¤[music ends]¤¤
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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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I want to tell you about a
woman who changed the world
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against the odds,
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a woman who opened the
eyes of countless people, and,
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in the process, taught
the world an important lesson.
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For most people, looking
up into a clear evening sky
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brings a sense of
wonder and awe, witnessing
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the glittering greetings of
stars shining in the heavens.
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Although there are billions
of stars in the universe,
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the most you can see with
the naked eye at any one time
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is only a few thousand.
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But what you're able to see
can be absolutely breathtaking.
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Or think of a sunrise,
sunset, snow-covered mountains,
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or a hillside in autumn--
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remarkable visuals that
can leave you exhilarated.
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Science tells us that more than
80 percent of our information
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and understanding of our
world comes through sight,
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making your eyes
incredibly important.
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But what if you
damage or lose your sight?
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Often there's
nothing that can be done.
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There's no cure for
glaucoma, for example.
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Glaucoma is a
group of eye conditions
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that damage the optic nerve.
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About 3 million
Americans have glaucoma.
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Around 20 million
Americans have age-related
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macular degeneration, which,
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while it doesn't usually
cause complete blindness,
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happens when a part of
the retina called the macula
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is damaged,
destroying central vision
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and the ability
to see fine details.
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The leading cause of blindness
worldwide is cataracts,
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which is when the lens
of the eye becomes clouded.
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It can happen for
any number of reasons.
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More than half of the
blindness cases in the world
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are due to cataracts,
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with more than 19
million people in the world
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experiencing bilateral
blindness from cataracts.
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That's blindness in both eyes.
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It seems that
cataracts have been treated
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since about 400 years
before Moses was born.
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And cataract
surgery was mentioned
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in a first-century
medical encyclopedia.
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Early cataract
surgery, as you might imagine,
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was a primitive affair.
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And even though a clouded
lens was surgically removed
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by an ophthalmologist in
Paris, France, as early as 1748,
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it would be another 200 years
before English ophthalmologist
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Sir Harold Ridley
would discover a method
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to replace a natural
lens damaged by cataracts
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with an artificial lens.
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Today, cataract
surgery is routine.
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A life-changing It Is
Written humanitarian project,
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Eyes for India, has
provided free cataract surgery
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for thousands of India's poor
during the last 10 years or so.
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Several decades ago,
advancements were made
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in the treatment of this form
of blindness by a remarkable
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and tenacious young American
woman from New York City.
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Patricia Bath was born in Harlem
on November the 4th, 1942.
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Her father had
emigrated from Trinidad
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and was a merchant
marine, a newspaper columnist,
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and the first black motorman for
the New York City subway system.
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Her mother was a domestic
worker who saved her earnings
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to invest in the education
of Patricia and her brother.
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While Patricia's father
instilled in her a sense
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of discipline and
curiosity about the world
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in which she lived, her
mother fueled that curiosity
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by buying Patricia a chemistry
set when she was a young child.
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With the
encouragement of her parents,
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young Patricia devoted
herself to getting the most
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out of her education.
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By the age of 16,
she'd already earned a place
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in the National
Science Foundation workshop
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on cancer research.
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And her future in science
looked as bright as any star
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in the darkest midnight sky.
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Fueled by a love of
books and of science,
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she excelled at
school, becoming the editor
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of Charles Evans Hughes
High School's science paper--
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which is interesting.
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Charles Evans Hughes High School
was in the Chelsea District,
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which is where
Madison Square Garden is,
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near to the
Empire State Building.
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But Patricia was
raised in Harlem, miles away.
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According to Patricia, there
was no high school in Harlem
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when she was going to school.
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But that didn't stop
her from winning numerous
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academic awards and
graduating from high school
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in just two and a half years.
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Fueled by an
insatiable curiosity
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to understand her
world, Patricia devoted herself
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to helping to cure
and prevent blindness.
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She earned a bachelor's degree
from Hunter College in 1964,
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a medical degree from
Howard University in 1968,
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and then returned to New
York to begin a fellowship
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in ophthalmology at
Columbia University.
00:05:04.67\00:05:08.34
In the course of her research,
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Patricia noticed that African
Americans were twice as likely
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to suffer from blindness
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than the other populations
with whom she interacted.
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She discovered this wasn't
due to genetics, but, instead,
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to lower levels of awareness
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of the symptoms
leading to blindness,
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also a lack of education
and a lack of financial means
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needed to access
preventative care.
