- [Narrator] The followingprogram is sponsored by CBN.

Coming up, the one gift she wanted.

- [Elizabeth] I wanted so much to have

that big family Christmas.

- [Narrator] Was theone she couldn't have.

- What if something's really wrong?

- [Narrator] So how did sheget her greatest present?

- I can't believe it, I am pregnant.

- [Narrator] Right on Christmas morning.

- Happiest happiest minute of my life.

- [Narrator] The answeron today's 700 Club.

(dramatic music)

- Welcome to The 700 Club.

Here's some Sage advice.

Don't believe everythingyou see on the internet.

And that's a message

from two prominent Christianleaders speaking out

against the anti-vaccine messages

that are gaining traction online.

- Dr. Francis Collins andRussell Moore are calling on

all Americans, particularly Christians

to get their COVID-19vaccine as soon as possible.

CBN's medical reporter,Lorie Johnson has the story.

- How do I know that somethingbad isn't going to happen

to me or my family with the vaccine?

What would you say toreassure those people?

- Well, here's a greatopportunity for Christians to say,

let's really look at the truth.

- [Lorie] NIH director andnoted Christian author,

Dr. Francis Collins andSouthern Baptist Ethics

president Russell Moore, warnedChristians to think twice

before believing unprovenanti-vaccine theories.

- There's an awful lot of information

floating around particularlyin social media.

That frankly doesn'trepresent truth, it represents

some certain degree of fear and anxiety

and some just frank conspiraciesthat are pretty outrageous.

- [Lorie] For exampleCollins, who led the effort

to sequence human DNA explained why

the messenger RNA vaccinesproduced by Pfizer

and Mordena do not alter a person's DNA.

- The RNA lives a veryshort time in your body.

It is quickly degraded

'cause RNA has a very short half-life.

So there's no residual of what you've

been injected with beyondprobably a few hours.

- [Lorie] They said somerumors could be seen as jokes

except people believe them

by refusing vaccines orputting lives at risk.

- And no metals and interactwith 5G towers and implant

to ways that people can knowwhere you are and track.

- No, and Bill Gates has not convinced us

to put microchips into the syringes.

I still think of peoplewho have heard that

and think maybe it could be true.

I really want to assure people,these are wild, crazy ideas.

- [Lorie] Some vaccines suchas the ones made by AstraZeneca

and Johnson & Johnson usematerial derived from abortion,

but it's not what you might think.

- There's a cell line,which was derived in 1972,

a cell line that was derivedfrom a pregnancy termination

in Scandinavia and elective abortion.

That cell line has beenused, it's called HEK 293,

in many, many areas of biotechnology.

- [Lorie] And while abortion is certainly

an issue of life, so are vaccines.

According to CDC statistics,COVID 19 contributes

to a person's death each minute

of the day in the United States.

- But if you have alife-saving intervention

and there's no otheralternative, that is acceptable

when we're talking about celllines derived 50 years ago,

that there's no current useof human fetal tissue at all

in any of these vaccines.

- [Lorie] In short, they advise Christians

to get vaccinated.

- So if you're trying tosize up benefits and risks

and if you believe that Godgives us the opportunity

to act as his agents to try torelieve suffering and death,

then it seems like thisis a pretty good balance.

- Other Christian andpolitical leaders are putting

forth pro-vaccine messages.

Evangelist, Beth Moore andformer presidents, Clinton, Bush,

and Obama volunteered to not only get

their COVID-19 vaccineas soon as possible,

but to also do it on cameraas a way to prove it's safe

and encourage others to follow their lead.

Lorie Johnson, CBN News.

- And let me encourage you,

don't listen to the conspiracy theorists

that somehow or other, this is going

to be the mark of the beast.

And you're gonna get some kindof chip implanted into you.

All these things that are swirling around,

aren't helping at all.

And I encourage peopleplease protect yourself.

If you're in one of the highrisk groups, absolutely,

please get this vaccination.

For the rest of us who aren't,

we're probably going to have to wait

given the policies thatare being announced

as to who has access to a vaccine,

but let's protect ourselves.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to

be finally free from this pandemic?

Well, you can get informed by watching

the entire webinar featuringDr. Collins and Russell Moore,

by going to cbnnews.com.

In other news, presidentTrump's legal team

is pressing ahead withits court challenges

of the election in several States.

John Jessup has that story from

our CBS News Bureau in Washington, John.

- Thanks Gordon, one ofthose challenges involves

footage of vote counting inGeorgia while another questions

the legality of thousandsof voters in Nevada.

CBN's Paul Strand has the story.

- [Paul] At a legislativehearing Thursday in Georgia,

a Trump team volunteer lawyer,Jackie Pick, played a video

allegedly showing election workers

secretly pulling suitcasesfull of mystery ballots

out from under a table.

