-

[music playing]

Former American Idol finalist Mandisa.

He set my feet on a rock, and he gave me a new song to sing.

GORDON ROBERTSON: The Christian music star

opens up about her struggle to be stronger.

I fell into the deepest depression of my life.

GORDON ROBERTSON: And how she finally came out of the dark.

I am a masterpiece in the making.

I'm just unfinished right now.

REPORTER: On today's "700 Club."

[music playing]

Well, welcome to the "700 Club."

More than 500,000 Americans are currently homeless.

One man saw the problem and came up with a solution--

build them tiny homes.

His idea has spread nationwide.

And while many of the homeless are now

thankful to have a place to call their own,

as Charlene Aaron reports, not all communities

are happy about it.

CHARLENE AARON: The homeless population

in Los Angeles County recently soared

23% over just the last year.

4,000 homeless just blocks from City Hall.

Unfortunately, that is just a small percentage of the city's

homeless population.

CHARLENE AARON: According to the "LA Times,"

the startling jump has touched every significant group,

including youth, families, veterans,

and the chronically homeless.

In 2015, Elvis Summers, once homeless himself,

started tackling the problem one tiny house at a time.

It all started after he became friends

with a woman named Irene McGee, better known as Smokey.

It was really hard.

People talk crazy to you.

Kids is mean to you, talk about you.

Look at that old woman pushing a basket.

CHARLENE AARON: She had been homeless for 10 years following

the loss of her husband.

One day I was just like, Smokey, I

know you said you lived down the street, but where exactly?

And I made her walk me down there and show me,

and it was one of the houses down the street.

It was a strip, a dirt next to the house and a broken chair.

And she was like, I sleep over there.

And I'm like, well, where over there.

And she says, right by that chair.

And I'm just-- it just got to me.

CHARLENE AARON: That moved Summers to build Smokey a place

she could call home--

a tiny home.

I just asked her--

I said, how would you feel if I built you a little, mini house?

I love her response.

She said when's it going to be ready.

I went to Home Depot and bought $500 worth of wood,

and threw it on the ground and went, OK.

Let's build a little, teeny house.

CHARLENE AARON: It took five days to build a 3.5-by-8-foot

house.

Video of his helpful construction went viral.

Since then, Summers has raised more than $100,000

to build more of these houses for people in his community.

Each of these homes has an actual address listed on them,

giving those who live here a sense of ownership

and security.

That's what people want--

a place to just rest their head.

So I put an address on there to mentally help that lift.

CHARLENE AARON: CBN News was there

when Summers presented this homeless man with a place

to call his own.

This house right here is yours.

Why don't you come and take a look?

I even put some Marine flags in it for you

since you're a Marine.

And if someone opens the window--

[alarm sounds]

Sorry.

Oh, no.

I love it.

CHARLENE AARON: Some local governments around the country

are also using this method to help their homeless,

from Chicago to Portland, Oregon,

where the idea has grown to tiny house villages.

But now back in LA, officials see the small houses

as nuisances, with some saying they pose health and safety

risks.

These wooden shacks are not the real estate

I'm looking for in my district, said Councilman Joe Buscaino.

Councilman Curren Price said, I'm

getting complaints from constituents

who have to walk in the streets to avoid them.

Earlier this year, the city council

moved to seize the homes without prior notice.

Summers captured this video as three houses were confiscated.

He managed to move eight of them to Faith Community Church.

But the people who lived in them were once again on the street.

It was like it's like watching Linus in peanuts

drag the blanket away.

It was heartbreaking.

It was one of the worst days.

CHARLENE AARON: Tim Chambers pastors Faith Community.

It hurts my heart how the city has

been taking the homes from the homeless

and wanting to destroy them if they didn't have somewhere

else to put them.

Elvis is, and I am too, trying to see

if we can get some properties somewhere

to be able to set these homes up and set up

a homeless encampment to be able to allow them to have a place.

CHARLENE AARON: After months of backlash and media attention,

the city is developing a process to work

with nonprofit groups, including Summers,

to help those living on the streets.

Meanwhile, Smokey recently passed away.

She was a wonderful human being.

She was my friend.

CHARLENE AARON: Her memory, says Summers,

motivates him to help others.

I can't just go and change the whole world.

But I can do my best to change the world around me.

And that's what I'm trying to do.

And I hope that in the process, it

inspires other people to just take a second and be better.

CHARLENE AARON: Charlene Aaron, CBN News, Compton, California.

I love that sentiment.

I can't change the whole world, but can I do something

with the world around me?

