The 700 Club - July 1, 2011

I kick myself in the butt every day just thinking about what could have been. He signed a multimillion dollar NBA contract then spent the next 10 years living on the streets. I didn't go into it thinking I'm going to become a coke head; but when I looked up, it had gotten the best of me. Plus, meet Mama Grizzly junior. Sarah Palin's daughter opens up about her journey so far on Today's 700 Club. Well, welcome to The 700 Club. Pro-Palestinian activists may be on a collision course with Israel's military. They're launching yet another flotilla bound for Gaza. In fact, last year a similar attempt to pressure Israel ended with deadly violence. And now as Chris Mitchell reports, Israel is actually hoping to avoid another public-relations nightmare. This video and violent results ignited an international firestorm. It also showed the world that this so-called humanitarian flotilla had another mission, smuggling weapons to terrorists. Now one year later, the case is being made to try again. We have the hope that the international community will listen and act towards end the suffering of the people of Palestinian. To end the suffering of the people of Gaza. But much of that international community and even the head of the UN hope to avoid a repeat and point out goods already flow across borders with Israel and Egypt. The materials on the flotilla can be brought to the areas that they are needed in the legal way. There is no reason for this flotilla to get such worldwide attention. This is really a flotilla of fools who have been duped by people who are thugs and terrorists, who are promoting a political cause trying to destroy the state of Israel. Israel's reason for stopping the flotilla is simple. Basically the best evidence and the reason behind it is what was just given this past February when the Victoria cargo ship was caught with 50 tons of weaponry, rockets, missiles, mortar shells, advanced anti-ship missiles, and radars that were provided by Iran. That being the case, we have imposed under international law in naval blockade on Gaza. This is perfectly legal under international law no matter what Hamas propaganda says. During last year's flotilla armed demonstrators attacked Israeli commandos as they boarded the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara. Nine demonstrators died. (Istanbul): The Mavi Marmara now sits in Istanbul harbor. It has become a symbol of a profound change in relationship between what had been traditional allies, Israel and Turkey. This time around Turkey decided to stand clear, a sign some say could improve its relationship with Israel. That's not stopping other demonstrators, many with ties to radical Muslim organizations, from plotting their collision course with Israel sometime soon in the Mediterranean. Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Istanbul. Well, in the coming days be aware of what's going on with this and how really it's a publicity stunt. It's trying to draw attention to a problem that really doesn't exist. And if Israel were to stop the blockade, and there were a free flow of arms into Gaza, those rockets won't be used in peaceful means. They'll be used to target innocent Israeli citizens, and that's the goal of Hamas. Hamas wants to wipe out Israel. They want to drive Israel to the sea. They do not recognize Israel's right to exist, and they want to take it all back. That's the goal and until they abandon that goal, we won't see peace in the Middle East. Wendy Griffith has the rest of our top stories from the CBN newsroom. Wendy. Thanks Gordon. The Obama Administration is reaching out to the Muslim Brotherhood. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says they want to engage the group before Egypt's upcoming elections, but many are concerned about the Brotherhood's ties to terrorism and their pursuit of Sharia law. CBN news terrorism analyst Erick Stakelbeck calls the Muslim Brotherhood the most ruthless opposition force in Egypt. On CBN News Watch he said the Brotherhood has not committed acts of violence but supports violent terrorist groups in the Mideast. I guess Lee, that they think as I said, they can use the Brotherhood as a moderating force in the Islamic world, against Al Qaeda. The problem is Lee, Al Qaeda and Hamas have their roots in the Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is the satellite, the mothership, the granddaddy, of them all when it comes to Jihad. Before Osama bin Laden formed Al Qaeda, he belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood, so did his top deputy Ayman al-Zawahri and 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Well, the Senate has canceled plans for a July 4th recess. Instead they will keep working on a way to raise the nation's debt limit by the August deadline. The President insists on tax hikes as part of a debt deal. Republicans say the only solution is to cut trillions in spending. One GOP lawmaker says he has a plan everyone should be able to agree on; and, as John Jessup reports, the idea is based on a penny. You can find them virtually anywhere, the copper plated penny. While some question its very existence, to Rep. Connie Mack, it's the key to trimming a bloated government and avoiding a financial meltdown. He's nicknamed the idea, "The Mack Penny Plan." Everyone in America in their personal budgets have had to cut more than one penny out of every dollar of their home budget. Certainly the federal government can do the same thing. He told CBN News if Washington embraces his idea, it would cut $7.5 trillion, cap federal spending at 18 percent of the economy, and balance the budget in eight years. It's one penny out of every federal dollar. It's not a lot of money. This is something we should be able to do easily. If Washington can't do it, the plan comes with a fail-safe trigger, a one percent across-the-board cut in all federal spending. (Capitol Hill): Mack says the one cent solution is gaining supporters here on Capitol Hill and beyond, because it's such a simple idea based on something everyone can understand. It's this kind of thing where it sounds good on the surface, “Oh one penny, no problem.” But Michael Linden, with the Center for American Progress, says when it comes to entitlements like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, Mack's plan runs