And for more two hours adding

thousands of them to the vote count.

- [Jackie] So what arethese ballots doing there

separate from all the other ballots?

And why are they only countingthem whenever the place

is cleared out with no witnesses?

- [Paul] The Trump team'slead counsel in Georgia

argued the State's voteis hopelessly compromised.

- That is why the election must be vacated

and cannot be allowed to stand.

- But others say theState's monitor remained

to watch the vote count andthat nothing illegal took place.

In Nevada, State Republicanssay they've submitted

the following evidence to the court,

almost 8,000 ballots cast by voters

with addresses that don't exist.

Some 15,000 voters registered to vacant

or commercial propertiesthat cast ballots.

More than 2000 votes byvoters that legally changed

their address to another State or country.

About 42,000 voters whovoted twice and on and on.

That would add up to themore than 33,000 votes

by which Joe Biden beat Trump in Nevada.

The judge will rule soonon the massive GOP case,

although the State's electoral votes

have already been certified.

And Republican lawmakersare asking the Supreme Court

to stop Pennsylvania'sdemocratic officials

from certifying the State's vote count

saying the State violatedits own constitution

in this year's election changes.

So the Trump team iscontinuing its legal challenges

but time is running out,

with the electoral college setto vote in a week and a half.

Paul Strand, CBN News, Washington.

- Thanks Paul, turning overseas.

For years now the BDSmovement has urged countries,

companies and even churchesto boycott and divest

from any group tied toIsrael with the goal

of demonizing the Jewish stateand damaging its economy.

As Chris Mitchell reports,

one group has found a wayto counter that tactic.

- [Chris] It's called Arise.

- We thought, instead offighting the campaign to boycott,

let's work on the positivelevel of connecting the millions

of Christian businesspeople around the world

to the economy of Israel.

People who are positively predisposed

towards doing business in Israel.

- [Chris] Presidentand executive chairman,

Calev Myers says, it'sall about matchmaking.

- We connect businesses to businesses

in a very tailor made way.

- [Chris] Last year,some 550 business people

from 35 nations attended the Arise summit.

- Based on our feedback forms,we created about $34 million

of immediate transactions on that one day

with a estimated economicimpact of 350 million

over the next 10 years.

There's a great crowd ofChristians around the world

who wanna do business with Israel,

and we just wanna make that process

as simple and easy as possible.

- [Chris] Since then 2020happened, bringing with it

major impacts to Israeland the Middle East.

- The theme of the summit isprospering in the new normal.

The new normal beingboth the COVID-19 reality

that we all find ourselves living in,

as well as the normalization of ties

in the Middle East with the Gulf States

which opened up enormous opportunities.

- [Chris] Well, someChristians are skeptical

about Israel signingonto the Abraham Accords,

Myer sees the positive.

- As far as we're concerned,if you've been praying

for the peace of Jerusalem likethe Bible instructs you to,

you should be extremely excited

that peace is actually taking place now.

And it really creates an opportunity

for flourishing and economicprosperity for both people.

- [Chris] Those countrieshave billions to invest

in Israeli innovation.

- For instance, technologies

that are used to fight COVID-19.

We're gonna have a speakerfrom an Israeli company

called Aura Air, which hasan air filtration system

with a radius of like 300 square meters.

They had developed it tokill airborne diseases

in hospitals and justlaunched it when COVID 19 hit.

- [Chris] This year Myers istaking the Arise summit online

with special software to help participants

keep those one-on-one relationships.

- So you'll go to that tabon the corner of your screen

be able to see all the other participants

filter through them with software,

so you'll find peoplebased on area of interest

or industry, what they have to offer

and those exciting leads,you'll be able to set up

a live video chat with them.

Literally have all yourhallway conversation

like at a physical set up.

- [Chris] Chris Mitchell,CBS News, Jerusalem.

- Gordon, it looks like we'rewitnessing in technological

economic and politicalshift in the middle East.

- That's wonderful news

and I encourage peopleplease invest in Israel.

It's a wonderful way to bless Israel.

And as we see peace breakingout throughout the region,

these Abraham accords arereally moving the needle

and we'll see if SaudiArabia joins in with it.

That would be a complete game changer

in terms of the Middle Eastand the geopolitics there

and a coalition thatactually has the ability

to stand against Iran, Terry.

- Well still ahead, years ofwaiting, feeling like a failure

and weeping uncontrollably.

How does this womandesperate to have a baby

get a Christmas miracle?

You'll see, it's all coming up.

But first, for securityreasons, we've concealed

their identities and changed their names.

Meet a group of Iranianswho risked their lives

on a journey fraught with danger.

Where did they go?

And why did they take the risk?

You'll see for yourself after this.

(dramatic music)

- We've concealed theidentities and changed the names

of the 20 converts you're about to meet.

These Iranians live in oneof the most dangerous places

in the world to be a Christian.

