so much mudslinging, So much stuff that says, “Oh, Obama is terrible. He's this, he's that,” as opposed to paying attention to real policy differences with this president and questions about, as you were discussing earlier, our economic future in this country. And then the Obama team is going to be slinging mud back and saying, “It’s not just about President Obama. It's about whatever or whoever Republican is running,” and they're going to try to make that Republican less appealing than President Obama for the voters as they go to the polls. How do we come together on this one? It used to be that you would refer to President Obama as—if he were still in the Senate, he is the “distinguished gentleman from Illinois.” And that just seems to be completely gone. There just doesn't seem to be that. You knew it was coming at you as soon they said “distinguished gentleman,” get ready, because there's going to be a pretty good argument at the end of that. But at least it was civil. We're not seeing that. We're not seeing that in the political debates. We're not seeing that in any of the political ads. At the end of the political season, how do you then govern? Well, that's the thing. They never really get to governing, because they're always campaigning; they're always raising money. I think then that money becomes their be-all and end-all, and I just think that's corrupt. I think you have to love your country and love your family and friends and community. Love God. I think that's what it's about, and if you put that first, if you have a sense of priorities in place, I think it opens so many doors for you, Gordon. You asked about how do we get back to civil discussion. I think that's the heart and soul of my book, because you've got to be able to listen to other people, even people that you think you disagree with or people who may be different than you are. Because you got to see that light within them and trust that, you know what, these people are sincere, and I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. At the moment, everybody is just so quick to call names and to not give anyone the benefit of that doubt. So if you listen to the other side, if you consider their perspective, then you get to know about other people, and then it's not just about being a member of your club or my club for my race or your race, or whatever, or my church, it’s about, wait a second, there’s a broader community, broader interests. Yes, I'm going to take care of my own, no doubt about it, but I also want to hear what other people are thinking about other lives. So, if I'm listening, conservatives always complain about the New York Times, Hollywood, NPR, about me being muzzled like I was. On the other hand, liberals complain about conservative talk radio is so strong, the Wall Street Journal editorial page is so strong. You on the Internet. People tend flock to sites that confirm their pre-existing points of view. I think we've also got to look elsewhere and say, “What’s someone else saying? How are they thinking? If I'm living out in the suburbs, what's a kid coming from a single home in the city trying to make his way, what's his lifelike? How is that child growing to be a full, great American? Does he have an opportunity?” We have to have that sense, and I think we have to in our personal lives but also in terms of our politics, just be open to others. Gordon, I know it just sounds maybe a little naïve and simplistic to you as I’m speaking, but I really believe that's the way it is. I think it's great. There's the old adage “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.” I like that. We need to spend a little more time listening and listening intently to what the other side has to say and see if we can’t find some common ground. Well, the book is Muzzled-The Assault on Honest Debate. It's available in stores nationwide and also on the Internet. Juan, thank you for being with us. Have a great day, Gordon. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Terry. Well, up next, the man who was at Mickey Mantle's deathbed. I received a call; he’d taken a turn for the worse. Walked in to Baylor Medical Center, he had a smile on his face. He said, come over here, I can’t wait. Hear some of the Mick’s final words from Yankee legend, Bobby Richardson. That's next. This is the information retailers don't want you to know, especially now. They don't want you to learn just how much money you've been giving away to retail markups on items you purchase for your home, all because you don't know how to buy like the insiders do at DirectBuy Club, the home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices. When you go to DirectBuy, you know that things are going to be a lot less than retail, and you don't have to worry about sales. It's just one price, and it's a low price, too. I would shop around and investigate; and without a shadow of a doubt, DirectBuy would have the lowest price. 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Well, Mickey Mantle was the player of the decade, hit from power from both sides of the plate, tremendous ballplayer, great leader. Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s homerun record, 61 homeruns in 1961. But as any sports fan knows, the everyday role-players are just as important to success and sometimes even put their own stamp on history. (Interviewing): Talking about records, you have some of your own that still haven’t been broken. You know, it’s amazing that after 48 years those records still stand. One is the most RBIs in a World Series game, which is six. The other is the most RBI’s, runs batted in, in a World Series, which is 12. And then I also hold the record of having 13 hits in a World Series. But, more important, I think, I have the record of playing in 30 consecutive World Series games. I played at the right time is what that means. What that means is that Bobby had what it takes to be a five-time all-star and the 1960 World Series most valuable player. He still remembers that series well. The third game of that series, I was batting eighth in the lineup, because I wasn’t a real good hitter. But, in the first inning we scored one run, bases loaded, one out. And a lot of times in that position, Casey Stengel would pinch hit for me. He’s your manager. He was my manager the first five years. And he would just say, “Hold that gun.” That meant just come on back and let Slaughter hit for you. I didn’t hear that. And then I was told to try to hit the ball to right field, stay out of the double play. And I was trying to hit a ground ball to the right side when Clem Levine threw a fastball. And I was more surprised than anybody when it went out of the park for a grand slam. It’s a hard drive to left field, and he slowly goes back, back, back, but he doesn’t have a chance. It’s a grand slam home run for the littlest Yankee of them all! Now concurrent with all this, Bobby, you were a man who professed faith, a Christian. In that era, not too many people were saying that out loud, at least not in the public arena. How did that happen in your life? Where did you encounter Christ, or Him you? When I was 14 years old, my mom invited our pastor to come over to our home on a Sunday afternoon after church. I wanted to be outside playing basketball, but I was ushered in. He opened his Bible and he started sharing verses like when Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life.” And that day as a young teenager, I recognized I knew about the Lord Jesus. I knew that historically He died on the cross, but for the first time I was confronted with the fact that it was a personal relationship with a living Savior who gives to us abundant life. So how did this small town Christian boy from Carolina become one of Mickey Mantle’s teammates on the New York Yankees? I signed right out of high school at 17, and I was given a four-day trip to New York to work out with the Yankees. Took the train from Sumter to New York, checked into the hotel in New York, took a cab out to Yankee Stadium. I was told to put on my uniform and walk out on the field and take some ground balls at second base and to take some batting swings in the batting cage before the ball game. Well, I took the ground balls at second, but I was too embarrassed to step in front of anybody in the batting cage, and Mickey Mantle came up and put his arm around me and said, “Come on, kid, step in here and take some swings.” From that moment on, a special friendship between Mickey and Bobby developed. They played together until Bobby retired in 1966 after an 11-year career. They shared three World Series championships. Mickey always admired Bobby’s faith, and the two remained close long after their playing days. I can remember a dozen times when he and I spent time together. He came down to the University of South Carolina when I coached there and did an instructional film, came to my home here in Sumter, South Carolina, gave a batting exhibition. And on all those occasions, Mickey and I talked about the things in life that really mattered. After baseball, Mickey was best known for his battle with alcoholism. But in his final days, it was Bobby’s gentle friendship that had the biggest impact on his life. Some years later in Dallas, Texas, he was in the hospital, already had a liver transplant. And my phone rang in the hotel, and it was early in the morning. It was Mickey, and he said, “I’m really hurting.” We had prayer together on the phone. And as I was leaving to come back to South Carolina, I received a call that he’d taken a turn for the worse. Immediately we were on a plane flying out toward Dallas. And one more time, I wanted to be bold, because I wanted him to spend eternity with me in Heaven. I walked into Baylor Medical Center. He had a smile on his face. He said, “Come over here. I can’t wait to tell you this.” He said, “I want you to know I’m a Christian. I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior.” I cried a little bit, and then I said, “Mickey, let me go over it with you just to make sure you understand.” Bobby now looks forward to seeing his friend again. Meanwhile, he’s still living in his hometown of Sumter, South Carolina, with Betsy, his wife of 52 years. Bobby still receives daily reminders of the part he played in Yankee history. Forty-two years later, I still receive tons of mail that are pictures and balls or helmets to sign and send back. (From 1966 retirement ceremony): As I think of baseball and the memories that I’ve had in the past ten-and-a-half years, I think of the opportunities. And in closing I can only say as Mickey Mantle has said, as Lou Gehrig has said, how lucky it has been for me to have been a Yankee. To God be the glory. Thank you very much. Bobby Richardson, one of the greats of