Caption transcript for “Two Soldiers: Two Battles”

• 00:08 BRETHREN, MY HEART'S DESIRE AND PRAYER TO GOD FOR ISRAEL IS THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED.
• 00:14 THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GENTILE,
• 00:17 FOR THE SAME LORD OVERALL IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM.
• 00:27 CONSIDERING THE TIMES AND SEASONS OF OUR WORLD TODAY, HERE'S ZOLA LEVITT.
• 00:32 SHALOM, HELLO AGAIN.
• 00:35 OUR GUEST ON THIS PROGRAM IS A SOLDIER.
• 00:38 IN FACT, TWO SOLDIERS TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
• 00:40 YOU CAN CALL THIS PROGRAM THE STORY OF TWO BATTLES.
• 00:43 I'M ONE OF THOSE SOLDIERS, BUT I'LL GET TO ME LATER.
• 00:46 FIRST, I HAVE CHRIS PLEKENPOL WHO IS A CAPTAIN IN THE US ARMY, A STRONG BELIEVER,
• 00:53 A FIGHTER IN IRAQ AND YOU HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE TESTIMONY AND CAREER.
• 00:58 FILL ME IN A LITTLE BIT.
• 01:00 WELL, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, I GREW UP IN A LUTHERAN HOUSE
• 01:03 AND MY PARENTS WEREN'T INTO THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS THING
• 01:07 BUT, I JUST HAD A LOVE FOR GOD FROM EARLY AGE.
• 01:10 I'D GO HOME, BORROWED A BIBLE FROM THE CHURCH
• 01:13 AND WOULD READ IT UNDER THE COVERS WITH A FLASHLIGHT AT NIGHT
• 01:16 AND MY MOM WOULD COME IN AND SAY, "WHAT ARE YOU READING?"
• 01:18 MY GOSH, I HAD A COMIC BOOK--
• 01:21 AND THEN I WAS LIKE, "THE BIBLE."
• 01:25 I JUST LOVED BEING IN CHURCH, BUT THERE'S A FUNNY THING,
• 01:29 I JUST DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS
• 01:31 TO REALLY HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST
• 01:34 UNTIL I STARTED TO PICK UP ON SPIRITUAL THINGS WHILE I WAS AT WEST POINT,
• 01:40 TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF MY CAREER THERE FROM BETWEEN MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR.
• 01:47 I STARTED TO ASK THE SPIRITUAL QUESTIONS,
• 01:48 BUT, REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO FOCUS ON GOD, ALTHOUGH I SHOULD HAVE.
• 01:53 BUT, WHEN I GRADUATED I FINALLY HAD TIME TO READ
• 01:56 AND IT WAS AROUND THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR IN '99 ABOUT DECEMBER 5
• 02:03 I WAS AT SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN LOUISVILLE KY.,
• 02:06 BECAUSE I HAD BEEN AT FT. KNOX DOING THE BASIC OFFICER TRAINING
• 02:10 THAT YOU DO AFTER THE GRADUATION TO AN ARMOR OFFICER
• 02:13 AND I ATTENDED SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN LOUISVILLE
• 02:16 AND IT WAS THERE THAT I REALLY UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP
• 02:19 AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANT TO HAVE YOUR SINS FORGIVEN AND HAVE JESUS CHRIST IN YOUR HEART.
• 02:24 DECEMBER 5, 1999 WAS MY DAY.
• 02:26 FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT.
• 02:28 I, TOO, WAS AT A CHURCH SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE AT A BIG BAPTIST CHURCH,
• 02:33 I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE NAME, THE PASTOR,
• 02:35 THOUGH MADE VERY CLEAR WHAT SALVATION WAS ABOUT AND IT WASN'T THAT MOMENT,
• 02:40 BUT I THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING HE SAID AND PRETTY SOON I WAS SAVED.
• 02:43 ALRIGHT, YOU WENT ON TO BECOME A WEST POINT GRAD AND A GREEN BERET.
• 02:49 WELL, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY BECOME A GREEN BERET.