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In 1973, she became
the first African American
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to complete a
residency in ophthalmology,
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and in 1975, the
first female faculty member
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in the Department of
Ophthalmology at UCLA's
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Jules Stein Eye Institute.
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Later, she would become
the first woman in the nation
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to chair such a
prestigious academic department.
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In 1976, she cofounded
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the American Institute for
the Prevention of Blindness,
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building on the results
that were being delivered
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from her community-based
ophthalmology system.
00:06:03.96\00:06:07.96
As she worked to
combat blindness of the eyes,
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Dr. Patricia Bath
had a front-row seat
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in society's struggle
with another type of blindness.
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It wasn't until 1964,
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the same year she received
her undergraduate degree,
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that the government of
the United States passed laws
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prohibiting discrimination
on the basis of race, color,
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religion, sex,
or national origin.
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This was a time of
upheaval within society.
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Patricia had to battle
both blindness of the eyes
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and blindness of the heart.
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Dr. Bath stated she encountered
both sexism and racism
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in her professional
and academic career.
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She took her
research work to Europe.
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The barriers she came up
against in the United States
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didn't exist in
Germany, France, and England,
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countries where she could
pursue scientific research
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and develop inventions that
would better the human race.
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She was a pioneer, a
trailblazer, and an inventor.
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And she taught a lesson that
still needs to be learned today.
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I'll be back with
more in just a moment.
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¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
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>>Announcer: The cross
is a symbol of Christianity
00:07:23.41\00:07:25.77
for millions of
people around the world.
00:07:25.81\00:07:27.91
But beyond the symbol,
there is power in the cross,
00:07:27.94\00:07:30.85
power God wants
you to experience.
00:07:30.88\00:07:33.18
Learn more by
requesting today's free offer,
00:07:33.21\00:07:35.82
"The Power of the Cross."
00:07:35.85\00:07:37.69
To receive "The
Power of the Cross,"
00:07:37.72\00:07:39.82
call 800-253-3000
00:07:39.85\00:07:42.46
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:07:42.49\00:07:45.43
Experience "The
Power of the Cross."
00:07:45.46\00:07:47.86
Call 800-253-3000
00:07:47.86\00:07:50.60
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:07:50.63\00:07:53.10
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on "It Is Written."
00:07:54.10\00:07:56.17
The human eye is
incredibly complex.
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¤[playful music]¤
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It's made up of more
than 2 million working parts.
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The retina alone has
approximately 6 million cones
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and 120 million rods.
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[rattling sounds as objects
transition off and on screen]
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The 6 million cones see color,
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and they're divided
into red, green, and blue,
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while those 120 million
rods are photo receptors--
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light receivers.
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¤[music
continues]¤ [dramatic swoosh]
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The eye is a
camera, essentially,
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and a phenomenally good one.
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[beep of camera
focusing, shutter clicks]
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The eye is a marvel of creation.
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Even Charles Darwin wrote
in "The Origin of Species,"
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"To suppose that the eye, with
all its inimitable contrivances
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"for adjusting the
focus to different distances,
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"for admitting
different amounts of light,
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"and for the correction
of spherical and chromatic
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"aberration, could have been
formed by natural selection,
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seems, I freely confess,
absurd in the highest degree."
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Ophthalmologist
Dr. Patricia Bath
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accumulated a long
list of achievements.
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She became the first
African American resident
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at New York University.
00:09:04.94\00:09:06.71
She married and gave birth
while completing her fellowship
00:09:06.74\00:09:09.18
in 1974 in corneal and
keratoprosthesis surgery.
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That's implanting
an artificial cornea.
00:09:13.38\00:09:16.55
When she became the first woman
ophthalmologist to be appointed
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to UCLA's Jules Stein
Eye Institute in 1974,
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she was offered an
office "in the basement
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next to the lab
animals," she said.
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She refused this
space and ended up
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with what she described
as "acceptable office space."
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She said, "I decided I
was just going to do my work."
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Her work with the
American Institute
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for the Prevention of Blindness,
which aimed to "protect,
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"preserve, and restore
the gift of sight" for all,
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regardless of race,
gender, age, or income level,
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saw her travel broadly,
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performing surgery,
teaching new medical techniques,
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and donating equipment.
00:09:54.92\00:09:57.23
By 1983, she was chair of
the ophthalmology residency
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training program at Drew-UCLA,
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the first woman
in the United States
00:10:04.07\00:10:06.07
to ever hold such a position.