Can I make a difference there?

Can I be a better human?

I hope governments wake up to this,

that it actually makes economic sense

to take care of the homeless.

You reduce the cost of emergency care.

You reduce the cost of social services.

It's good for the community.

It's good for people, and it's good economic policy.

We'll be back with more of the "700 Club" after this.

[music playing]

Discover the story of the first Christmas

from an entirely new perspective.

Tyler Perry, Tracey Morgan, and Oprah Winfrey.

Are you OK?

How many hooves am I holding up?

"The Star: the Story of the First Christmas."

Rated PG.

In the Mind of Charles Dickens--

Get the name right, and the character will appear.

His characters almost seemed real.

Scrooge.

The true origin story of "A Christmas Carol."

I'm the author here.

Allegedly.

"The Man Who Invented Christmas," rated PG.

I was teaching Zumba, and my skin was itching

and I thought it was a rash.

I found out I had advanced stage breast cancer.

I'm going to have to quit teaching my Zumba class.

I'm going to have to quit everything.

I wanted to fight.

I'm determined.

Cancer Treatment centers of America,

they'll take care of me.

The spiritual support was there.

I had all of these people praying for me.

CTCA is about innovation.

It's at the heart of everything we do.

And our model is different.

We believe in an integrative approach.

My naturopath and my nutritionist balanced my diet,

balanced my supplements to help with the side effects

during or after chemo.

If you or someone you love is fighting cancer,

go to cancercenter.com/faith.

As a family, we have realized just how precious life is.

I have just made the best decision I've ever made.

Call or go to cancercenter.com/faith.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America--

care that never quits.

Appointments available now.

Want to be a part of a community that

inspires your spiritual growth while winning prizes?

The all new MyCBN app.

Connect with the community for prayer and encouragement.

Track and set spiritual goals.

Enjoy conversation starters with friends and family and collect

points to win prizes.

The all new MyCBN app--

a great place to belong.

Download the app at cbn.com/mobile.

Grow, connect, have fun--

the all new MyCBN app.

Well, after years of scandal, attendance in Catholic churches

is down.

However, one new strategy of revitalization is working.

And as Caitlin Burke reports, it's

something any church could use for

a 21st-century transformation.

CAITLIN BURKE: The Catholic church

is known for its sacred traditions.

Those traditions, however, can make the church

seem resistant to change.

One Philadelphia parish challenged that perception

when it moved to transform, along with the neighborhood

it serves.

In the '60s, this neighborhood was half Jewish,

half Irish or Italian Catholic.

Over the course of eight years, those families moved out,

and now it's entirely African-American.

The synagogues left.

But churches like St. Rayman's Catholic Church

stuck around to welcome their new neighbors.

I think one of the things that we seek to do,

and as a pastor I seek to do, is to let

folks who do not have a church home know

that we're a viable option.

That may seem like typical neighborhood outreach.

But culturally and historically, the Catholic Church

doesn't offer much to African-Americans.

Father Chris Walsh wanted to change that.

I like to tell people that St. Remains is both authentically

Catholic, but then also authentically a black church

experience.

So it takes the best of both worlds-- the history,

the liturgy, the teachings of the Catholic church--

and gives it very much a black church feel as far as music,

as far as preaching style, as far as worship experience.

Walsh found it wasn't theology that needed to change.

It was a congregation meeting to convince their neighbors

that St. Rayman's met their needs.

When the church arrived in Rome,

it had to adapt some things.

Paul understood that the folks in Karns

were not the same as the folks in Galatia.

And so his message, at times, was

preached in a different way.

It was always the message of Christ, the message of Christ

crucified.

But he found a way to make it appealing

to that local community.

Author Chris Lowney uses Father Walsh and St. Rayman's

as a prime example of how the Catholic Church needs

to change.

In his book "Everyone Leads" How to Revitalize the Catholic

Church," Lowney writes that to thrive in today's world,

we don't have to drink some 21st-century cocktail.

What we have to learn to do is just to drink more deeply from

our own first-century well.

CAITLIN BURKE: Lowney writes that the church is facing

its worst crisis in 500 years.

This is a kind of a slow-motion crisis

for the Catholic church.

And of course, other Christian churches

are suffering some of these phenomena.

So in a way, I use that phrase and use those statistics

early in the book as a kind of a call to action.

CAITLIN BURKE: Lowney offers what

he calls an EASTER strategy.

That stands for Entrepreneurial, Accountable, Serve, Transform,

and Reach.

