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>>John Bradshaw:
This is "It Is Written."
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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It was a very different age,
yet society was still colored
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by the attitudes of
another era altogether.
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Slavery had ended
almost 80 years before.
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The Emancipation
Proclamation was signed in 1863.
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The Fourteenth
Amendment was ratified in 1868.
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But deeply ingrained attitudes
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often take some
time to work out.
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Change would come, but
not without the hard work,
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the drive, the
heroism of agents of change--
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men and women who would
press and work and sacrifice
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and endure the hardships
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that pioneers are so frequently
called upon to endure.
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There are Bible stories about
people who fought to change
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the status quo.
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And they only ever succeeded
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after going through the
most trying circumstances.
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At a time that
Israel should have advanced,
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its feckless king,
although handpicked by God,
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had all but abandoned hope.
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Faced by a literal
giant, Goliath of Gath,
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Israel lacked the courage
to either engage or reverse.
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Into that milieu
stepped a teenager with a faith
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that was simple enough to
believe that God was able.
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Goliath was defeated, and a
shepherd boy went on to become
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Israel's most illustrious king.
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Confronted by
seemingly impregnable defenses
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and fearsome
enemies, when others had none,
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Joshua and Caleb had
faith that God could and would.
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And ultimately,
400 years of slavery
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and 40 years of
wilderness wandering concluded
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with Israel
taking the Promised Land.
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Daniel's three friends
would not join the crowd
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and refused to bow
before a golden image.
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That courageous act of faith
still inspires faith today.
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There were many
who stood up boldly
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on America's Plain of Dura.
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While so many were bowing down
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before the
golden image of bigotry,
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individuals such as Booker
T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois,
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and others made progress
in the fight to throw off
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the shackles of racism.
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And the long night of Jim
Crow and intolerance began
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to slowly give way to
the hope of a bright new day.
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But those were early
days, and prominent figures
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such as Martin Luther
King Jr., Malcolm X, and others
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were still some way off.
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Ever since the Civil War,
Americans of all backgrounds
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have been afforded the privilege
of fighting for their country.
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However, African
Americans had not been permitted
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to serve in what would become
the United States Air Force.
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When the U.S. joined
World War II in 1941,
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its official doctrine was
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that African Americans were
incapable of flying aircraft.
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A study conducted by the
military concluded that blacks
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did not have the
necessary intelligence, ability,
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coordination, or bravery to fly.
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I spoke with Frank Toland;
he's the lead park ranger
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at the Tuskegee Airmen
National Historic Site.
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>>Frank Toland: There had
been an effort for many years
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by, um, black aviation groups
in Chicago and in Los Angeles
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to get, uh, more opportunities
for African American pilots,
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uh, especially
within the military.
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The prevailing views of the
time were that African Americans
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did not have the, the
ability to do this job.
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But 1940 was an election year.
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President Roosevelt was
running for a third time.
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He needed African American
votes from the African Americans
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who had newly moved to the North
during the Great Migration.
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So, he came out, and he promised
that if he got reelected,
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he would start training
for African American pilots
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within the military and
open up other opportunities
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within the military for
African Americans as well.
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He did get reelected, and 1941,
President Roosevelt announced
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the start of the
Tuskegee Airmen program,
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and that it was going to
be located here in Tuskegee.
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>>John: How did the
Tuskegee Airmen, as you see it,
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impact not only the
military but also society?
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>>Frank: For one thing, I
think because of the success
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of the Tuskegee Airmen, uh,
in 1948, President Truman signed
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an executive order to start the
desegregation of the military.
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Also, many of the,
not just Tuskegee Airmen,
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but World War II,
uh, veterans overall,
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when they came back from
what they had experienced,
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after World War II came
back determined to fight
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for civil rights here at home.
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During this whole
period during the '40s,
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there was something
known as the double-V campaign.
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Yes, we'll fight for the
country, but at the same time,
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in addition to fighting
against fascism overseas,
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we're going to be
fighting against racism
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and discrimination here at home.
