THERE'S A SPIRITUAL HUNGER OUT THERE...

PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.

Announcer: COMING UP, AUTHOR AND SPEAKER,

RAVI ZACHARIAS HELPS US REDISCOVER GOD'S TRUTH

IN AN AGE OF MASS-MARKETED SPIRITUALITY.

AVATAR AND THESE MOVIES THAT COME OUT,

WHICH SEEM TO BLEND MYTHS WITH SPIRITUAL RITUALS

AND ALL OF THAT,

BOTTOM LINE IS IT MAKES YOU GOD.

James: WOW!

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

WELCOME TO LIFE TODAY!

I'M JAMES ROBISON.

BETTY AND I ARE THRILLED

TO HAVE RAVI ZACHARIAS WITH US.

RAVI WROTE A BOOK SOME TIME AGO

THAT HAS BEEN SO POPULAR,

HAS CHRISTIANITY FAILED YOU?

WE TALKED ABOUT IT

ON AN EARLIER PROGRAM THIS WEEK

AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS

PEOPLE ASK THAT MUCH

OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

SEEMS TO BE AFRAID

TO EVEN FACE OR ANSWER --

GREAT, GREAT ANSWERS.

YOU CAN GO TO LIFETODAY.ORG

AND GO BACK AND WATCH

THAT PROGRAM ONLINE.

YOU CAN DO THAT ANY TIME.

I KNOW A LOT OF YOU D.V.R.

YOU TAPE THE PROGRAM

SO YOU CAN WATCH IT

ON YOUR SCHEDULE.

WE COME ON ALL THROUGH THE DAY.

BETTY, WE START TRYING TO

GET THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING

ON A.B.C. FAMILY, AND THEN

ON DISCOVERY, THEN ON ALL

THE INSPIRATIONAL NETWORKS,

AND MANY OF THE INDEPENDENT

NETWORKS WE'RE ON,

THE GOVERNMENT NETWORKS,

BOTH TWO NETWORKS IN AUSTRALIA

AND ALL OVER THE WORLD

YOU CAN FIND US.

BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE,

LIFETODAY.ORG,

GO BACK AND LISTEN

TO ANY OF THE PROGRAMS.

RAVI IS GOING TO TELL US

ABOUT A NEW BOOK

AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW.

WOULD YOU WELCOME

RAVI ZACHARIAS TO LIFE TODAY?

[Applause]

RAVI, I WOULD JUST ASSUME

THAT YOU COME HERE FREQUENTLY

TO HELP MY PEOPLE THINK,

GOD'S PEOPLE,

BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST

ON YOUR RADIO PROGRAM,

EVERYWHERE YOU GO AND LECTURE,

ALL THE PLACES YOU SPEAK.

BUT YOU'VE GOT A NEW BOOK

WHAT'S THE TITLE?

Ravi: IT'S A BOOK THAT

I THINK I HAVE LABORED MORE

THAN ANY OTHER BOOK

I HAVE EVER RESEARCHED

OR WRITTEN.

MY WIFE IS MY EDITOR --

FROM THE DAY WE MET

SHE HAS HAD THE LAST WORD

ON EVERYTHING --

[Laughter]

SO SHE'LL BE EDITING MY BOOKS

AS WELL,

AND DOES A BRILLIANT JOB AT IT.

I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME

TO MENTION IT

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS

AN EASILY REPEATABLE TITLE.

THE MAIN TITLE IS --

ACTUALLY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU

I WANTED TO CALL IT

FROM OPRAH TO CHOPRA

BUT THE PUBLISHER

DIDN'T GO FOR IT.

[Laughter]

BUT I'VE CALLED IT,

WHY JESUS: REDISCOVERING

HIS TRUTH IN AN AGE OF

MASS-MARKETED SPIRITUALITY.

James: THE MAIN TITLE,

WHY JESUS?

Ravi: AND UNDERNEATH

THE BIG SUBHEADING OR SUBTITLE,

WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CALL IT,

IS: REDISCOVERING HIS TRUTH

IN AN AGE OF MASS-MARKETED

SPIRITUALITY.

IT CAPTURES THIS

NEW SPIRITUALITY

AND ALL OF ITS RAMIFICATIONS.

