to ask god for money?" so here, she is a christian. she goes to church all the time. she believes in christ, but she did not know that she could exercise her faith for something as simple as provision, or for god to move customers in her direction. there is nothing that we cannot pray about, no need that we cannot lift up to god. i'm not saying we're gonna get everything we want, but when it comes to our needs and our provision, we can release our faith, but see, it has to be released. and sometimes, to be honest, we get a little bit lazy. so today, we're gonna have a few words for the lazy people. and i know nobody here today is lazy. my goodness, you got up and got here, so i can't say you are lazy, but maybe there's just somebody watching by television

somewhere in the world, in europe, in africa, in india, in australia, in america, and you're just a little lazy. it's just a little too much of an effort. you know, let's take something simple, like praying over our food. we better pray sincerely, because there's a whole bunch of stuff in it that could kill us if we don't pray over it. well, what do we do? and i'm guilty, too, "thank you, lord, for this food. bless it in my body. in the name of jesus, amen." or then sometimes after we've eaten half of it, "bless the lord, o my soul, and all that's already in me." well you know, it's one thing to do it as an obligation or just a habit of something we do, but the faith is really not working unless we take a moment to sincerely pray. "father, i'm praying over this

food and i thank you for it, and i pray, god, if there's anything in it that's harmful, that you won't let it harm me. in jesus' name, amen." so it's one thing to have faith. it's another thing to actually use your faith and exercise your faith. so the bible talks about the shield of faith, and in mark 11:22, which is kind of our foundation scripture, it simply says, "have faith in god [constantly]. and jesus, replying, said to them, have faith in god [constantly]." i like that scripture. not just once in a while, not just occasionally, not just until you're tired of waiting for your breakthrough, but have faith in god constantly. now, let's learn some facts about faith. first of all, faith can grow. let's look at 2 thessalonians 1:3. faith can grow,

but it only grows as we use it. how many of you would like to have a greater muscle mass than what you have? well, you know what? you can't pray that in. i mean, i don't care how much faith you got. you can get a whole group of faith-filled believers together, and they cannot pray muscle on you. there's only one way you're gonna get it, and that's effort, amen? you have to use that muscle, and the more you use it, the muscle will start to grow, and then to get it to grow more, you have to lift heavier things, or do harder things. so why do we think that we go through something and we finally get through that, and we're like...ah, and then there's something even harder than the last thing? so, okay. we go through that. then it's like, ah. and then another thing.

well, you know, by the time we get way up here...these things down here...don't bother us at all anymore, amen? when i first started going to the gym and working out, i mean, i started with these little dog bone weights that weighed about 3 pounds, and i'm like... well, you know, now, 20 pounds or 25 pounds later, if i go back to something like that, it's like, "well, this is nothing." well, see, some of the things that you're going through right now, as you continue to grow in faith, those things will be nothing. you won't even notice 'em. actually, it amazes me the things that i used to get upset set about. i look back now and i think, "how dumb was that to make myself miserable all day over something that ridiculous?" so 2 thessalonians 1:3. "your faith is growing and your love towards each other is increasing and abounds." so paul is saying, "your faith is growing and your love is growing. your faith is growing and your love is growing." do you know what?

faith doesn't grow without love. you say, "well, what do you mean?" well, first of all, my understanding of how much god loves me and your understanding of how much god loves you has to grow in order for your faith to grow. the more that you believe that someone loves you, the more you're gonna be willing to put your trust in them and put your confidence in them. so i would say if you're having a trouble with faith, maybe just kind of lay that lesson aside for a little bit and go study how much god loves you, get rooted and grounded in his love, and then you'll come back and it won't be as hard to put your faith in him. we're supposed to receive the love of god, learn to love ourselves in a balanced way, love god, and then let that love flow through us to other people. galatians 5:6 says faith works by love.

that's why in mark 11, he says, "when you pray, if you have anything against anyone, leave it, drop it, let it go. forgive him." why? because faith won't work without love. if we're mad at somebody, we're angry at somebody, we're all stopped up inside and that love can't flow through us, then our faith is not gonna work, either. so he said, "i'm grateful that your faith is growing and your love toward one another is also increasing and abounds." i think in the church in the last 25 years we have paid a lot more attention to faith than we have love... i'm gonna say that again. i think we've paid a lot more attention to faith than we have love. maybe i'll even say it a third time. i think we've paid a lot more attention to faith than we have love. why? because we kind of learned where we could use our faith and get some things we wanted,

but although god may have started to introduce us to faith by teaching us that, it's for a lot greater purpose than just to get your own way. yes, there are things that we can believe for that we want and need, but faith is primarily to be used to help us get through things and remain stable and strong, no matter what is going on. do you know what god wants more than anything? he wants a whole worldwide church full of people out there shining like bright lights, making everybody else wonder, "how in the world can you be the way you are with everything that's going on in the world?" more than anything, he wants us to be stable and walking in love and having peace and having joy. simple, little things. psalm 100:2, "serve the lord with gladness." so, faith and love. don't try to pay more attention

to faith than you do love. faith also, another fact about faith, faith can be heard out of our mouth. 2 corinthians 4:13. i know this one's right, 'cause i looked it up this morning. says, "yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, i have believed, and therefore have i spoken. we too believe, and therefore we speak." if you really want to know how much faith you have, or anybody else for that matter, listen to 'em. and especially listen in hard times. especially listen when you're having to wait longer than you'd like to. and especially listen when somebody else gets what you want and you don't have yours yet. and then especially listen when

somebody mistreats you and god doesn't come along and vindicate you quite as quick as you'd like him to. then we start finding out how much faith we really have. once again, i want to make a difference between this faith that we receive christ through. we believe in christ. we believe he died for us. we believe he's our only hope of salvation, and if you don't, you certainly can get that settled right away by just inviting christ into your life. admit that you've been a sinner, that you want to turn away from sin. "i'm sorry, god. please come and live on the inside of me and save me." it's so simple that people miss it. so there's that faith that we have, but then we're supposed to learn to live by that faith, to exercise that faith in every single area of our life, and that takes a little bit of concentration and a little bit of focus. faith dispels fear and worry.

matthew 6:30 says, "don't worry about your provision. each day has sufficient trouble of its own." don't worry about tomorrow. don't worry about yesterday. exercise your faith each day, one day at a time. you know, i have things, just like you do. i've got a couple situations right now that are going on that are a little bit tense, and some areas where i'm responsible to take care of some situations that i don't even really know how i got into to start with, but you know how that goes. it's one of those "why me" things. you know, why do i have to be doing this, but nonetheless i'm in it and gotta see it through. so, you know, things are going messy and so you get up in the morning and you start to try to pray and you start thinking, "well, you know, what about this and that?" just like you, i have to say, "nope. i'm using my faith to live today.

i'll have what i need tomorrow when tomorrow comes." we all have to do it. but you see, it's something that you have to do on purpose. you purposely have to exercise your faith in those areas and learn how to talk to yourself if need be and remind yourself of scriptures like this, "i don't have to worry about tomorrow. surely god loves me more than a bird, and i've never seen a bird sitting on a branch having a breakdown because he didn't know where his next worm was coming from." >> [applauding] >> joyce: i mean, god says the birds are fed. there's nothing more beautiful than the flowers, and god takes care of them, so we don't have to worry about god taking care of us, either. but although we don't have to worry about it, we do need to release our faith for it. and see, this is where i think sometimes we get lazy. it's like, "oh, yeah, god'll take care of that." well, have you asked him to? have you prayed about it?

are you keeping your confession in line with what you say you believe? those are our areas to exercise our faith, and if we do our part, god will never fail to do his part. jesus even told the disciples, when they were fearful in the storm, "if you had enough faith, you wouldn't be afraid of the storm. if you trusted me." why does god let us go through things? because faith grows through experience with god. my faith is so much stronger now than it was 36 years ago when i really entered into a serious relationship with god, and i was a christian a long time before i got serious. hello? come on. i'm talking to some of you watching me right now by tv. and don't turn the set off, either. i was a christian a long time before i got serious.

i had enough of god to keep me out of hell, but not enough to cause me to walk in victory. come on. don't just have enough of god to keep you from going to hell. have enough to cause you to walk in victory so you can take somebody else to heaven with you. well, i'm sure glad that i pressed through and let god grow me up a little. just last night, we had 1,102 people receive christ. just last night. >> [applauding] >> joyce: i mean, i spent years as a not-so-serious christian marching off to church every week and going back home. as far as i know, nobody ever got saved because of my life. but boy, once you get serious with god, once you really begin to exercise your faith to believe everything that he says, faith is a powerful force

that can change many things in our life. faith heals the sick. no matter how much medicine's available to us today, and no matter how many medical treatments that we can get, let us not forget to first and foremost believe god to keep us healthy, amen? if you're not familiar with god's desire to heal the sick, go read matthew 8, the first 17 verses, and you'll see he was healing people every time he turned around. but unbelief can keep god from being able to do what he wants to do. let's look at matthew 13:58. "and he did not do many works of power there, because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in the divine mission of jesus)." so god is working all the time, but what he's doing is received through the hand of faith.

we have to release our faith and say, "god, i believe your word and i want to take that as my own." so some of the things that faith does: faith receives provision. faith saves us from sin. faith can cause us to live completely free from guilt. wow. faith fills us with the holy spirit. by faith, we can believe that we are pleasing to god, even in our imperfect state. faith purifies the heart, it sanctifies the person, it brings revelation, it justifies us, it gives us access into the presence of god. by faith, we're made right with god. faith gives us security and confidence. it brings blessing. it brings hope. it produces good works. it edifies.

it keeps us true to god, and it quenches all the fiery darts of the enemy. >> [applauding] >> joyce: but ephesians 6 says, "lift up the shield of faith..." it doesn't say drag it along with you... doesn't even say, just..." yep. got my shield. yes, sir, got that shield of faith. whoo, i'm a faith woman." yeah, well, are you lifting up the shield of faith when one of those fiery darts is... "here comes another lie... no, i don't believe that.

here comes another attack... no, i don't believe that." ephesians 6:16. think i'll just leave that there for you guys to see. ephesians 6:16 in the amplified says, "lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]." and the king james says, "above all," can somebody say "above all"? "above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." but once again, that shield, faith can do us no good if we don't pick it up, lift it up, release it, let it go, and how do we release our faith? through praying, through saying, and through faith-filled, god-inspired action. not just any kind of action, but faith-filled, god-inspired action. what does the bible say

in james 1? "faith without works is dead." not works of the flesh, but the works that god tells us to do. so therefore, we see we cannot be lazy. can i tell you, it's not enough to go to church and park your little bottom on a pew. i don't care. you can go four times a week and have somebody else who's put out all the effort and hasn't been lazy feed you the word of god, spoon-feed you the word of god, and then you march out and go back home and march back the next week to get another feeding. that is not gonna be enough. it's a beginning, but it's not enough. it's good but it's not enough... "well, what do you want me to do?" well, you can start by taking some notes or buying a recorded copy of the messages that you hear, and you can go home and study some more yourself. hearing somebody else tell you something is one level, but when you study, that information

can become revelation to you. don't be the person all your life who needs to be ministered to. come on. let me say it again. it's time for transition for some of you. you know, we want to minister to people, but don't be the person who all your life needs to be the one that's receiving the ministry. be the one who's helping somebody else. not only that, i can say i think we get to a certain point in receiving where we can't even receive any more if we don't start giving out. faith without works is dead. has no power. no power at all. faith should always come first before works, but we can't leave out the works, and that takes an effort, doesn't it? how many of you know that doing the right thing takes an effort?

come on. don't just have enough faith to keep you out of hell. have enough faith and start releasing it to walk in victory and to be a blessing to somebody else. i don't even really think that we should get through one day without being able to say, "i'm so glad, god, that you allowed me to be a blessing to so-and-so today. i was able to encourage. i was able to lift up. i was able to meet a need. i was able to share my faith with somebody." lazy christians will never stay protected from the plots and plans of satan. lazy is a good word, isn't it? 2 peter 1:5 says, "employ every effort in exercising your faith," employ every effort. "for this reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises]," so we have

the promises of god. but he says, now "employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, christian energy)," and then he goes on to say some other things. but my point is is that you have to make an effort to exercise your faith. hope is a good thing, but if hope is just kind of like, "i wish." hope is a very close relative of faith, and i don't think you can have faith without hope, because hope is a positive expectation that something good is gonna happen, so you have to have that before you're even gonna release your faith. but a lot of people don't have any of that. they just wish. "i wish i had." we don't need wishbone, we need backbone. we need to be able to stand up and say, "i'm gonna do my part through the power of god." get up every morning and take 10, 15 minutes to thank god for what he's doing and to praise

him and to release your faith for what you know you need that day and what may come up that you don't even know that you need, and release your faith to get out in public and act like a christian. spend time in the presence of god and ask to be filled with the power of the holy spirit. i love ephesians 3 that says--paul prayed that "they would be filled in their inner man and that the holy spirit would indwell their innermost being and personality." i don't know about you, but i know some folks who could use a good shot of the holy ghost in their personality. >> joyce: you know, trust in god is one of the most important things that we need to learn to do. when we trust god, it releases peace, and when we have peace, we have joy. we have a devotional, a new one that we're offering that i think you're gonna love, love, love. it's called "trusting god day by day," 365 little mini-teachings

on trusting god. and also, an audio that i believe is gonna really bless you. it's "21 secrets to trusting god," a 21-day audio devotional. so you can listen to this and you can read your book, and i believe between the two, all the doubt and fears are gonna get squeezed out of your life. have a great day. >> announcer: don't spend another day focused on the worries and cares of this world. change your perspective by learning to trust god day by day. for a limited time, we're offering joyce's newest devotional, "trusting god day by day," along with a three-cd audio devotional, "21 secrets to trusting god" request your copy today. contact us right now using the information on your screen or visit us online at joycemeyer.org. >> announcer: you've been watching "joyce's bootcamp: spiritual fitness conditioning."

be sure to tune in throughout the month of august for essential teachings on foundational principles to get your walk with god in shape, right here on "enjoying everyday life." [music] [music] cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com >> announcer: the preceding was paid for by the friends and partners of joyce meyer ministries.

