[theme music]
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This is It Is
Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me.
Right about now, Americans are
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preparing to
celebrate a national holiday.
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For many people, it's
the best time of the year.
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Thanksgiving: family,
sometimes travel, always food.
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And a time for us to
reflect on just how good God has
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been to us. It's
not unusual for people
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around the table at Thanksgiving
dinner to recite what they are
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thankful for from
the previous year.
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Well, this year--every year,
truthfully--I'll be thankful
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for, among other
things, the Bible: God's book,
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God's revelation to us
of Himself and His love
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for a sinful world. The
Bible contains the story
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of the plan of salvation:
how Jesus came from Heaven
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to Earth, to die
so that we might live.
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That's something
to be thankful for.
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When you come to the Bible,
you don't have to read too
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far to find great
men and women of faith.
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You read about
Abraham, or of Samson,
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somebody like
Daniel, people who, driven by
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the Spirit of God,
did great things for
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the honor of God.
Outside the Bible, we find great
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men and women of faith
also, and today we're going to
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discuss somebody who
had great faith in God:
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such great faith that his
otherwise unremarkable life
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became remarkable
for the glory of God;
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so much so, that
this individual was one of
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the very few to
receive a Congressional Medal
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of Honor. His
name was Desmond Doss,
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and joining me today
to discuss Desmond Doss
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is Pastor Les Spear,
who for several years
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was Desmond
Doss's church pastor.
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Les, thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
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It's a pleasure
to have you here.
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LS: It's my pleasure to be here.
JB: Now, you've been in ministry
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pretty much all your
adult life. How long, now?
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LS: Forty-six years. JB:
And you were the pastor of a
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church Desmond attended
for how many of those years?
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LS: About three and a half.
JB: But your association with
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Desmond predates those
and postdates those years.
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LS: Correct. JB: So,
you knew him for about
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how many years?
LS: About 22, 23 years.
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JB: And in those
years, you can get to know a
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person pretty well. LS: Yeah.
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We became personal friends.
Sometimes your church members,
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you get to know very
well. And because of Desmond's
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reputation, because
of his wonderful, quiet,
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humble manner, he's the
kind of man that everyone
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wishes they had as a
father or grandfather.
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And you could sit beside
him and ask him questions.
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He wasn't intimidated;
he wasn't full of himself;
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he was just as open and
transparent as sunlight.
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JB: Now, not that many people
are awarded the Congressional
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Medal of Honor. Maybe
you can explain what it
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was that Desmond did that saw
him receive the Congressional
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Medal of Honor from
President Harry Truman.
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LS: First of all, you
have to understand that the
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background of his boot camp,
Desmond was despised because
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he was a conscientious objector.
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He didn't like that term.
He said, "I'm a conscientious
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cooperator." JB: But
nevertheless, during his
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time in the military where
he served as a combat medic,
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he refused to
carry a gun. LS: Yes.
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JB: Leading many of those
he served with to hate him.
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LS: Yes. So when
it came to warfare,
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however, the ugly duckling
turned out to be a beautiful
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person who would go after
them--the wounded soldiers--
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no matter where they were.
If they were in the line of
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fire, he would go after
them, risking his own life many,
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many, many times,
grab them by the collar and
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drag them out. JB:
Here's how I understand it:
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Desmond said that during that
white-hot, intense battle on the
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Maeda Escarpment in Okinawa,
Japan, he brought to safety,
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under the most difficult
circumstances imaginable,
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fifty wounded men
who otherwise would have
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lost their lives. The
military says it was 100,
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at least, soldiers he
served with, so they split the
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difference. LS: Yes.
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JB: And said Desmond Doss
saved 75 men while under fire,
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literally in the
crosshairs of Japanese marksmen.
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LS: Now, let me tell you
something I asked Desmond
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about one day. I
said, "Desmond, after you
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saved two or three
people and you lowered them down
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with a rope about 40
feet to where the other men
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could get them and
take them to aid station,"
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I said, "did you
continue to crawl
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on the ground?" He said, "No."