GOING BACK TO ITS ROOTS

FROM THE GREEK THINKERS

TO THE HINDU THINKERS,

FROM HINDUISM, BUDDHISM,

TAOISM, ZEN AND ALL OF THAT

TO THE MODERN EXPONENTS OF IT,

WHETHER IT IS SAKAR TOLI,

OR GARY ZUKAV,

OR MARIANNE WILLIAMSON;

THE NEW, WHAT I CALL

WII-STERN'S SPIRITUALITY.

THAT'S USING TERMS LIKE

MANTRA, TANTRA, CHAKRA,

AND ALL OF THIS,

MOST OF WHICH IS BIG

ON MARKETING BUT THEY'VE NEVER

REALLY PLUMBED THE DEPTHS

OF WHAT THE METAPHYSICS IS

BEHIND ALL OF THIS.

THEY BUY INTO A WORLDVIEW

THAT SUBSCRIBES

TO THE CYCLICALITY OF HISTORY,

THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF LIFE,

AND KARMA AND ALL OF THAT

THAT IS INVOLVED,

AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS,

IT IS AN EFFORT TO BE SPIRITUAL

WITHOUT GOD.

James: AND THAT IS PRECISELY --

AND THERE'S A CERTAIN AIR OF

PRIDE THAT "WE ARE SPIRITUAL.

AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE

THERE IS A GREATER POWER."

THEY EVEN SOUND

A LITTLE BIT LIKE CHURCH FOLKS

WHEN THEY DO IT.

[Laughter]

THERE IS SOMETHING THERE

THAT SATISFIES TO A DEGREE

BUT LEAVES THE VACUUM

AND THE EMPTINESS.

DON'T YOU PERCEIVE

THAT IT IS STILL THERE?

Ravi: WHAT IS FASCINATING

ABOUT IT, JAMES AND BETTY,

LAST NOVEMBER I WAS IN BOMBAY,

IT USED TO BE CALLED BOMBAY,

NOW IT IS MUMBAI; POLITICIANS

HAVE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO

IN RENAMING CITIES

SO IT IS NOW CALLED MUMBAI.

[Laughter]

WHAT WAS FASCINATING TO ME,

I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK

TO THE BOLLYWOOD GROUP,

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES,

AND TO THE BIGGEST FILM ACADEMY

IN ASIA IN MUMBAI

WHERE I ADDRESSED THE STUDENTS

AND FACULTY ON THE SUBJECT:

LIFE BEYOND THE BOX OFFICE --

AND THEY GAVE ME

THAT SUBJECT TO SPEAK ON.

THE INTERESTING THING IS,

IT IS LIKE GOING INTO

A WESTERN SPA AND SEEING

ALL EASTERN PRODUCTS:

GOING TO AN EASTERN SPA AND

SEEING ALL WESTERN PRODUCTS.

[Laughter]

IT IS THE MORE FOREIGN SOUNDING

THE MORE ESOTERIC IT IS,

AND THE LESS

YOU REALLY HAVE TO KNOW

BUT SOUND MORE CONVINCING

IN THE PROCESS.

THIS IS REALLY WHAT IS

HAPPENING WITH SPIRITUALITY.

WE ARE BORROWING IDEAS

THAT ARE UNEXAMINED,

IDEAS THAT -- YOU KNOW

YOU TALK ABOUT A HIGHER POWER

WHEN REALLY, YEAH,

IT IS LITTLE BIT LIKE AVATAR

AND THESE MOVIES THAT COME OUT,

WHICH SEEM TO BLEND MYTH

WITH SPIRITUAL RITUALS

AND ALL OF THAT.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS

IT MAKES YOU GOD

AND THAT'S REALLY

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

BUT IT TAKES ON

TORTUROUS TURNS,

DEEPAK CHOPRA'S BOOK,

THE THIRD JESUS, WHICH IS

A PATHETIC BOOK ACTUALLY.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY HE EVEN

-- WELL, I THINK I KNOW

WHY HE WROTE IT

BUT IT IS VERY POORLY DONE.

CHOPRA SAYS THERE ARE

ACTUALLY THREE JESUSES.

THE FIRST JESUS IS

THE JESUS OF HISTORY, SAYS HE,

ABOUT WHOM WE KNOW NOTHING.

THE SECOND JESUS,

THE JESUS MANUFACTURED

BY THE EARLY CHURCH, THE DEATH

AND RESURRECTION JESUS

AND ALL OF THAT.