Earlier this year, they risked their lives

on a perilous journey, andwhy did they take that risk?

Because they wanted to be baptized.

George Thomas brings ustheir courageous story.

(upbeat music)

- On a recent Thursday afternoon,

20 Iranians took a flightfrom their country's

main international airportin the capital city of Tehran

and flew to an undisclosed city.

The journey was filledwith a lot of danger

but each one of them waswilling to take the risk

for the chance to experiencea life-transforming moment

For security reasons, we haveconcealed their identities.

We have changed theirnames and their voices.

One by one 20 Iranians descended the steps

of this indoor swimming pool.

Men, women, young adults, teenagers

and a seven year old girl.

(audience clapping)

In the water waiting to baptize them,

fellow Iranians, Amir and Sasan

who had escaped persecutionin their Homeland.

- Most of the people at this gathering

are artists, musicians,some are TV producers.

They are very educated people.

They are specialists

from different fields of Iranian society.

27 year old aspiring actor, Razam,

among those getting submerged.

- I was waiting for thisday for a long time.

My heart was beating sofast with excitement.

- [George] 25 year old Miriam was joined

in the pool by her sister and brother.

- This is an amazing day for us.

It's really nice that we areall together as siblings.

- [George] All 20Iranians were once Muslim,

many like Layla decidedto follow Jesus Christ.

After watching Mohabat TV, one of the most

popular Christiansatellite channels in Iran.

- I grew in my faith watching Mohabat TV.

I didn't know any other Christian person.

I would call the TV hotline

and phone counselors would pray for me.

This is how I grew in my faith.

- [George] Mike Ansari,an Iranian by birth

is director of operations at Mohabat TV.

- 20 people who have joinedus in their journey of faith

from beginning watching Mohabat TV

and then growing and givingtheir heart to Christ

and then coming here and saying

I would like to be baptized.

I would like to be sent out, give me more.

It is an anointed momentthat words cannot describe.

- [George] Ansari says,Christianity is going fastest

in his native man than in anyother country of the world.

More women are coming to Christ than men.

As a result, women are nowin key leadership positions

within Iran's underground church movement.

40 year old Aza is one of them.

She used to follow the lawsand tenants of Islam to a T.

- It was a very strong Muslim,

a very devout follower from a young age.

I prayed everyday to Muhammad,

I wear the full hijab.

I didn't want any man to ever see my face.

I never wanted to cause a manto sin by looking at my body.

- [George] Still Azasays, 30 years of devotion

to Islam left her restless.

Like many women in Iranian society,

she felt less valuable andon the edge of despair.

I always questioned why Muhammad gave us

a religion to follow that didn't allow us

to be free and happy as women.

There were so many restrictions

on what we can and cannot do.

- [George] 11 yearsago, she watched a movie

on the life of Christ and she was changed.

- I realized that I was following a lie.

That Islam was a lie and attimes, I felt those 30 years

I spent being Muslim were wasted,

but Jesus said he wouldrestore those lost years.

- [George] Aza now runs a network of

secret underground home fellowships.

- Because we don't havea church to gather in.

We have to keep our groups small,

not more than five or six people.

We constantly changedays, times and locations

to avoid getting caught.

- [George] Aza watches Ansariregularly on Mohabat TV.

(audience clapping)

When he's not busybaptizing fellow countrymen,

Sasson is co-hosting apopular show on the channel

showing Iranian Christianshow to operate house churches

and spread the gospelinside the Islamic country.

- Is one of the greatestresources we can offer

the church inside Iran, achurch that doesn't have

any access to anyeducational institutions,

any theological schools,any church buildings

established Christian institutionsthrough this programs,

we are mobilizing and resourcing

the house church movement in Iran.

- [George] Mohabat also hasa virtual church platform

giving undercover Christians

the opportunity to connectwith others scattered

around the country in asafe and secure environment.

- We are realizing that a lotof isolated believers in Iran,

they do not have any chance

to have fellowship with anybody else.

So we using the virtualchurch as a bridge.

- [George] Shema is aMohabat TV phone counselor.

She says many recentcallers to the channel

expressed anger withIran's government leaders.

- People blame the regimefor all their problems

because they know the country's wealthy.

We have oil and other riches,

but the government doesn'tcare about people suffering

and they are fed up.

- The Iranian shared withme just how devastating

the sanctions have been for their lives.

More than a year afterthe Trump administration

levied crippling sanctionson the Islamic Republic,

today the nation is in deep recession.

There's high inflation and the country

has lost most of itsvalue in its currency.

After a few days of Bibletraining, worship and prayer,

the 20 Christians headedback home to Iran,

carrying with them Bibles,Christian literature

and hundreds of micro SD cards

containing evangelisticmaterial used to share hope

and the love of Jesus Christduring these uncertain times.