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He said, "After a while,
I understood that God was
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protecting me, so I
stood up and carried men on my
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back. I drug
them; I didn't try to
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stay on the ground anymore."
And he, and the other men,
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who were down there,
said that the bullets were
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like bees flying around
him, but they didn't touch him.
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So I said, "Desmond,
is this story about you?"
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He said, "No. This story
is about my God that I serve."
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JB: Describe Desmond Doss
as a person--you've done that a
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little bit--something about his
background and how he grew up
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as a man of faith. This
was a committed Christian.
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LS: He grew up a very poor home.
His mother and father worked,
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both of them,
part-time, without regular jobs,
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during the Depression.
His father was a very bad
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alcoholic, prone to
beating the children.
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The mother was a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian,
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and the Bible and
church was very important.
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Mr. Doss, Thomas
Doss, one day at an auction,
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he bought a little
picture of the Lord's Prayer and
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of the Ten Commandments
for 75 cents, and they
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hung that behind a chair.
And interestingly, Desmond liked
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to stand in that chair and watch
and look at and understand the
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Ten Commandments with
the pictures that were there.
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And his mother said one day,
"Desmond, you're going to wear
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that chair out
looking at that picture."
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She really didn't
mind. But that picture had
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a tremendous
influence on not killing anyone:
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the picture of Cain
killing Abel, and of the
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seventh-day Sabbath,
and those were two big,
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monumental
foundations that shaped his
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character. JB: He chose to be a
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conscientious cooperator.
As you said, he didn't like the
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term
conscientious objector. LS: Yes.
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JB: But he, he
volunteered for the military.
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LS: Absolutely. JB:
Now, when you volunteer for
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the military, you don't get
to dictate the terms under which
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you will serve. LS:
That's true today, but it
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was quite a little bit different
back then, during World War II.
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Today, if a person volunteers,
they go in as a combatant.
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They must carry arms, unless
it's convenient for them to
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not to do so. Then,
there was a law that
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allowed them to not carry a
gun, which he refused to do,
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and still be on the battlefield,
still be saving life instead
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of taking it.
He didn't, he said,
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"I'm willing to salute my flag.
I'm willing to go in uniform.
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I believe in my
country. I'm very patriotic."
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And he was one of the
most patriotic people I've ever
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seen or met. But
he would not kill;
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he would not take life.
JB: A man who would not take
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life, who would not carry
a weapon, but was awarded the
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Congressional Medal of Honor:
a remarkable man, a servant
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of his country,
and a man of faith.
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More of the Desmond
Doss story in just a moment.
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[Music] When you read the Bible,
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you read about many
great heroes of the Bible:
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people otherwise ordinary
who, moved by the Spirit
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of God, did great
things for the glory of God.
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Outside of the Bible,
we meet heroes as well,
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and Desmond Doss,
though he would never
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refer to himself as
such, was undoubtedly a
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modern-day hero. A
Congressional Medal of Honor
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recipient who went into battle
with nothing more than a medical
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kit, a prayer on his
lips, and a very small Bible
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just like this one.
This was Desmond Doss's
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strength. I would
like to share with you a
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little book called,
"The Faith of Desmond Doss,"
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which will share with you what
it was that made Desmond Doss
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a great man of faith, and
how you, too, can have that
00:09:05.14\00:09:09.04
kind of faith in God. To
receive "The Faith of Desmond
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Doss," please call,
right now, 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:09:13.25\00:09:18.52
That's 1 (800) 253-3000.
If, when you call, the line is
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busy, please do call again.
You can call 24 hours a day.
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If you'd like to
write, please write to:
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It Is Written, P.O. Box
6, Chattanooga, Tennessee,
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37401, and we will
send you a free copy,
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if your address is
within North America.
00:09:37.47\00:09:40.54
Or go to our website for a free
download, www.ItIsWritten.com.