THE THIRD JESUS HE GIVES TO US

IS THE ONE WHO WAS ON

THIS PILGRIMAGE TO ULTIMATELY

FIND ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA,

AND THAT'S THE JESUS

HE WANTS TO GIVE TO US.

NOW HOW DOES HE SUSTAIN

THIS THIRD OPTION?

BY SCORES OF QUOTES AND VERSES

THAT HE BORROWS

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT.

BUT HE'S ALREADY TOLD US

THAT'S HISTORICALLY UNRELIABLE.

SO HE GOES BACK

TO THE VERY SOURCE

TO SUSTAIN THIS -- WHAT DO

YOU DO WITH ALL OF THIS?

[Laughter]

WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?

SO I'VE DEALT VERY HEAVILY

WITH CHOPRA'S PHILOSOPHY.

WHICH AGAIN, THEY'RE VERY

CLEVER -- VERY CLEVER.

THEY DON'T LIKE

TO CALL THEMSELVES ANYTHING.

CHOPRA WON'T CALL HIMSELF

A HINDU.

HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF

AS THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INDIAN

IN THE AUDIENCE,

AS SANATAN DHARMA,

WHICH IS THE ETERNAL RELIGION,

THE PURE RELIGION.

THIS WAY

YOU CAN'T ATTACK ANYTHING!

THERE IS NO WORLDVIEW.

WHO IS GOING TO TALK

ABOUT SANATAN DHARMA OUT HERE?

[Laughter]

BUT IF YOU TALK ABOUT

SOME OTHER CLASSIC RELIGION --

VERY CLEVER, JAMES,

WHAT'S GOING ON... VERY CLEVER.

AND IT IS ALMOST LIKE

THE TERRORIST

WHO DOESN'T WANT ANY NATION

TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH.

SO THIS RELIGION

THAT DIDN'T WANT TO IDENTIFY

WITH ANYTHING BUT HIS ECLECTIC

PICKING FROM HERE AND THERE.

ALL THAT TO SAY

THERE IS A SPIRITUAL HUNGER

OUT THERE... PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.

THEY REALLY ARE EMPTY

WITHIN THEMSELVES

AND IT IS TO THAT AUDIENCE

THAT I HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK.

MY WIFE READ THE FIRST CHAPTER,

I WAS IN THAILAND WRITING IT

AND I SENT IT TO HER BY E-MAIL.

AND SHE WROTE BACK;

SHE SAID, "ALL I CAN SAY AFTER

READING THIS FIRST CHAPTER

IS HOW BEAUTIFUL THE GOSPEL

IS GOING TO LOOK IN THE END."

I THINK THAT'S THE CONTRAST

THAT COMES THROUGH.

James: THE TITLE

OF THE BOOK AGAIN.

Ravi: WHY JESUS?

James: WHY JESUS?

AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET IT.

BY THE WAY,

THERE IS RAVI'S WEB SITE.

EVERYTHING HE'S WRITTEN,

HIS SCHEDULE;

I'VE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED YOU GET

THE LECTURES AT HARVARD,

THERE ARE PERHAPS OTHER

UNIVERSITIES, OTHER EVENTS

THAT HE WOULD RECOMMEND.

IT IS TOTALLY CAPTIVATING

BECAUSE HE DOES REALLY

CHALLENGE OUR THINKING

IN A WAY THAT EDIFIES,

IT BUILDS YOU UP;

IT DOESN'T TEAR YOU DOWN,

DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU'RE NOT THINKING STRAIGHT,

IT STRAIGHTENS THE THINKING,

AS YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN,

I BELIEVE, STIRRED AND

STIMULATED IN YOUR THINKING.

RAVI, LET ME JUST ASK YOU

A COUPLE OF THINGS

THAT ARE A CONCERN TO ME.

ONE OF THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE

HAVE THIS SPIRITUAL --

THERE IS A SPIRITUAL HUNGER.

ONE OF THE REASONS

THEY'RE LOOKING

IN ALL THESE FOOLISH VENUES IS

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO PROFESS

TO KNOW THE TRUE CHRIST,

WHO CLAIM TO BELIEVE THE BIBLE

TO BE THE WORD OF GOD,

OFTENTIMES ARE THE POOREST

DEMONSTRATIONS OF

THE TRANSFORMING POWER

OF THE GRACE

AND PERSON THEY PROFESS.