into problems. The cost of running the Social Security program goes up every year, not because Congress is changing how much we're giving to each beneficiary, but because there are more beneficiaries, and if the benefit just keeps pace with inflation, prices go up every year, so the cost of Social Security goes up every year because of prices and because of more people. But Mack believes the beauty of his plan is that Congress could cut some programs more and some less, so long as it makes a total reduction of one percent from spending each year. Either the Congress is going to decide where those cuts are going to come from, or it's going to be across the board. And most members would rather us find ways to make those cuts without doing across the board. That is really kind of the stick out there, that the Congress and the president need to work together, or, if not, all of us will go home sharing in the responsibility that we cut across the board. As the debt ceiling deadline gets closer, Mack and other Republicans are insisting that GOP negotiators include their demands in any agreement. The only way I'm voting to raise the debt ceiling is if we have a Balanced Budget Amendment, if we have my bill, and if we put caps on spending and an automatic rollback of the debt ceiling. John Jessup, CBN News, Capitol Hill. Presidential hopeful Michelle Bachmann says suffering a miscarriage helped to shape her pro-life viewpoint. Bachman revealed to a crowd in North Carolina that after her second child was born, she became pregnant again. The child was coming along, and we ended up losing that child. And it was devastating for both of us as you can imagine if any of you have lost a child. When we lost that child it changed us, and it changed us forever. And so we made a commitment that no matter how many children are brought into our life, we would receive them, because we're committed to life. That commitment led Bachmann and her husband to help raise 23 foster children. That's along with their five biological children. Well, a new undercover video exposes Planned Parenthood again. The abortion provider says, if it's federal funds are cut, thousands of Medicaid patients would suffer, because they can't get health services elsewhere. But the new video shows Planned Parenthood workers in Indiana admitting otherwise. The group, Live-Action, called the clinics posing as Medicaid patients, take a look. Is there another clinic we should trying or something else that we should— You need to go to your primary doctor. Okay, but they would be able to provide the same services? There wouldn't be . . . . Yeah. Okay. So the well woman's exams and STD tests and things like that? Planned Parenthood Rep.: Yes. Okay, but I can get a well woman, um, at my primary care phys . . . . Your primary doctor should be able to do that. I mean that's what they're there for. In May Indiana became the first state to and Planned Parenthood funding, but a judge blocked parts of that law last week. And to see more live action reportings, just go to our website CBNNews.com. Well, a popular comedian has been granted the power to wield greater influence over the upcoming elections. Mr. Colbert, you may form your PAC and proceed as the commission has advised. The Federal Elections Commission says that Steven Colbert can launch a political action committee called the “Colbert Super PAC.” The ruling means he can raise unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose candidates. After the hearing, Colbert celebrated. Moments ago The Federal Election Commission made their ruling. Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry to say, we won. I am a Super PAC and so can you. Oh, dear. Colbert will be able to use the resources from his Comedy Central TV show to help his, “Super PAC,” and no doubt he's going to have a lot of fun with that on his show. Gordon. Well, it's definitely tongue-in-cheek. He's now going to be a Super PAC Man . . . . . . . . which means that he can raise unlimited money from corporations and from individuals in order to influence elections. This is obviously tongue-in-cheek, and he's doing it for comedic impact, but he's highlighting a very serious issue. When you understand the roots of this, it all goes back to a Supreme Court decision called Citizens United where the Supreme Court said corporations are people, too. And because they’re “persons,” under the Constitution, they have the right of free speech. So any limitation on their ability to spend money for free speech is unconstitutional. Well, that just took away about 30 years, 40 years of Federal election law where there was an absolute prohibition on corporate spending in Federal campaigns. We’re now seeing the rise of Super PAC’s. If you understand on the FEC side, they're forming a new one every single day. The first to come in were—two strategists, Karl Rove on the Republican side and down Bill Burton on the Democrat side were some of the first in the door for this, because what it means is you can go to wealthy donors, you can go to corporations and say we like your issue and this candidate is against your issue. Will you donate money for a media campaign? With it being unlimited, you can imagine what would happen. For example, if Facebook didn't like new privacy rulings coming out of the Congress, all they would have to do is then funnel money through a Super PAC, into a media campaign and target those senators or congressmen who were trying to have new privacy ratings for the Internet. They literally could blow somebody out of the water with a two-week media campaign right before the election. That's why there's a rush to form these things, and this election cycle is going to be a free-for-all. So thank you Steven Colbert for pointing out we've got a big loophole that just opened up. The game just changed, and we're going to see a lot of Super PAC’s doing a lot of media campaigns in this election cycle. Kristi. Interesting, that was very informative. I didn't know that. Cool. Okay. I’ll bet you didn't know that Steven Colbert teaches Sunday school. I really didn't know that one! That's a real new thing for me. Okay, so question for you. Have you ever watched Dancing With the Stars? Yes. I have, too. My kids love it. I like it too. And I actually watched this season. Well, coming up she took the ratings