• 02:51 I WENT THROUGH, I GOT THROUGH SPECIAL FORCES ASSESSMENT SELECTION,
• 02:55 WHERE THEY ASSESS IF YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH OF TRAINING,
• 02:59 WHICH PART OF THAT WOULD BE LIKE A 50 MILE ROAD MARCH WITH 85 LBS. ON YOUR BACK.
• 03:04 BUT, AFTER I WAS SELECTED FOR THE GREEN BERETS, JUST MY HEART,
• 03:08 GOD WAS CALLING ME TO GO TO SEMINARY, I WAS LIKE, AH.
• 03:11 I ASKED MYSELF, WHY DO I WANT TO BE A GREEN BERET, WAS IT JUST FOR ANOTHER BADGE TO TAB?
• 03:17 I THINK IT REALLY WAS AND JUST FOR A PRIDE FACTOR
• 03:19 AND GOD WAS REALLY BANGING ON THE CORE OF MY HEART.
• 03:21 IT'S TIME TO LET GO OF THE ARMY AND LET'S START MOVING TOWARDS SEMINARY
• 03:26 AND SO THAT'S WHEN I TOLD THE ARMY, HEY, I WANT TO SEPARATE HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.
• 03:32 THEY SAID, FINE, SO WITH A YEAR TO GO WITH YOUR OBLIGATION AND THEY SENT ME TO KOREA.
• 03:37 THROUGH THE PROCESS OF KOREA THEY ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO TAKE COMMAND.
• 03:42 I SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR'S DELAY IS NOT GOING TO HURT.
• 03:45 COMMANDING SOLDIERS IS, I TELL YOU, THERE'S NO BETTER JOB IN THE ARMY
• 03:49 THAN TO COMMAND SOLDIERS IN PEACE TIME OR IN COMBAT
• 03:53 SO TOOK I THAT, IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE FOR A YEAR.
• 03:55 ON MAY 7 I TOOK COMMAND AND THEN ON MAY 19 THEY TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO WAR.
• 04:01 SO, IT WAS QUITE THE SHOCK, WE WERE IN KOREA
• 04:04 AND THAT WAS THE LAST THING WE THOUGHT WOULD EVER HAPPEN
• 04:07 IS THAT A UNIT IN KOREA WOULD BE DEPLOYED FROM KOREA TO IRAQ.
• 04:11 SO IT WAS FAIRLY INTERESTING.
• 04:13 I WAS READING YOUR BOOK, EXCUSE ME.
• 04:15 HE'S GOT A BOOK CALLED "THE POWER IN HIM"
• 04:18 WHICH IS, LISTEN, THIS WILL KEEP YOU AWAKE, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.
• 04:22 DON'T READ THIS AT NIGHT, LOTS OF WAR STORIES,
• 04:25 LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL SPIRITUAL STORIES
• 04:27 AND IT'S AVAILABLE THROUGH A WEBSITE CALLED IN-HIM.NET ALSO ON AMAZON.
• 04:34 A VERY GOOD BOOK.
• 04:36 ONE THING THAT GALVANIZED ME IS THIS HORRIFIC STORY OF AN INSURGENT YOU FOUND IN A CAR
• 04:40 AND YOU SUSPECTED WAS FULL OF BOMBS AND YOU WOULD NOT
• 04:46 AND COULD NOT SEND A SOLDIER TO TRY AND RESCUE THIS GUY AND THE CAR WENT OFF.
• 04:52 THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN,
• 04:53 IT WAS AN INSURGENT WHO RAN HIS CAR INTO ONE OF MY TANKS.
• 04:59 I WASN'T IN THE TANK, THANKFULLY.
• 05:01 AN ASTUTE NCO WAS COMMANDING THAT TANK THAT I TALK ABOUT,
• 05:06 HIS NAME WAS SGT. SHIDE, GREAT, GREAT SOLDIER.
• 05:08 HE PLOWED INTO THE TANK, BUT HE DID NOT DETONATE.