THIS IS TRAGIC.

THEY'RE NOT LIVING AS THOUGH

THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP

AND I FEAR MANY OF THEM DON'T,

THEY HAVE SIMPLY JOINED

SOMETHING WITHOUT EVER COMING

INTO A RELATIONSHIP

WITH CHRIST.

SO ALTHOUGH THE MEDIA

AND THESE THINKERS

AND THESE PEOPLE

WHO SKEW THE TRUTH AND TWIST IT

AND APPEAL TO THE INNER DESIRE

TO HAVE SPIRITUAL ANSWERS,

THE REASON THEY'RE EFFECTIVE

IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FAILED

TO BE THE DEMONSTRATION

OF THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

WHILE PROCLAIMING IT,

NOT DEMONSTRATING.

WOULD YOU AGREE?

Ravi: ONE OF THE GREAT

WRITERS IN ENGLAND,

BY THE LAST NAME OF WILSON,

HE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO,

WALKED AWAY FROM THE FAITH.

MANY, MANY YEARS AGO,

AND JUST DISAVOWED IT,

AND TORE INTO C.S. LEWIS,

TORE INTO THE APOLOGISTS,

WROTE PROLIFICALLY.

TWO YEARS AGO IN APRIL

HE WALKED INTO A CHURCH

ON AN EASTER SUNDAY

AND HE TURNED HIS LIFE

BACK TO THE LORD

IN A REMARKABLE

CONVERSION EXPERIENCE.

WHAT HE DESCRIBED

AS ONE OF THE REASONS

WAS THE HOLLOWNESS OUT THERE;

WHAT HE SAW WITH THIS MINDSET

CREATED BY SECULARISM TO BOOST

YOUR EGO AND MAKE YOU THINK

YOU DIDN'T NEED GOD,

BUT THEN TO COME INTO

A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME

HE BEGAN TO SEE CHRIST

REFLECTED IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

ONCE HE SAW THAT,

IT TURNED OUT TO BE

THE CLINCHER FOR HIM.

SO I THINK THE WHOLE --

A.N. WILSON IS THE NAME,

IF YOU GOOGLE HIS NAME,

A.N. WILSON CONVERSION;

HIS WHOLE STORY IS GIVEN THERE

AND IT WAS GIVEN

IN THE GUARDIAN

AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.

YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

IF PEOPLE SEE

THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST IN YOU,

EVEN IF THEY DON'T

AGREE WITH YOU,

THEY'LL BE DRAWN TO WHAT

IT IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT

TO ALSO BE ABLE

TO LISTEN TO OTHERS,

WHAT IT IS THEY BELIEVE,

WHY THEY BELIEVE IT,

AND TO BE ABLE TO INTELLIGENTLY

INTERACT WITH THEM.

WE DO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

A DISSERVICE WHEN WE

SEND THEM OUT ILL-EQUIPPED

IN THIS SO IT IS A COMBINATION

OF GOOD LISTENING

AND UNDERSTANDING,

AND GOOD AND DECENT LIVING.

IF I WERE TO SAY WHAT IS

THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION

IN APOLOGETICS FOR ME

IT IS THIS --

AND I ALWAYS HESITATE

TO MENTION IT BECAUSE

PEOPLE THEN WANT TO KNOW

WHAT THE ANSWER IS TO IT.

[Laughter]

BUT IT IS THIS:

WE ARE THE ONLY ONES

WHO CLAIM A SUPERNATURAL REASON

FOR THE CHANGE IN OUR LIVES.

THE NEW BIRTH IS SUPERNATURAL;

IT IS NOT BY WILL POWER.

EVERY OTHER MAJOR WORLDVIEW

IS BY THE WILL AND WORKS.

WE'RE THE ONLY ONES

WHO SAY THE TRANSFORMATION

IS SUPERNATURALLY ENGENDERED.

IF THAT CLAIM IS REAL,

THEN THE QUESTION IS,

WHY DO SO FEW PEOPLE

ACTUALLY SHOW IT?

THAT, I THINK,

IS THE BIGGEST APOLOGETIC

STUMBLING BLOCK

TO MOST SKEPTICS.