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And from that did grow the
eventual civil rights movement.
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Despite all that they suffered
and all that they went through,
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they were still willing
to fight for this country
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and to try to make things better
for the generations to follow.
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Um, and you can see
that in various ways,
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including some of what,
what some of the Tuskegee Airmen
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were able to
accomplish after the war.
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Some of them became involved
in the civil rights movement.
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Uh, some of them
stayed in the military
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and rose to a high rank.
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Uh, some of them went
into, uh, private industry
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or into education.
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Um, but no matter
what they went into,
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uh, they still had the
discipline that they learned
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as Tuskegee Airmen that was able
to cause them to be successful
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in later life.
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>>John: The Tuskegee
Airmen took their rigorous
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flight training
here at Moton Field.
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When First Lady Eleanor
Roosevelt visited this area
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in March of 1941,
she went to Kennedy Field
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some miles south of here.
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She asked to be taken to
where the Tuskegee Airmen
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were staying, and there she met
a man named Charles Anderson.
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Now, Anderson
before World War II
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had bought himself a
plane and taught himself
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how to take off and land.
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He became the chief flight
instructor here at Tuskegee.
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When Mrs. Roosevelt remarked
that she had always heard
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that a black man
couldn't fly a plane,
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Anderson offered to
take her up for a ride.
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Much to everybody's
surprise, she accepted.
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And when they got
back down on the ground,
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she turned to Anderson and she
said, "Well, you sure can fly."
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The story of the first
lady and the black pilot
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gave the Tuskegee program
some much needed go-forward.
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In fact, Mrs. Roosevelt used
her influence to raise the money
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needed to develop Moton Field.
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That same month, the
war department created
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the 99th Pursuit Squadron,
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the first flying unit
made up of black pilots.
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The program was
underway by June of 1941,
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and by the time the United
States entered World War II,
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hundreds were in training.
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But if those would-be pilots
thought that they would be
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afforded the respect due
to officers in the military,
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they were mistaken.
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They weren't permitted to access
the officers' club--whites only.
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By the spring of 1942,
despite all the obstacles,
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the first Tuskegee Airmen
completed training, becoming
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the nation's first African
American military pilots.
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Before the war's end, almost
1,000 African American men
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were trained as pilots.
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Of the pilots who graduated
from Tuskegee during the war,
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almost 500 served
overseas, where they flew
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more than 15,000
sorties [plane engines roaring]
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and destroyed more
than 200 enemy aircraft.
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Sixty-six gave their lives,
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with another 32 being
shot down and spending time
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in prisoner-of-war camps.
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I had the good fortune
of sitting down recently
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with one of the few
remaining Tuskegee Airmen.
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After graduating
on September 8, 1945,
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Jerry Hodges was assigned
to the 617th Bomb Squadron
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of the 477th Bomber Group.
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You'll meet Mr.
Hodges in just a moment.
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¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
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>>John: Jesus said
He came into the world
00:09:13.42\00:09:15.15
to give us a more abundant life.
00:09:15.18\00:09:17.49
And you can have that
by making simple changes
00:09:17.52\00:09:19.62
that bring profound results.
00:09:19.65\00:09:21.56
And with that in mind, I'd like
to offer you a special book.
00:09:21.59\00:09:23.96
It's called
"Confidence in Chaos."
00:09:23.99\00:09:26.26
If you want to get your heart
00:09:26.29\00:09:27.30
right with God, this is the book
00:09:27.30\00:09:28.33
that's going to set you
on the path to that place.
00:09:28.36\00:09:30.70
In order to get this book,
00:09:30.73\00:09:31.60
call right now.
00:09:31.63\00:09:32.77
The number is 1-800-253-3000
00:09:32.80\00:09:36.40
and simply ask for
"Confidence in Chaos."
00:09:36.44\00:09:39.17
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:09:39.21\00:09:42.44
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on "It Is Written."