• 05:12 HE KNOCKED HIMSELF OUT AS HE APPROACHED THE TANK BECAUSE IT WAS A BUMPY ROAD.
• 05:16 HE HIT HIMSELF ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND RAN INTO THE TANK, KNOCKED HIMSELF OUT,
• 05:19 WAS NOT ABLE TO DETONATE THE BOMB
• 05:22 ABOUT 6 OR 7 155 MM. ARTILLERY SHELLS INSIDE THE HOOD OF HIS CAR.
• 05:28 SO, I COME UP ON THE SCENE.
• 05:29 I'M TAKING A LOOK AT THIS GUY AND I CAN SEE THAT HE'S STILL ALIVE,
• 05:33 HE'S STILL BREATHING, BUT HE'S KNOCKED OUT.
• 05:34 SO, WE HAVE A BOMB SQUAD THAT COMES UP.
• 05:36 THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND DESTROY THE INITIATOR WITH THIS SMALL CHARGE OF C4
• 05:40 JUST TO BLOW UP THE INITIATOR SO WE CAN PULL THE GUY OUT SAFELY
• 05:45 WITHOUT HIM BEING ABLE TO DETONATE THE BOMB.
• 05:49 WELL, THE CHARGE GOES OFF
• 05:51 IT WAS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN I THINK THEY HAD PLANNED AND SOON THE CAR CATCHES ON FIRE.
• 05:56 WELL, THIS GUY WHO IS PASSED OUT, BUT THE HEAT WAKES HIM UP IMMEDIATELY
• 06:00 AS THE GAS TANK STARTS TO BURN AND I'M--
• 06:03 THERE'S THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE HIM OR I MIGHT NOT
• 06:07 AND SOON THE WHOLE CAR WAS IN FLAMES
• 06:10 AND HE'S ROLLING AWAY FROM IT AND YOU'RE ALMOST CHEERING FOR THIS GUY TO GET AWAY,
• 06:15 BUT UNFORTUNATELY WITHIN ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS THE WHOLE THING BLEW UP AND HE DIED.
• 06:21 IT WAS A TRAGIC DEATH, BUT HE WAS A SUICIDE BOMBER.
• 06:25 THAT'S WHAT HE WAS INTENDING TO DO.
• 06:27 THIS GUY WAS TRYING TO BLOW UP YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
• 06:29 BUT, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS WEIRD, YOU STILL HAVE THAT HEART OF COMPASSION.
• 06:33 AS I WAS WATCHING THAT GUY, AS I SAW THAT HE,
• 06:37 I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SAVE THAT GUY
• 06:39 AND I THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS THAT INSURGENT IN THE WAY I ACT TOWARD GOD
• 06:43 AND YET JESUS CHRIST STILL, EVEN THOUGH I'M AN ENEMY TOWARDS GOD,
• 06:48 HE CAME AND SAVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME.
• 06:51 AND THAT WAS LIKE, AS I WAS WATCHING THAT UNFOLD,
• 06:53 THOSE ARE THE THOUGHTS GOING THROUGH MY MIND
• 06:55 AND IT REALLY JUST GAVE ME A GREATER SENSE OF GOD'S LOVE
• 06:57 AND HIS POWER EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SOMETHING AS HORRIFIC AS THAT.
• 07:01 THE BATTLE OF PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, SOMETIMES NOT THAT EXCITING.
• 07:06 IT'S A BIG BATTLE, BUT YOU'RE FIGHTING THEM BOTH I SEE.
• 07:11 WHAT ABOUT IRAQ?
• 07:12 THE MEDIA KEEPS TELLING US THINGS ARE GOING AWFUL
• 07:16 AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING KILLED AND SO ON.
• 07:18 WHAT'S THE REAL PICTURE, YOU'VE BEEN THERE?
• 07:20 PEOPLE ARE DYING.
• 07:23 I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU CAN'T SUGAR-COAT IT AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY DEATHS.
• 07:27 MY BATTALION HAS HAD 12 MEN DIE IN THE YEAR'S TIME THEY'VE BEEN THERE.