00:10:06.10\00:10:09.00
She said one of the
highlights of her career
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occurred on a humanitarian
mission to North Africa
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when she restored the sight
of a woman who had been blind
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for 30 years by
implanting an artificial cornea.
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She said,
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"The ability to restore
sight is the ultimate reward."
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But she wasn't
satisfied with just helping
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prevent cataract blindness
in at-risk communities.
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Searching for a better
way to treat cataracts,
00:10:33.76\00:10:36.26
she developed
the Laserphaco Probe,
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a device that used
lasers to vaporize cataracts
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in a patient's eyes, enabling a
surgeon to then remove the lens
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and insert a replacement.
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It took almost five years to
complete the necessary research
00:10:49.34\00:10:51.91
and testing, and in May 1988
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she became the first
African America female doctor
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to receive a patent
for a medical device.
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The Laserphaco Probe
made it possible for people
00:11:00.76\00:11:02.92
who had been blind
for as long as 40 years
00:11:02.96\00:11:05.76
to have their sight restored.
00:11:05.79\00:11:07.60
Ultimately, inventor
and research scientist
00:11:07.60\00:11:10.37
Patricia Bath would
receive five patents.
00:11:10.40\00:11:14.80
From Harlem, New York,
came a trailblazer, a visionary,
00:11:14.84\00:11:19.44
and given the
times in which she lived,
00:11:19.47\00:11:21.81
an unlikely candidate to
make a giant contribution
00:11:21.84\00:11:25.41
to medicine and science.
00:11:25.45\00:11:27.15
She was the wrong
gender, wrong color,
00:11:27.18\00:11:30.39
and she grew up in what she
described as "relative poverty."
00:11:30.42\00:11:34.62
Her mother scrubbed floors so
she could go to medical school.
00:11:34.66\00:11:38.49
Role models were
few and far between.
00:11:38.53\00:11:40.83
She knew of no woman physicians.
00:11:40.86\00:11:43.33
Surgery was dominated by
males, and blacks were excluded
00:11:43.37\00:11:47.10
from many medical
schools and medical societies.
00:11:47.14\00:11:50.21
And yet she broke through
one glass ceiling after another.
00:11:50.24\00:11:55.01
The fact is character counts.
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For further proof of that,
00:11:58.88\00:12:00.35
let's go back
together 2,000 years.
00:12:00.38\00:12:03.42
Jesus was born in a
barn to humble parents
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and, in the eyes of many,
in questionable circumstances.
00:12:07.02\00:12:11.06
After His birth, His
bed was a feeding trough.
00:12:11.09\00:12:14.56
When the local governor
ordered He be put to death,
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His family fled
to another country,
00:12:16.93\00:12:19.07
seeking to escape
an oppressive regime.
00:12:19.10\00:12:21.77
Later, Jesus was raised in a
town with such a bad reputation
00:12:21.80\00:12:25.94
that when one man
heard where He was from,
00:12:25.97\00:12:27.74
he said, "Can anything
good come out of Nazareth?"
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Bad town--but character counts.
00:12:31.18\00:12:35.42
I reflected on this recently at
the funeral of a friend of mine.
00:12:35.45\00:12:38.85
He started his ministry as a
local church pastor, a good one.
00:12:38.89\00:12:42.49
And there was something about
that man that people noticed.
00:12:42.52\00:12:45.29
He was chosen to
become a church administrator,
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.96
and he rose up through
the ranks of administration
00:12:47.96\00:12:51.10
until he served his
church on a global level.
00:12:51.13\00:12:55.17
He wasn't the loudest
man. He wasn't the flashiest.
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.81
He wasn't the funniest.
00:12:57.84\00:12:59.81
But he was a
dedicated Christian man,
00:12:59.84\00:13:02.54
an effective minister of the
gospel, a wise administrator,
00:13:02.58\00:13:07.32
and a man of character.
00:13:07.35\00:13:08.92
It was character,
along with excellence,
00:13:08.95\00:13:11.89
that saw this man
occupy the positions he did.
00:13:11.92\00:13:15.52
Character counts. It
always has, and it always will.
00:13:15.56\00:13:20.96
Dr. Patricia
Bath oozed integrity.
00:13:21.00\00:13:24.73
When the deck was
stacked against her,
00:13:24.77\00:13:26.20
she doubled down
and worked harder.
00:13:26.23\00:13:28.40
As a young person she
could easily have been caught up
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.84
in the wrong crowd.