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that's powerful. at 800.974.6006 tty/v. >> god wants you to reign! cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.abercap.com >> female announcer: previously on "destined to reign." >> god has cut a covenant with you. "but pastor, i--how-- i don't remember cutting a covenant with god. in your representative, his name is jesus.

all right, you are the sleeping partner. you are the beneficiary. are you with me, church? [music] >> announcer: as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, joseph prince ministries would like to bless you with joseph's latest two-sermon audio series, "receiving from jesus." discover how you can receive jesus' peace that passes all understanding and find divine rest for your soul, as well as god's promised victory over every circumstance. separately, for a specific gift to the ministry this month, you can receive a special resource bundle. this bundle contains a beautiful leather-bound special gift edition of joseph's latest book, "provision promises." be encouraged by the truths presented in this book about

the lord's love and grace toward you. this bundle also includes joseph's latest two-sermon audio series, "receiving from jesus." to order these resources, call us toll free at 1-877-901-4300 or visit us at josephprince.org today. >> announcer: today with joseph prince. >> one time saul went into the cave of ein gedi, many of you have been there in israel, ein gedi and the bible says to ease himself. now whatever you know about easing yourself, okay? so it wasn't a very pleasant place to be. david and his men were hiding in deep in the deep recesses of the cave. the cave is still there, but the roof has broken down in ein gedi and the water is flowing. that's the same place. you will look up and you'll see that the remnants of the cave that broke, okay,

it's still there in ein gedi. so saul went in to ease himself and david and his men were hiding inside and abishai, one of david's mighty men, he said to david, "david." he was not a bit shy to tell david this. "kill him, he's here now. kill him." david says, "no, no one can stretch his hand against the lord's anointed." david called saul the lord's anointed. this guy who is now demon possessed, who already gone insane, all right, david called him the lord's anointed. "how can you stretch your hand against the lord's anointed?" all right, so another time god caused a deep sleep to fall on saul and all his men. by the way, saul was pursuing david, all right? and david came into the camp with abishai and all the mighty men and again abishai saw saul sleeping and all his guards and all that were all sleeping, a deep sleep fell on them. my friend, god gives deep sleep. if you got a problem with sleep, ask god for deep sleep, but not now. god caused a deep sleep to fall on adam, and ever since,

man cannot go into deep sleep. no, i'm just teasing. okay, sorry. let's go on. david had the opportunity to kill saul lying down there in deep sleep and abishai says, "let me smite him only once and i shall smite no more." and david says, "how can you stretch your hand, abishai, how can you stretch your hand against the lord's anointed?" okay, and david will take his canteen and his spear and all that and he will go up to a high mountain and he will shout. and they all got up and david told king saul, you know, "oh, king, you know, why are you seeking me? why would a king of israel, why would royalty seek after a bird, a partridge, a flea? you know, here i am. god delivered you into my hand. i could have killed you. here is your canteen, here is your spear. isn't this proof that i love you? i'm not--i'm not against you, saul." and again this guy will go into like, "oh, my son, david, my son david," then

later on and kill him again. just to let you know that he had ample opportunities, david, had ample opportunities to kill saul but he didn't. the time came when david was in ziglag, the philistines attacked again. now let me just tell you this, all this time david honored king saul and david honored the covenant he cut with saul's son, jonathan, all right? he will never lay a finger on saul, nor kill saul. all right, but saul in his foolishness drove david away. david and his mighty men could have defended israel. so david, during this time, was in ziglag, which is out of israel proper in the sense. at the time the philistines came. they realized the opportunity and there's a fierce battle that went on between saul and his armies and jonathan went to battle with his father, with his two brothers.

they went into battle at mount gilboa. at the mountain, the battle became very fierce. jonathan fell. his two brothers fell and last of all, they pursued-- the philistines pursued king saul who was left with no way to retreat. he took out his own sword and stabbed himself. now later on--and by the way, the bible tells us the philistines took the bodies of king saul and his three sons and hanged their bodies in a place called beit shean. remember this, beit shean. we've all been there, those that have been to israel, beit shean. and news came to david and but how the news came is quite interesting. there was an amalekite, a non-jew, the sworn enemy of israel is an amalek. an amalekite came to bring the news to david when he was in ziglag and the guy says,

"look, look, david, the crown of king saul. look, i have his bracelet." and david said, "what happened?" he say that "there was a fierce battle with the philistines and saul is dead. jonathan is dead, the brothers are dead. and i saw king saul, all right, impaled with his own sword and he could not die. he was still alive, so he turned to me and i was there. and he said to me, finish me off. don't let the philistines finish me off. so i took my sword and i finished him off." and he thought he was impressing david and david looked at the amalekite and says, "how dare you stretch your hand against the lord's anointed?" all right, and david told his men to kill the amalekite. now, it was brutal one of the saddest songs recorded in the bible was

uttered during this time, david's song called, "the song of the bow." i thought it was really good that you see it for yourself. look up here, "david lamented with this lamentation over saul and over jonathan his son, and he told them to teach the children of judah the song of the bow; indeed it is written in the book of jasher." now, he made it-- he made sure that this song is sung throughout israel, taught to the children of judah. one of the saddest songs that david ever wrote, all right, and it begins like this. "the beauty of israel is slain on your high places! how the mighty have fallen!" the mountain is called mount gilboa. it's still there today. "tell it not in gath, proclaim it not in the streets of ashkelon--" the cities of philistines, "lest the daughters of the philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph." next, "o mountains of gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. for the shield of the mighty is cast away there! the shield of saul, not anointed with oil. from the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,

the bow of jonathan did not turn back, the sword of saul did not return empty. 'saul and jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions.'" and that became the slogan for our ushering ministry, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. what a beautiful expression. notice he said, saul, he calls saul beloved. even saul and jonathan. david never, never had animosity in his heart towards king saul. he calls them the beauty of israel slain on the high places. all right, drop down and david had his personal tribute to jonathan. "i am distressed for you, my brother jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women." see, the love that jonathan had for david is a love that even the women in david's life at that time did not manifest,

that self-sacrificial spirit. he was in line for the throne, all right? so guys, it's good that we have friends like david and jonathan, kind of friendship. amen? holy, deep friendship and pure. praise god. "how the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!" guys, we need time. you know, ladies, wives, can i say something? your husbands need male bonding. if you want them to be good husbands, they need time to be among other men. they need to relax and talk nonsense, man talk, okay? just like men, you need to learn to speak woman-ese. ladies, you need to learn to speak man-ese, man language, all right? and sometimes, you know, men long for that language, that kind of thing, bonding with the other brothers. so i hope you understand.

doesn't mean time away from you, all right, doesn't care about you. in fact, see it as an investment because he'll get tired of his friends and come back to you, all right? in fact, he will come back with a revelation that you are different, all right? your friends can never compare to him. let it never be said, all right, that his best friend's love is better than yours, you know? but that's true for david's case. david had no friends, all right, accept for jonathan in the beginning, and later on he had the mighty men with him. but jonathan always remained his deep and close friend, even though in death, okay? now, go back to verse 21, there is a curse that david plays on mount gilboa. "o mountains of gilboa, let there be no dew--" not even rain, but no dew nor rain. so it's gonna be very hot, isn't it? just to let you know that when i first went to israel, i read this story and i wanted

to see mount gilboa. so i was not going through sar-el at that time, sar-el, by the way, is the best travel agency, all right, in all israel. at that time it was a different travel agency and there was a guide there and he--i told him i want to see mount gilboa, so he brought us there. and the moment we saw mount gilboa, he told me, "that's mount gilboa." and then he said this to the people in the bus. he say that "by the way, this is the hottest area in israel." until now it is the hottest spot, hottest area in israel. and there's a city underneath called beit shean, that's where the bodies of saul, jonathan, and his brothers were hung. just let you know that, all right, some israeli mosaic went at night and took the bodies down, okay? that's also in the bible. and beit shean is the hottest, just north of beit shean is a small town called that reed. south, south of beit shean

is a town called tirat zvi, all right? tirat zvi, if you look at ten hottest--google ten hottest spots, ten hottest areas in the world, all right, top ten, tirat zvi is one of them. it is the hottest areas in israel. so i asked the guide the first time i was in israel, i say that, "why is it the hottest area?" he says, "you know, the mountains around here, maybe they block the water droplets," so i knew he didn't know his bible. david said, david cursed the mountain and says, "let there be no dew nor rain." you know of all the mountains in israel, there's a spot, i can bring you today, i can bring you there and i show you there's a place in mount gilboa where jonathan fell, where saul fell, that place that is completely bald. they cannot plant anything there. would you like to see it? want to see up here? i got a picture. you sure want to see it, or we go on? okay, i'm gonna show you. right now this is a picture

taken by patrick, one of your guides. can you see that area on the right? all right, that's completely bald. they have tried time and again to plant trees. they have planted trees on mount gilboa. see, on the left side here, it's okay. it's fruitful, but on that side, it's completely bald and they call that place near david, david, all right, the area of david where david cursed the mountain. so when david cursed the mountain, it was that direction. most likely king saul and his sons fell there. so it's a curse. he cursed the mountain. until today, the trees cannot grow on that area, and it's the hottest spot, no dew even. be careful what you say over your children. don't say, "you forever so careless, so stupid, so this, so that." you know be careful what you say.

don't say things like "die ah, die ah, die ah." all right, when things go wrong say, live ah, live ah, live ah, because when you live, you can find the lost item. if you live, you can handle the situation. if you die--the power of life and death is in the tongue. don't say, "i'm dying for that piece of cake." if you die, cannot eat. say, "i'm living for the piece of cake." so where, where cometh this-- who programmed our language with death instead of life? you think about it. it came from my parents. who programmed their language? it came from their parents. who programmed their language? it sound very funny to say, "live ah, live ah, live." people will laugh at me. yeah, you will live long, long after their laughter has died, died. say, "with long life, god satisfies me." let me do a joel osteen. "with long life,

god satisfies me." lawrence can do better. lawrence even looks like him. okay, so that's mount gilboa, and you always see it on the way to jerusalem from galilee, you always see it, all right? it should not be--it should not be the hottest area. why? it is towards--you know, it is not supposed to be because towards the south, all right, near the equatorial should be warmer there, but it's not the south. it is near galilee, jezreel. so david says, "teach this song, the song of the bow, to all the children of judah." many years came and went. by the way, i must tell you this, while--when king saul and his sons died, news came to the palace, all right, that king saul is dead.