• 07:33 2 HAVE BEEN IN MY COMPANY AND-
• 07:35 A BATTALION-
• 07:37 A BATTALION IS ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE.
• 07:38 AND SO WITHIN MY OWN COMPANY I'VE HAD 2 DIE
• 07:42 AND A TOTAL OF 6 DIE UNDER MY COMMAND AND IT'S TOUGH.
• 07:48 DON'T GET ME WRONG, THAT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST BLOWS YOU CAN HAVE.
• 07:51 HOWEVER, I THINK THE PART YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT, THE PART THAT YOU DON'T SEE
• 07:55 IS THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE THERE.
• 07:59 THEY'LL TELL US, YES, WE NEED, IN FACT WE WANT MORE OF YOU HERE
• 08:02 TO STOP THE INSURGENTS FROM PLACING BOMBS ON OUR ROADS.
• 08:06 WE DON'T WANT THE FIGHTS.
• 08:08 WE'RE TIRED OF IT.
• 08:09 AFTER THE ELECTIONS ON JANUARY 30 I SAW A REAL ALMOST QUANTIFIABLE CHANGE IN,
• 08:18 NOT ONLY THE IEDS, IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES,
• 08:22 THE RPGS, ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADES,
• 08:25 SNIPER FIRE, THERE'S A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN THAT.
• 08:28 AND SO, NOW DOES THAT SOMETIMES MEAN THAT THEY'LL GET A LUCKY SHOT
• 08:35 AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HIT SOMEBODY WITH A SNIPER FIRE?
• 08:37 YES, BECAUSE THAT HAPPENS.
• 08:39 HOWEVER, THE IRAQI PEOPLE HAVE, THEIR SCHOOLS HAVE COMING FORWARD,
• 08:44 A LOT MORE INFORMANTS ARE COMING TO OUR GATES AND SAYING,
• 08:47 HEY, HERE'S WHERE THE BAD GUYS ARE,
• 08:49 HEY, WE JUST WATCHED A MAN PLACE A BOMB ON THE ROAD.
• 08:52 PLEASE GO AND GET IT OFF.
• 08:54 WHEN WE SEE THAT, THAT'S AN EXCITING THING BECAUSE TO THESE PEOPLE TO STEP UP
• 08:59 AND TO LET AMERICANS KNOW, WHO DON'T SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE,
• 09:04 WHO DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DON'T KNOW THEIR CULTURE, OBVIOUSLY AS WELL AS THEY DO,
• 09:07 BUT THERE IS SOMEBODY BAD IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO IS THREATENING THEM,
• 09:10 I'M GOING TO KILL YOUR CHILDREN IF YOU DON'T LET ME PUT THIS BOMB OUT.
• 09:13 THEN WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO RISE UP ABOVE THAT,
• 09:16 WE KNOW THAT THE STRANGLE HOLD THAT WE HAVE ON THE INSURGENCY IS REALLY WORKING
• 09:20 AND OUR GRIP IS STRENGTHENING AND THEIRS IS WEAKENING
• 09:23 AND AS WE CAN SEE THE INSURGENCY IS LOSING IT'S POWER.
• 09:25 ARE WE GOING TO BE FOR ANOTHER 5 OR 6 YEARS?
• 09:27 I THINK WE ARE.
• 09:28 I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE PRESIDENT.
• 09:30 I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S ON HIS PLATE, BUT I SEE US STAYING THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER,
• 09:35 BUT, I THINK OBVIOUSLY IT'S, WE ARE WORKING
• 09:40 AND OUR ABILITY TO DRAMATICALLY DECREASE THE ABILITY OF THE INSURGENCY IS VERY POWERFUL.
• 09:45 WHAT ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE OF DEMOCRACY?
• 09:48 SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL IT'S OKAY, I MEAN,
• 09:50 WE HAVE A LOT OF GUNS, WE GOT A LOT OF NICE YOUNG GUYS OVER THEIR AND GALS
• 09:53 THAT ARE GETTING THE JOB DONE, BUT CAN YOU REALLY PLANT DEMOCRACY?