Looking at St. Rayman's as a model,

it first established leadership teams

to help manage operations, ministries, and projects.

Then they gathered information about what

people wanted from their walk with Christ

and how the church can meet those needs.

After analyzing that data, they made any changes necessary.

St. Rayman's serves the neighborhood

with a Catholic school, providing families a safe place

for their children to learn.

Philadelphia's public schools are

some of the most violent and lowest-performing

in the country.

Longtime parishioners felt St. Rayman's once

depended on church welfare.

Low attendance meant borrowing money to keep the doors open.

Now, thanks to the cultural transformation, complete

with music and decorations, people

travel from other parishes to help pack the pews each Sunday.

Pastor Walsh believes when it comes

to reaching millennials, encouraging their involvement

differs from past generations.

As a church, we have to realize that it's not

going to be on our terms.

They're not going to commit to teaching

Sunday school every Sunday morning at 11 o'clock.

However, they might come once a month.

And they might be really phenomenal

and really offer something.

They might not come to Wednesday night Bible studies,

but they might really be open to leading a faith sharing

group in their apartment with four friends.

CAITLIN BURKE: Lowney points out that even

the Pope is encouraging an attitude of innovation

within the Catholic Church.

The Pope took his own advice recently at the annual TED

conference by appearing onscreen as one of the speakers.

As he talked to tech company founders, artists,

and cultural leaders, he surprised his audience

by using modern tools of the digital age to reach them.

[speaking italian]

Lowney feels this strategy is universal

and can revitalize any church, no matter the belief

set or denomination.

For it to work, however, he stresses it can't just

be from the top down.

Even if it's the Pope, who calls for change,

it requires everyone to lead.

Caitlin Burke, CBN News, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

That's a wonderful story, wonderful advice

for every church.

Reach out to the parish, to the neighborhood around you.

Terry.

Well, coming up, Grammy-winning sensation

Mandisa tells us what rocked her faith and how an intervention

brought her out of the dark.

I'm battling with shame and the enemy

telling me how can you tell other people that they're

overcomers when you can't even overcome

the same issue that you've been dealing with your entire life.

Mandisa shares the rest of her story, and that's next.

[music playing]

Mandisa's powerful vocals and infectious spirit

have helped her sell more than 1 million records

and become one of the hottest names in Christian music.

And at a time when Mandisa's career was taking off,

a tragedy drove her into isolation.

And the singer behind hits such as "Stronger" and "Overcomer"

was losing a battle for her life.

Ever since her appearance on American Idol in 2006,

Mandisa has been captivating audiences

with her powerhouse voice.

[music - mandisa, "stronger"]

When the waves are taking you under, hold on just a little

bit longer.

He knows that this is going to make you stronger, stronger.

And as she launched into her singing career,

it was her smile and positive outlook on life

that captured their hearts.

I kind of feel like I'm known as the cheerleader.

You're stronger, and you're an overcomer,

and it's good morning.

It's hard.

Mandisa admits that her ever-uplifting personality was

simply her way of masking her own struggles.

I don't like talking about my emotions.

I just-- I don't know.

It's not the way that I was raised,

and it's not something that comes naturally for me.

But there would come a time she

couldn't fake it any longer.

You're an overcomer.

In 2013, Mandisa released her fourth album,

entitled "Overcomer."

The title track was dedicated to her friend Lucretia, who

chose to forego treatment for her breast cancer

in order to protect her unborn son.

Mandisa prayed, convinced that God

was going to perform a miracle.

But less than a year after giving birth to her son,

Lucretia passed away.

In my mind, I was saying to God ahead of time,

I know you're going to help Keisha

because this is what's going to give me the most glory.

If Keisha comes out of this, she can then use her testimony

to tell other people about the greatness of God

and how he heals.

And when it didn't happen that way, I didn't understand.

It shook my faith in a way that I

did not expect and really thought

that I would not battle with.

I thought my foundation was really firm.

But when that happened, I was angry at God.

Mandisa went into isolation, shutting out

her friends, family, and God.

I didn't go to church.

I didn't read my word.

I certainly didn't pray because I felt like he was not

hearing my prayers.

And the result was that I fell into the deepest

depression of my life.

I started turning to my old ways, which is food.

For years, I battled it.

And I'd actually found some success recently

when I lost over 120 pounds.

But I quickly gained every last pound

of that back and a whole lot more.

So then I'm battling with shame and the enemy

telling me how can you tell other people that they're

overcomers when you can't even overcome

the same issue that you've been dealing with your entire life.

Months later, her friends decided to intervene.