through the roof on, Dancing With the Stars. Who am I talking about? I'm talking about Bristol Palin, and she's speaking out about the pressure off and on camera. Take a look. I feel like people tried to break me down during that experience, but that just gave me that fire in my gut to do better. They didn't see me as competition, but the more we progressed, and the further along we got, I think they kind of got a little bit upset. Well, Bristol talks about the mistakes in her past and hopes for her future, after this. Coming up later . . . . . . . . His NBA career was over almost as soon as it began. I kick myself in the butt every day just thinking about what could have been. Hear what haunted this giant on today's 700 Club. Just bear with me a little bit, because it's tough. Do you have money to burn? If not, you need to know that the paper dollars you've invested your life savings in are being consumed right now in a growing blaze of inflation and declining value. Economists know why the dollar is burning and at risk of crashing. It's because politicians and central bankers keep printing them, and this makes the dollars you've worked so hard to for, worth less and less. The politicians and bankers hated the gold standard, because it forced them to be honest. That's why the US dollar keeps losing value and could soon crash. The good news is that you can create your own personal gold standard and keep your savings protected when the dollar crashes. Call or visit online now. Find out more about the best performing assets of the 21st century from the best company in the country, Swiss America. Monday . . . . . . . . celebrate Independence Day with The 700 Club. Now it’s show time. Meet real American heroes. God still is with me in that he can still allow me to do things that I never thought I would be able to do. And learn about the history of fireworks. Girl: They're awesome! And they go boom! Monday on The 700 Club. Well, Bristol Palin was thrust into the national spotlight when her mother began her run for vice presidency and the news broke of Bristol's pregnancy. Well, she writes about whirlwind that followed in her new book, Not Afraid of life. This week Wendy Griffith actually talked to Bristol in New York. Let's take a look. Bristol Palin is just a few months away from her 21st birthday. As the eldest daughter of Todd and Sarah, she grew up in wild, rugged Alaska where fishing, hunting, and traveling by snow mobile are a way of life. Bristol excelled in sports, including basketball, track and even boys' football in middle school where she learned how to take the hard hits, something that would come in handy later in life. She was known as a "good girl" who made good grades and stayed out of trouble. So no one, especially her parents, suspected that their 17-year-old daughter would soon reveal to the world that even good girls can make very bad decisions, only Bristol's drama was played out in front of a world-wide audience with nowhere to hide. I recently sat down with Bristol in New York to talk about her new book, Not Afraid of Life, My Journey So Far, where she talked about the night she lost her virginity after drinking too many wine coolers. (Interviewing): Bristol, how did you feel when you woke up the next morning and realized you’d had sex with your boyfriend? It was something that I was ashamed of, and I didn't own up to it until I got pregnant, until the whole world knew I wasn't a virgin. How did your parents react to the news that their 17-year-old daughter is pregnant? It was definitely a huge shock first and foremost, definitely a disappointment. But my family, we're so close knit it’s like, okay, yes this situation is not ideal, but we're going to get through it with the help of God, and with the help of our other family members. Fast-forward about five months later, four months later; you're on a national stage, your mom's announcing for Vice President of the United States. And the world just finds out that you're pregnant. What was that like? Definitely something hard to go through. And I wrote about it in the book, too. I kind of felt like I had that scarlet letter attached to me. You know, "sleaze," or whatever anyone could say about me. But I'm so much stronger because of that experience. You have recommitted to waiting to have sex until you're married. Are you going to practice what you preach? Yeah, absolutely. And I don't think it’s going to be a difficult battle, because I've seen the consequences of it, and it's not worth it. Bristol says the pain and loneliness of being a single mom and the heartache of the boy's father, Levi, not wanting to see his son, caused her to cry out to God. That night was so meaningful and such a point where I'll remember it for the rest of my life, because it was rock bottom. It was like, “Okay, I'm done trying to do everything by myself. I'm done trying to change Levi. I'm done trying to do all this stuff. I need your help, God.” You said that night, for really the first time you, felt God's forgiveness. Oh yeah, absolutely. And you said, “It's a pretty good deal.” Oh yeah, absolutely. You know, from that moment forward it was like a whole new page. I felt forgiveness for losing my virginity, and that was years prior, and I felt forgiveness for everything prior to that. Of course, when you look at your 2-1/2-year-old son Tripp, you don't see a mistake. Oh, no, he is the biggest blessing of my life, and he really is the love of my life. After all you've been through Bristol, why risk putting yourself out there, and the intimate details of your life, in this book? I have these opportunities and a voice that other people don't have. And owning up to all my mistakes and decisions in this book, I know that other people are going to read that, and hopefully it's going to be motivation and a story of redemption for them. Then last year, Bristol got the chance to be a contestant on the Dancing With the Stars. Many, including her dad, were against the idea. None of my family really wanted me to do it, just because they know I'm not that outgoing, and I don't dance or anything like that. So were like, Bristol, are you sure you want to do this? The night you debuted, I’ll never forget it. You came out in that gray suit, very conservative, but you showed the world that you can shimmy! Well, thank you. What