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.24
She was raised in New York
City during a turbulent time
00:13:32.27\00:13:35.51
in this nation's history.
00:13:35.54\00:13:36.78
But she was raised by
parents who stood by her
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.25
and stood by each other,
00:13:40.28\00:13:41.75
each of them demonstrating
the importance of character.
00:13:41.78\00:13:45.85
You can make a big difference
00:13:45.89\00:13:47.16
simply by being a
person of integrity.
00:13:47.19\00:13:50.43
That'll get you noticed.
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.29
And better yet, it'll
get God noticed in you.
00:13:52.33\00:13:56.40
If you're someone
who keeps their word,
00:13:56.43\00:13:58.07
someone who works
hard, someone who is on time,
00:13:58.10\00:14:01.24
stays late, gives their
best, puts others first,
00:14:01.27\00:14:05.24
if you're not always
looking for recognition,
00:14:05.27\00:14:07.54
if you go the extra mile
00:14:07.58\00:14:08.98
to make sure people
receive good service,
00:14:09.01\00:14:11.41
if that's you, then
you're going to go places,
00:14:11.45\00:14:14.15
and you will shine for the Lord.
00:14:14.18\00:14:16.69
A friend of mine
started an auto repair shop
00:14:16.72\00:14:18.85
on the edge of
a major U.S. city.
00:14:18.89\00:14:21.26
You know, it's a
risk starting a business.
00:14:21.29\00:14:23.39
He never advertised, believing
in the power of word-of-mouth.
00:14:23.43\00:14:27.40
When a little old
lady came in complaining
00:14:27.46\00:14:29.03
that her
taillight wasn't working,
00:14:29.06\00:14:30.97
his shop would replace
the bulb in five minutes
00:14:31.00\00:14:33.00
and charge her a
dollar for a bulb.
00:14:33.03\00:14:34.90
There was no
"Leave your vehicle here,
00:14:34.94\00:14:37.11
"We'll get to it when we
can. That's an hour's labor,
00:14:37.14\00:14:39.37
plus an expensive part.
Here's your hefty bill."
00:14:39.41\00:14:42.28
None of that.
00:14:42.31\00:14:43.41
If it was a simple fix,
people were sent on their way
00:14:43.45\00:14:46.11
with a smile and
often with no bill at all.
00:14:46.15\00:14:49.28
That business
became so successful
00:14:49.32\00:14:51.39
there was no way
they could keep up
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.19
with the demand
for their services.
00:14:53.22\00:14:55.32
They were fair,
they were honest,
00:14:55.36\00:14:57.79
they were known for
their integrity, and of course,
00:14:57.83\00:15:00.26
they made money
because character counts.
00:15:00.30\00:15:04.43
Now, how did character
count in the life of Jesus?
00:15:04.47\00:15:08.40
We'll find that
out in just a moment.
00:15:08.44\00:15:10.87
¤[upbeat music
swells and ends]¤¤
00:15:10.91\00:15:17.91
>>John: It was home to some
of the most magnificent temples
00:15:20.68\00:15:23.69
in the ancient world--
00:15:23.72\00:15:25.32
temples built to honor
Artemis, Hadrian, Serapis,
00:15:25.35\00:15:29.99
and the Roman emperor Domitian.
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.69
And surrounded by rampant
idol and emperor worship,
00:15:32.73\00:15:36.50
a small band of Christians
formed their own church
00:15:36.53\00:15:40.00
in the city of Ephesus.
00:15:40.04\00:15:42.47
Maintaining their faith in
the midst of this pagan culture
00:15:42.50\00:15:46.21
was anything but easy.
00:15:46.24\00:15:47.68
¤[reflective music]¤
00:15:47.71\00:15:48.68
Today, only ruins remain
00:15:48.71\00:15:50.28
of those
once-spectacular structures,
00:15:50.31\00:15:53.42
but the story of Ephesus
lives on, continuing to hold
00:15:53.45\00:15:56.55
both historical and
spiritual significance.
00:15:56.58\00:15:59.92
Join us as we
explore the messages of Jesus
00:15:59.95\00:16:02.69
to the seven
churches of Revelation
00:16:02.72\00:16:05.03
and discover God's messages
to the church of the past
00:16:05.06\00:16:08.56
and the church of today.