James: MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS

THAT THERE IS SO MANY PEOPLE

WHO REALLY DID GET CONNECTED

TO RELIGION AND MISSED CHRIST.

I DON'T THINK IT IS

A CHEAPENING OF THE GOSPEL,

I THINK THIS IS THE THING

THAT RESONATES WITH WHAT

YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO,

AND I'VE SAID THIS

MANY TIMES TO PEOPLE.

IF YOU HAVE EVER MET A PERSON

IN WHOSE LIFE JESUS IS REAL,

THAT IS AN UNFORGETTABLE

EXPERIENCE.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN

IN THE MISSIONARIES

AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

RAVI, THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN

IN JUST PEOPLE WHO WOULD

CONSIDER THEM TOTALLY ORDINARY

WHO MAKE POSSIBLE WHAT WE DO.

YOUR DAUGHTER TAUGHT SO MUCH

ABOUT HELPING RESCUE PEOPLE

WHO ARE TRAPPED.

SHE BLESSED US SO MUCH.

YOU COULDN'T DO THAT

WERE IT NOT FOR PEOPLE

WHO WERE SENSITIVE,

WHO GOT OUTSIDE OF THEIR WORLD,

CAUGHT THE VISION

OF WHAT GOD SEES,

AND PIERCE THE DARKNESS.

THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE --

I BELIEVE WE'RE LIVING

IN THE DAY FOR THE GREATEST

AWAKENING IN HISTORY,

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD TO

LITERALLY COME ON HIS PEOPLE

BEFORE HE COMES IN GLORY

FOR HIS PEOPLE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING

TO SEE THAT.

DO YOU SENSE THAT MOVE

ALL OVER THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?

Ravi: A COUPLE THINGS HERE,

I WAS IN MOSCOW LAST WEEK

BEFORE COMING HERE;

I WAS IN CHINA

THE WEEK BEFORE THAT.

THERE'S A LOT I COULD SAY

BUT I WON'T.

BUT LET ME JUST SAY

ABOUT MOSCOW,

THERE WERE OVER 1200 PEOPLE

SITTING IN FRONT OF ME

IN THAT AUDITORIUM PACKED AND

THE BISHOP WHO INTRODUCED ME

SAID, "IT WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO

WHERE IF HE HAD COME

INTO MOSCOW THE ONLY LIBRARY,

THE ONLY BIBLE

HE WOULD HAVE SEEN HERE

WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A MUSEUM."

HE SAID, "TODAY THERE ARE OVER

1,000 BIBLES IN THIS

AUDITORIUM HERE."

AND THE AUDITORIUM --

AND THE PEOPLE JUST BURST OUT

IN APPLAUSE.

THE THINGS I COULD TELL YOU

ABOUT ONE OR TWO COUNTRIES

BUT I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO DO SO

FOR OBVIOUS REASONS,

WHAT GOD IS DOING IS ABSOLUTELY

REMARKABLE GLOBALLY, JAMES.

BUT THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT LINK

I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON.

DR. NORMAN GEISLER

WHO TAUGHT HERE FOR SOME TIME,

I'M SURE -- HE WAS MY PROFESSOR

IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

WHEN I RAISED THE QUESTION

ABOUT WHY IT IS NOT OFTEN

REFLECTED IN OUR LIVING,

DR. GEISLER GAVE

A VERY PROFOUND ANSWER TO ME.

HE SAID, "RAVI,

WHEN A BABY IS BORN, IF YOU

THROW THAT BABY INTO A DESERT

AND DON'T FEED THAT BABY,

THAT BABY WILL BECOME

MALNOURISHED."

HE SAID, "THE CHALLENGE

TO YOUR QUESTION IS THIS,

THE CHURCH NEEDS TO FEED

ITS NEWBORNS MORE,

AND WE AS CHRISTIANS

NEED TO BE FED MORE

ONLY THEN WILL WE MATURE AND

BLOSSOM INTO THE FULL STATURE."

SO THIS IS A CHALLENGE

TO THE CHURCH.

YOU SEE WHAT YOU WIN THEM WITH

IS WHAT YOU WIN THEM TO.

AND WHAT WE ARE

WINNING THEM WITH TODAY IS

REALLY THE SHALLOWER STUFF --

AS GOOD AS IT IS --

BUT YOU CAN'T WADE

IN THE SHALLOW ALL YOUR LIFE.