did that experience do for your confidence? I feel like people tried to break me down during that experience. But that just gave me the fire in my gut to do better. You mean people that were actually there competing, your competitors, were not friendly to you? Well, I think at first they saw me as like, “Oh, here's Bristol Palin. She's not really that well known, and she's not in this Hollywood scene.” So they didn't see me as competition. But the more we progressed, and the further along we got, I think they kind of got a little bit upset. Michelle Obama just came out the other day and thanked the media for being so kind to her children for treating them with kid gloves. How can you explain the viciousness of the liberal media against you and your family? I really don't think I can pinpoint or explain it. But it's definitely biased. You know there's some rude people out there; but we have tough skin, and we know what's right. You said God has ways of surprising you and pushing you further than you think you can go. Is that what happened to you? Yeah, absolutely. With so many different examples between football, and having Tripp, and Dancing With the Stars. With so many things, there’s been so many times where I am like, “Can I really do this?” And God has given me the guidance and the strength to push through it. Wendy Griffith, CBN News, New York. Well, later this year Bristol Palin actually will be staring a new reality TV show about working for a small charity in California. Listen, if you’d like to know more about Bristol, her book is called, “Not Afraid of Life.” And here it is. Pretty picture of her and her son, and it’s available wherever books are sold. Interesting interview Gordon. Yes, it is. Here's a fact I'll bet our viewers don't know. My father was invited to be on Dancing With the Stars, not just once, but twice. And we had a family meeting, and there was unity among all the children, and all the grandchildren, “Granddaddy don't you dare do that!” Oh, I thought you were going to say, “Come on Pat, do it!” No! I told him he should do it. You did? Of course. I said come on, shake your thing. All right, I did. I did, and then I said, “I'll do it.” And he looked at me with the look you're giving me right now. Okay, up next. Okay. All right, let's have the campaign to keep Kristi off Dancing With The Stars. I think it would be fun. Write in. All right. Up next, a former NBA player, Luther Wright takes us to the streets where he lived for 10 years. I was in this alley right here. I fell asleep one night in this abandoned car, and I woke up and my clothes were just frozen. Watch what happens after doctors took drastic measures to save Luther’s life. Still ahead . . . . It’s like a tsunami. It's coming. . . . . a warning from Dr. Charles Stanley coming up. This is what happens when a nation turns up its nose to Almighty God. When you look in the mirror, can you imagine erasing years of aging? That's what I used to look like. Lifestyle Lift takes only about an hour. See the difference immediately. I'm Linda. I'm 70 years old. Can you believe it? Call now for a free information kit. It's quick, affordable, and takes only about an hour. Lifestyle Lift, a breakthrough medical procedure that helps remove wrinkles, frown lines and sagging skin. Call now for a free information kit. Consultations are free. Call Lifestyle Lift today. What makes the miracles of Jesus even more miraculous? Standing where they happened, in Israel. Come sail the Sea of Galilee where Jesus calmed a raging storm. Experience Jerusalem where Jesus restored a paralyzed man. Explore Capernaum where Jesus spoke a Centurion servant into health. To learn more about standing where it all happened in Israel, visit www.goisrael.com. Come visit Israel. This week on 700 Club Interactive. In the 1993 NBA draft, Luther Wright was selected by the Utah Jazz in the first round. But Luther only played pro ball for one year. For 10 years after that, he lived on the streets. Recently Kristi Watts traveled to his hometown to find out why. I pictured the NBA way different from the way it really is. I signed this million-dollar contract, and so I shouldn’t have to work as hard anymore. Sports In back center, at 7’ 2”, 295 Senior, Luther Wright. It was over 20 years ago that Luther Wright led Elizabeth High to the New Jersey State Championship. Standing at 7 feet 2 inches tall, Luther or “Lou Bee” as he’s called was the hometown hero who was on the fast track towards the NBA. After three years with Seton Hall, he was picked up by the Utah jazz in the first round of the 1993 NBA draft. He signed a five million dollar contract. But before the ink could dry, Luther was cut from the team his rookie season and never played in the NBA again. I kick myself in the butt everyday just thinking about what could have been. So what happened? I met up with Luther in his hometown of Jersey City to hear his story. Just bear with me a little bit, because it’s tough, just being molested. sexually abused, violated. It’s been over 30 years, but the memories of being raped and molested at six years old still haunt this 7’ 2” giant of a man. I could put the hurt and the pain and worries in that box and lock it away and run that further away with it with the basketball. And that’s what I did. I used basketball to kind of take the focus off of that in my mind. In this neighborhood, basketball was more than a sport; it was a way of life. But for Luther basketball was just an escape. It took me that much further from the hurt. College letters started coming in 8th grade. That started adding to this superstar athlete that I became in a year or two. Luther wasn’t just known for his skills on the court; he made a name for himself in the night clubs as a well. The first time he got loaded, he was in high school. By college he’d found his niche. I didn’t go into it thinking I would become a coke-head. I didn’t go into it thinking I would have a problem with marijuana or drinking. I was doing it at my leisure; but when I looked up, it had got the best of me. By the time Luther reached the pentacle of his career, making it to the NBA, the bottom dropped out. Between the missed practices, suicide attempts and manic episodes, the Jazz had had enough. Luther was cut from the team. The fallen hero returned to his hometown a disappointment and