The 700 Club - July 12, 2011

She lost her husband to drugs . . . . I just got a phone call one day that he had been killed. . . . . then nearly drank herself to death. The only way I could deal with it was to drink. How she sobered up. I lost everything I had. I had nothing. Plus, she is a two-time X games gold medalist and the fastest woman on a bike. She can rev an engine, she just can't hear it. We just kept practicing, and I was just really frustrated, and then I just felt like God was telling me, “Yes, you can do it.” Motocross star Ashley Fiolek, on today’s 700 Club. Well, welcome to The 700 Club. The director of the Houston National Cemetery is facing criticism for censoring religious activities. And several veterans’ groups have filed a lawsuit. They say their prayers at soldiers' funerals have been censored. The controversy led to a protest last week in Houston, and Dale Hurd has the story. A crowd of more than a thousand gathered at Houston’s National Cemetery to protest over what they say is an attack on religious freedom. Lack of religious freedom. Lack of religious expression is not religious freedom. I brought my Bible, because I think it’s important. I need to stand up for God. I need to stand up for Jesus Christ. The rally was organized after a lawsuit and several complaints were filed against Houston National Cemetery director Arlene O'Casio. A local pastor had to get a court restraining order against the cemetery after being told to remove Jesus from his prayer on Memorial Day weekend. Other veterans’ groups complained after they, too, were told to stop using God or Jesus during funerals. O’Casio says she was only trying to make prayers more inclusive of other religions. The way we’re inclusive is we allow everybody to pray in accordance with their own faith. Kelly Shackelford heads up the Liberty Institute, which is suing Veterans Affairs officials for religious discrimination. If a rabbi was getting up to pray, I wouldn't expect him to pray in Jesus' name, and to tell him he should, would be wrong. It is just as wrong to tell a Christian not to pray in Jesus' name. We want a new director. State and federal politicians are calling for O’Casio to step down or be fired. She needs to be terminated. And so that’s my opinion. I hope that the Veterans Administration terminates her and gets someone in here that actually believes in the First Amendment. Well, I just don’t think that when you’re in a position of public trust that she holds, that she represents the values of the people of this state and of this country. The Veterans Administration responded, saying, “At all VA National Cemeteries, families are free to choose and use the burial rights and rituals that are meaningful and sacred for them. During interments, the name of God or Jesus is not only allowed, it is freely spoken at VA National Cemeteries across the country.” Dale Hurd, CBN News. Well, this is the legacy, frankly, a whole series of Supreme Court decisions trying to ban prayer from public places, and then trying to regulate prayer, instead of allowing the free exercise thereof. We've seen it in our state capitals, where they're trying to moderate how you pray and whether or not you can pray and in the name of Jesus. Right here in the state of Virginia, I’ve heard the prayer has to be put in advance, and if you say “in Jesus' name,” you're going to have a problem with it. So this is just a legacy of these decisions, and I wish the Supreme Court would stop the nonsense, and Americans would get back to the basics, which you're free to pray. You're free to pray anywhere, and there is no restriction on you. And, of course, you can pray in Jesus' name. Wendy Griffith has the rest of our top stories from the CBN Newsroom. Wendy. Thanks, Gordon. The state of Illinois is ending its contracts for adoption and foster care with Catholic Charities. That’s because of the state’s new civil unions law. That law gives same-sex couples the right to adopt and provide foster care. But Catholic Charities does not work with gay couples for adoption or foster care. It says the law violates religious beliefs, so the state says it cannot work with the charities anymore. President Obama says he'll keep calling meetings on the government's borrowing limit until there is a deal. He and congressional leaders hold more emergency talks today, but as the August deadline approaches, they don't appear to be any closer to reaching that deal. Efrem Graham has more. The president gave congressional leaders a homework assignment when they left the White House Monday: come back today with a plan to increase deficit reduction from 1.7 trillion dollars to 2.4 trillion. I will not sign a 30-day or a 60-day or a 90-day extension. It is not going to get easier. It is going to get harder. So we might as well do it now. Pull off the Band-Aid, eat our peas. On one side, the president won't sign a short term deal to raise the debt ceiling, and on the other, Republicans won’t sign a deal that raises taxes. The president continues to insist on raising taxes, and they are just serious enough about fundamental entitlement reform to solve the problem for the near to intermediate future. It takes two to tango, and they're not there yet. And as the country waits for the two sides to meet, a potential default hangs in the balance. That’s why Moody’s credit agency threatened last month to downgrade the US credit rating. This is something that we're all going to feel. The financial markets would roll over. It is something we would all feel in our retirement accounts, our college savings accounts. But perhaps even worse is that the flow of credit could come to a screeching halt. It is just one more reason for American companies to feel skittish. A new US Chamber of Commerce survey says two-thirds of small businesses have no plans to hire in the coming year. The owners of this Ft. Lauderdale family business have taken down their help wanted sign as they wait in fear to see what the US government leaders will do. Everyone is scared. No one is going to make a move. We want to hire employees. We want to grow our business. We want to spend money doing advertising. So it’s just difficult. And debt ceiling debate isn't just a American problem. The world waits anxiously while Washington keeps talking. Efrem Graham, CBN News. Thanks, Efrem. Still another European nation is facing a financial crisis, this time Italy. Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain have already faced debt problems. That led to protests in Greece as the government tried to cut its budget. Italy may have a hard time paying back its huge debt. Some analysts worry the crisis could spread throughout Europe as the EU tries to bail out all of the countries facing debt problems. Well, the Church of England wants legal protection for Christians who wear crosses or share their faith at work. That’s according to the London Daily Mail. Church leaders met with ministers to talk about how employers often try to suppress expressions of faith at work. And British courts, they often side with the businesses. Dr. Phillip Giddings of the Church of England says under the current law, its okay for Christians to express their views, but says businesses don't always see it that way. He says, quote, “Some employers have interpreted the law in ways which seems to assume that reasonable and respectful expressions of faith are almost, by definition, offensive. This is a cause of great concern.” Well, the astronauts on board the space shuttle Atlantis got a wakeup call at 2:59 a.m. this morning. The call was the song “More” by Christian artist Matthew West. That's a good song to wake up to. Well, today is the last spacewalk of the shuttle. Two astronauts will go retrieve a broken ammonia pump outside the international space station. This 13-day flight is the last for the NASA shuttle program. Conservative commentator and former Fox News host Glenn Beck addressed members of Israel’s parliament Monday. Beck is making a strong push against anti-Semitism. And he is promoting an August event in Jerusalem called “Restoring Courage.” Chris Mitchell talked to him about his latest efforts. Beck warned Knesset members the Israel Palestinian conflict is nothing more than an attempt to destroy Israel and the west. He also told his audience to get ready for a new wave of worldwide criticism. Anti-Semitism is about to go through the roof. It always does when these conditions appear. It is always the Jews' fault. Always. It happens the same way every time. It’s happening in Europe, and the seeds are being planted everywhere. Afterwards, Beck talked with CBN News about his upcoming event in Jerusalem, called “Restoring Courage.” It is time to show the people of Israel that we mean what we say. When we say, “Never forget. Never again,” we mean it. The only way that doesn't happen again is if they have a right to defend themselves. The event will be held just below Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Beck says some of the inspiration for the event came from the book of Esther. I read Ester, where Mordecai says, “You don't have to go in. Don't worry, somebody else will do it, Esther, but it is your job. You're in that position for a reason.” And that's when I knew I had to come. This type of gathering is familiar territory for Beck, following last year's “Restoring Honor” rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Many are asking, now that he is no longer on Fox News, what is the future for Glenn Beck? On his radio show, Beck announced late Monday he’s relocating. So we are moving to Dallas, and we're going to build a film and television center and radio center in Dallas. The move is part of Beck's new Internet venture called GBTV. It comes at the same time as Beck’s call to stand with Israel. If Israel falls, it is the keystone. So the political reason is, if it falls, the west falls. It will ignite, and the world will, I really, truly believe, fall in profound darkness. My main message to Israel is you are not alone. It is time to tell the Israeli people we mean it. We mean it. And we have God on our side. We can stand together as we're commanded and to bless, not curse, Israel. Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Jerusalem. Gordon, he is taking that mandate to bless Israel seriously. Yes, he is. And we join with him in that. And I’ve been supporters of Israel for decades, and would encourage all viewers to support Israel. Keep in mind it is the only independent democracy in the Middle East. We're seeing waves of other democracies seemingly try to rise up. I pray for the success of that. But the Bible does say in the last days all nations are going to gather against Israel. Will Israel fall? No. God won't let it. And there will be a great and glorious day to look forward to. Terry. Well, up next, one minute it was a sunny day in northern Virginia. The next minute, it was anything but. I start hearing this really strange sound. And it sounded like helicopter blades. I went outside, and the first thing I see is a tree flying over my head. So at that point, I knew something was horribly wrong. See what happened to this couple, and how it changed their lives and their careers, after this. Coming up later . . . . Cursing was my best friend. A merchant marine with a monkey on her back. I just didn't know how to change. How she kicked the habit, coming up. It’s like it never happened. Look, like I to read and all but who has the time? It was killing me that I didn’t have time to read the new book everyone was talking about. So, about a year ago a friend told me about audible.com. At first I was like, “Are you kidding me?” My grandmother listens to books. I just couldn’t see myself doing it. Then I found out I could download books to my iPod and listen at the gym. I tried listening to business books on my morning commute. I loved that Elizabeth Gilbert reads, “Eat, Pray, Love. It was great to finally be ahead of the curve. Now I go through 3 books a month just at the gym or while I’m doing errands. Now I’m the one recommending