THE GOSPEL IS REFLECTING

A LITTLE CHILD

BUT IT IS ALSO REFLECTED

IN THE MIND OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

OR A MOSES.

HE IS ABLE TO MEET

THE LEAST AMONG US

TO THE MOST SOPHISTICATED

BECAUSE IT IS BOTH SIMPLE

AND SUBLIME.

I THINK WE NEED TO GROW

INTO THAT SUBLIMITY.

James: WOULD YOU JOIN

BETTY AND ME IN JUST

SAYING THANK YOU FOR RAVI

FOR JUST BEING

THE INSPIRATION THAT YOU ARE!

[Applause]

THIS BOOK IS ALREADY

IN THE BOOKSTORES.

AND RAVI'S NEW BOOK, WHY JESUS

IS IN THE BOOKSTORES

AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY

TO SEND IT TO YOU.

RAVI, I'VE GOT HERE

IN FRONT OF US

SOME OF THE CUTEST LITTLE SHOES

MADE OUT OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL

THAT WILL JUST HANDLE

THE WEATHER.

WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO PUT --

THESE ARE THE TINY ONES.

THEY'RE THE ONES

THAT ARE SO EASY TO PICK UP.

BUT THE KIDS LIKE THIS,

THEY'RE REALLY COVERING

THE GROUND.

AND SO MANY OF THEM,

WE WANT WITH YOUR HELP, WE WANT

TO GIVE 200,000 CHILDREN SHOES

AND WE WANT TO GIVE SMILES

TO CHILDREN

THAT HAVE FACIAL PROBLEMS

AND CLEFT PALATE SURGERIES,

THOSE ARE $500.

COULD YOU GIVE A CHILD A SMILE?

THE SHOES ARE $3.60 A PAIR;

$36, 10 CHILDREN.

I WANT YOU TO WATCH THIS

VERY CLOSELY.

LISTEN TO KATHY TROCCOLI

JUST SHARE THE HEART OF GOD

FOR CHILDREN

THAT I KNOW YOU SHARE,

BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT YOU

CAN DO TO REALLY BE AN ANSWER

TO A TREMENDOUS NEED.

WATCH THIS CLOSELY.

Kathy: IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO COME ON THESE TRIPS

WITH LIFE OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL.

I ALWAYS THINK I'VE SEEN IT ALL

OR YOU THINK, THE POOR ARE THE POOR.

WHEN THEY HAVE NOTHING, THEY HAVE NOTHING.

THEN I'M COMING INTO THESE PLACES IN CENTRAL AMERICA,

VILLAGE AFTER VILLAGE

AND I'M SEEING THE WOUNDS ON THESE KID'S FEET

AND IT IS JUST BOGGLING MY MIND;

IT IS BREAKING MY HEART.

LOOK AT HIM; HE CAN'T PUT HIS HEEL DOWN.

IT IS AWFUL!

IT IS WRAPPED UP IN A DIRTY RAG

AND HE'S GOT INFECTION IN HIS FOOT.

I'M SITTING HERE WITH LITTLE BRIAN

AND I'M TRYING TO UNWRAP THIS TO SHOW YOU HE WAS JUST --

HE STEPPED ON A BARK OF A TREE.

OKAY, HONEY, IT IS OKAY.

I DON'T WANT TO PULL THIS BECAUSE IT WILL REALLY HURT HIM

BUT IT'S STUCK TO THE WOUND.

WHAT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? YOU KNOW?

HE STEPPED ON A TREE BARK. THAT'S CRAZY!

IT MAKES ME REALLY FRUSTRATED AND REALLY SAD

BECAUSE IT IS JUST A SIMPLE --

THERE IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION AND IT IS SHOES.

WE COULD CHANGE HIS LIFE

AND THE LIVES OF CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD,

LIKE RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL AMERICA, WITH YOUR GIVING.

WILL YOU REACH INTO YOUR HEART AT THIS SEASON

TO GIVE A GIFT SO CHILDREN LIKE LITTLE BRIAN

AND CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD

CAN GET A GIFT OF A PAIR OF SHOES?

JUST A SIMPLE THING...

TO PUT A SMILE ON HIS FACE

AND ALSO TO PROTECT HIS LITTLE FEET.