00:09:40.54\00:09:46.61
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
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I'm John
Bradshaw. My guest today is
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Pastor Les Spear,
who for several years was
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the pastor of Congressional
Medal of Honor recipient
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Desmond Doss, and for
many years was his close and
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trusted friend.
Desmond Doss is the central
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figure in the
movie "Hacksaw Ridge,"
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which focuses on one of
the most intense military
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engagements in
this country's history.
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Les, since the end of the
Civil War, less than 2,000
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individuals have
received the Medal of Honor.
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In order to receive that
award, you have had to have done
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something outstanding.
And typically, in order to do
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something outstanding, you
had to be someone outstanding.
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Now, what sort of person
was Desmond Doss, the man?
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LS: Some people will be
acquainted with the Myers-
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Briggs Personality Profile.
Desmond was an INFJ, and if you
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Google that, it comes
out that it's Mr. Integrity.
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He would not
violate his conscience.
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I don't know of a single
incident where he violated
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his conscience in
his whole lifetime.
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He was so rigid to do what
he felt was right, regardless
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of the
consequences. JB: Which led him,
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while in the
military, to make the decision
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that he wouldn't carry a gun.
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He would be a
conscientious cooperator.
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You mentioned before that he
was despised for that, at least
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for a while. That turned around.
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What kind of pressure did
he experience in the military
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for his decision?
LS: He was beat up.
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He would, was not allowed
to have passes home, even to
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get married, earlier. The
men would make fun of him.
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They would ridicule him.
They despised him, because he
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wouldn't be like them and
carry a gun and kill the enemy.
00:11:35.16\00:11:39.26
JB: As a spiritual man,
you observed him up close.
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What was his
spiritual experience like?
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LS: He was a person who
was not full of himself.
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He was very humble,
very kind, very patient.
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He was willing to
listen. Another soldier met him,
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and the soldier said,
"Desmond treated me like
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I was the recipient
of the Medal of Honor."
00:12:01.15\00:12:05.19
And he said, "When Desmond goes
to the Medal of Honor convention
00:12:05.19\00:12:09.32
every other year, the other
recipients line up to see him."
00:12:09.32\00:12:14.50
Now, isn't that amazing? So
it's not a story necessarily
00:12:14.50\00:12:18.10
about Desmond.
It's a story about the
00:12:18.10\00:12:20.94
miracle-working
power of Desmond's God.
00:12:20.94\00:12:24.51
JB: Up on Hacksaw Ridge, or
more appropriately referred to,
00:12:24.51\00:12:27.88
up on the Maeda Escarpment
at Okinawa, he was literally
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in the crosshairs
of Japanese weapons and
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guns. Bullets
were flying past him,
00:12:35.22\00:12:37.35
yet he distinguished
himself with immense bravery and
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absolute heroism,
leading him to receive the
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Congressional Medal of Honor.
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Now, you have
that medal here today.
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Might we see that? LS: Yes.
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This is the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
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There are very few people
who wear this, believe me.
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I think there's only about
150 who are still alive at this
00:12:55.64\00:12:59.41
time. JB: In addition to the
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Congressional Medal of
Honor, he was awarded with
00:13:01.24\00:13:03.28
other awards. What were they?
00:13:03.28\00:13:05.55
LS: He received two Bronze
Stars, the Oak Leaf Cluster
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for valor. He
received three Purple Hearts,
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and was wounded most severely
the last time, after the
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Maeda Escarpment.
The Japanese had built
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tunnels in this mountain,
and they had pillboxes,
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they had machine gun
nests set up, designed
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not to be on the
offensive but on the defensive.
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So, my history books say
that between 2,200 and 2,300
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American lives were
trying to take this mountain
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range. It wasn't
so big--about 400 feet
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high--but they had designed
it so that when they got there,
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many soldiers would die.
At one place, there was a
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little creek.