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The Tuskegee Airmen were
stationed in North Africa
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and Italy during
their time in combat.
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They were frequently
used as escorts for bombers
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on bombing missions.
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In fact, compared
to other squadrons
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assigned to escort duty,
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the Tuskegee Airmen had
one of the lowest loss records.
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Because of their excellence,
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the Red Tails were
frequently requested
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when escorts were needed.
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Jerry Hodges is
a Tuskegee airman.
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I sat down with him recently,
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and he shared some of
his experience with me.
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Tell me how you came to
get involved in, in flying
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at a time where...African
Americans weren't flying?
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>>Jerry Hodges: Okay, I
was a freshman in college
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at that time. And I knew
I was going to be drafted.
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At this college, every young man
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that was drafted
went to the navy.
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And in the navy,
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my only job
available was a cook,
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a steward, or something
like that, at that time.
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My mother called me one
day, and she said, "You know,
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"they've opened a
flying training program for us,
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"for our boys down at Tuskegee.
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Why, why don't
you consider that?"
00:11:11.50\00:11:13.87
And I thought
about it and I said,
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"You know, that's a good idea."
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The following week I made
application for cadet training
00:11:20.38\00:11:25.38
from Hampton University.
00:11:25.41\00:11:27.45
I had to take a physical
examination, mental test.
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I really didn't expect I'd
pass all of them, but I did.
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And, and from then on, I
was looking forward to the day
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that I was going to
take off all by myself.
00:11:39.96\00:11:46.30
The rate at
which you had to learn
00:11:46.33\00:11:50.84
was much more
than you would expect
00:11:50.87\00:11:55.04
in the civilian life.
00:11:55.08\00:11:56.91
I'd never been close to an
airplane before I got there.
00:11:56.95\00:12:01.05
I remember the first time I
went up with my, uh, instructor
00:12:01.08\00:12:06.02
in primary, and I
looked out of the plane,
00:12:06.05\00:12:09.49
and I said, "It'll never happen.
00:12:09.52\00:12:14.20
I'll never be able to determine
what all this is and fly."
00:12:14.20\00:12:21.04
Uh, that was a little premature
00:12:22.94\00:12:26.27
because five hours of
flight later, we landed,
00:12:26.31\00:12:30.81
he climbed out, and I said,
"Uh-oh, what's he going to do?"
00:12:30.85\00:12:35.65
And he waved
for me to go around.
00:12:35.68\00:12:39.49
And I took off,
flew around, landed.
00:12:39.52\00:12:43.53
He waved me again. I
did it a second time.
00:12:43.56\00:12:46.13
Then he came, got in the plane.
00:12:46.16\00:12:48.60
The next day they gave me
an airplane to take off in.
00:12:48.63\00:12:52.97
And, man, did I have fun!
00:12:53.00\00:12:56.64
>>John: At the
time, were you aware
00:12:56.67\00:13:01.38
that this was
history in the making?
00:13:01.41\00:13:04.05
>>Jerry: At the
time I had little idea,
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no idea at all that
we were making history.
00:13:06.88\00:13:11.19
>>John: When did it dawn on you
00:13:11.22\00:13:14.26
that you were part
of history being made?
00:13:14.29\00:13:16.49
>>Jerry: [chuckling] You know,
I was back in civilian life
00:13:16.52\00:13:20.90
before it really occurred to me:
Look at this, look what we did.
00:13:20.93\00:13:24.47
>>John: How'd
that make you feel?
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.13
>>Jerry: Yeah, well, I tell you,
00:13:26.17\00:13:27.47
I felt really good
and excited about it
00:13:27.50\00:13:31.91
because when I was in service,
00:13:31.94\00:13:35.54
I had met a large majority
00:13:35.58\00:13:39.75
of these veterans that
had been over into Italy,
00:13:39.78\00:13:43.75
into Europe and flying,
00:13:43.79\00:13:46.09
and these guys
that really made history
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really showed that we could
fly and what we could do flying.