audible.com. With audible.com you can enjoy the books you want in the time you have available. Choose from over 85,000 titles, many read by the authors themselves. Now you can try audible.com free. Download any book and listen on your iPod, Kindle, or over 500 other devices. Just go to audible.com/tvoffer for your free audiobook. Go right now and you’ll get a second audio book free. Download two free audiobooks now at audible.com/tvoffer. Tomorrow . . . . . . . . he's a two-term senator, but don't call him a Washington insider. Tea party favorite Jim DeMint talks about his freedom agenda and America’s new great awakening. Plus . . . . . . . . an art teacher by day and a champion cage fighter by night. Meet MMA star Ron Waterman and hear what knocked him out of the ring. Tomorrow on The 700 Club. So far this year, we’ve seen deadly twisters throughout the Midwest and parts of the southeast. Now the National Hurricane Center predicts we could see up to six major hurricanes this season. As Efrem Graham reports, extreme weather has some people seeking shelter underground. Storm chasers captured these amazing images of twisters, whipping through Iowa back in 2004. The same year Steve and Cindy Willis recorded a storm many states away from tornado alley. It was very scary. Yes, it was. At her mom's house in northern Virginia. My daughter called and says, “Mom, I just want to let you know that Caroline County is under a tornado watch,” and we totally blew her off. We're like, “Ah, whatever.” Just after all of the hurricanes had had come through, and it was a sunny day, but there were clouds. So my mom and I are sitting on the back porch, and I started hearing this really strange sound, and it sounded like helicopter blades. My wife went outside and started looking around. My father comes out at that point, and he also hears the noise. So he walks to the end of the driveway, so he can see around that last pine tree and starts screaming, "It's a tornado. Get underneath the house!" They’re yelling for me. I went outside and the first thing I see is a tree flying over my head. So at that point I knew something was horribly wrong. The next you know, we were under the house. Steve has finally joined us and is holding the crawl space door so he could see out, and the tornado was coming up the driveway. It was snapping trees coming down the driveway and just shooting them down the driveway like missiles. This is what they saw when they came out moments later. Oh, her car got wasted, man. The National Weather Service investigators told Steve and Cindy that not one, but two twisters flattened the garage, flipped a trailer, and shook up their lives. What happened after that experience is every spring and summer when tornado season would roll around, we would just feel anxious. What if we had to relive a tornadic event again? After three years of living in fear of how their family would survive another severe storm, Steve and Cindy installed this underground storm shelter. It is 10 feet by 6 feet and can hold up to 12 people. We have a weather radio. So if the weather radio goes off and it’s a warning, which we take serious now, we will immediately go to our shelter. And it is such peace of mind. That feeling of security inspired the Willis’s to go into the business of safety. Steve, a licensed contractor and Cindy working in finance now market, sell, and install storm shelters. I guess the hope is, of course, you'll never need it, but you will. We've had ours in the ground for four years, and we’ve been in ours a number of times. Business is up. Like storm shelter companies in the Midwest, the Willis’ saw an increase after spring twisters in unexpected places like Gloucester County, Virginia. Really since Alabama, North Carolina, and Deltaville, specifically, I think we fielded over 1,000 calls in 30 to 40 days. Government plans for community storm shelters are also on the drawing board. About 50 are slated for southern Mississippi. Chilton County, Alabama, has five and is adding three. In Missouri, 25 schools are planning for shelters. And in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a school district is rebuilding a 150-person safe room. I will acknowledge that the shelters are not a small ticket purchase. The smallest underground fiberglass shelter in the Willis' shop cost about $7,000. You cannot put a price tag on safety, and it is worth every penny we spent. The shelter has given this husband and wife peace of mind. And it may have inspired the career goals of their 10-year-son, Derek. He has become quite fascinated with severe weather. His dream is to become a meteorologist and a storm chaser. He could soon be racing towards the storm just as mom and dad take shelter away from it. Efrem Graham, CBN New, Ruther Glen, Virginia. Well, Terry, growing up we both had storm cellars, is what we called them. That was sort of a tradition, especially in old farm houses and things; everybody went down. But I grew up in the north where we have basements. Everybody knows you go to the corner of the basement. But here, in the Virginia area, at least . . . . You can't build them. The water table is too high. If you've got one, it will flood. I think what has people concerned is just the odd areas that are not usually susceptible to this kind of weather pattern, and it is happening. So it makes things bit curious. Given the frequency of the tornadoes we have seen this year, and now the forecast for the frequency of hurricanes, you do start to wonder. The Bible talks about a time will come when men are perplexed and start saying “what's going on?” It looks like we're heading into that time this year. Well, coming up, a woman who lost her husband to drugs and then turned her life over to alcohol. I was left to raise our son by myself, and the only way I could deal with it was to drink, because it would really numb the pain. How this hard-core drinker kicked the habit in an instant. Remember the feeling you had when you drew a hot bath, sat down in the tub and let the warm water wash