let's follow the story right now, all right? in 2 samuel 4, "jonathan, saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. he was five years old when the news about saul and jonathan came from jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled." so when they heard saul and jonathan died, the maid, the nurse, the nanny, took the baby, all right, or the child, the toddler, and ran with him and, "it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. his name was mephibosheth." now, mephibosheth, his name means breathing out shame, literally breathing out shame. and when the news came--now here is where i want to focus. listen carefully. look up here, church. you know, the world is where they are today. they are in resentment towards god. they are angry towards god. they have all kinds of wrong ideas towards god.

they think god is out to get them. remember this, when the news came to the palace that king saul is dead, jonathan is dead, all right, they all--they all acted like, you know, chicken with their head off. all right, they were running in all different directions. there was mayhem in the palace and the nanny took the boy, jonathan's son, mephibosheth, and she ran in haste, the bible says, all because of false report. the news was not that the philistines are gonna come. the philistines will not go over to the palace. they were only on the mountainside. you know why they won't go over? david and his men were there. david's reputation has proceeded him. the enemies cannot go over because david and his men guarded the borders. are you with me? so in spite of the fact that david was like a vagabond at that time, all right, running from mountain, mountain cave to cave, all right,

he still defended israel. are you with me? so the enemies never went into israel, only on the mountains and the borders. they dare not go in. so the news that they received was not the philistines were coming. it's not. it is the fact that king saul is dead. guess who's gonna come to the palace. david. "david the enemy of saul, our king, he's gonna come. he's gonna kill you, mephibosheth, you don't run fast, he's gonna kill you because you are the true heir to the throne. your father is dead. your grandfather is dead, therefore you are the true heir, and david will come and kill you because david wants the throne." the same thing is going on all over the world, "god is out to get you. you don't obey god, you don't follow god, god will give you cancer. you keep on disobeying god, one of these days, he will take away one child and then another child." when bad things happen, you know, professionals

are also to be blamed. you don't find, all right, people saying things like when there's a tsunami and there's an earthquake, they say things like "acts of god." you don't say, "acts of the devil." so that's what's been fed to the human race, the house of saul--not house of saul. i shouldn't be doing this. the world, the whole world, the house of saul has been hearing that god is after them. "god only cares for his glory. he doesn't care about you. he uses his power to put you down, to give you disease." and all the while that boy never heard david sing the song of lamentation, the song of the bow. the house of saul never saw how david wept when he hugged jonathan and how he promised, no one told the house about

the vow and the covenant between david and jonathan. well, here is one preacher. i'm telling you that you got a covenant with god, the god of heaven and the earth. if only someone, a representative, would come to the house of saul and say, "stop. everybody freeze. what is wrong with all of you?" say, "we are packing to run." "run from who?" "david." "david? david love you, lah." okay, no lah. okay, "david love you, man." i saw david's tears when he heard how david, how jonathan and saul died. i heard him sing a sad song, one of the saddest songs i ever heard. his heart is for you, he will take care of you. david never wanted the throne. "and david will never, never kill you.

he loves you. he loved--mephibosheth, david loved your dad. don't run." but instead, there's no representative. there's no messenger of good news, the word "gospel," you see? see, all of you have a responsibility, huh, response-ability, okay? you gotta go out there and tell the world, the house of saul, god is not mad at them, that god loves them. tell them that god is not out to put disease on them. god is out to take disease off them. tell them god is not mad at them. tell them god is mad about them. god loves them. amen? it's your responsibility. a lot of people out there, just like what we were when we were lost, we thought that god is after us and all that. imagine little mephibosheth, he fell down because of this haste. some of you today, you are lame, all of us, we are lame.

i shouldn't say some of you. all of us are lame in some ways, all right? not lame physically, but we are lame. we have a huge weakness that we try to hide. we don't want people to know. we can have a lot of money and we are lame in other ways, lame in our marriage, lame in parenting, you know? and then we say, "no, pastor, i got it under control." that's a lame excuse, you know? or our brain's lame brain, you know, we are lame. the human race is fallen and it's not god's fault. we blame god for it. every time there's a lameness, we blame god. i'm sure mephibosheth tries the entire teenage life, his adulthood, he blamed david. it's david's fault. if david didn't come after us like that--and david never came after them. i would not have fallen. the world blames god. not only are they afraid of god like mephibosheth is afraid of david that one day david will kill him,

but they are bitter towards god. that's what fear does. and some people say, "well, pastor prince, we gotta preach the fear of the lord." just remember, all right, the fear of the lord is defined by jesus in the wilderness temptation as thou shall worship, all right? if you teach the wrong kind of fear, whatever--remember this, if you make someone fear you, in a matter of time they will hate you. just remember that, all right? if you make your children fear you, a matter of time, they will hate you, but fear can be misplaced. the heart of david was for mephibosheth. it's for the entire house of saul, but their fears were misplaced. why? no one told them the good news. >> announcer: thank you for tuning into our broadcast. you have watched highlights of a sermon by joseph prince. to order an audio cd of the full sermon, which is approximately 60 minutes long, call the toll-free number at 1-877-901-4300 or

log onto josephprince.org now. >> announcer: next on "destined to reign." >> it is not about right doing, it's about right believing. when you believe right, you will do right. it's all about believing right. [music] >> announcer: as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, joseph prince ministries would like to bless you with joseph's latest two-sermon audio series, "receiving from jesus." discover how you can receive jesus' peace that passes all understanding and find divine rest for your soul, as well as god's promised victory over every circumstance. separately, for a specific gift to the ministry this month, you can receive a special resource bundle. this bundle contains a beautiful leather-bound

special gift edition of joseph's latest book, "provision promises." be encouraged by the truths presented in this book about the lord's love and grace toward you. get ready to receive your miracle as you find out how, through the finished work, jesus has supplied every provision you need for every area of your life. this bundle also includes joseph's latest two-sermon audio series, "receiving from jesus." for more information on how to order these resources, call us toll free at 1-877-901-4300 or visit us at josephprince.org today. >> announcer: god wants you to live a life free of fear and full of his peace, joy and blessings. because of jesus' finished work, god is always with you and for you.

today, you can face your challenges without fear and embrace life with a confident expectation of good. get ready to step into a fear-free life filled with unlimited possibilities today. for a specific gift to the ministry, you can request this two-cd audio series, "unafraid, living fear-free" and walk in a whole new level of power, authority, and victory over your circumstances today. for more information on how to order this powerful resource, call us toll free at 1-877-901-4300 or visit us at josephprince.org today. >> announcer: if you've been blessed by today's message, we would like to give you an opportunity to partner with us to impact the world with the gospel of grace. >> under grace god says, "i will be merciful to your unrighteousness and your sins i will remember no more."

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>> today on "on the spot," we'll meet the biggest, strongest, and most extreme animals ever, shake our heads at the most ridiculous scientific theories, and find out why airlines don't have us sit backwards. it is safer. all this and more coming up now on "on the spot"! this is the world we live in. how well do you know it? well, we're about to find out.

this is "on the spot." some of the record breakers in the animal kingdom are easy to spot. the fastest! but did you know a cheetah can accelerate faster than a ferrari? the biggest! but did you know an elephant eats 700 pounds of salad a day? that's the equivalent of 4 people, but for this segment of "record breakers," we're gonna make it a little more interesting. we'll skip the usual awards and this time meet the strongest, most venomous, most gluttonous, toughest, loudest, and most extreme animals on the planet, and why

not include all of those extinct animals, too? you know who we mean. it's time for "record breakers: animal style"! our first record, strength. true or false? the world's strongest animal is only a few inches long. strength is all relative. a strong human can press his own bodyweight, but that's nothing. this 6-inch-long rhinoceros beetle can carry 850 times its bodyweight. that's like a person squatting 9 elephants. so the answer is true. the world's strongest animal is the tiny rhino beetle, sometimes called the hercules beetle. they live on every continent except antarctica, and for the record, only the males have horns, and their superstrength, tough appearance, and brawling nature has made them popular amongst gamblers who wager on beetle battles. so what are

these little hercules fighting over? girls. as strong as it is, the rhino beetle couldn't hurt you, but our next animal could. which is the world's most venomous animal--a snake, a jellyfish, or a spider? when it comes to potency and the sheer volume of venom, the uncontested answer is a jellyfish, specifically the sea wasp, which lives in the warm waters off the coast of australia, and don't say the aussies didn't warn you. the sea wasp has 60 tentacles and enough venom to kill exactly that many people, but among spiders, the award goes to the aggressive brazilian wandering spider. so why is this person holding it? and in the snake category, the inland taipan is the most venomous, and like the sea wasp, it's australian.

now let's use our inside voices to talk about the world's loudest animal. which animal makes the most deafening sound--a monkey, an insect, or a whale? here's a clue. you've never heard it. the world's most deafening sound comes from the blue whale, which makes noises at 188 decibels but at a frequency so low that people can't hear it, but other blue whales can, sometimes 500 miles away, and for the record, a cicada could damage your eardrum if you held it up to your ear, so don't. our most remarkable animal record has to do with travel. the arctic tern is the record holder for the world's longest migration, so how far is it? true or false? the arctic tern migrates 11,000 miles a year. 11,000 miles is the distance from new york to los angeles by

plane, then to santiago chile by car, and down by punta arenas at the southern edge of south america, and then you'd have to drive around the parking lot for about 10 hours. that's 11,000 miles, and this tiny bird no bigger than your hand flies 4 times that far, 44,000 miles a year in a meandering path from its breeding ground in the arctic to antarctica, so it sees two summers a year and gets more daylight than any other animal. that's the equivalent of running one marathon every 6 hours with no sleep for the entire year. oh, and even 4-month-old arctic terns make the trip. jeez! all we do at 4 months is slobber. when we grow up, we actually have pretty good endurance and the ability to go really fast, too, getting our heart rates up around 200 beats per minute. whew! it may feel fast, but in

the animal world, that pace is actually downright glacial. the record for the world's fastest heartbeat actually belongs to this tiny bird. so how fast can a hummingbird's heart beat--500 beats per minute, 750 beats per minute, or 1,250 beats per minute? here's a hint. some hummingbirds' hearts can beat 21 times per second. can you do the math? the answer is 1,250 beats per minute. wow! and they burn energy like a formula 1 car burns gas. even though hummingbirds eat up to 3 times their bodyweight every single day, they use the energy so quickly that they're always just hours away from starvation. now let's get your heart rate going with a speed round. we'll compare animals alive today with extinct animals to find out which one's a record breaker. here we go. which

animal is larger--the biggest dinosaur ever or a blue whale? a blue whale, which can be 90 feet long and weigh well over 150 tons. the biggest dinosaur argentinosaurus was about 120 feet long but weighed just 100 tons. pfft. puny. which carnivore is larger--the polar bear or the spinosaurus? easy one. spinosaurus. just go by the name. this 8-ton meat grinder was 20 times larger than a polar bear. all rightie. which snake is larger--the python or the titanoboa? the largest living snake is either the python or anaconda, but that's spaghetti compared to the 50-foot-long, 2,500-pound titanoboa. it died out a long time ago thank goodness, and finally, which shark is larger--the whale

shark or the megalodon? the docile whale shark is big, but megalodon was bigger, 70 feet long and 100 tons. time's up! when we come back, we'll look at a dozen of the most wrong-headed scientific theories ever. what were they thinking? we'll find out. it's all coming up next. this is "on the spot."

pick your [bleep] up. you're not [bleep] sittin' here. yes, i am. [laughter] move. move. [laughter/indistinct chatter] bully: give it to him hard. no, no, no, oww. announcer: every day, kids witness bullying... boy: why are you stabbing me with it? no! announcer: they want to help, but don't know how. no! oww. ohh, you guys... announcer: teach your kids how to be more than a bystander. visit stopbullying.gov.