the game. When you hear his story, you just kind of long for those days when the pastor would come over to the house on Sunday afternoon. I don’t know, have we lost our innocence here? You look at the game today, and you go, “Wow,” and you look at the culture today. Well, you know the term, for the love of the game. I mean, these guys played for the love of the game. When business becomes really big, and salaries become overwhelming, I think you do lose something in the fray of all of that. But baseball is a great game, and he was a tremendous player. Well, tomorrow we all get an opportunity to fast and pray, and let me encourage you again, take the opportunity. Let's get on our knees. If the ones who are called Christian, that's the Bible, the ones called who are by my name. The ones who you call yourselves Christians, if we humble ourselves and pray, and God will heal. He'll bring us back. That's a promise. Well, as the daughter of an imam, the woman in our next story thought she had no choice but to follow the Muslim faith, until the night she had a visitor in her dreams. When I was a kid, sometimes you go out playing, and then you forget it’s the time for the prayers. Hephzibah Agai, was the daughter of a strict Muslim Imam. He will go and then pray; and when he’s coming back, he will have a cane. Then he will come and use it on you very hard. So make sure you do your five prayers every day. When Hephzibah was five years old, her mother died. Her father and grandmother raised Hephzibah and her eight siblings in Ghana, West Africa. Her father sent her to an Arab school where she studied Islam along with other subjects. She had a special bond with her English teacher. Her teacher was a Christian who told Hephzibah about Jesus. She talked about a lot of things about the love of Christ, and I wanted to hear more and more about Him. Hephzibah studied at that school from grades one through five, all-the-while learning more about Christ, but she believed she had no choice in her religion. I’ve seen what happens to people when they turn away from the Islam religion. You’re going to be disowned; you’re not going to be part of the family. After junior high school, Hephzibah wanted to continue her studies, but her father spent her school money on a lavish wedding to his new bride. Hephzibah was devastated. So, I was kind of crying every day. I have to go to him, beg him again. One night she had a dream that a man came to her house looking for her. looked at me and said, “Hey, you, my dad is looking for you.” He said, “I should give you this number.” So he gave it to me and said, “My dad said you should call him.” He walked away. So in the morning when I woke up, I remember those numbers and the dream as if it was right in front of me. Hephzibah didn’t call the numbers right away but kept them in the back of her mind. She wanted to go to school so badly; she’d do whatever it took. She couldn’t shake the thought, “What if the answer to her problems was just a phone call away?” She called the number she’d seen in her dream. On her second try, someone answered. Hephzibah Agai: And he said, “My name is Pastor Joseph Boachie. And wherever you are, the hand of God is upon you and God is going to use you mightily.” The minute I told him my name, he knew I was a Muslim. Hephzibah met Pastor Boachie in person and made a life-changing decision. I prayed with him, “Lord, I’ve come to you this day, and I accepted you as my Lord and personal Savior.” I knew it was God’s intervention in her life. I felt I was a whole new person. And I thought something new has begun with my life. The next day her father told her he was sending her back to school! Her prayer was answered. And I told her that “The heart of every man, every king, is in the hands of God.” So I encourage her that whether the father liked it or not, He was going to take care of her. Hephzibah graduated high school. She also went to church but kept it a secret from her father. He warned me very strictly, that, “If I ever, ever, find out you are going to church, you wouldn’t like what I would do to you.” That was when I had to be extra careful. She told her brothers and sisters about Jesus, and many of them became Christians, too. Eventually, she couldn’t hide her faith. She told her father she had become a Christian. It came to a point; I had to take my cross. You can’t serve two masters at the same time. So I stood up for my faith. He said, “If you don’t want to pray, then you have to leave by your own. I’m no more your father.” It was kind of a bad feeling. But then when I looked at what I have in Jesus Christ and having the support of my other brothers and sisters, I knew it’s going to be okay. Because it’s not all about my father; it’s about being saved and standing firm in your faith. Since then, Hephzibah has completed Bible school. She’s living in the United States. She’s recently graduated from college as a certified nursing assistant. Though her own father abandoned her, Hephzibah is thankful to have a heavenly Father that loves her unconditionally. The love of Jesus is so big that it fills every empty space in your life. And even though my dad left, the love of God was so mighty that I was able to stand firm. He took care of me, and so will He will take care of whoever comes to Jesus. The love of God is so big that it fails every empty space in your life. That's what