00:13:50.16\00:13:56.20
Other flight squadrons,
they were flying escorts.
00:13:56.23\00:14:00.20
They would take
them to the target;
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.34
before they get there, they say,
00:14:02.37\00:14:03.71
"Okay, here you
are. You're on your own."
00:14:03.74\00:14:05.57
And they'd turn
around and go back home.
00:14:05.61\00:14:08.44
Our group took them to
the target, stayed with them,
00:14:08.48\00:14:11.71
and took them back.
00:14:11.75\00:14:13.65
That's why they, they,
uh, developed that reputation.
00:14:13.68\00:14:19.59
>>John: You know, it's pretty
special that you made history.
00:14:20.59\00:14:22.86
But, but...
00:14:22.89\00:14:25.69
it's unfortunate that it had to
be history that was being made.
00:14:28.53\00:14:34.84
>>Jerry: Indeed.
00:14:34.87\00:14:35.77
>>John: At that
time, how did you relate
00:14:35.80\00:14:39.14
to those circumstances which,
until now, had been set in place
00:14:39.17\00:14:45.48
to keep you back?
00:14:45.51\00:14:47.18
>>Jerry: I was very aware of it,
and I hated those circumstances.
00:14:47.22\00:14:52.55
I always felt imposed on
00:14:55.59\00:14:59.66
when I would get
or go into situations
00:15:01.40\00:15:04.90
in which this was
clamped down on me.
00:15:04.93\00:15:09.74
But I also knew
00:15:09.77\00:15:13.07
there were a lot of good people
00:15:13.11\00:15:17.08
urging and working
toward the elimination of that.
00:15:17.11\00:15:22.35
It was--we were
fighting two wars:
00:15:22.38\00:15:26.55
overseas and at home.
00:15:26.59\00:15:29.19
Double victory
we were working for.
00:15:30.86\00:15:34.93
Overseas, I could
see them, you know,
00:15:34.96\00:15:39.60
winning, coming out ahead.
00:15:39.63\00:15:43.14
But at home, it was
really difficult to see
00:15:43.17\00:15:46.51
if we gonna make any progress.
00:15:46.54\00:15:49.44
Over the years, I have seen,
yes, we have made progress.
00:15:49.48\00:15:55.25
And we still have a
very long way to go.
00:15:55.28\00:16:00.29
You know, so, we must keep on.
00:16:02.09\00:16:04.33
We can't relax; we've
gotta keep on doing it.
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.50
>>John: After
the Tuskegee Airmen,
00:16:07.56\00:16:09.20
the nation went on to
end Jim Crow and segregation
00:16:09.23\00:16:12.53
and legalized discrimination.
00:16:12.57\00:16:15.40
But imagine if it hadn't.
00:16:15.44\00:16:16.74
Imagine if after Booker T.
Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois
00:16:16.77\00:16:20.04
and countless other men and
women had toiled for change,
00:16:20.08\00:16:25.25
that the nation
simply forgot all about it
00:16:25.28\00:16:27.65
and went back to the old
practices of former years?
00:16:27.68\00:16:31.49
Such a thing
has happened before.
00:16:31.52\00:16:33.76
A man once came to this earth
00:16:33.79\00:16:35.19
who rose up and stood for change
and achieved great things,
00:16:35.22\00:16:39.46
but then He watched as
those He had given so much for
00:16:39.49\00:16:44.30
simply reverted to type.
00:16:44.33\00:16:47.10
A world given great opportunity
to press forward didn't.
00:16:47.14\00:16:52.84
And here we are today.
00:16:52.87\00:16:54.74
I'll tell you more about
that story in just a moment.
00:16:54.78\00:16:58.08
¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
00:16:58.11\00:17:05.12
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:17:06.86\00:17:08.69
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:17:08.72\00:17:12.13
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:17:12.16\00:17:15.36
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:17:15.40\00:17:19.60
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:17:19.63\00:17:21.10
to the address on your screen,
00:17:21.14\00:17:22.57
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:17:22.60\00:17:26.41
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:17:26.44\00:17:29.24
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:17:29.28\00:17:33.42
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:17:33.45\00:17:36.45
>>John: He was raised in
poverty, born into a life
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.79
that was supposed to guarantee
he didn't have a future.