>> we're back! it's not easy to explain everything in the universe, but throughout history, we've tried, and sometimes, we've really gotten it wrong, so let's take a look at 8 of the most ridiculous theories in history. how would you explain that some parts of earth are mountainous, others are flat, and most is water? well, today, we know that earth's crust is broken into different plates that shift

over time, causing mountains to rise and continents to form, but until the early 1900s, scientists had a much different theory. true or false? scientists believed that earth was a hollow metal shell and its surface was decorated with materials from outer space. ridiculous theory, right? well, we just made it up. it's false, but the truth is ridiculous, too. for centuries, scientists thought the earth was infinitely expanding. in fact, the theory said that the earth used to be much, much smaller, just a shell of land with no visible water, but as earth expanded, the shell broke, continents separated, and oceans appeared. nice try. fire. for thousands of years, no one knew what it was and where it came from. they just knew it was hot, but in 1667, german scientist j.j. becher

thought he had an answer. becher said anything that can catch on fire contains phlogiston, luciferous, or hottentots? here's a hint. as a result of his theory, for a while, pure oxygen was renamed dephlogistated air. yes, becher said that all combustible objects contained phlogiston and that fire is the result of this phlogiston being released, but he had a problem. phlogiston is supposed to be colorless, tasteless, and downright invisible, so how did becher find it? he didn't because it's not there. >> scientists now agree that except on earth, there is no other life in our solar system. but in 1877, italian astronomer giovanni schiaparelli discovered something that made it seem otherwise. what did schiaparelli discover, ufos over rome, canals on mars,

or a book written by an alien? it wasn't ufos. in 1877, schiaparelli discovered canals on mars. and when other astronomers took a look, they saw them, too. and then one astronomer theorized that the canals were irrigation channels, which played right into the public's imagination. the idea that martians existed and lived as farmers took hold well into the last century. but over the years as telescopes became more powerful, the canals on mars turned out to be just dust storms. and now we're gonna blow you away with a speed round on "ridiculous theories." true or false: before columbus sailed the ocean blue, people thought the earth was flat. false. for thousands of years, people have actually known that the earth is round. true or false: for centuries, people believed that babies were

born with no personality or talents. true. aristotle came up with this blank slate theory, and it wasn't fully proven wrong until the 20th-century discovery of genes. true or false: aristotle also believed that life began spontaneously. true. and by spontaneous, we mean he didn't think it began from an egg or seed but arose out of thin air. and that's what people believed for thousands of years. and, finally, true or false: in the 1800s, a french mathematician discovered the planet vulcan. true. the mathematician le verrier and other scientists believed vulcan was in our solar system between mercury and the sun. but vulcan didn't exist. time's up. we keep hearing that the frontier of medicine is to understand the brain.

well, we've been on that frontier a while. and at one point in the early 1800s, german scientist franz joseph gall thought he'd figured it all out. gall believed he could identify someone's personality by... their head's shape and size; their height and weight; or their birth date? gall wasn't an astrologist. so the answer isn't birth dates. he thought the size and shape of a person's head revealed their personality. gall was one of the earliest practitioners of phrenology, which claimed that a person's brain is divided into 27 organs. and 19 of them can be found in the brains of other animals. he thought that if someone's head were larger in one area or if the person had a bump somewhere, it meant the brain organ below was more frequently used. phrenology became very popular, but eventually real science won out. the brain, it turns out, is still kind of a mystery.

when we come back, we'll find out what flight attendants don't tell you about safety on a plane. and what's worse for you, pulling an all nighter or getting two hours of sleep? it's all coming up next on "on the spot." [ male announcer ] shaq versus pain. shaq 1, pain 0. [ male announcer ] new icy hot advanced patch with 50% more medicine. pain over.

>> we're back. airplanes. we're all pretty used to the routine of flying-- exit row requirements; flimsy oxygen masks; and no electronic devices at takeoff. hey, don't make them have to ask twice. but what's behind these safety requirements? we'll tell you. so buckle up. it's our special airplane edition of "in sickness & in health." lots of planes fly over the ocean. and if one had to

crash-land there, do you know, where is your life vest located, in the overhead compartment, you're sitting on it, or under your seat? don't check the overhead. it's under your seat. you probably knew that. but if you want to play it safe, check to make sure it's there. some people steal them. and the airlines don't always replace them in time. it rarely happens, but if a plane you're in decompresses, it might drop 20,000 feet within 3 or 4 minutes. so... what's the first thing you should do, put on your oxygen mask or put on a nearby child's oxygen mask? if you've paid attention during a safety demonstration, you know the answer. put your own oxygen mask on first. but why? bottom line: you won't be able to breathe. and it might be just 30 seconds before you black out. so if you need to assist

somebody, like a child, you should get your own mask on first. otherwise, you might be too disoriented to help. thank goodness plane accidents hardly ever happen. but if one does, true or false: you should place your head against the seat in front of you. why would you want to put your head against the exact thing it might hit in an accident? so it doesn't hit it! it's true. and, hey, wouldn't it be safer if the seats on planes were facing backwards? yes, it would. so why aren't they? because it looks bad. if a plane loses power, a generator kicks in with escape path lighting. but why are the escape path lights red? they remind people to stay seated or they shine better through smoke? we're used to red meaning stop and green meaning go. but the escape path lights are red because they shine well

through smoke. speaking of red, have you ever flown the red eye or gotten up at an insane hour to get to the airport for an early morning flight? well... is it better to get two hours of sleep or pull an all nighter? two hours doesn't seem like much, but it sure would feel good, right? well, not when you get up. according to the university of pennsylvania's center for sleep, subjects who have stayed up all night have been more alert the next day than those who got 4 hours of sleep or less. but why? because during the first 4 hours of your sleep cycle, you're usually in slow-wave sleep. waking up in the middle of it can leave you disoriented and angry. no one recommends pulling an all nighter, but if you had to choose, you might just want to stay up. this will keep you up. an "in sickness & in health" speed round airplane-style.

true or false: it's very, very humid on planes. false. it's actually really dry, which can cause you to get dehydrated. that's why you should drink more water when flying. true or false: you're more likely to catch a cold in a dry environment. that's true. why? because a humid environment helps keep your airway moist, allowing it to trap germs you inhale. but if your throat is dry, they go right down. true or false: you're more likely to catch a cold in the airport than on the airplane. true again. because these days, airplanes have good air filters. airports, not so much. just don't sit next to a sneezer when you fly. and, finally, true or false: too little sleep can make you more susceptible to colds. true, of course. but you'll need more than a few hours to build up those defenses. so the two

main rules to stay healthy when flying--get a lot of sleep and hydrate. time's up. now we're gonna take this plane back in time to meet some precursors to humans. it's one more "record breakers" question animal-style. we're curious if you know: which human ancestor was the biggest: neanderthal, gigantopithecus, or australopithecus? we'll give you the answer and tell you just how big this thing really was when we return to "on the spot."

>> we're back. here's the question again: which human ancestor was the biggest: neanderthal, gigantopithecus, or australopithecus? just 100,000 years ago in what are now china, india, and vietnam lived the largest ape ever--gigantopithecus. a german paleontologist, g.h.r. von koenigswald, first discovered fossils of the extinct ape in a hong kong apothecary, where teeth of any kind were ground up and used for medicine. not this one. koenigswald took the tooth. decades later, the first full jawbone was discovered. and from that, they began to build full-scale models and determined that an adult male could have been close to 10 feet tall and weigh up to

1,200 pounds, 3 times as big as a gorilla, 8 times as big as a person. but despite its great size, it was a docile vegetarian, just like its chinese neighbor the giant panda.

today on "ricki"... susan's 15-year-old son nick was allegedly killed over a drug debt. - they got in over their heads, and so they decided to hide the evidence. - meet the real life mother behind the movie "alpha dog." have you found peace? - ( sighs deeply ) - the shocking scam that took a newlywed's life. - i knew something was wrong. he was flashy. one of those slick guys, you know, in a bar. she was stabbed and her throat was cut. his footprint was on her face. - and the scandal that changed a family forever.

- ( gunshot ) - when you came to find out that darlene did this, what goes through your mind? - it just devastated. we've already lost a son, now we lose a daughter. - on "ricki." we've all heard the phrase "money is the root of all evil." it is based on a passage from the bible. so it's clear that money and crime have been linked inextricably for thousands of years. today we're examining cases where money was the root of murder. susan and jeff markowitz were living the dream-- beautiful home in southern california, a thriving business and three healthy kids. but that dream turned into a nightmare. here is their story. angelic smile, sweet nature and a promising future. nicholas markowitz was loved by all who knew him. especially his mother susan. but he was violently and senselessly taken away from her.

so shockingly in fact, the film "alpha dog" was based on his tragic death. nick's older brother ben had gotten mixed up with a mid-level los angeles drug dealer, jesse james hollywood. ben owed hollywood $1200 and was unable or unwilling to pay it back. then the crime of opportunity... on the way to confront ben, hollywood and his gang saw younger brother nicholas walking on the road. they abducted him, planned to hold him hostage for ben's debt. they drove the teen up to the santa barbara area. then three days after his kidnapping, hollywood ordered 15-year-old nicholas to be taken to the wilderness and murdered. on august 12th, 2000, his body was found in a shallow grove with nine shots from a semi-automatic pistol. more than a decade later, his mother susan struggles to find out why. please welcome nick's mom, susan markowitz. - ( applause ) - thank you for being here.

i was just telling you-- watching that, i mean, i'm from the same area and i have a 15-year-old son myself. i cannot imagine the pain that you've gone through. tell us, if you would, about your relationship with your son nick. what was it like? - it was funny and difficult at times. you know, as he got older. but it was mostly fun and funny. - and you were very close. - very close. i used to... write a journal with him back and forth since he was the age of seven. there was no pressure, but that's how i kept in touch. - what a great idea. - it really does help. - how did you get him to want to write about what was going on? - i, just on his eighth birthday, wrote on the front page saying that "if you want to write in this at any time, write in it and put it on my pillow, and when i'm done writing in it, i'll put it on your pillow, so you know who has written last. and there's no pressure." - thank goodness you have that. - a definite treasure.

- if you would tell us what happened that led up to nick's kidnapping. - um... all of it was quite a surprise. i didn't know that nick's older half-brother owed a drug debt. and on, um-- three days before he was kidnapped, it ended up that he was-- ( breathes deeply ) he had like a bulge in his pocket, and he had something in it. he ran out the door and he ended up running like a block, and then he came back and i said, "don't you ever run away." he says, "mom, i wouldn't do that." and i said, "give me a hug." come to find out that it was drugs in his pocket. i didn't know that till after he was murdered though. - and those drugs were for him? - those drugs were given to him by his older half-brother. and i didn't know that until after the murder. - so there was a debt of $1200? - yeah, jesse james hollywood owed, um--

- did you know of this james hollywood before? - i did not. - what was their thinking? they were gonna take nick as collateral? for ransom? - they got in over their heads. they kidnapped him and then they realized that they were gonna get life because it was for ransom. and so they decided to hide the evidence. there were five defendants that actually were tried. - and there were more than 30 people that actually saw nick during the course of a few days. - 32 people. and there were seven trials for the five defendants, that took 10 years. - i mean, this has been a living nightmare for you for decades. - it's been 12 years, 12 and a half years, but it feels like 12 minutes at times. - so why did nick have drugs in his pocket? - um, i'm not really sure, but i think that they were to sell for his older half-brother. - to get the money back to pay back the debt? - i don't know.

- okay, so your son-- how did you even know? he's 15. i mean, my son just got his permit. so he has freedom now. how did you even know that he was missing and that someone was taking him and holding him against his will? - i put up-- well... i started calling his friends 'cause he doesn't just disappear. and i had given him a pager a week before for an early 16th birthday present. and i called it, and he didn't answer. and i had tested it once to make sure that he called me back. and i told him that each minute that he didn't return the call, that he would be grounded a week, or i would take it away a week, you know? so it got be five minutes, 10 minutes, and he didn't return. i knew something was wrong. - you knew? and your mother's intuition. - i knew. absolutely. - and he was taken from the house? - he was taken around the corner from our house. - and where was he taken? - he was taken to three different places, but ended up in santa barbara. and, um, that's where he was--

that's where a 17-year-old dug the grave prior to his, um, shooting. he was shot nine times in the face and torso. - ( stammering ) i can't even imagine the thoughts that come through your head that all these people, dozens and dozens of people, saw him and could have done something and-- and didn't. - that's the hardest part is to imagine myself in that position. how can you allow like a child into your home or know that somebody's been kidnapped and not say something and expect that somebody else would take care of it? you have to take matters into your own hand and do what's right and follow your own heart. - and i know he connected with a young woman at a party. 'cause there was a party set up, and he did sort of tell her what he was going through. - yes. and they called him "the stolen boy." - "the stolen boy." - yeah. - and what did she have to say about her interactions with nick? - i think that she felt that...

it was all gonna be resolved because one of the defendants, jesse rugge, said that he was gonna put him on a bus. and lied about putting him on a bus. where he was actually taken up in the hills. - it's just an unbelievably tragic story. it took 10 years, but susan finally got justice for nick. how she helped tracked down the international fugitive who killed her son, next. nick's half-brother ben-- what's your relationship like with him? so when your sister was found murdered, did you know right away that he was the one that did it? another viva dare. our fans think there's a rule