They knew it was a riskymission, but worth it.

- Hopefully when you see these images

of getting baptized andhear their testimonies,

you are drawn to pray for Iranand the whole Islamic world

because they are lost and need Jesus.

- [George] George Thomas, CBN News,

somewhere in the Middle East.

- That's a story you're notgonna see on any other network,

but we want to bring it toyou to encourage you that,

God doesn't have any boundaries.

He doesn't recognize country borders.

And even in places wherethere's enormous persecution,

enormous risk to believers,God is still there.

He's still at work andbe encouraged with that.

And also remember to prayfor the Christians in Iran

pray that their nationwould actually open up.

There's been broad dissatisfaction

with the current government,there've been several protests.

The most recent one wasthey resorted the violence.

They used their own military against

the civilian population.

So we need to pray for Iran.

I know that tensions are really high,

they're trying to get a nuclear weapon.

Wouldn't it be wonderful ifthey were able to open up

and lose this horrible theocracyand come to the knowledge

of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

What a wonderful thing, Terry.

- That would be.

Well up next up, the big reveal.

One couple gets the giftthey waited years to receive.

See their Christmas miracleunfold just in the nick of time.

Plus, we're gonna be praying

for your needs right after this.

(upbeat music)

Well, this Christmas will be a Christmas

like none before it.

Many of you are not able toget out because of COVID.

So we wanna bring the fun of the holidays

right to your home.

On the CBN Family App, you'regonna find family friendly

Christmas movies, recipesand memories from the hosts,

holiday music specials,and much, much more.

It's easy to watch.

You can watch on your computeror you can download the app

on your smart TV, yourtablet or smartphone,

then sign up to get free accessto all the Christmas content

that we've put together just for you.

So download the CBN FamilyApp today for free access

to Christmas movies, music,recipes, and more, Gordon.

- And you can get Terry'sfamous, hot fudge sauce.

- [Terry] Promise, it's good.

(Terry and Gordon laughing)

- She promises, you'll enjoy it.

Well, Christmas is loud andcrazy at the Thompson's house

just the way it's supposed to be.

For them, the holidayis an annual reminder

of the greatest presentthey ever received,

the answer to a Christmas day prayer.

- [Narrator] Afterthree years of marriage,

Elizabeth and Kevin Thompsonwere to start their family.

- We were just excited.

This is a new adventureand I couldn't wait.

- You just think, oh,this is gonna be amazing

and wanted people to start praying for us.

- [Narrator] But when monthsof trying produce no results,

Elizabeth's enthusiasm began to diminish.

- Kind of feel like maybe thisshould have happened by now.

And then when you hit thatlike eight, nine months

and you're creeping up on a year,

I started getting kind of panicky.

Like, what if something's really wrong?

- [Narrator] Still,they continue to ask God

to bless them with a child.

- I remembered my prayers gradually

getting more anxious and more desperate.

After one year of trying,they saw several doctors

in hopes of finding a reasonfor their infertility.

- But we really weren'tgetting any answers.

It was unexplained infertility.

- There was no easy solution.

So that was frustrating.

- I remember the doctor saying,

we have to do everything we can right now,

because if you comeback to me in two years,

I might not be able to help you.

- [Narrator] With Kevinemployed as a minister

in Atlanta, Georgia, they bothspent a lot of time working

within their church, butElizabeth could help feeling

like she was a failure.

- I started feeling like I'm the girl

who can't get pregnant.

And I was getting some ofthose phone calls from friends.

We're not even at a yearyet, but we're pregnant.

Hanging up and I mean,I just wept for hours.

- It broke my heart moreto see her really sad.

- [Narrator] One year turnedinto two and still no baby.

Their faith remained inGod, but for Elizabeth,

the silence was becoming unbearable.

- I would show up tomy morning prayer times

and just kind of be like, well, God

we both know what I haveto say, now it's your turn.

In that silence, the enemy's voice really

starts whispering doubt into it.

Does God hear me?

Does he see Kevin and me?

Does he hear our prayers?

Christmas time was especially difficult.

All throughout the month of December,

my refrigerator fillingup with pictures of all

my friend's babies in Christmasclothes and Santa hats.

And I wanted so much to havethat big family Christmas.

And what if I never have children?

Like what does Christmaslook like with no children?

- Christmas is supposed to be loud

and crazy and kids everywhere.

And the emptiness is rightthere at the surface.

- [Narrator] WithChristmas approaching 2004,

Kevin and Elizabeth knew their chances

for having children were growing thin.

- I just remember feeling very aware.

Like if we got to that three-yearpoint to being considered

in long-term infertility,it probably won't happen.

Just this desperation kind ofthis sense of now or never.

- After presents and Christmas dinner

with Elizabeth's family,

they all gathered togetherfor a time of prayer.

- So we start going around.