WHAT A BLESSING THAT WOULD BE.

REMEMBER THE POOR THIS CHRISTMAS

AND PARTNER WITH LIFE OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

WELL, WHAT COULD WE DO?

LOOK FOR THE MOM AND SEE WHETHER

WE CAN TAKE HIM TO A CLINIC.

James: WELL, THAT'S SO TYPICAL

OF THE MISSIONARIES,

SAYING HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO.

REALLY, THEY CAN'T TAKE THEM

ANYWHERE UNLESS WE ENABLE THE

MISSIONARIES TO EVEN BE THERE

AND TO HAVE THE SUPPORT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE

LITTLE FEET, THOSE BEAUTIFUL

LITTLE CHILDREN,

BETTY, I WANTED TO HUG

EVERY ONE OF THOSE KIDS

AND WE'VE DONE IT

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE'VE HELD THOUSANDS

AND THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN

BUT WE DIDN'T JUST HOLD THEM

AND LEAVE THEM AND SEE A NEED

THAT WE COULDN'T MEET,

IN SO MANY PLACES,

BECAUSE OF YOU,

WE COULD MEET IT

SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WALK AWAY.

I'M ASKING YOU RIGHT NOW

TO REACH OUT

AND LITERALLY TOUCH SOMEONE

WITH THE HAND OF JESUS

AND LET'S GIVE 200,000 CHILDREN

SHOES AS A SPECIAL GIFT.

WE GET YOU

TO HELP US AHEAD OF TIME

SO EVERYWHERE IT IS POSSIBLE,

IF THE MISSIONARIES CAN DO IT,

WE GIVE THEM,

AS CHRISTMAS GIFTS,

AND TELL THEM ABOUT CHRIST.

WOULD YOU DIAL

THE NUMBER THERE?

AND JUST THINK

WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY,

$36 WILL GIVE TEN CHILDREN --

THIS IS AMAZING --

TEN CHILDREN SHOES!

WE WANT TO GIVE

200,000 PAIRS OF SHOES.

THAT'S COSTLY BUT IF YOU WILL

HELP TEN CHILDREN,

$72, 20 CHILDREN,

$144, 40 CHILDREN?

YOU KNOW

I SUGGEST SEVERAL LEVELS

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU,

YOU'VE LISTENED TO ME

LONG ENOUGH TO SAY,

"I KNOW YOU'D LIKE US

TO GIVE 40 PAIR" --

MORE THAN THAT!

I'D LIKE YOU TO GIVE HUNDREDS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO

BUT I KNOW IF IT'S

TEN CHILDREN, $36, IT'S HUGE.

I KNOW EVERY PERSON

CAN PARTICIPATE IN RELEASING

THE RIVER OF GOD'S LOVE

AT WHATEVER LEVEL GOD LEADS YOU

AND ENABLES YOU TO DO IT.

SO I'M ASKING YOU TO DIAL

THE NUMBER RIGHT NOW, PLEASE,

OR YOU CAN GO ONLINE

LIFETODAY.ORG,

I KNOW YOU WANT TO DO IT.

I THINK YOU'RE EXCITED

ABOUT DOING IT.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE

AN ANSWER TO THE NEED

AND THE PRAYERFUL CONCERNS

OF THE MISSIONARIES.

GO TO LIFETODAY.ORG

AND MAKE YOUR GIFT.

DIAL THE NUMBER,

TAKE YOUR BANKCARD,

USE IT LIKE A CHECK.

MAKE THE VERY BEST GIFT

YOU CAN, PLEASE!

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING

SOME SURGERIES FOR CHILDREN

THAT HAVE DISORDERS

LIKE CLEFT PALATE,

AND WE GIVE THEM SMILES,

$500 FOR THOSE SURGERIES

AND WE'RE PRAYING

THAT FRIENDS WILL JOIN

TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE TOO.

WE GIVE THEM SHOES AND SMILES

-- IT'S A GIFT.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CALL.

Announcer: POVERTY IS A KILLER

AND BECAUSE OF IT CHILDREN NEEDLESSLY SUFFER,

NOT ONLY FROM A LACK OF FOOD AND CLEAN WATER,

BUT ALSO FROM A LACK OF THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED

SUCH AS A HEALTHY SMILE OR A SIMPLE PAIR OF SHOES.