it's supposed to do. That's why God identified Himself as “The Great I am.” What is it you need today? That's who He is, it's what He is, and He will fill your need and your emptiness. He will set you free from things that hold you in bondage. He will forgive you. He will forgive you for unthinkable things that you have done. He will give you a new beginning. You know, we talked about the promises to God's people if they would pray and how He would deal with, protect, set free their land. The same is true for us as individuals. I love Hephzibah’s name. You know that name is in the Old Testament. It means “My delight is in her.” My delight is in her. You know, God said, we’ll find Him when we seek for Him with all of our hearts. She was looking for truth. She heard about Jesus. She was set free, set free from the bondage of ritual, set free from the anxiety of not knowing what life was about, set free from the frustration of not knowing who she was and why she was born. You can have that too. It's not just for one person here and there. The Bible says anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved, and every one of us needs to be saved. That's what Bobby was talking about earlier when he talked about his conversations with Mickey Mantle. “I wanted to be sure that he understood. I wanted to spend eternity with Him.” I want to be sure that you understand. I want to spend eternity with you. God’s gift of forgiveness and eternity is free. Anyone who wants it can have it, but the question is will you humble yourself? Will you turn away from doing things your way, and not just receive God’s forgiveness but embrace His Lordship in your life. What does that mean? Well, it means you’re not going to do it your way anymore. It means you’re going to let His power come into your life and set you free from any bondage you find yourself in. It means you’re going to have a new way of thinking, a new way of living. God will give you that. Do you want it? This is what His Word says, “If any man is in Christ, he becomes a brand new creation. Old things pass away. Everything becomes new.” A new beginning; it's yours today. Take it. Take hold of the promise that God's offering you. Pray with me right now. “God, I am listening to all of these stories, and I'm thinking I don't have this. I don't know you that way, but I would really like to, God. I have questioned things about you, but I've never really studied. I've never really looked, I've never really listened. You met this young girl exactly where she was at. Will you come now into the midst of my life and my circumstances? I want to ask you to forgive me for my sins. You know everything that I've done that’s gone against you, that's been wrong, that’s been a deliberate choice to hurt or to take. God, I'm asking you to change me, to forgive my sins and then to change me as a person. Change the way that I think. I pray that you’d teach me how to live for you. Show me how to know you. How to draw close to you. You gave this girl a dream. I'm asking you for whatever it takes to set me free so I can be a disciple, a follower of you. I want my life to count not just here but for all eternity. So, Jesus, receive me today as your child. I pray that you would accept me into the Kingdom, and I receive the gift of forgiveness and eternal life that you offer me, and it’s in your holy name I pray. Amen.” Listen, if you’ve just prayed that prayer , we've got some wonderful material for you but would love to share with you. We put this together with you in mind. It's called “A New Day.” That's what you have now, a new beginning, a new life, and it all starts with this “New Day.” And this is filled with information on how you grow in your relationship with the Lord. So, call that toll-free number, 1-800-759-0700. Just say I prayed that prayer and I’d like the “New Day” packet. We'll get it out to you right away. We're going to be back with more after this, so stay with us. Coming up later . . . . He was swollen from his head to his toe. . . . . a near fatal accident . . . . Every day we were getting bad reports that “your husband is not going to make it.” . . . . a defiant patient . . . . Everything that man said I wouldn't do, I'm doing. . . . . and a stunned doctor. It was a miracle. This was absolutely fantastic. Come on and cross over to the all-new Cross Country radio from CBN.com. Cross Country, where Country meets the Cross. You'll hear real Christian Country from great Country artists. The all-new Cross Country radio where Country meets the Cross. Cross Country. It's only on CBN.com. My name is Roger Stump, and I’m a cancer survivor. The surgeon said it's inoperable. “It's already in your liver.” My wife, Brenda, sat there and cried; and I'm thinking, “I can't die right now. I'm only 52 years old.” I was so distraught. I've heard Cancer Treatment Centers of America have experience with pancreatic cancers. It was like night and day. The hospital just breeds an environment of hope. You get a CT scan, and the next morning the results were read to you. We’d go up there; I just knew it was going to be a good result. You could just see the joy on Dr. Granik’s face. Call now and we’ll show you how the most compassionate people anywhere put you at the center of everything we do. Together, we'll explore real treatment options you may not even know exist. Cancer Treatment Centers of