• 09:57 THAT'S AN AGE-OLD QUESTION THAT I THINK WE'LL BE DEALING WITH FOR A REALLY LONG TIME,
• 10:04 IS IT POSSIBLE?
• 10:05 I THINK THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT IT IS AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
• 10:08 YOU MAY RECALL DURING THE ELECTIONS THAT THE SUNNI TRIBE,
• 10:13 BASICALLY IRAQ IS BROKEN DOWN TO THE KURDISH, THE SHIA AND TO THE SUNNIS.
• 10:18 THE SUNNIS BOYCOTTED THE ELECTIONS SAYING THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE PART OF IT.
• 10:22 THEY'D RATHER HAVE A DICTATORSHIP.
• 10:25 SURE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT WAS THEIR CHOICE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS
• 10:28 AND THEY CHOSE NOT TO BE PART OF IT TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT FAIR, THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
• 10:32 HOWEVER, THE IRAQI PEOPLE CAME OUT IN SUCH DROVES, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
• 10:38 A LADY IN OUR SECTOR IN OUR AREA OF OPERATIONS, SHE WAS SO BOLD, SHE HELD UP A FINGER AND SAID,
• 10:45 "I VOTE", "I VOTE", "I VOTE", WITH THE BLUE INK ON HER FINGER.
• 10:49 THAT JUST RIPS AT YOUR HEART.
• 10:52 YOU'RE LIKE, YES, THESE PEOPLE SEE IT.
• 10:54 SO, IS DEMOCRACY POSSIBLE?
• 10:55 EVEN IN THE MOST, WESTERN, IN THE MOST SUNNI AREA
• 11:01 WHERE THEY ARE VERY MUCH AGAINST THE ELECTIONS, PEOPLE WERE VOTING.
• 11:04 I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT WAS A LARGE MAJORITY, BUT PEOPLE WERE OUT THERE
• 11:07 AND NOW DUE TO JUST, I THINK, A PEER PRESSURE OF, I DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND IN IRAQ,
• 11:12 THE SUNNIS HAVE REENTERED INTO THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
• 11:16 IT'S VERY EXCITING.
• 11:17 OH, YES.
• 11:19 ALRIGHT, WELL MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, I SUPPOSE, IS THE LARGER WAR ON TERROR,
• 11:23 I MEAN, HERE YOU ARE, A MILITARY MAN WITH SOME PERSPECTIVE OF A BATTLE FIELDS AND SO ON.
• 11:27 WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COUNTRIES OVER THERE WITH PROBLEMS.
• 11:30 WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE BIG WAR?
• 11:32 AS FAR AS A WHOLE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM,
• 11:34 I CAN TELL YOU AGAIN, I WANTED TO STAY IN MY LAND.
• 11:38 I'M ONLY A CAPTAIN.
• 11:39 I'VE GOT ABOUT 100 MEN I CAN CONTROL.
• 11:41 BUT, I REALLY SEE THAT--
• 11:43 ARE THERE INSURGENTS COMING IN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO FIGHT IT OUT IN IRAQ?
• 11:47 YES, THEY ARE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S PERPETUATING A LITTLE BIT,
• 11:51 THE FIGHT THERE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S EXTENDING.
• 11:54 I CAN'T SAY IF WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO IRAN
• 11:55 OR IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SYRIA OR IF WE'RE GOING TO GO DO ANYTHING.
• 11:58 I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
• 12:00 ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THERE ARE INSURGENTS FROM THOSE COUNTRIES COMING TO FIGHT IT OUT IN IRAQ,
• 12:05 MAYBE SO THAT THEY CAN THINK OF IRAQ AS THEIR BUFFER ZONE.
• 12:09 BUT, AGAIN, I REALLY CAN'T GIVE YOU A GOOD FEEL FOR HOW THE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE OF THE--
• 12:14 I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD THING THAT ALL THESE TERRORIST CAME OVER THE BORDERS
• 12:19 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FIND THEM, THEY COME FIND US.