00:16:08.60\00:16:10.97
"The Seven Churches
of Revelation: Ephesus,"
00:16:11.00\00:16:14.74
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:16:14.77\00:16:17.44
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:16:17.47\00:16:18.47
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.74
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:16:21.78\00:16:24.81
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:16:24.85\00:16:28.42
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:16:28.45\00:16:32.69
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.16
to the address on your screen,
00:16:34.19\00:16:35.62
or you can visit
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:35.66\00:16:39.46
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:16:39.49\00:16:42.26
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:16:42.30\00:16:46.43
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.47
>>John Bradshaw: Think of
the times Jesus' integrity,
00:16:50.64\00:16:53.31
His character, shone through
in His life and ministry.
00:16:53.34\00:16:57.91
When some evil men
dragged a woman to Jesus,
00:16:57.95\00:17:00.42
stating she'd done
something terribly immoral,
00:17:00.45\00:17:03.42
it seemed it really was not a
question of guilt or innocence.
00:17:03.45\00:17:07.59
They said they
caught her in the act.
00:17:07.62\00:17:09.76
That means they'd have
had to been spying on her
00:17:09.79\00:17:12.33
because what they
were accusing her of
00:17:12.36\00:17:14.30
was not something done publicly.
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.87
This was a setup on some
level, and Jesus smelled a rat.
00:17:16.90\00:17:21.67
They said angrily,
"Now Moses, in the law,
00:17:21.70\00:17:24.47
"commanded us that
such should be stoned.
00:17:24.51\00:17:26.61
But what do You
say?" Notice this:
00:17:26.64\00:17:28.84
"This they said, testing Him,
00:17:28.88\00:17:31.58
"that they might have something
of which to accuse Him.
00:17:31.61\00:17:34.32
"But Jesus stooped
down and wrote on the ground
00:17:34.35\00:17:37.32
with His finger, as
though He did not hear."
00:17:37.35\00:17:40.16
This whole
performance was only carried out
00:17:40.19\00:17:41.99
so these men would have
a reason to accuse Jesus.
00:17:42.02\00:17:44.69
The woman meant nothing to them.
00:17:44.73\00:17:46.23
If she died, her death would
only have been collateral damage
00:17:46.26\00:17:49.93
in their sight. It
was Jesus they were after.
00:17:49.96\00:17:54.14
"So when they
continued asking Him,
00:17:54.17\00:17:55.47
"He raised Himself
up and said to them,
00:17:55.50\00:17:57.64
"'He who is
without sin among you,
00:17:57.67\00:18:00.31
"let him throw a
stone at her first.'
00:18:00.34\00:18:03.31
And again He stooped
down and wrote on the ground."
00:18:03.35\00:18:06.65
You read about
that in John, chapter 8.
00:18:06.68\00:18:08.32
What He wrote filled
them with conviction,
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.49
so much so that
they walked away,
00:18:11.52\00:18:14.89
leaving Jesus
and the woman behind.
00:18:14.92\00:18:18.16
Oh, now, Jesus cared
about the sin she'd committed,
00:18:18.19\00:18:20.23
no question. He said to
her, "Go and sin no more."
00:18:20.26\00:18:23.80
But what was
Jesus' deepest burden?
00:18:23.83\00:18:26.80
He was concerned for
the woman's salvation.
00:18:26.84\00:18:30.24
And not only that,
00:18:30.27\00:18:31.51
He was concerned for
the salvation of the men.
00:18:31.54\00:18:34.48
They were worthy of
even greater condemnation.
00:18:34.51\00:18:36.75
But Jesus didn't
publicly call them out, either.
00:18:36.78\00:18:39.45
He could have, but instead
He allowed the Holy Spirit
00:18:39.48\00:18:43.12
to work in their hearts,
as He wanted them saved, too.
00:18:43.15\00:18:47.16
What a thing to be known
for. Jesus wanted people saved.
00:18:47.19\00:18:52.66
He didn't attack.
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.30
He went about His
work of revealing to people
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.60
what His Father was like.
00:18:56.63\00:18:58.87
And anyone who knew
anything about that exchange
00:18:58.90\00:19:01.34
would have marveled.
00:19:01.37\00:19:02.74
The woman would have said,
00:19:02.77\00:19:03.77
"This was a Man who
treated me with dignity."
00:19:03.81\00:19:06.27
The men would have thought,
00:19:06.31\00:19:07.58
"He didn't attack us,
even though we deserved it."
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.58
It's often said John 3:16
00:19:10.61\00:19:12.25
is the most famous
verse in the Bible.