away the cares of the day? Well, for many people the luxury of taking a bath has become a thing of the past, as age and mobility issues have robbed them of one of life's simple pleasures. Let the Designed for Seniors Safe Step Walk-in Tub get you back in the water again safely and affordably and start to feel like your old self again without the risk or fear of injury. This American-made tub features a dual hydro massage therapy system, a less-than-four-inch step up, and a wider door for easier and safer entry. The Designed for Seniors Safe Step Walk-in Tub comes with a lifetime warranty, and it fits right into your existing standard tub space, so you can stay in the home you love. Call 1-888-774-4987 for a special helping hand rebates up to $750, and the first 30 callers get a free safety package. That's 1-888-774-4987. Rebates are limited. Call now. Watch your mail for the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes or go to pch.com and enter. This August 31st you could win $5000 every week for life. To listen to our top songs of the week, go to CBN Radio at CBN.com. Sharon is a single mom and started every morning with one thing in mind: she wanted a drink. Most nights she ended the day dead drunk. Sharon went on like this for years until something she saw on TV made her stone-cold sober. Sharon Pate-Belle worked for 20 years as a merchant marine in New Orleans. She had the mouth to prove it. Cursing was my best friend, and I had a lot of friends who cursed. That was the language we used. I learned how to intimidate people by my mouth. In 1998 her heroin addicted husband was found shot to death in the New Orleans housing projects. I just got a phone call one day that he had been killed. I just felt my whole world come down. I was just really devastated, and I was left to raise our son by myself; and the only way I could deal with it was to drink, because it would really numb the pain. Her drinking went on for years. Sharon became a full-fledged alcoholic. I went to the club right on in the worst part of town and just drank everyday till I would just be drunk. I’d wake up in the morning, even sometimes without eating, and that would be the first thing I would want is a drink. My body would need a drink. I didn’t want to be that way, but I just didn’t know how to change. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Sharon and her young son relocated to Baton Rouge where she rented a small house. I had a chance to sober up, and I would just come here and pray and hope that God would just help me; because remember, now, I lost everything I had. I had nothing. She started reading a Bible and watching The 700 Club everyday on TV. And this one particular day, there was this story about this man who had a drinking problem and how God had healed him. All I remember was, my hands were up. I was asking God to touch me and to heal me. I felt the presence of God come into the room, and I knew then that it was over. I felt the freedom. Before I was not drinking because I was scared, but I felt God when He entered my heart, and the desire just left. Sharon gave her life to Jesus and was instantly set free from her addiction to alcohol. She didn’t even realize it until a few weeks later. Somebody offered me a drink, and before I knew it I said, “Oh, I don’t drink.” And then when I said it, it came out so quickly I was like “Yea, that’s right, I don’t drink, and I don’t want to drink.” And I never think about drinking. I can walk down the store down the aisle and see liquor, and it doesn’t even cross my mind. It’s like it never happened, a complete total healing. Sharon went back to college and recently graduated with honors. Her son just graduated from High School, also with honors. Her life is brand new, and so is her mouth. My mouth is to bless. My mouth is to praise. My mouth is used for worship. I thank God for healing me. I thank God for delivering me. I thank God for cleaning up my life, but most of all just giving me back my mind. He said if I keep my mind on Him, he’ll keep me in perfect peace and that the peace I have today is not the kind of peace the world has. This is a peace in the midst of the storm. I still can trust God. I still can believe God, and today He’s turned my whole life around. Sharon encourages people who are addicted, like she was, to put their trust in God. It doesn’t matter if your husband is a junkie. It doesn’t matter if you’re an alcoholic. It doesn’t matter if even you’re struggling with drugs. God can deliver you in the midst of it. He can touch your heart; He can change your taste buds. Once you can get into the presence of God, it does things that no one else can do for you. You can have a different life. You can have a different life. That's the good news. You can have life. If you're involved in drugs or alcohol, you know it is not life. You know what it's like. Yeah, maybe it started innocently; maybe you just wanted to be cool. Maybe everybody else was doing it, so you decided to do it, too. Whatever the reason, you got into it and then you couldn't get out. And that's the problem with drugs and alcohol. You use drugs, and then they use you. You drink, and then it drinks you. And before long you're trapped. And you start wondering, “How did I get here?” And you get to the point where you don't even like yourself anymore. And you're wondering how can it end? Well, I've got really good news for you. What happened to Sharon can happen to you. All you have to do, all you have to do is ask Him. And ask for that presence to come to you. And that same promise is for you. It's the promise of Jesus where He says, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives." What does the world give? Temporary peace. You know, if you're using or drinking, you know it's temporary. It goes away. It lasts a couple of hours, maybe lasts a day; but the next day it's gone. With Jesus, it is not like the world gives. It is not like drugs or alcohol gives. He gives it and it never goes away. It stays with you. And it’s promise for you