The one time that I left my house,

I was at a movie theater.

And I think I was watching a marathon of movies.

And when I came out, I saw that my car had

a bunch of sticky notes on it.

And as I got closer, I realized a lot of these sticky notes

were scriptures.

And Disa, we love you, and we're praying for you.

And then as I drew closer to my car, I saw about eight

of my friends started gathering around.

They found me at the movie theater.

And they said, listen.

This has been going on for too long.

We're not going to leave you like this.

Her friends convinced her to see a Christian counselor.

There she uncovered the roots of her depression and addiction

to food.

I've battled with a heaviness and a darkness.

I feel like my whole life--

I was molested at an early age.

I was raped at an early age.

And I think the divorce of my parents

probably had an impact on my worth

and in placing my worth in the wrong things.

And I have turned to food my entire life.

When you're heavy at a young age,

you deal with a lot of ridicule.

But then when you have sexual abuse on top of that,

it's just a vicious cycle.

And Mandisa soon realized that she couldn't

hide behind a smile any longer.

I'm realizing that the healthy thing to do

is to bring those disappointments

and anger to God.

God says that David was a man after his own heart,

and David committed adultery.

He had somebody murdered.

He made mistake after mistake.

But he brought those things to God.

And I think that's why he was a man after God's own heart.

And I want to be a woman after God's own heart.

Mandisa began taking her deepest pains to God.

And it was then she finally found freedom.

Now I feel like my verses, my theme verses,

are Psalm 40, verses 2 through 3,

that says he lifted me out of the pit,

out of the mud and mire.

He set my feet on a rock, and he gave me a new song to sing.

That's basically where I am today.

I was in the deepest pit of my life, but Jesus lifted me out.

And now I feel like I have a new purpose and a renewed

sense of worth.

It was that experience that inspired her latest album, "Out

of the Dark."

He started something good, and I'm gonna believe it.

He started something good, and he's gonna complete it.

So I celebrate the truth.

He's working in me came through.

I'm just unfinished.

I'm just unfinished.

Now when Mandisa wears that winning smile,

it's not to cover up the imperfections in her life,

but to show that no matter what happens, God is in control.

I don't just say I have overcome.

Because I still have to, on a daily basis,

make the choice not to go into my default,

but to really walk in faith and in confidence.

When I look in the mirror and I just

want to list off everything that I hate,

or when I feel like I've made another mistake,

the same mistakes that I make over and over again,

instead of beating myself up, I say, no.

God began a good work in me, and he will finish it on the day

that Christ Jesus returns.

I'm a masterpiece in the making.

I'm just unfinished right now.

He started something good in me,

and he's going to complete it.

Well, you just heard Mandisa talk about the inspiration

behind her album.

It is called "Out of the Dark."

It's available wherever music is sold.

What a wonderful message.

Well, still ahead, how the life of a single mom raising

four kids turned around her life in one day thanks to viewers

like you.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Coming up--

This is very unusual for Gilbert.

GORDON ROBERTSON: A motorcycle accident.

You need to go in and say your goodbye.

GORDON ROBERTSON: And a massive brain injury.

You need to take over.

GORDON ROBERTSON: One family clings to their last hope.

Pray, take a step forward.

Pray, take a step forward.

Need a pick-me-up?

Enjoy inspiring stories, daily devotionals,

and pray with others.

Download the MyCBN app at mycbn.com.

Hey!

You guys here for the show?

Totally.

Yes!

Everybody listen up.

Now

We're meant for something greater than this.

One donkey--

Belly rub.

Three camels, a dancing bird, and one rat--

Oh, I am not a rat.

I'm a pygmy gerbella.

Are teaming up.

We're finally doing something important.

To save the first Christmas.

Looks like it's up to me.

"The Star: the Story of the First Christmas."

Rated PG.

Dear CBN partners, it's Thanksgiving Day,

and I want to take a moment and thank you

for being there for me when I needed prayer.

I don't know how I would survive--

When my mother abandoned me, I was so afraid.

But you loved me and gave me a wonderful place to live.

How can I thank you for the gift of--

Water that you brought to my village?

The drought had killed all of our crops.

What a miracle that you dug a well for our people.

We had nothing after--

After the hurricane ripped through our town,

everything was gone.

But then you showed up with truckloads of food and water.

You made me feel like somebody cared.

Thank you so much.

This Thanksgiving, watch for the CBN mailer

and send in a special gift.

Because so many are waiting for the life-changing

help that you can provide.

Franklin Graham calls it a must see.