Human blood was almost
00:13:52.73\00:13:55.73
knee deep. So, here
you have Desmond going
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up there, on the second famous
day, and as he goes up there,
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the Japanese are shooting
at him, and he is going and
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rescuing men. But
instead of crawling on the
00:14:12.21\00:14:15.65
ground, after realizing
that God is protecting him,
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he doesn't worry
about the bullets at all.
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And he just goes and gets people
and puts them on his back.
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He sometimes will help
them walk, if they are capable
00:14:24.59\00:14:27.60
of walking at all,
carries them to the side and
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lowers them over, 40
feet down where the other men
00:14:30.40\00:14:33.47
can get them and
take them to military aid.
00:14:33.47\00:14:35.94
Just trusting in the
Lord. And I asked him,
00:14:35.94\00:14:38.94
"What were you thinking?"
He said, "I was praying,
00:14:38.94\00:14:41.94
'God help me get
one more before I die.'
00:14:41.94\00:14:45.15
'Help me get one more.'
'Help me get one more.'"
00:14:45.15\00:14:48.28
JB: Big, strong
man, was he? LS: No.
00:14:48.28\00:14:50.82
He was probably 130
pounds, at this time.
00:14:50.82\00:14:53.99
JB: A hundred and thirty pounds,
yet he singlehandedly rescued
00:14:53.99\00:14:57.66
and then lowered to safety
at least 75 men, while bullets
00:14:57.66\00:15:03.23
were flying past. LS:
One of the other men in the
00:15:03.23\00:15:06.70
unit said that the bullets
up there were like a bunch of
00:15:06.70\00:15:09.34
bees flying around him.
JB: What sort of long-term
00:15:09.34\00:15:13.61
effects did Desmond Doss suffer
after having served in the
00:15:13.61\00:15:16.75
military? LS:
Something that we have in
00:15:16.75\00:15:19.55
our vocabulary today is
Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome.
00:15:19.55\00:15:24.15
Desmond suffered that
for probably 10 or 12 years.
00:15:24.15\00:15:28.76
He called it "the demons."
He would think of people that
00:15:28.76\00:15:33.13
were, he considered them his
men, and he would see them die.
00:15:33.13\00:15:36.56
He would try to save them, and
they would die or be blown up.
00:15:36.56\00:15:42.10
JB: This was
going on in his mind?
00:15:42.10\00:15:43.81
LS: Yes. And so,
for years this, all this
00:15:43.81\00:15:46.51
trauma is going on in
his mind. Today, we deal with
00:15:46.51\00:15:49.71
psychologists and psychiatrists
and so forth, to help our
00:15:49.71\00:15:53.58
soldiers in these situations.
Desmond had none of that.
00:15:53.58\00:15:57.05
Plus, after he got well from
the injuries of his body and his
00:15:57.05\00:16:01.79
left leg that was blown up
with a hand grenade, he has TB
00:16:01.79\00:16:07.96
for five and a half
years, and he couldn't even be
00:16:07.96\00:16:11.50
with his wife but
for a few minutes a day.
00:16:11.50\00:16:14.60
And he couldn't be with his son
for fear that his son would get
00:16:14.60\00:16:18.11
TB. This was a terrible
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.48
psychological imprisonment,
almost, during his life for
00:16:20.48\00:16:26.58
years, probably 10 to 12 years
he suffered these emotional
00:16:26.58\00:16:31.75
problems. JB: And
then there was his
00:16:31.75\00:16:33.96
hearing. LS: Yes.
00:16:33.96\00:16:35.69
When they treated him
for his problems physically--
00:16:35.69\00:16:41.23
antibiotics were
new, in World War II--
00:16:41.23\00:16:44.03
the doctors didn't
know how much to give.
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.80
And so they gave him way too
much, and he would have ringing
00:16:46.80\00:16:50.47
in his ears for years.
And finally, sometime after
00:16:50.47\00:16:54.48
World War II, he became totally
deaf for 12 years, until they
00:16:54.48\00:17:00.98
have a new miracle surgery
called 'cochlear implant.'