00:19:12.28\00:19:14.58
But be sure you read
the next verse, John 3:17--
00:19:14.62\00:19:20.36
"For God sent not His Son into
the world to condemn the world;
00:19:20.39\00:19:24.53
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:19:24.56\00:19:28.36
One Sabbath day Jesus healed
a man who had a withered hand.
00:19:28.40\00:19:32.80
Now, this was provocative
00:19:32.83\00:19:33.90
because the
Jewish religious leaders
00:19:33.94\00:19:35.54
had loaded the Sabbath
down with manmade laws,
00:19:35.57\00:19:39.17
to the extent
that to carry your bed
00:19:39.21\00:19:41.21
was considered
a sin against God.
00:19:41.24\00:19:43.61
To rub a little
wheat in your hands
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.01
for the purpose of separating
the grain from the hull
00:19:45.05\00:19:47.15
was considered work, and,
therefore, breaking the Sabbath.
00:19:47.18\00:19:50.92
Of course, it was
not Sabbath-breaking,
00:19:50.95\00:19:53.19
not in God's eyes.
00:19:53.22\00:19:54.76
But the religious
leaders taught that it was.
00:19:54.79\00:19:57.66
So on this
occasion He reminded them
00:19:57.69\00:19:59.53
that if they had a sheep which
fell into a pit on the Sabbath,
00:19:59.56\00:20:03.97
they'd go right
ahead and lift it out,
00:20:04.00\00:20:05.73
and they wouldn't
consider that Sabbath-breaking.
00:20:05.77\00:20:09.27
He said, "Of how
much more value then
00:20:09.30\00:20:12.44
is a man than a
sheep?" This is Matthew 12.
00:20:12.47\00:20:16.54
He healed the man, an
absolute mind-blowing miracle,
00:20:16.58\00:20:21.12
and their response?
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.02
"Then the Pharisees went
out and plotted against Him,
00:20:23.05\00:20:27.56
how they might destroy Him."
00:20:27.59\00:20:30.76
Now, Jesus didn't
have a death wish.
00:20:30.79\00:20:33.33
But He wanted people to see
God's law in its correct light
00:20:33.36\00:20:36.97
and to see how far away
they were from God's heart.
00:20:37.00\00:20:40.50
Here were people
contenting themselves
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.30
that they were
religious and righteous
00:20:42.34\00:20:45.04
when they were truly
full of malice and hate.
00:20:45.07\00:20:48.78
Jesus wanted people to see
themselves as they really were,
00:20:48.81\00:20:52.55
so they might recognize
their great need of a Savior
00:20:52.58\00:20:56.35
and accept Him as Messiah.
00:20:56.38\00:20:59.32
That's character.
00:20:59.35\00:21:01.49
He came to the world
as a Lamb to be slain:
00:21:01.52\00:21:05.79
"He [was] despised
and rejected [of] men,
00:21:05.83\00:21:08.53
"a Man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief....
00:21:08.56\00:21:11.53
"He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows....
00:21:11.57\00:21:14.90
"He was wounded
for our transgressions,
00:21:14.94\00:21:17.17
"He was bruised
for our iniquities;
00:21:17.21\00:21:19.44
"the chastisement for
our peace was upon Him,
00:21:19.47\00:21:22.38
and by His
stripes we are healed."
00:21:22.41\00:21:25.21
Isaiah, chapter 53.
00:21:25.25\00:21:27.48
As He hung on the cross,
00:21:27.52\00:21:28.75
He didn't curse or
call down fire from heaven.
00:21:28.78\00:21:32.32
Remember, before one of
them had a change of heart,
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.06
both thieves insulted Him.
00:21:35.09\00:21:37.89
It was the way Jesus
reacted to the thieves
00:21:37.93\00:21:40.03
and to the
condemnation of the people
00:21:40.06\00:21:41.60
that touched the heart of
the one thief who got saved.
00:21:41.63\00:21:45.33
A Roman centurion
present at the crucifixion said,
00:21:45.37\00:21:48.74
"Truly this Man
was the Son of God."
00:21:48.77\00:21:52.94
Character.
00:21:52.97\00:21:54.21
You're in this world to
reflect the character of God--
00:21:54.24\00:21:57.65
and, in fact, to
have the character of God
00:21:57.68\00:21:59.95
re-formed in you.
00:22:00.05\00:22:01.52
That's what Adam and Eve
lost in the Garden of Eden.