Don't you dare tell me about the love and the compassion

of your so-called god.

Mike Huckabee calls it a giant step forward

for the faith-based genre.

Do you believe that God hears?

God always answers prayers.

Jerry Falwell Jr. says "Let There Be Light"

offers forgiveness and hope when it's needed most.

Kevin Sorbo and Sean Hannity present the most anticipated

Christian movie of the year--

"Let There Be Light."

Rated PG 13.

May be inappropriate for children under 13.

Now playing.

Find a theater at lettherebelightmovie.com.

Experience a miracle this holiday season

with Superbook's newest episode, "Jesus Heals the Blind."

I can see.

Superbook "Jesus Heals the Blind,"

yours when you join the Superbook DVD club.

And if you act by December 31st, you'll

receive three copies of the "First Christmas"

as our way of saying thanks.

Plus, call now to receive the new Superbook

fun-filled activity book and three Gizmo window clings.

Jesus heals the blind.

In Peru, a young, single mom struggled to feed her family.

So in desperation, she said a prayer.

Lord, bend down and hear my cry.

Here's how her prayer was answered.

Miriam's teacher had asked her students

to bring some food items to class to help families in need.

When it came time for Miriam to contribute,

she slipped out of her chair.

I hid under the desk because I didn't bring anything.

She knew we didn't have food at home.

For the past two years, Sheila has been

raising four kids on her own.

Food became scarce after her husband left them.

Sometimes a small fish was all the protein

the family would have for an entire week.

Sometimes there's just no food, and we don't eat.

Shayla sold watermelon slices when

she could afford to buy them.

She never stopped looking for ways to feed her family

and pay the bills.

I pray all the time.

Lord, bend down and hear my cry.

I ask God not to forsake me when I need him the most.

Operation Blessing met Miriam at an anti-parasite campaign

at her school.

We then met Miriam's mom and offered to help.

Sheila was surprised when we showed her what we'd

set up in front of her home.

Within moments, women were stopping to buy.

It turns out that Sheila is the only one selling meat, fish,

and fresh vegetables in her entire neighborhood.

I thank God got my business is starting well,

and I am already thinking how I can make it grow.

You met the needs of my children.

We had one more surprise for the family--

a food basket, which we presented to Miriam.

Thank you, Operation Blessing, for helping me and my family.

It would be hard for a single mom with four children

to survive and do well here in the United States.

But go to another country where the economic situation

is completely different, and it's impossible.

This mom loves her children.

She's doing everything she can to provide for them.

But she needed a little help.

If you're a 700 Club member, you made that possible.

We want to say thank you.

You not only gave them help, hope, food for their bellies,

but also the kind of opportunity that

allows them to have dignity and to move forward in their lives.

To be a 700 Club member, it's just $0.65 a day, $20 a month.

We're asking you right now if you'll go to the phone

and do that.

Will you join with us?

We are out to touch lives with the love of God

in practical ways, but also with the knowledge of the fact

that God does do the work and loves them

and sends you and I to make a difference in their lives.

Be a part of that.

Our number is toll free, so easy to call--

1-800-700-7000.

By the way, when you call if, you use

something called Pledge express that's electronic

monthly giving.

It means your bank does all the work.

You don't have to have envelopes or stamps

or remember to do anything.

It's all done for you.

You can stop it whenever you want.

But it does save us some administrative costs

so we can put even more of your gift

into the lives of people like the little family you just saw.

You can make a difference.

You can touch the world.

1-800-700-7000.

Do it today.

Well, still ahead, his family survived the horrors of Iran,

but he wasn't expected to survive the hospital stay.

They said Gilbert, that's it.

There is no hope.

But those doctors didn't count on one thing.

See what they're calling miraculous when we come back.

Well, Gilbert has more pages in his medical records

than most novels.

In his medical record, the doctors

wrote no guarantees of a good outcome.

Gilbert needed a series of miracles to live.

And the first miracle--

making it to the hospital alive.

I waited, and I waited.

Several hours went by.

First I texted him, and then I start calling him.

No answers.

And this is very unusual for Gilbert.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Ani Hovsepian finally

did get a call that December evening in 2014.

Her husband, Gilbert, had been in a motorcycle accident

and was being flown to Huntington Hospital

in Pasadena, California.

Ani was given few details, so she prayed it wasn't serious.

At the hospital, the head doctor told her otherwise.

And I thought he would say, go in and visit him.

But he said, oh, you need to go in and say your goodbye.

I said, Lord, I surrender.