America. It is such a different place, because they give you hope. I would strongly urge you to call them and get a second opinion. Please call today. Welcome back to The 700 Club. A federal court says some Christian College groups are discriminating against certain students. A Christian fraternity and a Christian sorority had challenged a nondiscrimination policy at California State Universities. The policy says that campus groups cannot exclude people based on religion and sexual orientation. The Christian groups argued, though, that the policy violates their religious freedom because they wanted to allow Christian members only. But a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California disagreed. Operation Blessing is providing a job training program for at-risk teens in Honduras. These girls are learning culinary skills. They're being taught how to make appetizers and baked goods, all part of a training program designed to help them find jobs. The teenagers live in Casitas, a shelter for the abandoned, abused, and at risk. Operation Blessing helps Casitas by providing workshops, counseling, and skills training. And you can find out more about Operation Blessing by going to its website at OB.org. Gordon and Terry will be back more of The 700 Club, after this. Trouble sleeping? Do you wear masks for your CPAP machine? Stop using that old leaky mask. Get a new one now. CPAP Care Club, now offers replacement masks, filters, and tubing, every 90 days for those on Medicare and most private insurance. Imagine a soft brand-new nasal mask delivered right to your door just as you need it. These new sleep masks fit great, don't leak, and are ultra-comfortable. But that's not all. CPAP Care Club will send you one of these. My brand-new facemask and my sleep apnea supplies show up right at the front door. Wake up your partner less often with a soft, brand-new mask. With CPAP Care Club, you get all of your supplies delivered to your door. We pay shipping. We work with Medicare or your insurance, and we handle the paperwork. The 30-day comfort guarantee lets you see if a new mask is right for you. Change the way you care for your sleep apnea. Call CPAP Care Club now. Shipping is free and so is the call. Next week . . . . . . . . a dental student by day. A drug dealer by night. I really thought that I could kind of live a double life and have my drug life along with my school life. Watch what happens when worlds collide. Right behind me under the counter was all my drugs. They really caught me red-handed. Plus . . . . . . . . a live performance from Darlene Zschech. Monday, on The 700 Club. Munjed is a Palestinian boy from the West Bank who had two strikes against him. Both of them made him the brunt of cruel jokes until the day his mother took him to a clinic run by Operation Blessing. Ten-year-old Munjed is at the top of his class. But his good grades didn't come easily, because Munjed has been deaf since she was a baby. Then two years ago, he was hit by a car, and that accident left him with a head injury that caused his right eye to turn inward. Munjed needed an operation to restore his vision. But with nine other children at home, his mother couldn't afford it. My husband died four years ago, and I have been raising six daughters and four sons alone. But I want him to be able to see clearly, and I also want him to look beautiful again. At this clinic in Hebron, Munjed’s mother finally got some good news. Her son would get his surgery, free of charge, thanks to Operation Blessing Israel. The surgery was a success, and now Munjed has perfect vision. We also gave him new hearing aids, and today he can hear for the first time in his life. The next step is speech therapy, so he can learn to speak. His mother says she's proud of her son, and grateful to Operation Blessing for giving Munjed back his hearing and his sight. Now he loves school, and he wants to do very well in it. I don't know what his future is. God knows. Who knows what this child can accomplish. Thank you. It makes me happy to know that there are good people in the world who are looking after us. That’s what Operation Blessing Israel does. Regardless of the background, whether they're Palestinian, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, none of the above, we want to help people, and we want to let them know that God loves them, hasn't forgotten about them in their time of need. If you want to help Operation Blessing Israel, you can give a designated gift. You can write to CBN Center, Virginia Beach, VA 23463. Or you can go to our website, and there's a place for a designated gift to the Israel fund. You can also just join the 700 Club, and that's just $20 a month, 65 cents a day. A portion of every gift goes into the work of Operation Blessing. Another portion goes into our international outreaches where we're preaching the Gospel around the world. If you want to be a part of everything we're doing, join with us. We're a lot more than a TV show, and when you join we want to send as our gift back to you, Life Beyond the Grave, stories of real people who died. Some went to Heaven. Some went to Hell. And they came back. You want to hear these stories of what they witnessed after death. Is there life after death? The answer is yes. Is the consequences? Yes. If you want to get this, just join with us, 1-800-759-0700. Terry. Eugene Payne enjoys