is, "I will never leave you. I will never forsake you." You can't get away from God's love. He'll chase you down. He'll come running for you. And Jesus said very clearly, "I came to seek and save the lost." Is that you? Do you understand that right now He is looking for you? And all He is waiting for you to do is to say yes. “Yes, Jesus, I want you. I want you to be with me. I want the life. I want the peace that you give.” Now, the world will try to convince you that you've got to get cleaned up first. No. The prodigal son did not get cleaned up first. He came home first and then he got cleaned up. All you have to do is say, “Jesus, I want to come home.” When you do that, you'll find He's been watching for you. And He's been waiting for you to ask Him. So today, let today be the day that you say, “Yeah.” And you start saying, “What if I can't quit?” Let Him take care of that. Understand He won't leave you. He won't forsake you. If you stumble, He is there, and He'll pick you right back up. All you have to do is keep trying, keep seeking, keep asking, keep knocking, and you'll always find that you'll never run away from His love. Now, if this is for you, if this is what you want, all you have to do is bow your head and pray a very simple prayer and let Jesus do it all. He's already done it. All you have to do is accept it. So if you're ready, bow your head pray the same prayer that Sharon prayed, and let Jesus do it all. Pray with me. “Jesus,” that's right, say it out loud, “Jesus, I want to know you. I want you in my life. So I open my heart and I ask that you come in. And, Jesus, just as Sharon felt your presence, I want to feel your presence now. I want to know your love. I want to know your peace. So, Jesus, right now give me your peace. Let me feel your love. And, Jesus, I ask you to forgive me, that you let me come home, that you let me be with you. And if you'll do this, I want to follow you all the days of my life. Hear my prayer, for I pray it in Jesus' name.” “Father, for those who just prayed, I ask for a baptism in your love. I ask that your love would just flow over them and immerse them and be all around them. Let them know that their prayer has been heard and answered today, for I ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.” The Bible says that if you'll believe in your heart and then confess with your mouth, you shall be saved. Well, what I want you to do is make a toll-free call; 1-800-759-0700, and there is somebody at the other end, and they'll pick up and say, “How can I pray for you?” And you say, “I just want to confess with my mouth, I asked Jesus into my heart. I want Him to be my savior.” We'll be glad to pray for you for anything. If you've got issues, if you've got grief, if you've got things that are really weighing on your soul, the Bible says if you'll confess your sins, Jesus will be faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You don't have to leave your name or any information. We're just here for you. We have another thing for you if you want it, it's free. It's a packet. It’s called "A New Day." In here is a CD teaching and “What do you do next? How do you live a Christian life? What does all this mean?” And also a booklet in here on Bible verses, important ones for new Christians. And we also encourage you to get a copy of the Bible. Do what Sharon did. She started reading it every day. Start with the Gospel of John. That’s the Gospel of love. We also encourage you to join a local church. Get into a fellowship with other believers. Get into a support group where people can be around you and help you. It is all part of being a Christian. Make that call, do it right now, 1-800-759-0700. We'll be back right after this. Still ahead . . . . . . . . she’s a two time X-Games gold medalist and the fastest woman on a bike. She can rev an engine. She just can’t hear it. Motocross star Ashley Fiolek. Insight into today’s events. News you don’t get anywhere else and inspiring stories of hope. Now you can share them with your friends. Go to CBN.com to “I saw it on The 700 Club,” for a fast, easy way to share your favorite videos. I finally got to the spot where there wasn't enough cocaine, and there wasn't enough alcohol. TV Welcome to The 700 Club. They started discussing between the two of them a need to pray for this guy. Call on the name of the Lord. Samme Palermo: “Come on God, give me the buzz.” I was joking around. I was daring God. They finished praying and Ben says, “The guy we were praying for didn't get the buzz he was praying for.” My heart stopped. He spoke to me that night, and He said, "When you're serious, scream out the name of Jesus, and He'll save you.” And I remembered what Ben said, and I screamed out “Jesus, Jesus help me. Save me.” The very second I did that—If you don't believe in miracles, then don't believe in me, because I am one . . . . . . . . and I felt the buzz. 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 to Washington for This CBN Newsbreak. An assassin has killed the Half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. A member of Karzai's security team reportedly shot him with an A-K 47 at his home in southern Afghanistan. The Afghan president confirmed the murder, saying his brother's death reflects the overall suffering of the country. Wali Karzai was the focus of much criticism, including charges that he ran drugs and worked for The CIA. He had been the target of several previous assassination attempts. NBC Universal has apologized to members of Congress for taking the words "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance recently during the US Open. Congressman Randy Forbes and Mike McIntyre, chairmen of the Prayer Caucus and more than 100 other members of Congress wrote to NBC expressing frustration. NBC responded saying that the decision to take the words out was made by a small group of people, that it was not an ideological decision by the company, and that it won't happen again. The employees involved were punished. Well you can always get the latest