00:17:39.82\00:17:43.02
But when a young boy from
Alabama moved with his family
00:17:43.06\00:17:45.59
to Cleveland, Ohio, everything
changed as Jesse Owens ran
00:17:45.63\00:17:50.43
and jumped into
the pages of history.
00:17:50.47\00:17:53.13
Join me for "Running the Race,"
00:17:53.17\00:17:55.57
the story of a young man
who overcame impossible odds,
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.64
winning four Olympic gold medals
and delivering a knockout blow
00:17:58.67\00:18:02.44
to Adolf Hitler's
master race theories.
00:18:02.48\00:18:05.31
The story of Jesse Owens'
victories against all odds
00:18:05.35\00:18:08.25
speak to the
experience of salvation.
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.49
All have sinned, and yet
all may have everlasting life
00:18:10.52\00:18:13.66
through faith in Jesus.
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.29
Even when others say
you don't deserve eternity,
00:18:15.32\00:18:17.73
Jesus steps in to
offer you everlasting life.
00:18:17.76\00:18:21.40
Don't miss "Running the Race,"
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.13
the inspiring story
of improbable victories
00:18:24.17\00:18:26.77
on the track, in life,
and where it matters most.
00:18:26.80\00:18:30.87
"Running the Race,"
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.04
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:18:32.07\00:18:35.08
>>John Bradshaw:
When World War II began,
00:18:37.11\00:18:38.98
there were only about
125 licensed black pilots
00:18:39.01\00:18:43.18
in the entire United
States and none in the military.
00:18:43.22\00:18:47.46
Yet just a couple of generations
after the abolition of slavery,
00:18:47.49\00:18:50.93
black Americans
were flying as pilots
00:18:50.96\00:18:53.16
of the United
States Army Air Forces,
00:18:53.19\00:18:55.23
as the air force
was known back then.
00:18:55.26\00:18:57.50
Those pioneering aviators
were the Tuskegee Airmen,
00:18:57.53\00:19:00.50
a name given to the
pilots and their support staff.
00:19:00.54\00:19:04.01
And they earned a
reputation for excellence.
00:19:04.04\00:19:06.94
It's a fascinating story,
00:19:06.98\00:19:08.64
one that you can
compare many Bible stories to:
00:19:08.68\00:19:11.98
men fighting against
great odds and overcoming,
00:19:12.01\00:19:15.25
men fighting
against the establishment,
00:19:15.28\00:19:17.12
against the status
quo, men who were undeniably
00:19:17.15\00:19:20.66
on the side of right
asking for an opportunity to do
00:19:20.69\00:19:24.46
what was clearly
and obviously just.
00:19:24.49\00:19:27.76
These were men who volunteered
00:19:27.83\00:19:29.03
to fight against tyranny
overseas while, simultaneously,
00:19:29.06\00:19:33.67
fighting tyranny of
another kind at home.
00:19:33.70\00:19:37.14
After World War II, Jerry
Hodges went on to establish
00:19:37.17\00:19:40.28
a successful accounting
business in California.
00:19:40.31\00:19:43.61
In 2019, another
Tuskegee airman, Charles McGee,
00:19:43.65\00:19:47.65
flew a private jet from Maryland
to Dover Air Force Base.
00:19:47.68\00:19:52.89
You're doing the
math, aren't you?
00:19:52.92\00:19:54.66
He did that on
his 100th birthday.
00:19:54.69\00:19:58.53
Benjamin O.
Davis Jr. was the son
00:19:58.56\00:20:00.63
of the army's
first black general.