FOR MOST OF THESE CHILDREN,

THEY'VE NEVER OWNED A NEW PAIR OF SHOES

AND WHILE THAT MAY SEEM MINOR IN LIGHT OF ALL THEIR NEEDS,

WALKING WITH BARE FEET PUTS THEM AT RISK

OF LIFE-THREATENING INFECTIONS THAT COULD LEAD

TO CRIPPLING CONSEQUENCES, DISEASE, AND EVEN DEATH.

BY RESPONDING TODAY, YOU CAN HELP LIFE IMMEDIATELY SECURE

AND BEGIN SHIPPING CHRISTMAS SHOES TO 200,000 CHILDREN

AROUND THE WORLD JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

YOUR GIFT OF $36 WILL PROVIDE TEN PAIRS OF SHOES.

A GIFT OF $72 WILL PROVIDE 20 PAIR

AND A GIFT OF $144 WILL HELP PROVIDE 40 PAIRS

OF CHRISTMAS SHOES FOR CHILDREN IN NEED.

IN APPRECIATION OF YOUR GIFT, BE SURE TO REQUEST

THE INSPIRATIONAL NEW BOOK, GOD WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY

BY JAMES AND BETTY'S SON, RANDY ROBISON.

WITH YOUR GIFT OF $100 TO HELP PROVIDE 28 PAIRS OF SHOES,

YOU MAY REQUEST THE BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED SHOE ORNAMENT

TO PLACE ON YOUR TREE EACH CHRISTMAS.

FINALLY, PLEASE CONSIDER A GIFT OF $1,000 OR MORE

TO HELP PROVIDE TWO CHILDREN WITH CORRECTIVE CLEFT PALATE SURGERIES

AND YOU MAY REQUEST "THE LION AND THE LAMB" BRONZE SCULPTURE.

PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR MAKE YOUR GIFT ONLINE TODAY.

Isak: THE IMAGES ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW

ARE IMAGES OF CHILDREN HERE IN THIS RURAL VILLAGE IN AFRICA,

CHILDREN THAT DON'T HAVE SHOES ON.

WE PROVIDE FOOD, WE PROVIDE SHELTER,

WE'RE DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS, WATER --

THAT ARE REALLY MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR CHILDREN

AND YET, AT TIMES IT FEELS SO NICE

JUST TO DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY,

JUST TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE EXTRAORDINARY.

DURING THIS SEASON I WANT TO ASK YOU TO GIVE THESE CHILDREN

AND CHILDREN ALL AROUND THE WORLD A SPECIAL GIFT,

A GIFT THAT IS A LUXURY, NOT TO YOU AND I,

BUT A LUXURY TO THESE PRECIOUS LITTLE CHILDREN,

THE GIFT OF A PAIR OF SHOES.

YOU KNOW IF YOU MAKE THAT GIFT TODAY,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT A SMILE ON THE FACE OF A CHILD

WHO SO DESPERATELY NEEDS CORRECTIVE SURGERY.

SO PLEASE, DIAL THAT NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN OR GET ONLINE

AND GIVE THE MOST AMAZING GIFT --

GIVE THAT OUT OF THE ORDINARY GIFT OF A PAIR OF SHOES

AND PUT A SMILE ON A CHILD'S FACE WHO SO DESERVES IT!

James: WELL, BETTY AND

I JUST SAY THANK YOU

FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART.

I THINK WHEN YOU SEE

THE LITTLE CHILDREN, BETTY,

I STILL LOVE THAT LITTLE KID'S

JUMPING UP AND DANCING.

THEY'RE SO CUTE!

ALL THESE LITTLE CHILDREN

GOD LOVES.

YOU SENSE IT IN YOUR HEART.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US

HELP THEM.

I JUST SAY TO ALL OF YOU

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

BUT LET'S AGAIN

SAY THANKS TO RAVI.

RAVI, WE BLESS YOU, MAN!

ALL OVER THE WORLD, THANK YOU!

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.

LET'S BE A LIGHT --

LET'S BE A WITNESS!

Announcer: IF YOU'RE IN THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA,

COME BE A PART OF THE LIFE TODAY STUDIO AUDIENCE.

CALL OR E-MAIL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS.

YOU'LL BE INSPIRED AND ENTERTAINED!