00:17:00.98\00:17:05.02
After he got the cochlear
implant, it was possible
00:17:05.02\00:17:07.59
to communicate with him.
He said, "But everybody talks
00:17:07.59\00:17:10.63
like Donald Duck." Ha ha ha.
00:17:10.63\00:17:12.83
I found that if I lowered
my voice, I could speak slowly,
00:17:12.83\00:17:17.60
and if I faced him, he
could read my lips and we could
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.94
carry on a good conversation.
00:17:20.94\00:17:23.10
JB: Did you ever know him to
consider or to suggest that the
00:17:23.10\00:17:26.41
price he paid for serving
his country was too high?
00:17:26.41\00:17:30.25
LS: Never. He
said, "I received the
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.71
Congressional in honor of
the men who died, because they
00:17:32.71\00:17:36.89
gave a much greater
sacrifice than mine."
00:17:36.89\00:17:39.85
JB: Quite a remarkable
man, and now the subject of a
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.79
major motion picture
entitled "Hacksaw Ridge."
00:17:43.79\00:17:46.16
There's already been
documentaries, books,
00:17:46.16\00:17:48.93
and many other productions
in honor or in respect of
00:17:48.93\00:17:54.54
a man who gave so much
for the country that he loved,
00:17:54.54\00:17:59.44
motivated always
by honor for God.
00:17:59.44\00:18:04.51
We'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:18:04.51\00:18:06.92
[Music] "Every
Word" is a one-minute,
00:18:07.65\00:18:09.52
Bible-based daily
devotional presented by
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.85
Pastor John Bradshaw,
and designed especially for
00:18:11.85\00:18:14.16
busy people like you.
Look for "Every Word" on
00:18:14.16\00:18:17.46
selected networks or
watch it online every day on our
00:18:17.46\00:18:20.36
website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:18:20.36\00:18:23.80
[upbeat piano music]
Paul and Silas were doing
00:18:24.63\00:18:32.84
God's business in Philippi.
They were hounded for days
00:18:32.84\00:18:35.84
by a demon-possessed woman,
so they do the right thing,
00:18:35.84\00:18:39.15
the God thing, and they
cast the demon out of her.
00:18:39.15\00:18:42.35
But as a result, they ended
up in prison, their backs having
00:18:42.35\00:18:44.55
been brutally opened up by a
Roman whip and their feet put
00:18:44.55\00:18:47.49
fast in stocks.
And yet the testimony
00:18:47.49\00:18:50.46
of God's Word is that
in their darkest hour,
00:18:50.46\00:18:53.16
their faith in God was strong.
00:18:53.16\00:18:55.43
Acts 16:25 says, "And
at midnight, Paul and Silas
00:18:55.43\00:18:59.03
prayed and sang praises
unto God, and the prisoners
00:18:59.03\00:19:02.20
heard them."
Instead of complaining that
00:19:02.20\00:19:04.64
God had abandoned
them, they prayed and sang.
00:19:04.64\00:19:07.44
The other prisoners were
touched, God worked miracles,
00:19:07.44\00:19:09.84
and the jailkeeper was
saved. When you're in a tough
00:19:09.84\00:19:12.95
situation, instead
of complaining, pray
00:19:12.95\00:19:15.35
and praise God.
That's when miracles happen.
00:19:15.35\00:19:18.89
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:19:18.89\00:19:20.99
Let's live today by every word.
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.69
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:19:25.09\00:19:27.30
Today, we're
discussing Desmond Doss,
00:19:27.30\00:19:29.86
Congressional Medal of Honor
recipient, whose experience
00:19:29.86\00:19:32.93
is portrayed in the
movie "Hacksaw Ridge."
00:19:32.93\00:19:37.21
Pastor Les Spear, his
pastor for several years,
00:19:37.21\00:19:39.14
his friend for many years,
we spoke a few moments ago
00:19:39.14\00:19:42.34
about how Desmond Doss was
hated, absolutely despised,
00:19:42.34\00:19:46.15
because he chose
to be a noncombatant.