00:20:00.66\00:20:03.06
Initially, he was denied
admission to the army air corps
00:20:03.10\00:20:06.77
based on race but
went on to command
00:20:06.80\00:20:09.94
both of the Tuskegee
units that saw combat.
00:20:09.97\00:20:13.41
He became the first
black brigadier general
00:20:13.44\00:20:16.14
in the United States Air Force.
00:20:16.18\00:20:18.45
Daniel James Jr. became the
first black four-star general
00:20:18.48\00:20:22.28
in the air force.
00:20:22.32\00:20:23.65
He flew 101 combat
missions during the Korean War
00:20:23.69\00:20:28.36
and another 78 combat
missions during Vietnam.
00:20:28.39\00:20:32.79
Roscoe C. Brown Jr.
flew 68 combat missions
00:20:32.83\00:20:36.90
during World War II.
00:20:36.93\00:20:38.77
When he shot down a
Messerschmitt near Berlin,
00:20:38.80\00:20:41.44
he became only the 15th
U.S. pilot to shoot down a jet.
00:20:41.47\00:20:46.01
He went on to earn a doctorate
from New York University
00:20:46.04\00:20:48.51
and enjoyed a very
successful career as an educator
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.61
and university administrator.
00:20:51.65\00:20:54.15
These outstanding
Americans didn't achieve
00:20:54.18\00:20:56.79
because of the
color of their skin,
00:20:56.82\00:20:58.69
nor did they achieve in spite
of the color of their skin.
00:20:58.72\00:21:02.89
They were high fliers,
and doing what they did
00:21:02.92\00:21:05.89
would pave the way
for others to fly high.
00:21:05.93\00:21:09.56
[soft reflective music]
00:21:09.60\00:21:11.33
But imagine if, after all the
hard work done and the insults
00:21:11.37\00:21:15.34
and discrimination, imagine
if society went back to that.
00:21:15.37\00:21:20.61
Of course, you just cannot
go back to a broken system.
00:21:20.64\00:21:23.98
You don't turn back the
clock on matters of justice.
00:21:24.01\00:21:27.62
So, think with me about another
pioneer who came on to the scene
00:21:27.65\00:21:31.52
when injustice was rampant,
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.42
when certain men and
women had lost their freedoms.
00:21:34.46\00:21:38.09
This Man made such
great advancements,
00:21:38.13\00:21:40.73
only to see the progress that
He had made basically ignored.
00:21:40.76\00:21:45.33
This is Isaiah 61:1.
00:21:45.37\00:21:47.30
"The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me; because the Lord
00:21:47.34\00:21:49.77
"hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek;
00:21:49.80\00:21:53.14
"He hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted,
00:21:53.17\00:21:55.61
"to proclaim
liberty to the captives,
00:21:55.64\00:21:57.61
and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound."
00:21:57.65\00:22:01.15
Jesus quoted this
passage and then said
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.95
to those who
were there that day,
00:22:03.99\00:22:05.49
"This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears."
00:22:05.52\00:22:09.52
In other words, "I've
come to liberate the oppressed,
00:22:09.56\00:22:13.40
"to preach deliverance to the
captives, and to heal the blind.
00:22:13.43\00:22:17.13
I've come to save the
world from the tyranny of sin,"
00:22:17.17\00:22:20.17
Jesus was saying.
00:22:20.20\00:22:22.14
That was a huge
gain for the world.
00:22:22.17\00:22:25.74
Meaningless tradition, along
with ignorance and superstition
00:22:25.77\00:22:28.58
and
hopelessness, were swept aside
00:22:28.61\00:22:31.01
when Jesus came into the world.
00:22:31.05\00:22:33.38
So how much sense does it
make to ignore that Jesus lived?
00:22:33.42\00:22:38.15
And to reject the gains
made by His life and death?
00:22:38.19\00:22:41.72
It isn't a desire for liberty
that craves a Jesus-less world
00:22:41.76\00:22:46.70
but a strange attraction
to the exact opposite.