You need to take over.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Gilbert had veered off the road

and crashed headfirst into a mountainside.

Along with multiple broken bones,

he had massive brain trauma and wasn't expected to live.

But family and friends who gathered to pray

believed differently.

And I pray, Father God, that the physicians--

I was just praying, in my heart,

that Lord, you see everything.

And you know what's ahead.

So honestly, if I didn't have my faith,

I don't know what would I--

it would be impossible.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Over the course of the night,

the prognosis changed.

They, said, well it looks like he's surviving.

But he will be paralyzed from the neck down.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Two days later, Gilbert woke up,

and tests confirmed he wasn't paralyzed.

But it wasn't over.

He had to overcome a bout with memory loss

and still faced a multitude of surgeries and months

of physical therapy.

Even then, doctors expected he could be permanently disabled.

We kept pushing through and praying.

And then it was constant.

Pray, take a step forward, pray, take a step forward.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Gilbert was fully

aware of what was at stake.

But he still trusted God.

I knew that God is going to show up.

God is going to change things.

God is there with me.

GORDON ROBERTSON: That's because this

wasn't the first time God carried his family

through difficult trials.

While living in Iran, they were persecuted for their faith.

I was 17 years old when my dad was killed

and was martyred with 26 stabs of knife.

Was it easy?

No.

Was his grace enough?

Yes.

His grace was enough, even then.

GORDON ROBERTSON: After a year of surgeries

and physical therapy, only one thing

hadn't been fully restored.

The fingers on his right hand were locked closed

because of nerve damage.

Of all the possible outcomes, this troubled Gilbert the most.

He felt his purpose and passion was

leading others in worshipping God

through his talent as a pianist.

They said, Gilbert, that's it.

There is no hope.

And this is my situation.

This was-- I couldn't move my fingers.

And I couldn't even shake hands.

GORDON ROBERTSON: The physician in charge

of Gilbert's physical therapy Dr. Raffi Balian.

RAFFI BALIAN: He could not use his hands

to play, because that was his profession, as you know.

So that was a limitation that we thought

would be devastating for him, because that was

the end of a career, almost.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Still, Gilbert pressed on and managed

to get one finger to work.

GILBERT HOVSEPIAN: It was extremely hard,

but again, I knew that God is good.

I can't see God's goodness in this area right now,

but God is good.

GORDON ROBERTSON: While Gilbert came to terms

with his disability, he and his family

continued to fast and pray for complete healing.

GILBERT HOVSEPIAN: Almost seven months after the surgery,

I went to friends to share the gospel

and share my testimony, actually.

This couple came up to me.

They said, we are led by the Holy Spirit

to pray for your healing.

That couple-- they prayed over my hand, my fingers.

I received that word by faith, even though, again, I

had my doubts.

But praise the Lord, His grace is even

beyond and above our faith and understanding.

The next morning, I woke up, and when I woke up,

my fingers opened up.

He was-- I couldn't even believe that this is happening.

And when I came to Los Angeles, where I live,

I went to EMG test and nerve test,

and the doctor said, wow, interesting.

Your nerves are regenerating.

That was a total surprise, and it was unbelievable

when we first saw it.

I know it, and nothing can change my mind

or reassure me that it was anything other than a miracle.

[music playing]

RAFFI BALIAN: His faith, his determination

played a major role in his overall recovery.

"Exception" is probably the right word.

It's amazing also, and I think we can also

use the word, "miraculous," for this kind of recovery.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Gilbert is still

using his gift through his family ministry,

helping people in the Farsi-speaking world worship

God.

GILBERT HOVSEPIAN: I knew my purpose very clear.

My purpose in life is to know Him and to make Him known.

And through this accident, I got to know him much more,

praise the Lord

I don't know what it is about hard times, when accidents

happen, when disasters happen, when sickness happens to us.

But we get to know God better.

And Gilbert got to know Him, got to know Him as healer,

as Savior, as deliverer.

He got to know the attributes of God.

Now, how did that journey start?

I love the prayer of the wife--

Lord, I surrender.

I surrender to Your will.

So often, we come to God with prayers of complaint or prayers

that demand.

Somehow we're going to put God under an obligation,

or we're going to somehow bargain with Him.

And why are we bargaining with Him for what he's already done?

When were we healed?

2,000 years ago, it all happened on the cross.

By His stripes, we were healed.

He has borne away our infirmities.

He's taken it all on Himself.

Why?

Because He loves us.

And when you get that breakthrough, it's that love.