00:19:46.15\00:19:49.65
He said he was a
conscientious cooperator,
00:19:49.65\00:19:52.42
but, in spite of that
decision, later on was
00:19:52.42\00:19:55.46
awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
00:19:55.46\00:19:57.26
So, something happened to
turn around in the minds of many
00:19:57.26\00:20:00.40
people this concept of a
man who was perhaps a coward,
00:20:00.40\00:20:04.10
couldn't be relied on,
to, in the minds of his own
00:20:04.10\00:20:07.10
peers, he really
became a hero, in their minds.
00:20:07.10\00:20:10.71
Explain that
transition that took place.
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.94
LS: In basic
training, one of the men said,
00:20:13.94\00:20:16.24
"In battle, I will kill you."
00:20:16.24\00:20:18.25
When it came to the battle time,
later, that particular man who
00:20:18.25\00:20:22.55
had threatened him in basic
training was running the other
00:20:22.55\00:20:26.15
way, away from the
enemy, when Desmond was going
00:20:26.15\00:20:29.62
into battle to save his men.
00:20:29.62\00:20:32.29
And Desmond was not afraid
to risk his life again and
00:20:32.29\00:20:36.56
again and again,
where, if anyone was wounded
00:20:36.56\00:20:39.10
and they cried for a
medic, he was on his way,
00:20:39.10\00:20:42.67
in spite of the
harm and the foolishness.
00:20:42.67\00:20:46.17
One time, the commander said,
"Desmond, wait a little while."
00:20:46.17\00:20:49.71
And Desmond said, "He may
not be alive in a little while,"
00:20:49.71\00:20:54.32
and he crawled on out to
get that man and drag him
00:20:54.32\00:20:57.42
back. JB: Earlier, there was a
00:20:57.42\00:20:59.62
complete lack of respect
for Desmond and his faith.
00:20:59.62\00:21:03.22
Later on, there was an immense
amount of respect for his
00:21:03.22\00:21:07.83
faith in God.
Describe that for me.
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.47
LS: When they tried to
get up the Maeda Escarpment--
00:21:10.47\00:21:13.90
Hacksaw Ridge, as
it's called by the men--
00:21:13.90\00:21:17.57
they were, climbed
that ladder seven times, and
00:21:17.57\00:21:21.28
they were
kicked off seven times.
00:21:21.28\00:21:24.21
One of the times,
Desmond said to the commander,
00:21:24.21\00:21:27.92
"Sir, shouldn't we have
prayer before we go up?"
00:21:27.92\00:21:30.82
His intent was that
every man should pray,
00:21:30.82\00:21:33.76
"Forgive me of my
sins," and make peace with God.
00:21:33.76\00:21:36.79
So the commander called
the men together and says,
00:21:36.79\00:21:40.40
"Desmond wants to pray for
us." Well, that wasn't Desmond's
00:21:40.40\00:21:43.37
thought, but that's
what he did, and he prayed
00:21:43.37\00:21:45.33
a very simple prayer.
"Lord, give our commander
00:21:45.33\00:21:48.74
good instructions.
Help us to follow safety
00:21:48.74\00:21:51.84
procedures, that we
will all be able to return
00:21:51.84\00:21:54.54
safely and alive." That
day, everyone in their unit
00:21:54.54\00:22:01.12
came back alive.
Not a single one.
00:22:01.12\00:22:04.09
JB: A very rare occurrence.
LS: When the other group that
00:22:04.09\00:22:07.86
was beside them
were just mowed down.
00:22:07.86\00:22:10.23
They were on a neighboring
part of the escarpment.
00:22:10.23\00:22:13.26
They were slaughtered,
almost. JB: A remarkable story.
00:22:13.26\00:22:16.33
LS: Absolutely. JB:
What sort of legacy do you
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.27
think he left behind?