00:22:46.73\00:22:51.20
John wrote that
Jesus "came unto His own,
00:22:51.23\00:22:54.27
and His own received Him not."
00:22:54.30\00:22:57.04
The world had
never been deeper in sin.
00:22:57.07\00:23:00.78
Jesus came to this
world to free us from that.
00:23:00.81\00:23:03.95
He came to this world that
we might not only have life
00:23:03.98\00:23:06.45
but, in His words,
"have it more abundantly."
00:23:06.48\00:23:09.95
But it's as though
that people of His day said,
00:23:09.98\00:23:11.82
"Actually, we'd
rather go back to Egypt."
00:23:11.85\00:23:14.72
To quote them, they said,
"We have no king but Caesar!"
00:23:14.76\00:23:18.43
He was in their midst,
00:23:18.46\00:23:19.76
the Messiah for whom they'd
been waiting thousands of years,
00:23:19.79\00:23:23.16
the promised One who
opened the eyes of the blind
00:23:23.20\00:23:25.80
and healed lepers
and drove away disease
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.34
and raised the
dead again and again.
00:23:28.37\00:23:30.34
And they said, "No,
no, let's not advance.
00:23:30.37\00:23:34.51
Let's go
backwards." Drastically.
00:23:34.54\00:23:38.25
Jesus' life on
earth changed the world.
00:23:38.28\00:23:41.42
And His life and
death can change your world.
00:23:41.45\00:23:44.59
You don't have to live
your past life anymore.
00:23:44.62\00:23:47.46
You can live a life of hope and
freedom, of dignity and respect.
00:23:47.49\00:23:52.19
If David hadn't stepped
forward to kill Goliath,
00:23:52.23\00:23:55.53
who knows what misery
Israel would have endured.
00:23:55.56\00:23:58.73
But after his incredible
victory, the nation didn't say,
00:23:58.77\00:24:02.64
"Actually, we prefer to
be under Philistine rule."
00:24:02.67\00:24:06.21
What if the Red Sea
had parted and Israel said,
00:24:06.24\00:24:09.31
"We're not crossing over"?
00:24:09.34\00:24:10.68
Caleb, whose name
means "wholehearted,"
00:24:10.71\00:24:13.88
and Joshua, which
means "Yahweh saves,"
00:24:13.92\00:24:16.62
encouraged Israel to press
forward into the Promised Land.
00:24:16.65\00:24:21.16
The faithless ones gave what the
Bible calls "an evil report."
00:24:21.19\00:24:26.06
They said, "We cannot,"
00:24:26.09\00:24:28.73
which, of course,
means, "We believe God cannot."
00:24:28.76\00:24:32.90
And that backward thinking,
in the face of God's grace
00:24:32.93\00:24:36.57
and blessing, saw the nation
spend 40 years in the wilderness
00:24:36.60\00:24:41.74
when they could have
made it to the Promised Land
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.71
in just 11 days.
00:24:44.75\00:24:48.62
God wants every person
alive to fly high spiritually.
00:24:48.65\00:24:53.42
But every time God says, "I'll
set you free," and you choose
00:24:53.46\00:24:56.32
to stay in sin, you're clinging
to the darkness of the past.
00:24:56.36\00:25:01.03
When you choose to let
an addiction govern you,
00:25:01.06\00:25:03.33
you're saying you
want to forget everything
00:25:03.37\00:25:06.03
the death of Jesus represents.
00:25:06.07\00:25:08.40
He died to give
you power, victory.
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.24
It's freely offered to you.
00:25:11.27\00:25:14.41
You'd accept that, wouldn't you?
00:25:14.44\00:25:15.88
There's not one good
reason why you shouldn't.
00:25:15.91\00:25:18.15
It might be discouragement
or pride or lust or anger
00:25:18.18\00:25:20.55
or dishonesty, and Jesus says,
"I have a way forward for you.
00:25:20.58\00:25:25.15
You've been freed from that."