from CBN News by going to our website at CBNNews.com. Gordon and Terry will be back with more of The 700 Club right after this. If you’re one of the millions of Americans without dental insurance, ask yourself these three important questions. One, does your company not offer dental insurance? Two, are you self employed? Three, are you retired? If you answered yes to any of these, it’s important that you call Encore Dental today. Encore Dental is real insurance, and your acceptance is guaranteed. You’ll receive up to 100 percent coverage for preventative care and up to 50 percent on basic and major procedures. Encore Dental can help keep your teeth healthy which may prevent infections that lead to heart disease and stroke. And with the high cost of procedures, it makes sense to have great coverage. Choose your level of benefits. There are no claims to fill out and no waiting for reimbursement. So go ahead, review it for 30 days. Call 1-800-671-6148. Call now, and save an additional ten percent. Call now and save an additional ten percent. Tomorrow . . . . . . . . he’s a two-term Senator, but don’t call him a “Washington insider.” Tea Party favorite Jim DeMint talks about his Freedom Agenda and America’s new Great Awakening. * * * Plus . . . . . . . . an art teacher by day and a champion Cage Fighter by night. Meet MMA Star Ron Waterman and hear what knocked him out of the ring. Tomorrow, on The 700 Club. Ashley Fiolek has what many say are two strikes against her in the world of motocross. One is that she’s a woman. The other is even more surprising, but neither has stopped her from becoming a champion in a dangerous sport dominated by men. Recently Shawn Brown talked with Ashley about her remarkable courage. Nineteen-year-old Ashley Fiolek is one of the top female competitors of women’s motocross. As the first female rider for the Honda Factory Team, she became the youngest ever to win the WMA Pro National Championship in 2008 and 2009. She also won the gold in the X Games’ Women’s’ Moto X and became the first female to appear on the cover of Transworld Motocross Magazine. With all of her accomplishments, you would never guess that she’s bee profoundly deaf since birth. (Interviewing): Was there any time when you said, “Lord, why me?” or be angry because you are deaf? No, not even once. No. I know God made me this way. The rest of my family is hearing and I’m deaf. But I think it’s kind of cool, actually. I think it’s kind of awesome that I’m deaf. It’s just part of the plan. And I never even wanted to hear. I never even thought about it. It’s just who I am. Ashley started riding when she was 3 years old. She seemed fearless. But it wasn’t until she became a Christian a few years later that she understood where true courage comes from. Motocross is a dangerous sport, and I know God is with me all the time. I wouldn’t leave the race track if I didn’t feel that way in my heart. I always say a prayer before I ride, before I go out on the track, even when I’m practicing. I just feel more confident knowing that he’s there with me. For most, riding a motorcycle depends greatly on what you hear. Because Ashley is deaf, she couldn’t hear the gears shift, and had to depend on what she felt. My mom and dad just tried to give confidence to me. And we just kept practicing, and I was just really frustrated, I didn’t think I could get it. And then I just felt like God was telling me, yeah, you can do it. You can work through this. And my dad kind of worked with me; and I feel the engine now. That’s how I shift. So it’s not a problem for me that I’m deaf. Ashley says being deaf pales to just simply being a woman in motocross. (Interviewing): Earlier in your career did you feel like you had something to prove? Being a woman in this sport’s pretty hard, actually even worse than being deaf, because it’s a male dominated sport. So you know the boys are getting all the exposure. The girls aren’t getting paid. So I think I felt more that I was a woman, you know than that I was deaf; and I just wanted to help the other girls, too. I wanted to raise our sport to a different level. Now Ashley continues to turn heads with amazement. She’s also written a book entitled Kicking Up Dirt, a True Story of Determination, Deafness and Daring. And she says that when she’s on the track, it’s her platform to show off the source of her courage. I’m just very thankful that God has given me the skill and talent. Jesus and God, this is the reason why I’m here. This is the goals and things They’ve given me through motocross and me being deaf. He means everything to me. And I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t be doing what I do without Him. Ashley carries a great message for all of us, doesn’t she? She’s celebrating who God made her to be and doing it with gusto, an amazing young women. Her book is amazing, Kicking Up Dirt. It’s a great inspiring book. It’s available in bookstores around the country. Get a hold of it, you’ll enjoy it. What an amazing young woman! I tell you, you go, girl! I mean just, wow! To take on that kind of sport. That’s a tough sport, and to not be able to hear, not be able to hear somebody who’s getting ready to come up and overtake you. Behind you, yeah. Shifting gears based on feeling the engine, wow! When one of your senses isn’t there, I think everything else kind of rises to attention. It probably gives her a little bit of an edge on some of that. She can feel some things and be aware of some things that others aren’t. So Terry, what did you think about her saying, “Being a woman was worse than being deaf? Well, it depends on what you do I guess. I’ll stop there! While that plays, there was a little bit of something. Alright, we’ll stop there. The man your about to meet takes great pride in his work and he should. Today he creates beautiful mosaic artworks, but not long ago he lost his only source of income. Here’s what happened. Even though childhood polio left him disabled. Ahmed always worked hard to support his family. For most of his adult life, he