We're all praying for the year to come.

And without fail, everybody prayed,

please God by this time, next year

gift Kevin and Elizabeth the baby.

That was our prayer thatby this time next year.

- It made such a huge differencethat prayer that night,

and there was a very significant moment.

- [Narrator] Three months later,

Elizabeth decided totake a pregnancy test.

She and Kevin waited to see the results.

- We buy one of these digital ones

and we're waiting, staring at it.

And when that word pregnantpopped up on there,

I just burst out crying

and we're sitting on the bathroom floor

and we're hugging each other.

I can't believe it, I am pregnant.

- [Narrator] Exactly one year after

the Christmas prayer with her family,

Elizabeth gave birth totheir daughter, Cassidy.

- The moment they placed her in my arms

and I'm looking at this littleblinking wide-eyed baby,

I'm thinking God gave her to us.

And this really happened and I'm a mom.

And Kevin is a dad,happiest minute of my life.

- And she was gorgeous.

We just realized what Goddid and right at the moment,

when we prayed by this time next year

and when you start connecting those dots.

- It was like, God wentout of his way to say

yes, I do hear you.

And I was waiting formy bigger (indistinct).

- [Narrator] Today, theThompson's are blessed

with four children andhave an extra reminder

every Christmas that Godhears them and love them.

- I look back and I see God just guiding

all the details just so hecould say, I am always there.

I have never stopped listening,

I have never stopped loving you.

And that's what God gave us

through that littleChristmas miracle baby.

- That's not just one miracle,those are four miracles.

When you look at infertilityand couples that have it,

your heart just goes out tothem in their heart longing,

God's heart goes out to you too.

And there's a reason there'sso many stories in the Bible

about couples who praytogether and God answers,

and God answers that need.

Families are there for a purpose

and it's more than justraising righteous children.

How do you do that?

You do that by praying together.

So develop a habit of notjust praying over meals,

but praying together for needs.

Now what a wonderful thing,

the entire family generationsgathering together

on Christmas day and what did they do?

They say, well, let's honorthe coming of the savior

by asking, let's askspecifically, and they did.

This time next year, can we have a baby?

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

And God goes out of his way, doesn't he?

He goes out of his wayto show himself strong.

He always leaves the99 to go after the one.

For him, it's not going out of his way.

For him, it's demonstratingthe greatness of his love,

the greatness of his powertowards us who believe.

So on the exact day that they asked for,

the exact day is when the answer came.

What a wonderful thing,what a wonderful God?

So this Christmas season,

remember to gather together to pray.

I know we're in COVID, Iknow we're all in isolation,

but you can gather together

on these Zoom calls, gather to pray.

When two or more aregathered together in my name,

what a wonderful thingfor families to realize,

there I am in the midst of them.

When two or more agreetouching anything, I'll answer.

All you have to do is touchit, say it, announce it,

ask for it, God will answer from heaven.

Now, Terry and I are gonna pray for you.

And we'll be your two or more.

Before we pray, want to encourage you.

Here's Noel from Dawsonville, Georgia,

had internal nose pain.

After trying remedies for a month,

he was still in great pain.

Then on Thanksgiving Day,what a wonderful thing,

Thanksgiving Day, heturned on The 700 Club

and Terry said someone withlesions inside your nose

and it's so painful, God ishealing that for you right now.

You haven't been able to get that to heal

no matter the means you'veused, today is your day.

God is healing you, just receive it.

Well, Noel believed and hehas been pain free ever since

and hallelujah- Hallelujah indeed.

Well Gordon, this is Shirley,

She lives in Kingston, Oklahoma.

She was diagnosed with diverticulitis

which caused her agonizingpain and discomfort daily.

After 15 months of sufferingwith the condition,

she turned on The 700 Club

and said to the Lord,

please let them call out diverticulitis.

As Gordon prayed, hehad a word of knowledge

for diverticulitis, Shirleyknew it was for her.

She went to her doctor two weeks later

where he confirmed thecondition was all clear.

She is now free from pain.

- I love it, diverticulitis,doctors will say

that's a very hard condition to heal.

God is able, it's not hard for him.

Doctors will say infertility is hard,

for God it's not hard.

He is all powerful.

He created everything.

He is the I Am who causedeverything else to be.

Just believe in him, let'slook to him right now.

Let's ask specifically,not some general thing.

Let's ask specifically,

knowing that he will answer specifically.

Let's pray.

Lord, for all who are inthe audience right now,

as they reach out with a handof faith and touch that area

of the body that needshealing, we join with them.

We join in faith, we join in spirit,

we join with the request.

We become of one accord.

Your word says, if two ormore agree, touching anything,

we are touching now, we are agreeing now,

it shall be done by our father in heaven.

So Lord, we come to you boldly

because your word has given us hope.