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susan's 15-year-old son nick was allegedly killed over a drug debt owed by his half-brother. his body was discovered about a week after he was murdered. but the man behind the murder, ringleader jesse james hollywood was on the run. susan, tell us about the search to find the guy that did this. - it took five years to capture him. he was actually captured march 8th of 2005 in rio de janeiro, brazil. but the journey in order to find him was quite extensive. - so did they know-- i mean, after this happened, you have to live for those days that he's kidnapped. they find his body. did they know it was him? - um, yes, they did know. - and so he just was on the run? - yeah. - left the country. moved to brazil? - he went to several different places. - so what was that like as a mother to want justice for your son? - it was frustrating, you know, at times,

but i was so busy with 10 years of trials that i, um-- actually... yeah, 10 years. but i was busy with the other trials, so i didn't really focus 100% on him. but when i did focus on him, it was frustrating and i was determined. and as far as the trials, this took 10 years. - no. yeah, all the trials together. there were seven trials, not including the godfather in colorado. - and all of these gentlemen are serving life in prison? - no. the person that actually shot my son received the death penalty-- his first offense. there was jesse rugge-- he received life with parole. jesse james hollywood received life without parole. and the other two are out. one was at c.y.a. till the age of 25. he was the one that dug the grave at the age of 17.

and then there was william skidmore, who, um, did not-- he had a plea, and he was out in eight years, i believe. - so have you found peace? - ( sighs deeply ) well, there was a dream that i had that helped a lot. and that was nick coming to me and-- - what was the dream? - he came to me and told me-- this was while i was in a hospital-- one of 13 attempts, suicide attempts, you know? he came to me and told me how well i was doing and how well i looked. and i was telling him the same. it just felt peaceful. and so i really have to believe, and i do believe with my whole heart that he is with me. i get signs all the time in the form of a praying mantis. which, some people will think, "okay, we gotta put her back in." - tell everybody about the praying mantis, 'cause i love this. - there's so many stories. but the first one was that there was a praying mantis that came on the day that he was found murdered.

and it stayed till the day that we buried him. and on that day we buried him, the praying mantis died. and so i buried it in a little box in the backyard. and ever since then, every year around the anniversary or his birthday, which is august and september, he comes and i see a praying mantis without fail. and people all over the country e-mail me with pictures about this praying mantis that are visiting them too. - that's unbelievable. as far as nick's half-brother ben, what's your relationship like with him? it's really good. it's as good as it can get. he's carrying his own... um, pain. i'm really proud of him. i think he's doing a really good job. he's a good father and a good husband. but there will always be difficult times, because we're all on different pages of our journey. - mm-hmm. and i know you didn't speak for many many years, but it's nice to hear that you're on good terms now. - yes.

- during the 10 years of trials, one woman was by susan's side every day. please welcome victim's advocate joan. - ( applause ) - hi, joan. thank you so much for being here and being by susan's side all those years. - she's amazing. - she is amazing, and you are also amazing. what was it like to be there during those trials for her? - it was an honor, because she's so strong and because the prosecution in santa barbara and the sheriff's department in santa barbara was determined that these guys were going to be held responsible. and there were times when susan was there physically, but i knew she wasn't there mentally. - i could not have done this without her. she reminded me not to stoop myself to their level. - yeah, i would put my face in her hair and say...

"don't stoop to their level. you're bigger than that." and those were times when-- for example, there was a time when the defendant's family and friends completely filled the courtroom. the judge would not allow us to save spaces there. so we were fortunate that there was room for susan, jeff, and myself. but other family members had to leave. there was no place for the victim's family because these other folks had filled up the courtroom. that was especially painful for susan. - ( stammering ) i can't imagine. i was gonna say, "i can imagine." i can't imagine. what is the moment that you will never forget? - the moment i'll never forget is when we heard they had jesse james hollywood. - ( applause ) - yes yes. - susan, tell us, if you would, about your book...

- my book is about my son that was kidnapped and murdered, nicholas markowitz. my heart, my dreams. everything that was real. it's the real story. it tells all the funny things that he used to do, but it also gives details of the, um... the trials. i believe that it's a complete story. the best that i could do, you know? - well, thank you. thank you both for being here today. - thank you, ricki. - thank you. - when we come back, she falls for a seductive foreigner, and after a whirlwind romance, they marry. seven weeks later, she becomes a victim when mr. tall, dark and handsome turns deadly. stay tuned. when they got married, did you believe that she was in love with him?

so when did things start to go wrong? - after she had the second one. - she didn't want to be pinned down.

- today's guests have lost loved ones who were murdered for money. when kathy and her sister cindy met a couple of handsome germans in 1988, they had no idea of the tragedy that awaited them. here is their story. german immigrant michael apelt made quick work as a conman when he moved to the u.s.,

admittedly seducing women and ripping them off. but his m.o. drastically changed when he met 30-year-old cindy monkman in 1988. cindy quickly fell for him. in just three weeks, apelt convinced her to elope, which they did in vegas. shortly after the nuptials, the new groom got a $400,000 life insurance policy on cindy. the marriage quickly turned bad. and just seven weeks after meeting michael apelt, cindy was dead. her mutilated body was found christmas eve in the mountains of arizona. forensics said a motive of greed clearly pointed to her husband michael as the prime suspect. he was tried and convicted of her murder. apelt is currently on death row. please welcome cindy's sister kathy. i know you and cindy-- your sister-- were very, very close-- 14 months apart, just like my sister and i. what was going on with her at the time? - well, cindy had just turned 30. and for her-- that was a rough transition for her.

she had just gone through a really bad breakup. it was one of those on-again, off-again, drama relationships. she'd just started counseling 'cause she'd realized she had some stuff to work on. and she was a little bit at loose ends about-- careerwise-- what she wanted to do. so she was in a pause with that. and this sociopath came into our lives and pushed all the wrong buttons. - did you know when you met him that he was bad news? - you know, i knew something was wrong because he was like this flashy-- he was in a tuxedo. he's six foot seven, very glamorous looking. i just thought he was one of those slick guys in a bar that's hitting on her. - so you all met-- you met him at the same time your sister did. - yeah. and did he make a beeline for your sister? - oh yeah. yeah, he sure did. he was there with his brother. another mutual friend had met them there the night before and said "oh, he's totally your type." she always liked the tall blonde guys. "so you got to come back. these german guys--" our friend had met them the night before.

so we all went there. but here she was supposed to be with the brother. and he's on the dance floor with her, looking around her, and winking at me. so i thought these guys aren't cool. - and you tried to tell your sister. - yeah. like but-- you know. she's just like, "don't burst my bubble." he was making her feel good. you know? she was getting all this attention from this really attractive guy. i mean, he doesn't look attractive now, but at the time he really was. - and so yes. so she fell in love with him? like when they got married, did you believe that she was in love with him? - no, but she didn't either. i mean i had to read her diary on the witness stand. so i know a lot of what she was struggling with. it's a long story, but he really guilt-tripped her into marrying him essentially to stay in the country. - i was going to say for a green card. - that was it. that was what we all thought it was. she had feelings for him. but it was sort of like-- "the only way we'll be able to pursue this relationship is if you marry me because then i can stay in the country." and she wanted to kind of still keep dating him. - so when your sister was found murdered, did you know right away that he was the one that did it?

- i knew... i knew when they told me that his brother was his alibi because my sister had told me that she had given them like $2500 to send his brother back to germany. and she believed he was back in germany. in fact, she would tell me "oh yeah, he just called." he was calling from a cheap motel up the road. so when i heard that, i said to the police "well, he can't be his alibi. he's in germany." it's like no he's living in this motel up the road. so they were living off that money plotting her murder the entire time. - so what did happen to your sister? - um... we don't know all the details, but she was stabbed. and she was-- her throat was cut. and she was beaten. his footprint was on her face. - which is-- that is how they caught him. - that was a huge piece of evidence against him because he's six foot seven and wears a size like 15 european reebok tennis shoe. and that was on-- ironically, in her camera,

was a picture of him in that exact tennis shoe. that was a huge part of what convicted him, was that physical evidence, but it was a huge circumstantial case. he was the only person with motive, but very, very sophisticated plot and cover up. - and turns out there were other women that came forward after the fact to say that they were scammed by him as well. when we return, how the newlywed husband literally tries to get away with murder. plus, kathy confronts him face-to-face. stay with us. - i could not wrap my head around the fact that they did it themselves. but they came to the funeral. he put a picture of himself in her casket. he played a completely inappropriate song, which was this sexy song. say revlon colorstay makeup. breakthrough time release technology

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- welcome. today we are talking with people whose family members were murdered because of money, including kathy. so your brother-in-law michael thought he would get away with this. - oh yeah. - he even went to your sister's funeral. you were able to confront him there. - yes. - what was that like?

- well, just to back up for a second, which speaks to how manipulative sociopaths are. how he got to the funeral was he walked into my bank branch, which was hers, and manipulated a $3,000 loan out of a bank manager with no collateral, no job, no money, no nothing. and i confronted that bank manager because they went after her estate for that $3,000. and i walked in there and said before i close my account in your bank, i want to talk to you. i confronted him. i said why did you do that? he looked at me sweating. he said "i don't know. i don't know why i did it." - he just had this power over people. - sociopaths have some ability to get people to step out of their comfort zone and do things they wouldn't normally do. - and sociopaths themselves have no conscience, no remorse-- - yeah. - no empathy. - yeah, so they took that $3,000-- all three of them-- because they had a female accomplice who really was the reason they got arrested. they flew to the funeral and wanted to attend. one of them wore one of my father's jackets. my parents were still a little bit on the fence.

i was 29 years old. and i was being like the leader of my family because i said they're not crossing the threshold of this house. they're like, "should we invite them over after the funeral?" i'm like, "hell no. they're not crossing the threshold of this house." - did you know that he had done it at that time? or you had just a sneaking suspicion? - i thought they paid somebody with that $2500. i could not wrap my head around the fact that they did it themselves, but they sure did. they did it themselves. at that time, i knew they had done it. i knew they were involved. i just didn't know how much, but they came to the funeral. he put a picture of himself in her casket. he played a completely inappropriate song, which was this sexy song. and drove to the grave site, which was about 30 miles away. we laid her to rest with my mother and drove back. we passed them on the highway. they were smiling and laughing in the car. and actually that evening was when the third accomplice said he confessed to her

about the murder. that's what she said in court. she knew it all along. - she did know it all along. - she said they went out for a celebratory partying at a bar where he confessed to her that... - and after the murder, they apparently all went out to dinner and charged it to your sister's credit card. - they sure did. - so cut to this trial-- they are now serving-- these brothers are now in jail for how long? - well, both were sentenced to death. and one of them got off death row about four years ago, i think, after a seven-year, lengthy hearing claiming that he has a mental deficiency. he won that. so he's off death row. michael, the husband, is still on death row. the younger one-- actually he's the older one, but the brother was claimed mentally deficient so he is in... - mentally deficient, yet they were able to convince a homeless man to call on the phone and confess to the murder? - mm-hmm. they flew home from the funeral, then they flew here to l.a. from phoenix, found a homeless man who read a statement that they wrote

into my sister's answering machine. "hear what i have to talk." i mean, clearly it's poorly translated german to english. that's really what-- they got arrested over that. you know that was it. - you were able to confront him 20 years later after this murder. - the one that got the appeal-- the successful appeal-- i drove down to give a victim impact statement for that. - and boy what a statement. i read this. - it's published online. it actually is a victim impact statement that had an impact because the judge could have decided to run his-- they were convicted of first degree murder and conspiracy. so she could have run those concurrently meaning he would be up for parole, off death row, up for parole in five years. i went to argue to run them consecutively. so he has to serve that then he has to serve the next one. he'll die in prison, but he won't ever be executed. but yeah i wrote that. - and what was that like reading that statement to him

in the courtroom? - well, the most interesting moment of that impact statement was when i was describing something and i said this is the impact it's had on my family. years and years and years coming to these hearings where sometimes my elderly father is the only person sitting on the side of the state-- they're not even mentioning my sister's name anymore. the killers become the victims. and there's full, on their side, championing for the murderer. my side is my poor dad and me sitting there alone trying to still represent who really was the victim. i described that in my impact statement and looked right out at that scene. and i said that. i said-- "exactly what i'm looking at right now." it flips like that. - i'm so sorry for your loss. i'm so inspired by your courage and resiliency. so thank you. thank you for sharing your story. - thank you, ricki. uh, coming up, they seemed to be the quintessential, all-american, small-town couple

and then she murdered him. their story is after this break. - you had every reason to believe that this marriage was solid. - they were doing fine. they both had good jobs. - what happened when the third son came? - she was just worse. now skin goes shine-free... and naturally matte... in just one step. new fit me stick foundation from maybelline new york. the first of its kind... fresh gel-foundation with an anti-shine powder core inside... dissolves oil while it blends to a natural matte finish. for coverage that's fresh, flawless... one-step perfect. new fit me stick foundation from maybelline. stick with us! maybe she's born with it. maybe it's maybelline. i'm here in your home, having a pretty spectacular tuesday.