earned a living as a watchmaker. But when people went digital, it wrecked his livelihood. Because repairing watches cost more than you buy a watch. So they just have to buy cheap watches. For four years Ahmed couldn’t find steady work. He borrowed money from family and friends and trying to pay it off with occasional watch repair jobs. I used to sit in the house thinking about the future of my family. So I decided to look for a job everywhere to support my family. Because my work is the only source of living for me. Then Ahmed heard about an outreach supported by Operation Blessing. Here at this workshop, people with disabilities make beautiful works of art with mosaic tiles. They gave me an opportunity. I started working here. It’s very, very good for me. I like this job. Operation Blessing helped start this program providing everything they needed to set up shop, from tables and chairs, to grinders and supplies. Now we’re helping them market some of their products. A church in Scotland commissioned one major piece, while a traditional portrait of Saint Nicholas is on it’s way to a church in Nazareth. When you see the people around you appreciate your work, you really, feel very, very good. The profits from their sales are shared by the men who do the work. I am very happy when I make something, and we sell it to outside or to the people, to see the product of your work. Because of the help of Operation Blessing, Ahmed can once again take care of his wife and children. Work opportunity is good. That was just one of the things Operation Blessing Israel does. If you want to help and give a designated gift for Operation Blessing Israel, all you have to do is write to us at Operation Blessing Israel, CBN Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23463. There’s also a place on the website where you can designate your gift to Operation Blessing Israel, or you can call us, 1-800-759-0700 and say, “I want to designate my gift there.” We also invite you to join the 700 Club, because when you do that, a portion of every gift goes into the work of Operation Blessing to help people around the world. And when you join the 700 Club, we want to send as our gift back to you, Life Beyond the Grave. It’s a wonderful DVD of testimonies, real people who’ve died. Some went to Heaven. Some went to Hell. And then they came back to life, and their stories will amaze you. You hear live testimony of a young child who went to Heaven and met his great grandfather who had died before he was even born, and then met his older sister who his mother had miscarried that he never knew about; and they talked to him in Heaven. He talked to Jesus, and he’s got a message for all of us. If you want that, join the 700 Club. How much is that? $20 dollars a month, just 65 cents a day. If you want to join at 700 Club Gold, that’s $40 dollars a month. We’ll not just send you the one DVD, we’ll send you two more that you can share with friends and family. And if you want to join at the 1000 Club level, we’ll send you five of them . . . . . . . . so you can share with your neighbors as well. At whatever level you want to join, do it now, call us, 1-800-759-0700. Terry. Well, up next a man experiences crippling pain in his hands and shoulder. I got to the point where I couldn’t even raise my hand even above my head. When I was doing dishes, I couldn’t even put them in the cabinet. The doctors did not know what to do; because everything they did didn’t do any good. Physical therapy, the medicines made him feel worse. See how this man gets relief in an instant after three years of ongoing pain. Here at CBN, we see amazing things happen when we stand together. That’s why we want to say thank you to the thousands of you . . . . . . . . who recently pledged to join the 700 Club. Your monthly gift makes it possible to bring crucial help to those who need it most. You help heal the sick, feed the hungry . . . . . . . . and preach the Gospel across America and throughout the world. You’ve brought health and hope to people in desperate need. And changed their lives forever. Young Tsun Tsun was beaten by his abusive father since he was a small boy. When their house was destroyed in an earthquake, Tsun Tsun left his home and built a mud hut to live in. That’s when you rescued Tsun Tsun building him a new house and providing him with warm meals and an education. You changed his life and gave him hope for the future. So please watch for this mailing and send in your pledge. This year millions will know . . . . The love and saving power of Jesus Christ. And that only happens, because you were there. Publishers Clearing House Rep: You’ve just won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes! [Recipients expressing excitement] Watch your mail for the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes or go to pch.com and enter. This August 31st you could win $5000 every week for life. Freezer burn steak, $20; dried out chicken, $15; moldy cheese, $5. Stop throwing cash in the trash. Save money with the Food Saver system. The number-one vacuum sealing system that keeps food fresh up to five times longer. Air can penetrate ordinary zipper bags. Food Saver bags keep air out, preventing freezer burn. With the food saver system, you can save up to $2700 a year. Save now with the kitchen appliance that pays for itself in just weeks. Available where ever small kitchen appliances are sold. Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or RSD is a chronic progressive disease that causes severe pain and swelling. Russell McDaniel first noticed it in his hands. Over the next three years, Russell was in constant pain until the day he was healed in an instant. I first started having problems with my hands. I couldn’t ball up and make a fist. And at night, my hands would burn. It would seem like they were almost on fire. Actually in my shoulder, the muscles had atrophied, and actually you could just see the bone. There was really no muscle on my back. It got to the point where I couldn’t even raise my hand even above my head. When I was doing dishes, I couldn’t even put them in the cabinet. I went to the doctor, and they said it was RSD; and they started sending me to physical therapy. It was just a horrible time for me at that time, mentally and physically. The doctors did not know what to do, because everything they did didn’t do any good. Physical therapy, the medicines made him feel worse. So we knew that this was an attack of the enemy, and we had to go to God in prayer. I got the scriptures, the healing scriptures, the promises, and I stood on those, because that’s all we had. And that was three, almost three years of constantly praying. And about this time I started watching The 700 Club. And each time they started praying for people, I would put my hands on the television. There was a word of knowledge that came forth about someone’s shoulders and arms. There’s someone else with nerve pain, and it’s like a numbness, both pain and numbness and a loss of use and feeling in the right arm. God is healing you. He is restoring those pathways right now, in Jesus’ name. And then as soon as I heard that, I received it. It was mine. I didn’t feel anything in my body. All I knew is when they said, “Do whatever you couldn’t do before,” I raised my hand. And that’s when I knew I was healed. Well, there was no pain left, so we knew it was God. He was the master surgeon. And He did it, and I am just so thankful. I just don’t have the words to say, to express how grateful and thankful we are. The muscle has grown back and strengthened my arms again. I can open doors. I have full use of my limbs again. That was a miracle. That was a miracle. I know it was a miracle. That was a miracle. And I don’t know what you’re struggling with today, but I know that God invites us to come to the throne room, to come into the place where He is and to tell Him what it is we need, what it is that’s hurting us, that’s diminishing us. Russell got up out of his chair before he ever had an answer to what his need was. And he moved over to the place of prayer which is happening on his TV, and he put his hand out. You know, it’s a way of saying to God, “I want what you have to give me.” God has something to give you today. We want to pray for you. Gordon, we’ve got some answers to prayer. Yes, here’s one. Here’s from James in Lake City, Florida. For 35 years he had recurring episodes of painful mouth sores. He had difficulty eating and speaking because of the pain, and he was told there’s no cure. One morning watching The 700 Club, Terry, you had a word of knowledge, “Your mouth is full of sores. God is healing that condition for you.” Well, James claimed the word. Instantly the sores disappeared. He’s been free ever since. That’s a miracle. It is. This is Gloria. Gloria lives in Augusta, Georgia. She lost her balance and fell, injured her left knee, thought she’s heal quickly, but that pain continued for a month. Then one day she’s lying in bed watching this program. She heard a testimony about a woman who was healed of intense knee pain. Excitedly, she began claiming this same healing for herself and then she heard you, Gordon, give a word of knowledge about someone laying hands on their knee. She felt a warmth come over her body. She said all the pain left. Today she is able to walk and she climbs stairs without a bit of pain. That can happen to you. Just claim the promise. Here’s the promise, “He forgives all your iniquities. He heals all your diseases.” Who is it that does this? The Messiah, the son of David. So be like blind Bartimaeus, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Get up. Run after Jesus. Throw off that garment and say, “I am following you.” And then Jesus turned and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, that I might have my sight.” Be specific with your prayer and be active with your faith. And when you do those things, you put them together and you’ve got Jesus. You’re looking to Him, the author and finisher of your faith. You look to Him, then you have all the ingredients you need. I believe when we do what people did in the Bible, we’ll get the same results. So do that. Look to Him. Call out to Him. Run after Him. And then, ask Him and then act it and see what will happen to you. Let’s pray. “Lord, as people are laying hands on the area of the body. As their beginning to move and do what they couldn’t do before, we just claim with them, their prayer for healing. And together we say out loud to it, “Be healed, now, in Jesus’ name and be every bit whole.’” There’s someone, you’re praying for your right eye socket. You’ve been in an accident, and it’s in your upper right cheek and God is healing that. He’s restoring the bones and the sinus cavity, and you’re being healed now, in Jesus’ name. Someone else with TMJ, your having difficulty even eating, because you can’t open your mouth. God is healing that, restoring the joint and the mandible. Your doctor says you don’t have one. You’ve got one now. Open your mouth and receive healing. God’s done a great miracle for you. Terry. Somebody else, tremendous pain in your gall bladder. God is healing that for you. It’s just not going to happen anymore. Foods you couldn’t eat, you’re going to be able to eat. Someone else, you have an inexplicable and undefined rash all over your body. I mean, you have been to the dermatologist. They can’t explain what it is. It’s some kind of allergy I believe. But it’s all over. It’s very uncomfortable. God is touching and healing that. It’s just simply going to fade away. Someone else with colon cancer. You’re facing radical surgery. Get checked again. God has taken the cancer from you now, in Jesus’ name. Amen. If you’ve been touched by God, we want to share in your good report. We always rejoice in what he’s doing in the world today. So call us, 1-800-759-0700. We’re also here to pray for you. We leave you with these words from Psalms . . . . . . . . “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy endures forever.” 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.