a full-blown addict. Soon he was broke and living on the streets of Newark. I would be in here asleep, you’d find me sleeping. I wanted to escape all of this. I wanted out. I just didn’t know how to get out. Luther was high and homeless for almost 10 years. He checked in and out of mental institutions and rehabs facilities. Nothing helped him until . . . . I was in this alley right here, and I fell asleep one night in this abandoned car. I woke up and my clothes were just frozen. All I could do is limp down this hill and go to the hospital right here. When he arrived at the hospital, doctors had to take drastic measures. I could hear the saw, I mean the drill, whatever they were using to amputate my toes. That's what I heard, and I heard my toes hit the pan on the operating table, ping, ping. That will be with me forever. Doctors amputated two of Luther's toes, not just to save his foot, but to save his life. Sitting alone in the hospital bed, Luther cried out to God. I prayed, “Lord, I really want to stop using. I want to get clean.” This time I was sincere. God knew that I was sincere. That day Luther gave his heart and his life to Jesus Christ. I knew there was a God, but I was so far into my mess that I didn't think I was worthy for God to even come in, because I was so dirty, filthy, like on the inside I wasn't clean. I didn't believe that God was going to save a sinner like me, but He did, because I let Him in. I let Him have His way with me. Today Luther is seven years clean from drugs and alcohol. He says God not only gave him freedom from his addictions and the hurt, but also the power to forgive his molesters and those who raped him. It’s like a sense of relief, “Whoosh,” you know, because I was carrying around a lot of baggage for years. Today, Luther stands on the sidelines as an assistant basketball coach for the Jersey Express. When he is not coaching, he's a mentor to kids all around the city sharing his story. What's the moral of my story? Life is about choices. Some of the choices you make can make or break you kids. (Interviewing): God knows our hearts. Once we put our faith, our trust, our hopes, our dreams and everything into Him, He will make a way, he will manifest Himself into everything we set our mind to. He will manifest Himself into anything you set your mind to. It's a great promise from Jesus. You'll find it in John, the Gospel of John, the 14th chapter where he says, “Those who love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them, and I will manifest myself to them.” Now what does that mean? Well, when God comes in, can He take care of the problem? Can He solve it? Can He change things? Well, the answer is yes. He sure can. Let Luther's story get a hold of you. Some of you say, “Yes, I've gone too far. There's no way God will ever have any interest in me. I've done things I'm ashamed of. I've done things against God.” Well, I've got good news for you. He still loves you. You can't go too far from Him. Paul said it clearly, there's nothing that can separate you from the love of Christ, nothing. There's nothing you can do. There's no power on earth or in Heaven that can separate you. All you have to do is be sincere and open your heart, and He'll come in and change you. He can put your mind right. He can take care of that addiction. I don't care if you've been living on the streets 10 years like Luther, He can take care of it. He can change you. He can make you new again. All you have to do is ask. And if you do, He'll come in. The amazing thing is, He loves us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He's not waiting for you to get cleaned up. He's not waiting for you to do right. He's not holding anything against you. All He wants is you. And He wants you so badly He wants to spend all of eternity with you if you just let Him. If this is for you, if this is what you want, bow your head. Pray a very simple prayer and let Jesus do all the rest. Pray with me. “Lord Jesus,” that's right, say it out loud. “Jesus, I come to you and, Jesus, if you’re there I ask right now that you would hear me, and I want you to come into my heart and to make me new again. And to renew me and change me, and restore to me the plan that you have for me. Jesus I want a hope. I want to have a future. And I want to give my life to you. So hear my prayer. Come into my heart for I ask it in Jesus’ name.” Father, for those who just prayed, I pray a baptism in your love. I pray you surround them with acceptance and with the knowledge that you love them. Manifest yourself to them, for I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen. If you just prayed with me, the Bible says that if you will believe in your heart and then confess with your mouth, you shall be saved. What I want you to do is make a toll-free call and do just that. Confess with your mouth. I just prayed. I just asked Jesus into my heart. It's a toll-free number, 800-759-0700. And when you call, we've got a free packet for you, and in it is a CD teaching on, what do you do now? How do you live the Christian life? It's called, “A New Day.” It's also got a booklet with Bible verses. We encourage you to get a copy of the Bible and start with the Gospel of John and read it. Let His words renew your mind and start to understand just how much He loves you. Not just the world, but you. And you do that when you start reading the Bible. Call us, 1-800-759-0700. Kristi, over to you. Well, thank you, Gordon. Still ahead, Dr. Charles Stanley puts America's leaders on notice. When I think about leaders, I don't mind admitting. Have I’ve prayed for leaders to be removed? Absolutely. We're going to have more from Dr. Charles Stanley in an interview with former 700 Club co-host, Lisa Ryan. You don't want to miss it. That's coming up. 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. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is fighting cancer. He's currently in Cuba recovering from surgery to remove a tumor. Chavez says, the tumor was in the pelvic region but didn't say what type of cancer he has. The socialist leader made the announcement on Venezuelan TV Thursday. Many say, he looked thinner and pale. During his speech the leader assured his country that he will make a full recovery. Operation Blessing teams are aiding flood victims in the Philippines. Heavy rains have caused four weeks of flooding there. Rice fields have been destroyed, and millions of families have been affected. Reports say the flooding could last for months. Operation Blessing is distributing mats and blankets to families in shelters. Volunteers are also conducting medical clinics and feeding programs for children. The Director of Operation Blessing Philippines says, they hope to feed as many 5000 children. And you can find out more about Operation Blessing by going to their website, that's OB.org. Gordon and Kristi will be back with more of The 700 Club right after this. Are you anxious to protect your family with life insurance but afraid you can't afford it? Well, look how much insurance many people can get through SelectQuote for less than a dollar a day. SelectQuote found Rich, 37, a $500,000 policy for under $18 a month. Even though Dave, 43, takes meds to control his blood pressure, SelectQuote got him a $500,000 policy for under $28 a month. Ellen, 47, got a $250,000 policy for under $20 a month. All it takes is a phone call. Your personal SelectQuote agent will answer all your questions and impartially shop the highly rated term life companies SelectQuote represents for your best rates. Give your family the security it needs at a price you can afford. Call this number or go to selectquote.com. SelectQuote. We shop, you save. If you have diabetes and you’re on Medicare, call now for a new pain-free meter. These new meters are more accurate. They’re easier to use. And the best news is you don’t have to prick your fingers anymore. Call now and Arriva Medical will send you one of these new meters for free. And, if you have Medicare, your testing supplies may also be covered. Arriva makes it simple. They bill Medicare directly. There are no upfront costs. And they deliver your supplies right to your door for free. With these new meters, there’s no coding, you don’t have to prick your fingers, and some of these meters even talk. Your blood glucose reading is 122. Call 1-800-284-4105. We will send you a free Betty Crocker Diabetes Cookbook filled with delicious recipes. Call Arriva today. You’ll be glad you did. Well, Dr. Charles Stanley has long been one of America's best loved preachers. Recently he talked with former 700 Club co-host Lisa Ryan about a subject very close to his heart. Take a look. Welcome to our conversation with Dr. Charles Stanley. Best-selling author, pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta and founder of In Touch ministries. And Dr. Stanley, we're talking today about your latest book, Turning the Tide. When you think of a tide, you can think about that beautiful ebb and flow washing up, cleaning the beach or you can think of that tsunami bringing devastation. How would you characterize the tide in our nation at this time? At present, I would say it's like a tsunami. It's coming. And with it came devastation and death, destruction of all types. Unless there is a change in the direction of this nation, we will experience a political, a social, and a religious tsunami in America. In Turning the Tide, you say that we are really in a Tide of disobedience. How are we as a nation being disobedient? Well, all you have to do is look around and see people's attitude for example, about God, about the Bible, about church. If you look down through history of nations that have rebelled against God, they've chosen their own way, who’ve ignored God, who’ve got all kinds of idolatry, and immorality. What happened in the Old Testament when God's people were disobedient to Him? He judged them. He does not ignore rebellion. He does not ignore absolute defiance of the laws and principles of God. It's not a matter of somebody's opinion. It is a matter of truth in history; this is what happens when a nation turns up its nose to Almighty God. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Americans right now? The greatest challenge is this. We need strong godly leadership, courageous leadership, leadership that has a very clear vision of where this nation needs to go and how to get it there, men of integrity, men who are willing to do whatever is necessary to make America the great nation it has been in the past. It's the greatest need that we have, people who are willing to sacrifice their own pleasures and their own desires and their own political future. Whatever it takes to get us back where we ought to go, that's the greatest need we have. America used to be considered a Christian nation, and that's not really the case anymore. How do we get a secular nation to agree on godly principles? Well, that's a big question. How do we? Not until people begin to recognize that God is the creator, that He is the source of all that we have, and that God has blessed this nation. And we cannot place the credit anywhere other than through Him. And until people begin to recognize that, willing to lay aside their own sinful, wicked, vile immorality and once again acknowledge the fact that we need God to guide our nation, it will not turn around, until there is a recognition, a fresh new recognition of who God is through His son, Jesus Christ. You share a story in the book about a friend of yours in the business world who prayed some pretty bold prayers. And that prayer is, “Change them or remove them, Lord.” Can we be that bold? Not “can we,” but we must. And when I think about leaders, I don't mind admitting, have I prayed for leaders to be removed? Absolutely. When somebody in a place of leadership is violating the Word of God, attacking the Church of God, leading the nation away from God, involving themselves in the immoral laws about which God speaks of, I have a position, and I have a privilege, and I have a responsibility to pray for God to remove them and replace them with godly leadership. We need to pray for God to give us godly leaders who are the best for our country. And if they're not, by their lifestyle and the laws that they pass and the things they promote, God remove them for the good of the nation. Is there hope for America? If we keep denying the word of God, keep rejecting the things that Scripture, if we keep doing things the way we want to do them, and insist on our immoral lifestyle, no. But otherwise, if the people of God, if we begin to live godly lives and fast, and pray, and cry out to God to change those in