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- money can make people go insane. some say that's precisely what may have happened to darlene gentry. darlene, the pretty texas homecoming queen, marries keith, the baseball star. but this fairy-tale couple did not have a happy ending. take a look. on the surface, darlene gentry had the perfect life-- a beautiful, young, happily-married mother of three. but that all changed in 2005 when her husband keith was murdered, shot in the head in the family home. though most of the family gun collection-- allegedly stolen by a burglar-- lay neatly on the front lawn, one gun-- a smaller pistol and presumed murder weapon-- was missing.

that pistol would eventually, literally, be the smoking gun to lead investigators to the true killer. police quickly honed in on darlene as the prime suspect, suggesting recent marital problems and a life insurance policy in keith's name for $750,000 as motive. but the piece of evidence that helped secure a guilty verdict was this surveillance video of the former homecoming queen fishing for the murder weapon she had previously thrown into the pond. in 2007, then 34-year-old darlene gentry was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 60 years in prison. wow. please welcome keith's parents, glenda and waymon. ( sighs ) tell us if you would about your son keith. what was he like? - he was a pure boy growing up. i mean... he was an outdoors kid. he was well liked. he was what you want in a boy. - you did a good job of raising him because he turned out to be a great man. - well, he did. i don't know

that's my fault or hers. - ( laughs ) - but he was a great kid. lots of friends-- i mean he made friends everywhere he went. - and what did you think of his wife? - we loved her. - yeah, thought she was great. - she was a daughter. - she was a daughter to you. - yeah. - great mother to your grandchildren? - uh, to the first one. - sort of. - so when did things start to go wrong? - after she had the second one. - what changed? - she did. she was sort of-- well, this is hindsight, but she-- she was always nervous. she was always griping about, you know, being too tired and all of this. - she didn't want to be pinned down. - yeah, she was-- - she liked her... - and then after the second one come, she was really wired. - and just full of resentment? - i don't know. well, yeah, i guess so. - was she--

were she and keith fighting a lot? - we didn't see it until later in life. then you could kind of-- well, in fact, he told me that he wasn't happy. - yeah, they probably fought a lot. they were both the babies of the families. so i think-- i would just think it was-- you know they'll get over it. they'll grow up. they were pretty old. i mean they were 24 when they married. - that's old? - well, it is in robinson. - okay, in texas maybe. - i think it is in the modern world. - but you had every reason to believe that this marriage was solid? - yes. - oh yeah. - they were just fine? that you would never in a million years think that she would do something like this? - they'd already built up a new home. they were doing fine. they both had good jobs. - they did have a third child? - yes. - yes. - three boys? what happened when the third son came? - she was just worse. she... she was always-- didn't have time for them. i kept them all the time.

- and money was a problem, i know. right? there were money problems? - shouldn't have been, but evidently it was, over some of the things that she was doing that he wasn't aware of later in their marriage. - so what happened on the day that keith was murdered? - i received several phone calls that day from bill collectors for them. and uh... apparently he had two at work. he didn't know they had any problems. and she had a couple of... credit cards that he didn't know about-- sounded like maxed out. so when he found out, he was pretty upset. but she claims that they had a good talk. but she called me before he came home. she called me to come over to keep the kids 'cause she had to go to a friend that had an accident. this turned out not to be true. but i was there when keith came home.

he couldn't stay because he had to go and pick up some checks from people that owed him. he did floor plans on the side. and uh... he also-- it was a voting day. he had to go vote. so i just took the kids home. we lived next door. and uh... i took them over there. then when she did get back and he got back, they did have a talk. and uh... we only know-- - i seen them on the patio or on their driveway about 9 o'clock that night. and it looked real calm. i didn't see any problems so i didn't worry about it. but he had told me when he got home that evening that he had a call at work that he didn't know about. i told him, "yeah, we had two here today." and he told me if you ruin my credit, you might as well kill me. - and she took that literally? - i don't know.

i mean, maybe he said it to her, but he said it to him. we don't know what he said to her. - so then that night-- i mean how did you come to find out that he had been shot? - next morning... - and she of course said what? - well, she called me and woke me up. and she started out... "i woke up. the back door is open." 'cause it was cold, she saw that the backdoor was open. and uh... she said that his guns were missing. then she said he had pink stuff coming out of his mouth. she's an r.n. - she's a registered nurse. - uh-huh and she said he has pink foam coming out of his mouth. and i'm-- she's waking me up. so i'm trying to catch up with this little scenario that she's telling me. and i said, well, how's keith? and she said something. i don't even remember, but it wasn't answering my question. i said, "well, forget it. i'll come over." she said, "well, you'll have to come through the police."

she said the cops. i said, "that's all right. i'll come through 'em." well, i didn't get to. we had to stay on our property. they wouldn't let us cross until he was taken to the hospital. and um... - where were the grandchildren at the time? - in there with her. - how old were they? - 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and 5. - up next, we hear from the biggest victims-- the three children left behind-- in their words. stay with us. - every time he got home from work, he would rush inside and pick us up, and swing us around, and then throw us on our beds. i do believe one day i'll see him again. - what is going on with darlene now? does she see her children?

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- glenda and waymon's son keith was killed in 2005. keith's wife darlene is serving 60 years for killing him, allegedly, in order to collect a $700,000 life insurance policy. did you have any idea that this policy existed? you did? - we knew about the $500,000-- there's a couple... - there's an additional one? - both: at work. and that footage of her walking around the pond trying to fish out the gun that she used... they did find the gun. - yeah, they did. - the week before she did that. - 'cause that's-- - and they knew exactly where it was and that's where she went was straight to that and was digging in that one spot. - they'd set up a stake in the water where they'd found the gun. she went exactly to that stake. she knew exactly where it was at. - not knowing that they had basically set her up. - yeah. - well, i know you have-- you have custody of your three grandsons. how are they doing? - well, great. we think. they're doing good. - good in school. they're athletic.

- they are beautiful. can't be easy though. this is not what you had in plan for you to be raising these-- - no, it's not easy. - they say it makes you younger. - no, it doesn't. - well, we talked to keith's sons about their dad. take a look. my name is wyatt k. gentry and i'm eight years old. i have two brothers and their names are james cody gentry and waymon chase gentry. - i was five when my dad died. - i was 2 1/2 when it happened. - i remember that i was in the crib and i heard a gunshot. i just woke up and i saw my brothers gone. - i got up to go get a drink. and i looked in the door and i saw her pointing the gun at him. - my brother went in there and came back and grabbed me. he was like, "chase! chase, something's wrong." - i could hear like a really loud bang. i don't know why. - i had no clue what the pop was. - do you remember your mom at all?

- no, not really. i hardly remember my dad. - i do miss my dad very much. - i feel robbed. - when people talk about their dads, i kind of feel left out. i just want to talk about something else. - i worry about my brothers... 'cause sometimes they'll talk about it at school and such. - i do understand what my mom did. - i'm really mad at her what she did. my brothers are too. - i try to put it away. - every time he got home from work, he would rush inside and pick us up, and swing us around, and then throw us on our beds. i do believe one day i'll see him again. - oh gosh. i'm so sorry. what is going on with darlene now? does she see her children? - no. - ( whispered ) no. - do you have any contact with her at all? - no. none.

- no, she can't. there can be no contact-- mail, anything-- with her. - and so as far as the boys, you say they're the one's that got you through this. - oh yeah. yeah. - yeah, you don't think about yourself. you think about them. - and you say they're doing okay. - oh yeah. - yeah, they're all boy. they're very athletic. they keep you running. and they do know how to fight each other. so the little ones, they're pretty tough. - she's trying to say they're boys. they are boys especially them two youngest ones. - well, you did a really good job with keith so i have no doubt you're going to do well with these boys too. - we hope so. - thank you. thank you so much. i am so sorry for your loss. - thank you. - truly, thank you. - thank you. - thank you. so what would make someone murder in cold blood for money? some answers next.

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take the digestive advantage 14-day money-back challenge. shaq 1, pain 0. [ male announcer ] new icy hot advanced patch with 50% more medicine. pain over. - if you're just joining us, we've been talking about people who have been murdered for money, criminal justice expert areva martin is here. thank goodness. how common are these murders for profit? you know unfortunately, ricki, about 1/4th of all murders that are committed have to do with money-- either money or property. and in most cases, they involve a relationship-- someone that they know-- so a spouse-- as we saw in one of these stories-- or a relative, or a friend. so more often than we'd like to think, people do kill for money. and just this insurance issue-- i've just been sitting here. i just want people watching this show to know you cannot get insurance money if you kill someone. so anyone thinking that this is a way to get money or to profit, you can't profit from someone's murder.

i'm just so glad that all of the people that committed these crimes have been incarcerated because so many crimes go unsolved. but i think the positive thing here is that justice was done in all of these cases. so much-- kudos to all of you for the courage-- - courage. major courage, yes. absolutely. and in the case-- in darlene's case, darlene has exhausted every appeal, right? - she's still on the habeas corpus. that's been going on for nearly two years. the court of criminal appeals has not made a ruling yet. - so that's just a motion saying that i'm being detained and there isn't sufficient evidence. but given what we've seen in these tapes, it's not likely that that motion's going to be successful and that she is likely to serve the 60 years that she's been given. this is just a part of the criminal justice process, lot's of appeals. but in the case-- - what about that? the system-- i mean kathy talking about going 20 years later and speaking at the appeal. and everyone's there for the murderer and not the victim. - it happens so often.

and as you said, the family, sometimes they lose steam. they lose money. they don't have the resources to continue to go back and forth to court. and now the person that has committed the crime does in some way become the victim. their family is rallying around them because they may be facing life imprisonment or death row as we've heard in some of these cases. but again, the families, just having the courage to stand up to these murderers and say this is unacceptable is just an amazing part of the story. - absolutely. susan, i know you wanted to say something to parents and kids out there. - um, i hope that the parents understand that they need to be a parent and not allow another child to come to their home without having the other child call home with you watching them do that. my son had many opportunities to do that, but he was told that he couldn't. and he was also always with somebody. he was given a false sense of security that everything was gonna be fine.

talk to your kids. let them know that they may be put in a situation where they feel like they have to follow their orders, but they don't need to. they need to step up, scream as loud as they can at the first opportunity they have. - thank you. thank you. everyone in our audience is going home with a copy of susan's book, "my stolen son." thank you so much. i want to thank areva martin-- as always, it's great to have you here-- as well as all of our guests for sharing their heart-breaking stories. i'm not sure how money can buy you happiness if the price is someone else's life. hopefully for those who do commit these crimes of greed, there's a heavy karmic tax bill due on the other side. thank you for watching. see you next time.