00:22:01.55\00:22:04.92
It's what God wants to
restore in the human family:
00:22:04.95\00:22:07.89
the character of God--
00:22:07.92\00:22:09.79
not just doctrinal orthodoxy,
as important as that is,
00:22:09.82\00:22:13.53
not just standing for or
against the right issues--
00:22:13.56\00:22:16.80
anyone can do that.
00:22:16.83\00:22:18.63
It takes a Christian
to live with integrity
00:22:18.67\00:22:22.80
in the sight of God.
00:22:22.84\00:22:25.07
When the cashier accidentally
gives you too much change,
00:22:25.11\00:22:28.28
you want to be the person
who goes back to the cashier
00:22:28.31\00:22:30.95
and returns the
difference. That's integrity.
00:22:30.98\00:22:34.52
When friends of my wife
and I were at a supermarket
00:22:34.55\00:22:36.79
not that long ago, the
nice lady at the checkout
00:22:36.82\00:22:39.69
obviously undercharged
them. She didn't seem to notice.
00:22:39.72\00:22:43.16
So they pointed out to her that
they owed her a lot more money
00:22:43.19\00:22:46.39
than she was asking for.
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.30
She looked at them
like they were crazy.
00:22:48.33\00:22:50.73
But they knew that if
they hadn't done that,
00:22:50.77\00:22:52.93
they'd have been
stealing from the supermarket.
00:22:52.97\00:22:55.50
They'd have felt
like they were crazy.
00:22:55.54\00:22:57.44
You know what, major
supermarket chains have found
00:22:57.47\00:22:59.37
that since they
installed self-checkouts,
00:22:59.41\00:23:02.11
there's been a
whole lot more stealing.
00:23:02.14\00:23:04.65
Well, no one is
surprised by that.
00:23:04.68\00:23:07.45
And what does it show?
00:23:07.48\00:23:08.82
It shows that
people lack integrity.
00:23:08.85\00:23:11.12
Give people an opportunity to
steal? Unfortunately, they will.
00:23:11.15\00:23:16.29
That's people
revealing their true character.
00:23:16.32\00:23:19.83
God didn't create
anyone to be like that.
00:23:19.86\00:23:23.73
He created you to
live for His glory.
00:23:23.77\00:23:28.30
Imagine the honor you can
bring to God simply by allowing
00:23:28.34\00:23:31.87
the character of God
to be seen in your life.
00:23:31.91\00:23:35.11
And how does that happen?
How can you be that person?
00:23:35.14\00:23:38.88
Jesus said, "Abide
in me, and I in you....
00:23:38.91\00:23:42.32
"I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:23:42.35\00:23:45.12
He who abides in me, and
I in him, bears much fruit."
00:23:45.15\00:23:50.26
Paul wrote that the mystery
of the gospel "is Christ in you,
00:23:50.29\00:23:54.10
the hope of glory."
00:23:54.10\00:23:55.03
He wrote to the
church of Galatia, saying,
00:23:55.06\00:23:56.63
"I have been
crucified with Christ;
00:23:56.67\00:23:58.40
"it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me;
00:23:58.43\00:24:02.07
"and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by faith
00:24:02.10\00:24:05.71
in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave Himself for me."
00:24:05.74\00:24:09.91
Jesus said, "If you love
me, keep my commandments."
00:24:09.94\00:24:13.92
When Christ has your heart,
00:24:13.95\00:24:16.08
He'll lead you in
the path of obedience,
00:24:16.12\00:24:18.95
and you'll reveal His character.
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.66
Dr. Patricia Bath--five patents,
a trailblazer, an innovator,
00:24:22.69\00:24:28.73
an academic, and
humanitarian, a life-changer.
00:24:28.76\00:24:34.10
Twelve disciples, and
none of them was willing
00:24:34.14\00:24:37.27
to assume the role of a servant.
00:24:37.31\00:24:39.67
So at the last supper,
Jesus took a bowl of water
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.68
and washed the
disciples' feet-- character.
00:24:42.71\00:24:46.95
Someone once said that
00:24:46.98\00:24:48.12
it's in a crisis that
character is revealed.
00:24:48.15\00:24:51.45
At the time of
His greatest crisis,
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.62
while nailed to a
cross, Jesus' prayer was,
00:24:53.66\00:24:57.93
"Father, forgive them, for
they do not know what they do."
00:24:57.96\00:25:03.00
He came to reveal to the
world what His Father is like.
00:25:03.03\00:25:06.47
He said, "He who has
seen me has seen the Father."
00:25:06.50\00:25:10.84
And what did we see
of the Father in Jesus?