places of leadership, and you change the life in the position and the direction of this nation, yes we can. Will it happen? Only God knows that. Well, Dr. Stanley, I really think that this is one of your best books to date and certainly timely. Turning the Tide. As always, it's a pleasure. Thank you very much, Lisa. Well, Dr. Stanley's book is called Turning the Tide. And guess what, it's available wherever books are sold. Here you have it. So you can check that out. All right Gordon. Everyone likes a good love story, and we've got one for you right now from Nigeria. Losol was a young man who dared to love a shy girl named “Nana” who never dreamed she could capture any man's heart. Here's why. Today, Nana loves to smile, but for most of her life she hid from people, because she was born with a cleft lip. Growing up, I didn't really have any friends. Other children ran away from me. I wanted to kill myself. As she got older other girls her age found boyfriends and eventually married. No one ever looked Nana’s way except one young man, Losol, who became the object of his friend’s cruel jokes. My friends teased me, because she had a cleft lip. They asked why I was after her, and I told them I was in love with her. I was really in love with her. I thought she was pretty. Nana dreamed about having surgery to fix her cleft lip. Then she met someone with Operation Blessing. I was told my lip could be repaired. I was overjoyed at the news. I could not afford the surgery, but they said not to worry. I waited, prayed and even fasted. Operation Blessing paid for Nana’s surgery. Soon she was the talk of the village, especially among the young men. When I first saw her, I was surprised to see that her lips had been repaired. I asked for her hand in marriage. I was so full of joy when he asked me to marry him. I never thought anyone would ask my hand in marriage because of the way I looked. After my husband proposed, three other suitors came, but I told them it was too late. I was already engaged to a man who loved me. Operation Blessing recently gave them a few gifts for their first baby which is on the way. Operation Blessing also helped the young couple open a small shop, so they can bring in extra money for their family. I'm very grateful to CBN for everything they've done for me. I pray God will help them continue the work they are doing. Thank you. If you're a member of the 700 Club, you're part of that love story. If you're not a member and want to join with us and join with everything we do around the world, a portion of every gift to the 700 Club goes into the work of Operation Blessing to help people around the world. Another portion goes into CBN World Reach to preach the Gospel around the world. We have 15 production centers where we train Christians in how to preach the Gospel on television in their own language, in their own culture, and tell stories of what Jesus is doing today in Nigeria, in South Africa, in India, Philippines, Indonesia, around the world in these 15 centers. And you can be a part of all of it when you join the 700 Club. How much is it? Well, it's just $20 a month, only 65 cents a day and you join with tens of thousands of people that want to make a difference in the world today. If that's you, you want to make a difference, call us right now, 1-800-759-0700. When you call, we've got something special for you, Life beyond the Grave. This is a special DVD, we put together of true testimonies of people that have died. Some went to Heaven, some went to Hell, and they came back to life, and they're telling their stories. If you want that, just join the 700 Club. When You Join the 700 Club Gold, we've got something even more for you. We’ll send you, Life beyond the Grave, the DVD, and then we’ll send you three more, two more, where you get to share with friends and family. And then if you join at the Thousand Club level, which is $84 a month, we’ll send you five of them. So you can share them with your neighbors and let people know there are consequences. There is life after death. And there are destinations involved and choices in life that have eternal consequences. So if you want it, call us, 1-800-759-0700. Kristi. Excellent, and very good story. When we come back, we're going to be praying for you and your needs, so don't go away. Is there life after death? And I began to rise out of my body up into that room. Are Heaven and Hell real places? I can see fields, crystal clear river, trees along both sides. What determines where I go when I die? I knew that the first person I saw was Jesus. Discover the answers to life’s most important questions in The 700 Club’s Life Beyond the Grave, real stories from The 700 Club. Available now. When you look in the mirror, can you imagine erasing years of aging? That's what I used to look like. Lifestyle Lift takes only about an hour. See the difference immediately. I'm Linda. I'm 70 years old. Can you believe it? Call now for a free information kit. It's quick, affordable and takes only about an hour. Lifestyle Lift, a breakthrough medical procedure that helps remove wrinkles, frown lines and sagging skin. Call now for a free information kit. Consultations are free. Call Lifestyle Lift today. Well, when Dave Stormont headed to the drugstore, he expected to return home with his wife's prescription right away, but he never made it. Instead Dave wound up near death in the hospital. I opened the door and stepped out and forgot to take the car out of reverse. And as soon as my right foot came off the brake, the car immediately started rolling backwards. For Dave Stormont, a quick trip to the drug store nearly turned deadly. He had just picked up a prescription for his wife, Ruthanne, who had pneumonia. He was about to return home when he remembered to get something out of his trunk, but he never took the car out of gear. The driver’s door hit me and knocked me down. I lost my balance and fell down. And my right leg went underneath the car, and the car’s rolling backwards with the tire right between my legs, so I was trapped. The car continued to roll, and it rolled right across my pelvis. It went up and across my shoulder, and rolled off. I got a call a little bit later from Urgent Care, and they had x-rays of my pneumonia, so I thought, “Well, they’re just calling.” Instead Urgent Care was calling her about