running on the treadmill and lifting weights at the gym. But a few years ago, doctors said Eugene would never be able to do those things again after an accident that almost killed him. On a chilly November day in 2007, Eugene Payne was taking a jog on his favorite route when, out of nowhere, a taxicab plowed into him. Emergency crews arrived within minutes and airlifted Eugene to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, Maryland. On the way there, his heart stopped beating several times, but the EMTs revived him. Dr. Bizhan Aarabi, the Director of Neurotrauma, didn’t know if Eugene would live or die. Any patient with severe head injuries and low blood pressure, they don’t do very well. There was a 60 percent chance that he would either die or would have a bad outcome. The medical team rushed Eugene into surgery. Doctors diagnosed him with traumatic brain injury. They said even if he lived, he might have to live with severe brain damage. He suffered a fractured neck, broken bones and internal injuries. The 12-hour operation felt like a lifetime to Eugene’s wife, Janice, and their family. My faith was being tested, and I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know what to do. And whenever doubt would come in, someone would come in the room and say “Let’s pray.” So we prayed at least seven, eight times within that 12-hour surgery. We were praying and asking God to save my husband’s life. Doctors had to amputate Eugene’s right leg. He slipped into a coma. He was swollen from his head to his toe. And he had tubes running out of his nose. I looked at him, and we broke down crying. I was like, “Oh my goodness. This is not my husband.” And they said, “We’re going to give your husband until the end of this week.” Two weeks later, Eugene was still alive. Three weeks passed, he’s still living. I said, “Okay, I’m going to trust God.” Eugene had multiple surgeries. He suffered kidney failure, a staph infection and double pneumonia. Every day we were getting bad reports that, “Your husband’s not going to make it.” Five weeks after the accident, Janice cried out to God in desperation. I said, “I need you to show me some type of sign that this man is going to live.” On New Year’s Day, he opened his eyes. That was my sign. I needed the Lord to say, “Okay, this is it. This is it, Jan.” And that was my sign, and I was overwhelmed, filled with joy. I was like, “Thank you, God.” After three months in the hospital and intense physical therapy, Eugene learned to walk again using a prosthetic leg. But doctors warned him that life at home would never be the same. The doctors told us that he would never drive again. They said, “He can never be left in the house by himself because of his traumatic brain injury.” And they said, “He’s not going to be able to go to the gym again.” But Eugene wouldn’t accept those limitations. Together they worked hard at retraining his body and his mind. When he felt like giving up, we would make eye contact, and I’d said, “Mm-mm, you’re going to beat this. You can do this. Do it. You’re strong.” And I would motivate him and pump him up, and I would give him Scriptures. I said, “You know your favorite Scripture, “You can do all things through Christ which strengthen you.” And then you could see him getting up, and he’s saying, “Yes, I can do this.” And he beat the odds. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Everything that man said I wouldn’t do, I’m doing. Eugene Payne is driving again and working out at the gym. The man doctors dubbed “Miracle Payne” continues to surprise them with his amazing recovery. It was a miracle for Gene to be able to drive and to be able to interact with the family and to take care of himself. Yes, this was absolutely fantastic. We’re thankful that God was there every step of the way. When they say, “He’ll never leave you nor forsake you,” we are a living testimony to that. Everything I been through, it could have been the other way. I could not be here; I could be gone. It’s God who kept me here. We have to enjoy life while we have it. I can’t look at what I don’t have. I look at what I do have and look at what God has done for me. God has blessed me, and I give Him all the honor and the glory. I tell you, life is unpredictable, isn't it? You go out for a run and your life is forever changed. It's because of situations like that, that we need to know that God is with us through it all, and He is. And we've got some amazing testimonies before we pray for you that we'd like to share with you. Do you want to read yours first? Sure. This is Audrey from Denver, Colorado. She had pain in the middle toes of her left foot. The pain reached to a point where she had to exceed the recommended dosage of pain relievers just to get to sleep at night. One day she was watching The 700 Club. Terry had a word of knowledge about a problem with bones in the toes. Well, Audrey claimed it. For the next 20 minutes, she felt as if she couldn't move, and after that all pain was gone in her foot. And that’s . . . . Wow! . . . . pretty good. That’s very good. This is Michelle. She lives in Toccoa, Georgia. She developed a large knot going behind her right ear and eventually had a loss of hearing in that same ear. Her doctor recommended surgery but said that the operation would be difficult. Well, one night she fell asleep on the sofa. She was awakened in the middle of the