00:25:10.87\00:25:14.98
Forgiveness, kindness,
00:25:15.01\00:25:17.81
mercy, love.
00:25:17.85\00:25:21.22
How can your life reveal the
character of Jesus to others?
00:25:21.25\00:25:25.55
God will give you
opportunity after opportunity.
00:25:25.59\00:25:29.72
Take those
chances to show others
00:25:29.76\00:25:31.36
what Jesus is really like.
00:25:31.39\00:25:33.63
He'll shine through you,
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.76
and you'll shine as
the light of the world.
00:25:35.80\00:25:39.93
Yes, there are
times it's challenging
00:25:39.97\00:25:41.50
to reflect the character of God.
00:25:41.54\00:25:43.27
Conflict,
temptation, hardship, loss--
00:25:43.30\00:25:46.61
that's why you need Jesus.
00:25:46.64\00:25:48.48
If you have His
Spirit dwelling in you,
00:25:48.51\00:25:51.18
your default reaction will be
to surrender to the will of God.
00:25:51.21\00:25:55.92
Can we pray about that together
00:25:55.95\00:25:57.32
and ask God to do His
will in your life at all times?
00:25:57.35\00:26:01.42
Not just when it's
comfortable or easy
00:26:01.46\00:26:03.93
and not according to your will,
00:26:03.96\00:26:06.13
but always and
according to His will.
00:26:06.16\00:26:10.20
God can do that in
you. Let's pray together.
00:26:10.23\00:26:12.97
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:13.00\00:26:14.07
we are thankful for the
life of a remarkable woman
00:26:14.10\00:26:16.74
whose integrity
serves today as an example.
00:26:16.77\00:26:20.14
Her character
counted then and counts now.
00:26:20.18\00:26:22.74
And it reminds us
that in this world,
00:26:22.78\00:26:24.31
we are here to
develop character,
00:26:24.35\00:26:26.68
to shine for
Jesus in this world,
00:26:26.72\00:26:28.72
and to live with Jesus for
eternity in the world to come.
00:26:28.75\00:26:32.39
Now, friend, I know
there are many people right now
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.39
struggling against sin.
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.32
They fight against it, get
dragged right back into it,
00:26:36.36\00:26:39.06
think they're
okay, and the next thing,
00:26:39.09\00:26:40.40
they're repeating
the same mistakes,
00:26:40.43\00:26:42.20
often shameful mistakes.
00:26:42.23\00:26:44.10
And you want to do better.
You want Jesus to liberate you,
00:26:44.13\00:26:46.67
free you from the
chains of sin that bind you.
00:26:46.70\00:26:49.47
Father, I'm praying that
prayer right now for the man,
00:26:49.50\00:26:52.01
the woman, the young
person who wants to be free,
00:26:52.04\00:26:54.71
wants to live for Jesus.
00:26:54.74\00:26:56.31
Fill them with Your Spirit.
00:26:56.34\00:26:58.11
Re-form their
character after Yours.
00:26:58.15\00:27:00.38
We believe You can.
00:27:00.42\00:27:01.82
Moreover, we believe You will
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.62
and that You're
doing that right now.
00:27:03.65\00:27:05.19
Take our hearts
and make them Yours.
00:27:05.22\00:27:07.36
We thank You. We love You.
00:27:07.39\00:27:09.16
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:27:09.19\00:27:12.86
>>Announcer: The cross
is a symbol of Christianity
00:27:14.20\00:27:16.50
for millions of
people around the world.
00:27:16.53\00:27:18.63
But beyond the symbol,
there is power in the cross,
00:27:18.67\00:27:21.57
power God wants
you to experience.
00:27:21.60\00:27:23.91
Learn more by
requesting today's free offer,
00:27:23.94\00:27:26.54
"The Power of the Cross."
00:27:26.57\00:27:28.41
To receive "The
Power of the Cross,"
00:27:28.44\00:27:30.51
call 800-253-3000
00:27:30.55\00:27:33.18
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:27:33.21\00:27:36.18
Experience "The
Power of the Cross."
00:27:36.22\00:27:38.79
Call 800-253-3000
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.32
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:27:41.36\00:27:43.79
>>John: Thanks so
much for joining me.
00:27:44.79\00:27:46.26
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:46.29\00:27:48.03
Until then, remember:
00:27:48.06\00:27:49.80
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:49.83\00:27:53.50
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:53.54\00:27:57.47
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:27:57.51\00:27:59.51
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:28:25.83\00:28:40.85