Now, for the final completion, Gilbert

had to travel to France, and there,

people that don't know him say, we are led by the Holy Spirit

to come and pray for you.

And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.

They were obedient to the words spoken to them,

and they prayed.

And I love Gilbert's honesty.

He said, I believed.

I had my doubts.

I believed.

I had my doubts.

You know, it's that wavering that we all do.

Keep this in mind, and James wrote it.

When we come to God, let's not doubt.

Let's not waver.

But let's believe that he who is promised is able.

That's the faith of Abraham.

He who has promised is able.

And beyond able, He is willing.

We don't have to convince Him.

He is willing.

And when we have that faith, god sees that,

and He always responds to that.

He will always respond to faith.

All you need is that little mustard seed.

It's not a lot of effort.

Just look to Jesus.

Look what he has already accomplished on the cross,

and believe it.

Now, we're going to pray for you,

and I believe faith is an action.

So in an act of faith, just as what happened around Gilbert,

people were laying hands on him.

They were praying over him.

They were believing.

They were interceding.

They didn't give up.

Lay your hand on that area of the body that needs healing.

And Terry and I are going to agree.

And here's your Bible verse.

When two or more agree touching anything,

it shall be done for them.

So we're going to agree.

You believe, you lay hands, and together,

let's see what God will do.

Pray with us.

Lord God Almighty, You are almighty.

You are able.

He who has promised is able, and You're ready,

and You're willing to heal all our diseases,

to forgive all our sins.

And so we bless You for that.

We come to Your throne with thanksgiving

for what you have already done.

And now, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who

hung on a cross for us, and by His stripes,

we are healed, as believers in Him.

We lay hands on that area of the body that needs healing.

We speak to it out loud.

Be healed, and be made whole in Jesus' name.

And now, we receive it, and we act on it.

And what we couldn't do before, we do now in the name of Jesus.

There's a man.

You're laying your hand on your left knee,

and you just got a miraculous healing into it.

You felt like a cold wash go through that like a torrent,

and God has just healed that knee completely.

Do what you couldn't do before.

Bend it.

Move it.

Whatever you couldn't do, you can do it now.

In Jesus' name, just receive it now.

Praise You Lord God.

Terry, what do you have?

There's someone else.

You've had an accident, and your spine

was injured in the accident.

It's your lower spine.

I believe it's on your right side,

but now it's gone down like into your sciatic nerve.

You'll know this is you, because you

get this strange kind of-- it feels almost

like a little electrical zap that goes up your leg

and into your spine.

God's healing that condition for you right now to stand up.

Begin to move around.

It is gone in Jesus' name.

There's someone named Marian, and I

don't know what you're crying out for,

but God does and is calling you by name.

Yes, your prayer has been heard and has been answered now.

There are many who are suffering with chronic fatigue

and just have no hope.

You don't want to go out anymore.

You don't want to do things anymore.

You're just constantly tired, and God's healing you.

He's able to restore your thyroid.

He's able to restore all of the hormones, all of the enzymes,

all of the things that you need.

He came that you might have life, and have

it more abundantly.

So I speak life to you now, energy in Jesus' name.

Be healed.

Be restored now.

TERRY MEEUWSEN: And someone else,

you have something going on with your ears.

Don't know what it is.

It's not just an ear infection, but it actually

goes up past your ears right along the sides of your face.

It's so uncomfortable.

God's healing that for you right now.

Just receive it.

GORDON ROBERTSON: There are people with nerve conditions,

irritated nerves, and it's causing phantom pains.

And God is just restoring you.

He's healing you.

There's some kind of Epstein-Barr syndrome.

God's just healing that now in Jesus' name.

TERRY MEEUWSEN: Someone else, you

have, for some reason, a little paralysis

on one side of your lip.

And I don't know if that's a Bell's palsy thing or whatever.

But you have, like--

it's hard for you to chew.

It's hard for you to keep saliva in your mouth.

God's healing that for you right now.

GORDON ROBERTSON: Lord, we just thank You,

for You're the healer.

You're the restorer.

Thank you, Jesus.

You are the renewer of our strength,

and we just receive it now, in Jesus' name.

Amen.

And Amen.

If you've had a miracle, we want to share your report.

So give us a call.

1-800-700-7000, and just say, I've been touched by God.

I want to report the good news that has happened to me.

And if you need prayer, we believe in prevailing prayer.

That story you just saw was all about prevailing prayer.

So don't give up.

Always pray, and we're here for you.

All you have to do is call us.

It's our honor, our privilege to pray for you.

1-800-700-7000.