narst nart and now enter into the courtroom of judge mathis. the plaintiff john stevens has known the defendant for 10 years and during that time the defendant was romantically

interested in him. john claims that the defendant hired him to videotape his graduation ceremon yehe never paid for the services and so he's suing. the defendant said he and john have always been competitive over grades and men. but dante got better grades and better men. dante insists he was never romantically interested in john and counter suing for defamation. >> judge mathis: start with you. >> plaintiff: your honor, the defendant and i have known each other for 10 years and over the last 10 years, he's always had a thing for me. >> defendant: i am sorry, that is absurd and not true. it is true that john is one of my best friend and always has been, but i never had a thing for him. he's not my type. >> judge mathis: what gave you that impression. >> defendant: he a like a younger brother. >> plaintiff: it was abuntantly

clear. >> judge mathis: how? >> plaintiff: he follows me around. >> judge mathis: if you are all are friends. >> defendant: okay. >> judge mathis: go ahead, sir. he couldn't give evidence of the allegation he made. >> defendant: absolute lie, your honor, we are best friends and we have known each other 10 years but nothing romantic at all. our relationship is competitive, it start indeed school. we were seeing who got higher grades and that would be me . who got better looking boyfriend, which would be me okay . i mean, he's selfish and i can give you countless situations where he has been selfish >> defendant: >> judge mathis: give me one. >> defendant: one situation would be. he came over to my house like any other day and we are hanging out watching. q. he decileded he was hungry. i said he has a coupon for a

pizza. he said i don't have pon money . of course not, i had to pay for it. it was buy one or pizza free. next day, i decided i wanted more pizza and i was going to redeem my free pizza. they said you already redeemed my free pizza. i said no. i have not redeemed my free pizza . then they said, well, do you live at -- and they gave me the address, no, i don't. but i know who lives there and you can tell by the reaction you knew who lived there. mr. stevens. >> judge mathis: go ahead, sir, tell me what you want to know about the friendship. >> plaintiff: everything from cell phones to you know, stereo to equipment to >> judge mathis: pizza. >> plaintiff: at this point,

with regard to the case and everything, i am in collect. >> defendant: you are in collections. >> plaintiff: yeah, i haven't got paid. have you not made an effort to pay me yet. >> defendant: your honor, i never agreed to pay him for the video gravy work. it is known that he carries his 3 d digital camera and documents everything he >> judge mathis: i hope not everything. >> defendant: in fact, no absolutely everything. >> judge mathis: that's how things get publicized. >> defendant: he probably has more footage than you have here. >> judge mathis: he's well known. >> defendant: yes, he is well known. i have statements that back up the claim on them. >> judge mathis: that he videotapes everything. >> defendant: they are mutual friends of ours. >> plaintiff: it is well known i am one of the most imminent

videographers in the stave atlanta and i do high quality and confident in my work and that's the reason he confronted my to do the work in january. >> judge mathis: january of -- >> plaintiff: 2012 . he sent me an invitation to the graduation and beginning of it. >> judge mathis: from where? >> defendant: my grade point is 3.84 and that is higher . it is it a point of contention for a while now. >> plaintiff: here is my tran script. 3.7. >> judge mathis: let me have it 3.7. 3.8. >> defendant: 3.84. >> judge mathis: that is a good competition you got going here >> plaintiff: i also have a contract. >> judge mathis: i am glad i upon didn't have to compete with you guys. go ahead and legality's talk about the agreement.

>> plaintiff: he sent me an invitation back in january and the actul ceremony was in june . so i went in june and did the videos and the still photography and videography and 2 d and 3 d. >> judge mathis: what was the agreement. >> plaintiff: it was back in january to document the entire thing and have it post available on you tube. he received the words . high quality work. you have an agreement you usually have a price to it. >> plaintiff: it a $1,000. >> judge mathis: my usual fee was $1700. >> plaintiff: and on the -- and bring it 45 days afterwards. i need to be paid. >> judge mathis: no, no, no. you send someone a contract 45

days don't you give the contracts before you do the work. >> plaintiff: that would be a typical thing . with me knowing him for 10 years. >> judge mathis: you didn't have to do it before you give it to him afterwards. >> plaintiff: i haven't received payment 45 days later. >> judge mathis: let me see your contract. you just hurt your case. you can't send them it afterwards >> plaintiff: he didn't sign the contract. it to remind him. >> judge mathis: you call the person to remind them. >> plaintiff: right. i always brought it up >> defendant: >> judge mathis: so you send them a letter and saying you arey delingent. >> plaintiff: i have done it a year now. >> judge mathis: people don't sign contracts after the work is complete . >> plaintiff: dureceive a notice

i was reminding you to pay. >> defendant: i sure have. i ignored it and i >> judge mathis: wilegive it back to you >> plaintiff: those people are not real. it is it mickey mouse and whatever. they are not real. >> defendant: it is. where is the third one. >> judge mathis: he's hiding it he knows, upon - he knows that person. nart notoriety and later. >> in 2011, he was released and he was persistant. >> judge mathis: i know he was. after two years in the pent area've -- >> judge mathis: you

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>> everywhere he goes he documents everything he >> i hope not everything. >> absolutely not everything. >> he probably has more footage than you have here. >> it is on the show. >> the defendant dant thomas is sued by a friend of 10 years. and they have been romantically interested in him. >> judge mathis: tell me about the agreement or lack thrav. there of. >> plaintiff: i graduated and i invited him. >> defendant: to my graduation and i had to pick him up and take him.

>> judge mathis: was the agreement. >> defendant: he was going to be there like my family. >> judge mathis: there was no discussion about videography? >> defendant: no, sir, there was not. he came to countless of my award ceremonies and done recordings and never asked for anything. >> plaintiff: i have but not in 3 d. i don't work for free. >> judge mathis: well, no, you said you did it before for free. >> plaintiff: but not 3 d. >> judge mathis: you just don't do 3 d for fry-- free. >> defendant: my graduation two hours long and he told me that he uploaded the video to you tube . i said to him. let's say even if i did agree to your services what am i going to

do with a you tube video where you chop tup like 20 different videos. he never delivered it to me. he has a private you tube page? he never delivered anything to me. >> plaintiff: your honor,ip submit to the court the work. >> judge mathis: do we have it? here you g. -- go. >> what you got to say? (inaudible) >> defendant: that's why you ain't got nothing to say. your honor, that is typical john. he does stuff and then he will expect something from it without an agreement. all of the time. >> judge mathis: that's what your three friends say. do you have anything from your friends? he gave me statements from mutual friend. >> plaintiff: can i see these. >> defendant: and also your

honor while he's looking at those. >> plaintiff: i don't know who this is. >> defendant: i have evidence to show where he started his business in 2010 and it was dissolve would by the secretary of state in 2011. >> judge mathis: let me see that please. i mean he talks big and you are telling me it is dissolved. >> defendant: it is dissolved. >> judge mathis: you are the best in town. they dissolve would your corporation. >> plaintiff: nonprofit. he trice to -- i don't diminish the experience of another person. this is what he is doing. >> defendant: this is winning my case. >> judge mathis: you never heard of those gentlemen. >> defendant: he knows corey. >> plaintiff: i don't know corey. >> defendant: yes, you do. you know corey.

you know corey. you know taylor. you know everybody. >> plaintiff: i know none of these people. >> judge mathis: you don't know corey >> plaintiff: no. >> defendant: your honor, who are you going to believe. >> plaintiff: take a lie detector test. >> defendant: no, your honor. >> judge mathis: defamation how did he defame you, sir? >> defendant: he's gone in our community within our friend and telling them i don't pay my bills and that i contract to do work and don't pay them and i mention competitive in school, there was an incident he accused me of cheating at school and investigation done in the school and they found it no cheating done. but as a result, there an entry made on my permanent academic record. >> judge mathis: did you do that? >> plaintiff: no. >> judge mathis: did you allege he was cheating >> plaintiff:

no. >> judge mathis: you have evidence. >> defendant: if you read, you will see people who were corrob brating what i am saying >> plaintiff: these people are not real. that is mickey mouse or whatever. that is not real. >> judge mathis: you nide to stop, sir. >> defendant: where is the third one. >> judge mathis: he's hiding it balse he knows, he knows that person. >> plaintiff: thank you. >> judge mathis: you tell me you don't know any of these people. they just lost their mind and made up the fact that they knew you and you videotaped everything everywhere . he said he has someone alleging that you wrongfully accused him of cheating in school because he had a higher gpa . that alone. that is not going to tell me. that alone should be worth comp.

>> defendant: right. >> judge mathis: you are not telling me what to give the man. your witness done mess you you up. that alone is worth compensation. it ain't worth nothing. you don't know her. >> plaintiff: i don't know that person is. you can't get thralie out of the your mouth. >> narrator: coming up on judge mathis. >> i brought over 24 packings of beer, it is a nice quiet night. >> judge mathis: not going to be too quiet with 24 beers. >> it is it a normal night. it is 27 or 28 year olds. >> they are from wisconsin. >> narrator: and later. >> judge mathis: you told her she was going to hell. >> she made a sexual harassment statement saying she was going

to take a sex toy and have sex with her on the

>> narrator: are you serious with a frind or family member

and filing a lawsuit call or visit us on line at www.judgemathistv.com. >> he has someone ailinging that -- alleging that you wrongfully accused him of cheating at school. that alone should be worth compensation. dante thomas is sued by a friend of 10 years . romantically interested in him. you provide a contract that is 45 days after it is work. he might be hallucinating but not crazy. yours is as well. you haven't proven slanteder or defamation . [ applause ] >> i am going to be successful

at that. >> i agree. it is always my friend. it is it a typical . i am used to it it is it like a big brother thing thatip am used tompt you call it big brother . i am successful at what i do. she dated the defendant and they were take slewly because she didn't want to get involved with someone that hurt her. she ended it once the defendant started critizing her lookings . and she broke up with them . considering that she talked about marriage and nicole got them a new pair of eye glass. >> start with you. andip met

them in 2007 and he was persistant . wapting to communicate . hang out together . that is it in 2009. he was placed in jail for criminal and drug chargings. he was released in 2011. >> two years? yes, sir. there no drug charge at that time. >> he was in prison two years . it was a out for a drive . it is just down the road from where my car was in . it is it like a smaller tractor that you can --

rather than getting my car out of the ditch. the came up and didn't have too much of an explanation right away. the farmer wasn't at home and the farmer never wanted upon press charges and i was picked up for operating a motor vehicle without consent and sentenced two years. >> you are kidding? >> defendant: no, sir. >> essentially for the tractor and the owner got it back? >> defendant: yes. >> you never took it home and sold it >> defendant: no, that not the intension. it a mean. >> what city? >> defendant: rock county in wisconsin. >> i will avoid that town. >> defendant: yes, stir. >> -- sir. >> judge mathis: go ahead. >> plaintiff: we were hanging

out and he was persistant. >> judge mathis: i know he was. after two years in the penitary. you are lucky that is all he was persistant. >> plaintiff: he was very persistant and i gave him the benefit of the doubt and with the drug charges and whatever else. there was a night for instance, we watched iced age 3 . i brought over a 24 pack of beer. >> >> judge mathis: wouldn't be too quiet. it is a normal night. >> defendant: they're from wisconsin. >> judge mathis: you make a good point. my son got in trouble for drinking too much beer.

he was in madison in a football game. >> judge mathis: is that right. he's been on punishment two years. i didn't know that is what they do. that's what you did. sit up drink 24 cans of beer. >> plaintiff: it was like three-five. it was -- i realize we were different pime. she was talking about wanting to get married.

we were not dating at all. because of my past we had physically abusive relationships. >> that's what you are saying. >> he's talking marriage and my new frinds are synd rilla and

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>> defendant: she was talking about wanting to get married during this time. >> judge mathis: that took 24 beers? >> narrator: the plaintiff broke up with the defendant and the defendant denies it and claims

that nicole constant leap talking about getting married. >> judge mathis: sir? >> defendant: i made the effort to go after her . when i first got out i remember a girl whomented to have fun. i was down for two years and i have energy and pumped up. >> judge mathis: that's what i am strytrying to tell her. you want to know why you are so persistant. >> defendant: she is making it seem like she is innocent and she is no saintly marry poppins. she did all of these things and got into what she said was nolt a relationship and yet she kept coming around and slee's talking marriage. next thing you know, sheep is up to my house in hello kitty and my new friends are cinderella and snow white and winny - winnie the pooh. >> judge mathis: you been drinking today? >> defendant: no, sir not at

all. >> judge mathis: how does he owe for eye glass? >> plaintiff: he -- he was drinking of course, lost eye glasses, the kindness of my heart, i put these eye glass on my credit card and we had an agreement and he got paid cash. when you had money, it didn't matter what amount to put the money aside and pay me when you can. it no set in stone agreement. >> judge mathis: how long ago was it >> plaintiff: june 2012. there was a $150. and there the amount. >> judge mathis: i will let him give the defense. >> plaintiff: i have a credit card statement and receipt. >> judge mathis: sir?