We come boldly asking andtouching and receiving now,

in Jesus' name, be healed and be set free.

There's someone youfractured your tailbone

and it's never healed.

It's constant pain for you.

You can't sit, you can'tsit for a long time.

You have trouble with travel.

God is healing you right now.

He's knitting together that bone,

he's taking all the painaway, all that discomfort.

Just lift your hands to him right now,

receive it in Jesus nameand be healed, Terry.

- Yeah, there's someone youhave injured your shoulder.

It's like it's frozen in place.

It's not just unpleasant,it's uncomfortable.

And so nothing you've done has been able

to free that thing up.

God is setting you free from it right now.

Just lift your hands upand begin to praise him.

The full mobility is coming back

into that complete shoulder, your arm,

everything in Jesus name.

- Or there's someone you'vegot recurring sinus infections.

You heard the story aboutthe man with lesions

and you're saying, pleasepray for sinus pain.

And so for you right now,for anyone with sinus pain,

anyone with any kind of bleedingissue in your sinus cavity,

in your nose, in Jesus' name, be healed

be set free from it, right now.

- Yeah, there's a woman watching.

You have an issue with infertility.

In fact, you almost turnedthis program off today

because you're so angry.

Today, let your anger go.

Give it to the Lord.

He's going to bless you with the child

but first be set free from your anger

and begin to praise him right now.

Just praise him and thank himfor what you do not yet seen.

- I don't know if this is the same person,

but there's someone you have infertility

because of an infection,a disease that went

into your fallopian tubesand they're scarring.

God is able to heal that.

Just relax into him right now.

And we come against the source of that

and we say be gone in Jesus name.

Let forgiveness flow, be gonenow in Jesus' name, be healed.

God is giving you the powerto create life in Jesus' name.

Be healed, be set free from all the trauma

of this in Jesus' name we pray.

- Yeah, there's someoneelse you're praying

not for yourself, but for a loved one

who has a brain infection.

God is healing thatright now in Jesus name.

Just begin to thank him.

- Lord, we do thank you.

We come into your presence thankful

for all that you've done.

For Christmas, we thank you.

You sent Jesus, our savior,our healer, our restore

the one who is able to restoreour relationship with you.

Lift up your countenanceon us, cause your face

to shine upon us andgive us your peace Lord.

For we ask it in Jesus name, Amen.

If you've been healed,I think many have been,

please give us a call and let us know.

We share in your good report.

And we want to let others know,

God's the same yesterday,today and forever.

And if you need prayer, webelieve in prevailing prayer

and that's why we're herefor you 24 hours a day.

All you have to do is pick up the phone

and call, 1-800-700-7000, Terry.

- What else still ahead.

Meet a family of boysaddicted to Superheroes.

What's so unusual about that?

Well, you'll find out,that's coming up later.

Plus a legacy 20 years in the making.

Author and mother Jodie Berndt talks about

the power of praying thescriptures for your children.

(upbeat music)

- Welcome back to Washingtonfor the CBN News break.

The Supreme court hasordered a lower court

to re-examine California's restrictions

on indoor religious servicesand areas hit hard by COVID-19.

This comes in light of thehigh court's recent ruling

that New York violatedthe first amendment rights

of churches and synagogues.

Critics say California's restrictions

also are unconstitutional.

Well, CBN's OperationBlessing is helping people

through financial difficulties.

Jen, a single motherwith two boys in Georgia

was a successful entrepreneur,

running a property management company,

but one of her major investors backed out

and the business went under.

She worried about feeding her sons,

but Operation Blessingpartner Warehouse of Hope

gave Jen and her children,

the healthy food they needed for free.

They're so grateful.

They now volunteer at warehouse of hope.

Jen says she's thankful toOperation Blessings partners

for the help they provided her family.

Well to learn more aboutOperation Blessing,

you can visit ob.org.

Gordon and Terry will be back with more

today 700 Club right after this.

(upbeat music)

- Well, children lovesuperheroes and that's why Carrie

and Neil were drawn to CBN'Sanimated series, "Superbook."

They wanted their sons tohave the ultimate role model

for their superhero andthat's exactly what they got.

- [Narrator] With a growing family,

Carrie and Neal Rosima are careful about

what their sons watch on TV.

- Our children are at the age where

they're fascinated withsuperheroes and the world

will put out superheroesfor one that aren't real,

and for two that you can't believe in.

- [Narrator] That's whythe Rosima's became members

of the Superbook DVD Club.

- "Superbook" is a documentaryon real superheroes.

Jesus is a real superhero,Joseph is a superhero.

Every story is about a superherothat has changed the world.

- It was like the heroes that they had

kind of worshiped before started to become

the heroes of the Bible andJesus being the big one.

- [Narrator] Theiroldest son Judge, agrees.

- I'll like Revelations because Jesus

fighted this big snake.