Terry.

Well, up next, we've got email questions that you've sent in.

We're going to bring it on, so don't go away.

[music playing]

ASTRONAUT: Houston, I've moved up.

We want to take some time to answer

some of the email questions you all have sent in.

And this first one, Gordon, comes

from Christine, who says, "If God is all powerful and loves

us unconditionally, then why does he allow Satan to exist

and horrible things to happen to the ones He loves?

Evil now as we know it does not have to exist,

nor should we still have to pay for Eve eating the one apple

God told her not to eat.

God should have been forgiving them as well as now, right?"

Oh, boy, Christine, you've asked for a whole Bible

school in 30 seconds.

The problem of evil, from a philosophical standpoint,

the problem of evil has vexed philosophers for centuries.

Why does evil exist?

Why did it come into the world?

Why does God allow it?

Why was the serpent in the garden?

And these are all questions that I don't even

pretend to have an answer to.

I will tell you what the gospel says,

that you can talk all you want about original sin.

And it wasn't eating an apple.

It was eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge

of good and evil.

And in that understanding of good and evil,

we rise to judgment instantly.

We want to perceive things as either being good or evil,

and that wasn't God's intention.

Unfortunately, with the perception of evil comes,

also, the evil inclination that we are naturally now oriented,

and we have to overcome our own evil inclination.

And there are a variety of ways to do that,

and the best way is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The other ways are all based on your human will

and your strength, and understand

that God's plan of salvation was put in place before He ever

put Adam and Eve in the garden, that He

thought of you way back then.

Before He laid the foundation of the world,

He thought of good things for you to walk into.

So don't look at it in the standpoint of,

why isn't God forgiving?

He is.

He made a path of salvation, before Adam and Eve fell.

He made that way clear.

Now, what does it take to receive that?

It took Jesus dying on the cross for God

to be fully righteous and fully just.

There had to be a penalty for sin,

and Jesus took all that on himself

so that we wouldn't have to.

So this is good news, and as Christians, we look forward

to the day, where the devil is bound in chains,

and we're with God in Heaven, where His will is constantly

being done.

And we're with Him for all eternities.

That is the blessed hope of all Christians.

So I would encourage you.

Go read the Book of Job.

Spend a lot of time in that, and that's one of the wisdom books,

and it's what Christians need to cling to when

we're going through suffering.

Another thing to cling through is

the passion of Jesus, what he went through,

the price he paid so that you and I can

be with him for all eternity.

That is a good meditation when these thoughts come to you.

This is--

GORDON ROBERTSON: Wait, before we leave that one,

you got anything you want to add to that?

No.

OK.

You sure?

This is Kim.

I'm sure.

Mm-hm.

This is Kim, who said, "A while back, I told a friend

that I can't understand why so many of my prayers

aren't being answered, prayers concerning my health

and two of my sons losing their faith.

My friend told me, maybe I don't have enough faith myself.

How do I know if I have enough faith?"

GORDON ROBERTSON: Just look to see

if you have the mustard seed.

And sometimes we start to question our faith,

particularly when delays happen to our prayers.

And look to Abraham.

He's the father of the faith.

That is his title, and he waited decades for the promise.

And in all of that, the Bible says

that he was fully persuaded that he who had promised was able.

And he didn't consider the deadness of his own body.

He didn't consider that.

What he considered was the promise.

So just look to the promise.

How do you get faith?

You look to Jesus.

He is the author and the finisher of your faith.

Let him be your faith, and realize

that faith is a gift from him, and he gives it to you freely.

So hold on to the promises.

Don't look at the results.

Don't look at the delay.

Look at the promise.

OK, this is a viewer who says, "How exactly do you live

a successful Christian life?

I'm a 24-year-old young man.

I do have my own personal struggles,

and sometimes I feel like everything's

all over the place, and my sin stops me

from receiving God's best.

What are some practical ways to, quote,

'have my steps ordered by the Lord?'"

I would encourage you to understand

the word, "disciple," and it means,

you come under discipline.

The apostle Paul said he subjected his body.

He didn't allow his flesh to dominate

his spirit and his will.

The flesh will do that, and if you

give in to the desires of the flesh, then it just wants more.

It's sort of a never-ending cycle.

So learn the discipline of daily Bible reading, daily prayer.

Learn the discipline of fasting, and subject yourself

to these things, and see what will happen.

Your spirit needs to be in control.

We're leaving these words from Nehemiah.

"Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

[music playing]

MIKE FISHER: Well, first, I developed an earache.