LS: I happen to be the,
00:22:18.27\00:22:21.20
not only a personal
friend of his but also his
00:22:21.20\00:22:23.10
trust officer. Desmond
understood the principal
00:22:23.10\00:22:26.14
from Scripture that
we are just stewards.
00:22:26.14\00:22:29.38
We're not owners of anything.
And so Desmond wanted everything
00:22:29.38\00:22:33.72
that he had, except for a
few personal items, to build up
00:22:33.72\00:22:37.42
God's kingdom. And
so he left not only his
00:22:37.42\00:22:40.49
money, but also his
time, his commitment.
00:22:40.49\00:22:44.39
He was eager to do everything
he could to build up the work of
00:22:44.39\00:22:49.00
Jesus Christ. JB: I
understand he invested
00:22:49.00\00:22:51.27
with his own time and
energy in young people.
00:22:51.27\00:22:55.37
LS: Absolutely. JB:
Tell me a little bit about
00:22:55.37\00:22:57.21
his work with young people.
LS: Well, he loved to go to
00:22:57.21\00:22:59.57
high school, to private schools,
to churches, synagogues,
00:22:59.57\00:23:04.65
wherever he could find
people, but especially he wanted
00:23:04.65\00:23:07.85
to spend time with young people.
00:23:07.85\00:23:09.78
And he would tell them that
if they would trust in God, God
00:23:09.78\00:23:12.92
would direct their
paths. And Desmond said,
00:23:12.92\00:23:16.76
"That's true with me,
and it'll be true with you,
00:23:16.76\00:23:19.06
if you commit your
life to Jesus Christ."
00:23:19.06\00:23:21.43
JB: How did young
people respond to this fellow?
00:23:21.43\00:23:23.10
Let's keep in mind, he
was a frail, older, deaf man.
00:23:23.10\00:23:26.57
LS: Yes. JB: And,
and he could interact
00:23:26.57\00:23:28.50
with high school kids?
LS: Oh, it was amazing.
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.51
One time, there was a group of
perhaps 225 people, and almost
00:23:31.51\00:23:36.41
all of them were young
people. They sat there, almost
00:23:36.41\00:23:39.65
mesmerized. They
were just awestruck.
00:23:39.65\00:23:44.32
I was amazed.
These were 10-, 12-, 13-,
00:23:44.32\00:23:47.06
14-year-olds, and they were just
(ah), with their mouths hanging
00:23:47.06\00:23:51.83
open, listening to the story of
God's protection and providence
00:23:51.83\00:23:57.13
for him. JB: It really is a
00:23:57.13\00:23:59.20
remarkable story. It's
a story of, of protection,
00:23:59.20\00:24:02.90
as you say, providence,
and faith and trust in God.
00:24:02.90\00:24:07.98
Now, Desmond Doss today rests
in a cemetery not very far from
00:24:07.98\00:24:12.08
where we are sitting right
now, and he's a man who was
00:24:12.08\00:24:15.28
a significant part of your life.
00:24:15.28\00:24:17.42
Just briefly, what kind
of impact did Desmond Doss,
00:24:17.42\00:24:21.09
the man, have on you?
LS: In any church, there are
00:24:21.09\00:24:25.33
stresses, sometimes squabblings,
sometimes jealousies, and
00:24:25.33\00:24:32.23
Desmond was a person who
frequently had his picture
00:24:32.23\00:24:35.77
in the newspaper, in
the parades around town,
00:24:35.77\00:24:39.87
and there were some
problems in the church
00:24:39.87\00:24:44.38
and in the social
structure of the community.
00:24:44.38\00:24:47.88
And Desmond struggled with that,
but he was not going to let that
00:24:47.88\00:24:52.62
influence him not to go to
church, not to be faithful,
00:24:52.62\00:24:56.79
not--he was always determined,
"No matter what others do, I
00:24:56.79\00:25:01.10
will be faithful to God."