- [Narrator] "Superbook" is more than just

entertainment for the boys.

Every new episode, theylearn more about the Bible.

- I think for a child, itmakes all the difference

in the world to see it lived out

and for them to be able to relate

because I can read themstories all the time,

but to have it reenacted andrelated for children is huge.

- I like it 'cause it teaches about Jesus.

♪ The story forever ♪

- It brings the word to life for the boys,

and once we read the scriptures,

it helps them to get apicture of what we just read.

- [Narrator] Carrie andNeil's specially appreciate

how "Superbook" reinforces the

same Christian values they're teaching.

- It helps me be a good boy

and help me be a good kid,

so mom could teach me everything about it.

- When we started watching"Superbook" in the home,

it was like the spiritual temperature

in our home just wentup up through the roof.

- [Narrator] With such a youngfamily, Neil and Carrie plan

on keeping "Superbook"around for a long time.

And they know that whattheir sons learn today,

is preparing them for the future.

- What I love about "Superbook"is it really teaches boys

where real power comes from,how to really be men of God.

- The values that book teaches my children

is how to take biblical principles

and apply them to real life situations

to show compassion, to showforgiveness, to show love.

It teaches them how to be more like Jesus

and that's the most important thing.

- Thank you CBN for making "Superbook."

- And that thank you is coming

from children around the world.

We're now at over 50 languages.

We're broadcasting thestories of the Bible

and when characters ofthe Bible are speaking

in Superboook cartoons,they're speaking verses

from the Bible and we use themost prevalent translation,

the most popular translationin all of these languages.

It's wonderful what's happening.

We're trying to get in everysingle broadcast language.

You can be a part of it byjoining the Superbook DVD Club,

but we call it the Superbook Club

and we'll send you DVDsof the latest episodes.

And this Christmas,

we have a very special Christmas episode.

It's called "Paul and the Unknown God."

And there are actually twoepisodes here put together.

This has been a labor oflove by Paul Richardson,

the director of the entire series.

He wanted to do a defense of Christianity

that children could understand.

And in today's world, weall know we need to have

a defense of our faith andthis will give it to you.

So this isn't just for children,

this is for adults too.

We couldn't fit it into oneepisode, so we took two.

And it's based on Paul'ssermon at Mars Hill.

You find that in Acts chapter 17

and that's the basis forour defense of our belief.

And we put that in a moderncontext and it's wonderful.

I want you to have it.

It will make great stocking stuffers,

great Christmas gifts.

And if you join the Superbook Club,

for a recurring giftof $25, we'll send you

not just one copy, we'll sendyou six copies of these too.

And you'll get an extra bonus DVD

of "Superbooks" the first Christmas.

So there'll be seven DVDs.

You'll be able to gift your family

with a wonderful Christmas episode.

So if you wanna do that,call us 1-800-700-7000

and realize your gift is goinginto the production costs,

the translation costs,the distribution costs,

so the children of the world can hear

the stories of the Bible, Terry.

- Well up next, what'sthe most effective way

to pray for your children?

It's easier than you might think.

Author and speaker Jodie Berndt shares

her practical tips forpraying parents after this.

(upbeat music)

Well, it's hard to believe,but it's been 20 years

since author JodieBerndt released her book,

"Praying the Scripturesfor your Children."

During that time, her fourchildren have all grown up.

But as Jodie will tell you,you never stop being a parent

and you never stoppedpraying for your children.

- A wise woman once told me that

I should talk to my children about God,

as much as I talked toGod about my children.

- [Narrator] Author, speaker,and mother, Jodie Berndt

says that prayer is anecessary and powerful part

of parenting your kidsespecially when your words

are influenced and shaped by God's word.

In the 20th anniversaryedition of her book,

"Praying the Scripturesfor your Children,"

Jodie provides simplepractical prayer strategies

that teach you how and what to pray

over the people you love.

- Welcome back to The700 Club, Jodie Berndt,

it's great to have you with us today.

- Terry, what a delight to talk to you.

Thank you so much.

I love hearing what'sgoing on with "Superbook."

I love all that CBN is doing

to strengthen and equip families.

So it's a delight to be here.

- Well I know that's your heart.

You have gotten great news this week.

You're joining the grandmotherclub, congratulations.

- [Jodie] Yeah, one weekend andit's going great, thank you.

Little baby girl, Noah.

Noah Summers was justborn and we are thrilled.

- That's so awesome.

Well, I keep this book next to my bed.

This is the 20th anniversary of your book,

"Praying the Scripturesfor your Children."

Your kids have grown up.

You've been prayingfor them all this time.

How has your perspective on prayer

changed during that time Jodie?

- I would say my perspective on prayer

particularly as I was able to go back

and redo this book and update it

and look back over 20 years is that,

God is so incredibly faithful.