night by the TV. The 700 Club was being broadcast. She heard Gordon, you, give this word of knowledge. You said, “You have a tumor behind your right ear. God is dissolving that, taking that away.” Michelle felt a popping in her ear. Suddenly she could hear clearly, and when she felt behind her ear the next morning, that lump was completely gone. Wow! Yes, a big wow. I actually remember that one. Sometimes you have these experiences. You have words of knowledge and you forget about them. I remember that one. I was actually questioning, “Should I say that one? Should I say that one?” And to hear this report and to say, yeah, here's somebody God woke them up from a sofa, and there just happened to be a program on, just happened to be a word just for her to give her back her hearing, to avoid a surgery. That's a miracle, that's a miracle. What about you? Can you have a miracle today? Can it happen to you? And the answer is yes. God loves all of us. God loved the world; that's why He gave Jesus, for you, for you. And start thinking that way, that He came just for you. He loves you. He left the 99 to go find you, and you are honored in His presence. He wants to call you His child, His son, His daughter. Now, if He's done all of these things, can He heal you? Yeah. Can He provide for you? Yeah. He's a lot more than just a forgiving God. He is God, and He is God with us. Now, the Bible says that if two or more agree touching anything, it shall be done. Now, Terry and I are going to agree. You agree with us. And in an act of faith, reach out and touch. Lay hands on that area of the body that needs healing and we'll believe, and God will do the rest. Let's pray. “Lord, we just let the needs of the audience to you right now, and we just ask for healing. We ask for deliverance. You came to set captives free. We ask for you, that you would come and be God with us. God, in us. And so Lord, as people are laying hands on that area of the body that needs healing, we come into agreement with them, and we join together in one accord, and we say out loud, “Be healed and be made whole,” in the name of Jesus. “Be healed.” There's a man; you've got inflammation of the brain, and there's some kind of infection in the membranes surrounding the brain, and God is healing you right now, in Jesus’ name, that pain is leaving you. It just left, and you are healed, and you're totally restored. There's going to be no permanent damage. You are healed. Your restored. You made new now, in Jesus’ name. Someone else, you torn a tendon in your right arm, in the upper arm. God is healing you right now. He's able to knit it together, and He's doing that for you, and all that pain just left you now, in Jesus’ name. Terry. There's someone named Jeremy. You have a need for a certain amount of money. You don't even have an option of where to get it, but you're going to know it’s you, because God's going to supply that entire amount of money from the most unusual source. It's coming to you. Someone else, you've got problems with your left eye. It's like infection and weeping, and God is just taking that away. He's drying it up. Restoring you in Jesus’ name. Just receive that. Someone else, with your gallbladder, extreme pain. God's healing that, and taking away those stones from you. He's able to dissolve them, in Jesus’ name, be healed. There's somebody else, you've had a skin condition called roseola for a long time. You really have a bad case of this. God is healing that for you. You're just going to start seeing it fade away, and it won't come back again. Lord, we thank you for you are the healer. You are our provider. You are power deliver. You love us with an infinite love. We thank you for what you've done, in Jesus’ name. Amen. If you've been touched by God, we want to share your good report. So, give us a call. We always rejoice when God answers prayer. So, we want to hear from you. Call us, 1-800-759-0700. And if you need prayer, the same number. We leave you with these words from Jeremiah . . . . . . . . “I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” God bless you. Next week . . . . . . . . a dental student by day, a drug dealer by night. I really thought that I could kind of live a double life and have my drug life along with my school life. Watch what happens when worlds collide. Right behind me under the counter was all my drugs. They really caught me red-handed. Plus . . . . . . . . a live performance from Darlene Zschech, Monday on The 700 Club. Hello, I’m Terry Meeuwsen. Did you know there are more than 148 million orphans in the world today? 148 million. But it was three little girls that taught me about the plight of orphans. Eight years ago my husband and I spent nearly a month immersed in the daily activities of an Ukrainian orphanage as we waited to adopt three sisters. I saw firsthand the utter loneliness, the pain of rejection and the overwhelming desire to be loved. That experience changed me forever, and out of it grew a ministry from my heart called “Orphan’s Promise.” Today we’re helping orphans and vulnerable children in more than 50 countries worldwide. Thousands of children are now in safe homes. They’re being educated and they’re learning life skills. I’m asking you to join with me and become family to these children. Will you call the number on your screen right now, because every child deserves a chance to be happy.