00:25:25.19\00:25:26.55
¤[soft reflective music]¤
00:25:26.59\00:25:27.89
There stands a cross at Calvary
declaring that Jesus calls you
00:25:27.92\00:25:31.86
from the past into a
bright future of hope and light.
00:25:31.89\00:25:37.13
How is it with you today?
00:25:37.17\00:25:39.00
We've looked today at
a group of individuals
00:25:39.03\00:25:40.80
who manifestly changed society.
00:25:40.84\00:25:43.84
Society couldn't go
back, and neither can you
00:25:43.87\00:25:47.41
after what Jesus
has done for you.
00:25:47.44\00:25:49.81
Jesus came into the
world and changed the world,
00:25:49.84\00:25:53.92
opening up to you the
reality of eternal life.
00:25:53.95\00:25:58.65
You can't go back, can you?
00:25:58.69\00:26:00.26
He said to a group of
fishermen one day, "Follow me."
00:26:00.29\00:26:03.56
And today, He
says the same to you.
00:26:03.59\00:26:06.56
Will you follow Jesus,
00:26:06.59\00:26:08.06
the One who made
great gains for you,
00:26:08.10\00:26:10.03
who has freed you from the
condemnation and dysfunction
00:26:10.07\00:26:13.03
and guilt of your past?
00:26:13.07\00:26:15.20
Accept what He's done for
you and start living, right now,
00:26:15.24\00:26:19.84
the more abundant
life that He offers.
00:26:19.87\00:26:23.08
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:26:23.11\00:26:24.11
>>John: Jesus said He
came into the world to give us
00:26:25.11\00:26:27.42
a more abundant life.
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.18
And you can have that
by making simple changes
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.32
that bring profound results.
00:26:31.35\00:26:33.25
And with that in mind, I'd like
to offer you a special book.
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.66
It's called
"Confidence in Chaos."
00:26:35.69\00:26:37.96
If you want to get
your heart right with God,
00:26:37.99\00:26:39.56
this is the book
that's going to set you
00:26:39.59\00:26:40.93
on the path to that place.
00:26:40.96\00:26:42.40
In order to get this
book, call right now.
00:26:42.43\00:26:44.10
The number is 1-800-253-3000
00:26:44.13\00:26:48.07
and simply ask for
"Confidence in Chaos."
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.91
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:26:50.94\00:26:54.11
>>John: Let's pray together now.
00:26:55.51\00:26:57.25
Our Father in heaven, we
are grateful for the example
00:26:57.28\00:26:59.88
of those who have gone
before us, examples of courage
00:26:59.91\00:27:03.62
and integrity under
great pressure and duress.
00:27:03.65\00:27:07.46
We're thankful for
the example of Jesus,
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.89
who made such great
gains for this world.
00:27:09.92\00:27:13.60
Friend, right now, as
God is calling to your heart,
00:27:13.63\00:27:17.33
I'm wondering if you want
to ignore the gains Jesus made
00:27:17.37\00:27:20.20
and go back to some old life,
00:27:20.24\00:27:22.20
or step forward into
what God has provided for you
00:27:22.24\00:27:25.64
and assume your rightful role
as a son or daughter of God.
00:27:25.67\00:27:29.51
Would you do that?
00:27:29.54\00:27:30.65
And say yes to the God of
heaven and yes to the new life
00:27:30.68\00:27:34.15
Jesus through His heroism and
sacrifice and bravery secured.
00:27:34.18\00:27:38.52
We thank You, Lord, for
the new life, for a new way.
00:27:38.55\00:27:40.82
We turn our back on the
old life through faith in Jesus
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.83
and ask that He
would live His life in us.
00:27:43.86\00:27:47.13
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
00:27:47.13\00:27:50.47
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:50.50\00:27:51.83
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:51.87\00:27:53.70
Until then, remember:
00:27:53.74\00:27:54.90
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:54.94\00:27:58.64
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:58.67\00:28:03.08
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:28:03.11\00:28:08.12
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:28:26.97\00:28:28.97