>> plaintiff: and i do have text messages. >> judge mathis: thank you. you need a shut off switch. >> defendant: yes, maim. >> judge mathis: this is the other one, too. sir. >> defendant: she did get the eye glass for me. she made the decision . when things went down hill. it is it $500 gifts. it not the first time she it done these things before. she was buying the person. >> judge mathis: expensive gifts. >> defendant: give brand new shoes. >> judge mathis: ma'am, ma'am. >> plaintiff: yes? >> judge mathis: did you buy other guys that you were dating gifts. >> plaintiff: nais the exact

opposite. >> judge mathis: the answer is no. mr. #1: the answer is no. >> judge mathis: good enough. let me move on. i know you like to talk. you have to show me what text is relevant today . show me where he admitted that he owes you. >> plaintiff: i would like the money. >> judge mathis: i know you would. show me where the text indicatesa he owes you. he claimings he doesn't owe you and he never agreed to pay you . what you say to me is not a very convincing argument . that is he can pay it when hements. a few months later you are suing him. he is so nice. it is before swearing. >> judge mathis: you have that. -- does it say anything about the

money. >> plaintiff: >> judge mathis: i met with the attorney and i have all of the proof with your criminal record it is not looking good for you. >> defendant: yes, sir. >> judge mathis: $1divide 5 and cost you over a grand. here you told him $175. mr. #1: it got to the point. >> judge mathis: the reason is, you told him high only owed $175. and now you are trying to convince me it $562 . you gave me the voice of innocence and you say only $175 ma'am, whatever. i am not going with that anymore. i am reading now. coming up. >> i am a family man and i have five kids and my wife. i have nothing against.

you bring

if you are in chicago and would like to attend a taping . judges judges show, callugs at

1-866 3 mathis. the plaintiff said she broke up with the defendant but the defendant denice this and claims that nicole was constantly talking about getting married. >> judge mathis: i will grant you $1divide 5-- $175 and not $562. that is my judgment have a good day. >> defendant: thank you, your honor,. it feels. $175 in her own worpeds and i was just being nice with that. you know, that is what it is. i don't know anything else to say to it it is in writing. $cent 175 and that's what it is. >> narrator: the plaintiff hired the defendant to repair her vehicle and she feels that the defendant took advantage of her due to her sexual preference to women. the defendant told her she was

going to hell and she's suing for reimbursement of a security check. >> the defendant said the only reason she was going to hell is because she threatened his wife. he was forced to calllet police after vondell made more threats and counter suing for an insurance deductable. >> judge mathis: start with you. >> plaintiff:ip felt like i was taken advantage because of who i am. >> judge mathis: who dooktook strategic? >> plaintiff: he . >> judge mathis: he know want sexual preference. >> defendant: no. i. >> plaintiff: in is not my first time deal him. >> judge mathis: how did he know the sexual preference. >> plaintiff: he told me as an individual i going to hell because of my sex preference and if i am going to you for business. it had nothing to do with my life style. >> judge mathis: did you tell her she was going to hell.

>> defendant: she made a statement that she was going to take a sex toy center sex with her on the mediating table and shy loved her and leave me. she don't even know my wife. my wife had nothing to do with this. that is evil . what i believe in, if i am a family man. i center five kids and i love my wife and i believe in the family thing. i don't have nothing against what you are. but you bring your sexual relations to me and my family i put god on. [ applause ] >> defendant: i have nothing else to say about it >> judge mathis: she would go to hell for the threat. >> defendant: for the threat. >> plaintiff: how am i going to hell for a threat. >> judge mathis: threatening to harm people can probably be considered a sin . i am nolt god .

it doesn't sound like something that god would appreciate. what other background you want to give. >> plaintiff: dealt with philip about my truck and i felt like it business. >> judge mathis: you have to tell me the background. i don't know anything that happened. mr. #1: ip center a 2005 dodge ram pick up truck and in an accident once before and i took it to him to repair. i had no problem with him. people said you shouldn't deal with him because he's crooked. i didn't judge him. >> defendant: i disagree. >> plaintiff: i took upon myself and dealt with him anyway . prior to that. i took my truck to him may 7th . in an accident may 5th . they got appraised and i asked him. phil. how much are you going to charge me to do the work? >> plaintiff: he said $3200 to $3400? i said that is fine.

maybe a day later, he called and he was like baby girl, we gopt blessed can you come over? and i said. i get to savannah and he done went down to jc louis where they cut the check and went to a liquor store and cashed the check. i had no problem with the amount presented. but if he quote me something that is what you expect. if you are going to fix my truck fix it the right way. i went back to him, i had pictures and i called him up . i said phil, thank god. geico sends back everything they fix or have you repair pictures wise. i call would him up. give me a call back. i have pictures of thingings that you said you fix and you didn't fix and yes, i am heated it is not a loan on my truck. it is paid for . the money you got you should

have take care. $7103. i could have got a brand new truck. i have picturings. >> narrator: more judges judges when we return. >> defendant: first of all it is not your truck. i am sued by the wrong person. the insurance company didn't know you. he never call would me up said i am nolt satisfied. my dentist said that the acid in fruit or fruit juice

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>> narrator: the defendant is hired to repair the plaintiff's

truck and he was forced to calllet police after the plaintiff threatened him and his family. >> judge mathis: sir? >> defendant: first of all i want to let you know what i am deal. mrs. brown is the worst customer i every dealt w. first time we had problems and she was all rough and street orient i didn't want to deal with her and i overlooked the situation of her attitude because it is it business and i have to feed my family. i overlooked it the first time and it was bad the first time. i fixed the truck just like this time it was wonderful. first of allip come straight to you. she made threats toward me and my family. told me she knew where i live at and the insurance company gave her my social security number

and make credit cards. >> judge mathis: what did the police say? >> defendant: they couldn't goit a restraining order because i live in georgia and she is in carroll. she stalking me and threaten meag . i have five little kids. >> judge mathis: no, no, no, sir. if i person threatens you and then they drive by where you are located, that is not a restraining order, you need to prosecute for a crime she is sphalk threatening you. >> defendant: exactly. >> judge mathis: why didn't you? >> defendant: my wife told me. >> judge mathis: i am nolt asking your wife. >> defendant: i went to the police in savannah. >> judge mathis: you went to get a restraining order. you don't have to cross state line to get the police. if you are the victim of a crime. the. it is it a crime to threaten your safety. >> defendant: i didn't know that. >> judge mathis: you're sir, sir, sir, eliminate's move on >>

defendant: we are going to get to the car. she said mipe car got wrecked and i want to bring it to you to get fixed. she brought it to me and i looked apt the truck and had damage done to the suspension and there a bunch of damage and i had to go buy flont- on front-end parts and i called the company and they came out and they did a supplement on the truck and they say you know what, finish the truck and they cut me a check directly to my shop, the body shop. i went ahead and starpted on the repair. she said i will take my truck . i say look here. the insurance company told me to finish it >> judge mathis: did you? >> defendant:ip did everything. >> judge mathis: do you have any of the repairs you made? >> defendant: yes, sir u. --.

>> judge mathis: you have an estimate . repairs. mr. #1: yes, i do. >> judge mathis: he didn't do a good job. >> plaintiff: thingings he claim would to fix he didn't complete it. the bumper. it is it a tire rod that is holding both side and it is incomplete. the window part where he puts the lights in were not level would. he got paid for this. >> defendant: i painted her whole truck for free. i went around her truck. i call would the insurance and she had those dents. i painted the whole truck for free. >> judge mathis: ma'am, so far all i have seen. be quiet. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso.

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>> narrator: the defendant was hired to repair the plaintiff's truck and he claims he was forced to call the police after the plaintiff threatened him and his family. >> judge mathis: ma'am, all i see is where the bumper is not attached properly. how does that amount to $5000. >> plaintiff: geico said he was supposed to repair it? >> judge mathis: they gave you 30 pagings. show me the one that list the repairs. >> plaintiff: and then he had my truck for a month. >> defendant: you hit it that hard it is going to be a truck. it is not even your truck. >> judge mathis: that hard it is not going to be a month. >> plaintiff: you told me a week. >> judge mathis: if you hit it that hard. the insurance recommend aid month on a heavy cliption. >> judge mathis: you told her a month. >> defendant: the insurance gave

her a month on the truck. >> judge mathis: for repair? >> defendant: thape came back with a supplement. >> judge mathis: you have that? >> defendant: yes, sir . i want to make another thing clear to you, too. first of all it is not your truck. i am sued by the wrong person. let insurance company didn't even know you. they say it is it rufus truck. he never calm said i am not satisfied. >> judge mathis: sir, we went through all of this. >> defendant: you can go right here it is not even her truck. >> judge mathis: why did you have me go through all of this instead of telling me the truck didn't belong to her. when you got your insurance check. duknow that? hold on, did you know it was nolt hers. >> defendant: no, she came with me to the truck. >> judge mathis: where did you get these names from? >> defendant: they are on the claim for the body shop.

>> judge mathis: you did know. >> defendant: they sent it to me. >> judge mathis: it didn't have her name and stow as you are telling me today. be quiet. jumpt as you are telling me today it is not hers. you knew that when yoed the check. you cashed the check. give me the check. where is the check? you say you cashed it. >> defendant: no. >> judge mathis: where islet check. >> defendant: the repairs done on the car. >> judge mathis: why do you keep saying no. did you or did you not. >> defendant: the repairings. yes, sir. i cashed the check. >> judge mathis: why dusay you didn't. you cashed a check for something that not in her name that you knew not hers. that is fraud and you participated in that fraud. ma'am, do you have evidence that yours. mr. #1: it is it my mother's

truck. >> judge mathis: you have evidence >> plaintiff: yes, i do. it is it the paperwork to where the car was enterprizes for a month and then i had to send the insurance people a copep of the title because they thought a lien. >> defendant: insurance company didn't know you. >> judge mathis: sir, you throw it up as a hail mary pass trying to win your case after we go through all of if you have had any doubt whether it was legitimate why you look in the fraud. >> defendant: the insurance company and told me that the truck for rufus. i asked if who is shoo. >> judge mathis: why are you now bringing tup. staying you know nothing about it? >> defendant: she -- >> judge mathis: you are fraud car repair

man. center a good day and your claim is dismissed. >> plaintiff: thank you. i am glad it is over with. >> defendant: i don't want her threatening my family and making threats against my wife. you . >> plaintiff: number one he dealt with me once or twice. >> defendant: i hope god blesses you for a good lie. >> judge mathis, i am from chicago. how do i go about counts -- counter suing someone. >> judge mathis: thanks for the question. go to ask judge mathis.com.

today on "america's court" with judge ross. >> i considered myself to do do a permanent makeup tattoo on my eyebrow. >> how does it work? once you get it on it never comes off again? >> yes. the whole purpose behind law is to write law. i want justice to be something that isn't a concept. >> justice knows no boundaries. the truth will be heard. fair, firm, compassionate.

this is "america's court" with judge ross. april haan is suing desiree bear in the amount of $1,250 for the cost of permanent makeup that miss haan says is unstory. >> all rise. remain standing and come to order. this court is now in session. the honorable judge kevin ross now presiding. >> ladies and gentlemen, you may be seated. >> all parties have been sworn, your honor. >> very good. so you have a problem with a permanent tattoo that you wanted to have your makeup permanently on your face. >> yes. >> now you're suing for $2,150? >> yes. >> why would you decide to permanently put makeup on your face? >> your honor, my job is a flight attendant, due to my busy schedule i considered myself to do the permanent makeup tattoo on my eyebrows. >> and how does it work? once you get it on it never comes off again? >> yes. >> and is that what you have

now? >> yes. >> so the makeup you're wearing now doesn't come off. >> yeah, it doesn't come off. >> what made you decide to go with her to have it done? >> i talked to one of my clients. she referred me to desiree's shop. i went there. what i see is it's not a real shop. it's right behind a barbershop. >> i'm sorry, what? >> it's right behind a barbershop. it's not a whole shop as a tattoo shop. >> how long have you been doing this? >> over 20 years. >> any reason why you're at that location all these 20 years? >> we have a set. >> people know where you are? >> yeah, everyone knows where we are. and our rent never goes up, so we stay there. >> the price is right, huh? >> the price is right. >> so did you do the tattoo? >> i did. i own the parlor and i'm also the artist. >> okay, and you're licensed as well? >> i'm licensed. >> was there an issue about her license or anything like that? >> not at first. >> and what exactly did she have done?

>> she came in and want permanent tattoo makeup. >> let's talk about that. i'm not familiar with it. >> well, it's permanent makeup that goes on like a regular tattoo. we put it with needles. it never comes off. it will look like a line instead of the real hair or whatever. >> and men and women doing this or just women? >> men and women. they do the eye liner and eyebrow. >> so you put it around the eyes and eyebrows? is that it? >> no, that's where it stays. >> so as a result of doing that, you have the same look that you can just rely on? >> right. now we say permanent. it's not 100% permanent. >> but she didn't tell me -- >> excuse me, i'm talking. okay. so like people say approximately 100%. okay, 99%. >> now