And you know the Bible tells us

that his ways are not our ways,and I can say Amen to that

because things have not alwaysgone in our family's life

how I would have liked or intended,

and yet his love and hispower and his faithfulness

to be with us and to answerour prayers in the way

that he knows best hasjust really, as you say,

helped shape my perspective

and I'm slowly but surelygetting to a place of trust.

- Well, from the time I first knew you,

you were a committedbeliever, then you married,

you started having children.

And I think all Christianparents pray for their children,

but what was it that costyou to first start praying

the scriptures over your children,

and what kind of adifference did that make?

- That's a great question,Terry, because I don't

think praying the scriptures

is the only way we can pray certainly.

But for me, when I began to see the Bible

as not just something to read,

but as part of a conversationwe were having with God

where he says something andwe read it and respond to it,

both my Bible reading and my prayer life

began to get a lot moreexciting, more powerful.

And so that's when it was.

When I just started reading the scriptures

as something not justto look out on a page,

but to something to use toshape my thoughts and my desires

as well as my prayers,that's when it changed.

And that's when Istarted writing the books

about Him because I thought,boy, this is exciting.

I wanna share this.

- You've added some new sections

to the book on this 20th anniversary.

I love this one.

Talk about the importance

of praying for a child'ssense of identity.

- Oh that is like good one.

When I went back overthe book, as you say,

and saw some things thatdefinitely needed updating

like their use of technology

and certainly their identity as well,

not just sexual or gender identity,

but who they are in Christ,who they are in our families,

that they are beloved by God

because that is something I think

that is on a lot offamilies radars right now.

How do I equip my child with a sense

of who he or she is and their giftedness

and just their value in God's eyes.

And so that was a great chapter to go back

and kind of dig back intoand see what scripture says

about that and equip parents to share that

with their kids to let themknow bottom line you are loved.

So yeah, that was a fun one to update.

- Well, you mentioned technologyand that is such a part

of our children's lives sometimes beyond

what we'd like it to be, butwhat is it important to pray

for a child's use of technology?

- Well, there again, that'ssomething that wasn't

on my radar 20 years ago.

And so I had to do a lotof research and digging in

and I think, Andy Crouch wrote that book

the "Tech-wise Family, and he says,

and I believe that technologyis the number one reason

why parents today say that raising kids

is more complicated than it used to be.

And we know thattechnology is gonna be part

of our kids' lives and we can't just,

wish the computer away, thephone away, any of that.

And when we use it properly,it can really be an asset.

And so rather than trying to figure out

how to set all the boundariesand safe guards up,

I love praying for our children's hearts

that God would give them theability to be discerning.

Yes, as parents, we do wannaset boundaries in place

and set some rules forscreen time and all of that

and model good behavior onourselves, not always scrolling

and being on our phoneand being distracted,

but the main prayer that Ipray as my kids use technology

is that Philippians 4:8 where it says,

look at things as if anything's noble

and praiseworthy and excellent,think about these things.

I pray that that wouldshape my kids' heart

and also how they approach

their use of phones,computers all of that.

- Well, you talk aboutbuilding a prayer legacy

and praying the scriptures

for your children'scertainly outlines that,

is that what you'd like totake away to be for people?

- Yeah, I really would.

And I think, I speak all over the country

and people are alwayscoming up to me and saying,

where do I start?

I didn't grow up in ahome where people prayed,

where this was modeled for me.

And so what we've donewith the new edition

is first of all, on mywebsite, jodiberndt.com,

there's a study guidance andvideos folks can download.

But the section that I'm mostexcited about in the book

is stuff at the back wherewe have taken 20 concerns

that matter to kids, whetherit's are you feeling lonely?

Are you feeling anxious?

What happens if you'vedone something wrong?

All of these things and done apraying the scripture section

designed especially for them

with sort of simple, shorter versus.

If a child comes toyou and they're worried

and especially right now,

we're seeing with thepandemic, the numbers spiking.

Kids are even asking,

Oh-oh can Santa come?

How's grandma doing?

What are family gatherings look like?

I think there's some anxiety there.

Well, you can turn to the page on

when you're feeling anxious

and there's a discussionprompt right there

on the page for you.

Everybody gets worriedor scared sometimes,

but God says that he'll be with us.

And then some prayers in there

that folks can pray with their kids.

- Jodie, I wanna just takethe few seconds we have left

to say, "Praying theScriptures for your Children,

the 20th anniversary edition would make

an amazing Christmas giftfor a parent in your life.

It is available nationwide.

Great to have Jodie with us today.

- Yeah, Jodie used to bethe writer for this show.

I keep trying to hire herback and she keeps saying no,

but here's the word from Proverbs.

"Train up a child on the way he should go,

"and when he's old, hewill not depart from it."

For all of us here, Godbless you, Merry Christmas

and we'll see you again next week.

(upbeat music)