Dave. “Your husband’s just been run over by his own car.” I just walked back and forth in this living room and cried, “God, help! God, help! God, help!” The Stormonts’ daughter, Dawn, and a family friend, Francis, say God spoke to them that morning. The Holy Spirit woke me up. I just knew something wasn’t right. I had no idea what. And what I know to do, when that happens, is to just start praying in the Spirit. And I just felt an urgency to go contact my husband and say, “We need to pray.” We finished and then the phone rang. It was Ruthanne on the phone and she said that Dave was in the hospital. Dave was transferred to a trauma center, where doctors didn’t know if he would live or die. My daughter, when I talked to her said, “Mom, I refuse to fear.” It just is amazing, but the Lord just took over. And I just felt His presence and His peace. Dave suffered three broken ribs and lacerations on his liver and lung. Ruthann was amazed when she saw her husband. He was sitting up and you could see those tire marks. Just all the little blood vessels had ruptured all the way, all the way up. The family says they know God protected Dave from certain death. Ruthanne remembers what the doctor told her about her injured husband. He said, “This is a miracle.” He said, “I have seen 18-year-olds that didn’t fare as well as your husband.” And he said, “He’s 70.” And he said, “It’s my gut feeling he’s going to be fine.” Dave only spent four days in the hospital and was back at work in two weeks. God is greater than that car. He was right there with my father. That’s why He has us pray. There’s power in prayer. There are forces that would like to destroy us, but God says He would fulfill the number of my days. And so it means my days are not up and God has preserved me for a purpose. Wow! You know what strikes me about that story is not just the miracle working power of Jesus Christ, but the miracle-working power of united prayer, that when a group of people come together with the urgency of the Lord, and they come together and pray, really how things can be ushered into the Spirit, and that just rocks me. So, in a couple of minutes I know Gordon and I are going to start praying together with unity. We’re going to rock you. All right, here, we're going to rock you right here from Tustin, California, Teresa. She had arthritis in her hands. Last spring, the pain grew worse; and unless she held it with both hands, she would end up dropping it. It hurt to drive, to type, or to write. One day she was watching The 700 Club, Kristi you had a word of knowledge about someone with arthritis in the hand, and you said the Holy Spirit is healing that right now. Well, Teresa received her healing. She's now able to use her hands to do anything, anything, without pain.” That's a miracle. Miracles can happen to you. Don't think it's for some other person. God loves you. And when you start understanding that, the depth of it, that He cares about you. That He numbers the very hairs on your head. When you get to that knowledge, then faith gets really easy. All you have to do is look to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. When you look to Him, you get all the faith you need. Now, the Bible says, two or more agree touching anything, it shall be done. So in an act of faith lay your hand on that area of the body that needs healing. Kristi and I will agree, you agree with us, and see what happens. Let's pray. “Lord, we lift the needs of the audience to you right now, and we just join together with them. As they are laying hands on that area of the body that needs healing, we just come into agreement with them. And we say, be healed and be made whole.” There's someone, you’ve had a blow to the right eye, above the eye, and it's very painful. You're laying your hand on it, and the pain just went away. The swelling is going down, and you've been healed, and you don't have to worry about it anymore, in Jesus’ name, be healed. Kristi. You know, it's so funny Gordon, I saw the same thing, and I don't know if it's the same person or a different condition, but also along your face there's dramatic bruising where there is a situation even with your skin. The Lord is healing that as well. Another person, with bleeding ulcers, the Lord is healing you right now. Someone watching, you heard the story about the arthritis, and you're saying, please say arthritis of the feet. God is healing that for you right now. He's taking away that pain and giving you new mobility and new ability to do the things that you long to do. In Jesus’ name be healed now and be restored. Someone else, with problems in your ligaments between your elbow and your shoulder, and God is healing all of them right now, and that irritation and that pain is leaving you now, in Jesus’ name. Be healed. There's another person, you've got conjunctivitis in your eye, and it's funny, because you're older and you've literally said, “I'm old, why did I get this?” Well, the Lord is healing that right now. Thank you, Jesus. Lord, we praise you, we thank you, for you are the healer. When we receive you, we receive healing. If you've been touched by God, we want to share in your good report. So call us, 1-800-759-0700 and just tell us what God’s done for you. If you need healing, we're here for you, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We leave you with these words from Matthew 9 . . . . “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Gospel and healing every sickness.” A humble Shepherd . . . . Who am I to lead your people out of Egypt? . . . . and an evil King . . . . Speak up, insect! . . . . battle over the future of a nation . . . . Tell your people I will never let them go! . . . . in the latest Superbook episode. “You must lead my people, Israel, out of Egypt.” Let my people go. Come explore with Chris . . . . Didn’t see that coming! . . . . Joy . . . . I’m not good in these kinds of situations. . . . . and Gizmo . . . . Maybe I should try my magic card shuffle. As they discover how God does amazing things through ordinary people. For your gift of $25 or more, you’ll receive Superbook’s newest DVD Let My People Go, the original Superbook Exodus episode and trading cards. Your gift will help create future Superbook episodes and bring God’s Word to the next generation. Cool! Alright! It’s super power for super kids.