JB: And it's that faith that's
00:25:01.10\00:25:04.87
so beautifully portrayed
in the film "Hacksaw Ridge,"
00:25:04.87\00:25:08.50
in the documentary "The
Conscientious Objector,"
00:25:08.50\00:25:10.74
in books and so much
that's been written and produced
00:25:10.74\00:25:14.44
about this man.
Pastor Les Spear, thanks for
00:25:14.44\00:25:17.01
joining me today. LS:
It's been my pleasure.
00:25:17.01\00:25:18.95
Thank you. JB:
Well, let's pray together
00:25:18.95\00:25:20.65
before we go. Let's pray.
00:25:20.65\00:25:22.52
[Music] Our Father in heaven,
we are thankful for the way
00:25:22.52\00:25:24.65
You've placed Your hand on
lives, which then reveal to
00:25:24.65\00:25:29.16
so many Your
goodness, Your glory,
00:25:29.16\00:25:32.53
Your providence and Your power.
00:25:32.53\00:25:34.76
As we consider the life
and the legacy of Desmond Doss,
00:25:34.76\00:25:38.10
we are mindful that Your
impact on a life can make
00:25:38.10\00:25:42.70
any life profound,
any life influential,
00:25:42.70\00:25:47.58
any life tell for your glory.
As we come to You with our
00:25:47.58\00:25:50.41
struggles and weaknesses,
I pray that Your touch,
00:25:50.41\00:25:53.72
Your blessing would see
Your will done, and though
00:25:53.72\00:25:57.82
the great majority of
us will never be known like
00:25:57.82\00:26:01.19
Desmond Doss was known,
I pray that in our sphere,
00:26:01.19\00:26:03.83
our lives would give evidence
that we have been touched and
00:26:03.83\00:26:06.96
blessed by the God of Heaven.
00:26:06.96\00:26:09.23
Thank You, that You are
the God of great things.
00:26:09.23\00:26:11.47
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
00:26:11.47\00:26:14.34
[Music]
00:26:14.34\00:26:26.35
JB: I would like to share
with you a little book called
00:26:30.65\00:26:33.05
"The Faith of Desmond
Doss," which will share with you
00:26:33.05\00:26:36.96
what it was that made
Desmond Doss a great man
00:26:36.96\00:26:39.63
of faith, and how you too,
can have that kind of faith
00:26:39.63\00:26:44.43
in God. To receive
"The Faith of Desmond
00:26:44.43\00:26:47.24
Doss," please call,
right now, 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:26:47.24\00:26:52.57
If, when you call, the line
is busy, please do call again.
00:26:52.57\00:26:56.81
You can call 24 hours a
day. If you'd like to write,
00:26:56.81\00:27:00.32
please write to: It
Is Written, P.O. Box 6,
00:27:00.32\00:27:03.55
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37401,
and we will send you a free copy
00:27:03.55\00:27:08.26
if your address is
within North America.
00:27:08.26\00:27:11.49
Or go to our
website for a free download,
00:27:11.49\00:27:13.83
www.ItIsWritten.com.
And please remember that
00:27:13.83\00:27:18.90
It Is Written is a
faith-based ministry.
00:27:18.90\00:27:21.70
We are enabled to share the
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00:27:21.70\00:27:25.24
because of the support
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00:27:25.24\00:27:27.74
To support It Is Written,
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00:27:27.74\00:27:32.58
or you can write to the address
on your screen, or visit us at
00:27:32.58\00:27:36.32
ItIsWritten.com.
Again, to receive
00:27:36.32\00:27:40.49
"The Faith of Desmond
Doss," 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:27:40.49\00:27:47.20
Thank you so much
for joining me today.
00:27:48.53\00:27:50.13
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:50.13\00:27:52.13
Until then
remember, it is written:
00:27:52.13\00:27:55.24
Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word
00:27:55.24\00:27:59.61
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:27:59.61\00:28:03.51
[Music]
00:28:03.58\00:28:22.96