• 12:22 RIGHT.
• 12:24 WE PLAY ALL HOME GAMES, YOU MIGHT SAY.
• 12:26 WELL, IT'S WONDERFUL TO TALK TO YOU CAPTAIN.
• 12:30 YOU'RE GOING BACK REAL QUICK.
• 12:32 I SURE AM, I'M GOING BACK THERE IN ABOUT A WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF
• 12:35 AND HEADING BACK TO RESUME THE FIGHT AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE ARMY IS THAT EVERYBODY,
• 12:43 THEIRS NO ONE THAT IRREPLACEABLE AND I'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM OF OFFICERS BACK IN IRAQ
• 12:49 WHO ARE HANDLING THE WHOLE THING FOR ME RIGHT NOW WHILE I'M ON LEAVE AND SO THERE'S NO--
• 12:53 THAT'S THE THING ABOUT THE UNITED STATES ARMY, WE'VE JUST GOT THE BEST PEOPLE
• 12:57 WHO ARE TRULY DEDICATED TO FREEDOM'S CAUSE AND SO MY OFFICERS
• 13:02 WHO ARE HANDLING AND MY NCOS ARE HANDLING BUSINESS BACK THERE,
• 13:05 CHECK ON THEM BUT NEVER AN ISSUE, THOSE GUYS ARE THAT GOOD.
• 13:09 SO, THIS IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER ARMY.
• 13:11 SURE IS AND THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD.
• 13:13 THANKS FOR TELLING US.
• 13:15 I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.
• 13:16 THANK YOU ZOLA.
• 13:18 OKAY, GOD'S SPEED.
• 13:27 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, THE LEVITT LETTER
• 13:31 AND OUR CATALOG WITH VIDEOS, BOOKS AND MUSIC.
• 13:35 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, THE INSTITUTE OF JEWISH-CHRISTIAN STUDIES INCLUDES
• 13:40 READING PACKETS, TEACHING CASSETTES AND MAIL IN TESTS.
• 13:44 DID YOU KNOW THAT ZOLA TAKES TOURS TO ISRAEL, GREECE
• 13:47 AND THE HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE THEME PARK IN ORLANDO, FL.?
• 13:51 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
• 14:01 I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ZOLA FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS
• 14:03 AND WHEN MY MOTHER CALLED AND SAID "I'M PLANNING A TRIP TO ISRAEL. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?"
• 14:08 I DIDN'T HESITATE, I SAID, "ABSOLUTELY."
• 14:10 SHE SAYS, "DO YOU KNOW ANY WHERE OR HOW TO GET THERE?"
• 14:12 I SAID, "ABSOLUTELY. LET ME GIVE ZOLA A CALL."
• 14:14 THIS IS THE MOST SPECIAL PLACE IN THE WORLD AND IT WAS THE PLACE WE WANTED TO BE.
• 14:18 WE CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE'RE HERE.
• 14:20 IT'S YOU KNOW, WE JUST CAN'T IMAGINE.
• 14:29 WELL, THAT'S OUR TOUR OF ISRAEL AND WE'RE HAVING THE NEXT ONE IN NOVEMBER
• 14:33 AND THE FOLLOWING IN NEXT SPRING.
• 14:36 LOOK, I TOLD YOU OVER THESE FEW YEARS TO COME BEFORE ALL THE TOURIST GOT BACK.
• 14:40 THE TOURS WERE SMALL FOR AWHILE.
• 14:42 NOW THEY'RE ALL COMING BACK.
• 14:43 THIS IS THE TIME TO GO BEFORE THEY ALL GET BACK.
• 14:46 ISRAEL, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S BECOME PEACEFUL.
• 14:49 IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PEACEFUL.
• 14:50 THE PAPER SAYS IT'S MORE PEACEFUL NOW.
• 14:53 BUT ANYWAY, IT'S PEACEFUL.
• 14:54 IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PEACEFUL.
• 14:56 I'VE TAKEN 8O CONSECUTIVE TOURS AND NEVER LOST A WINK OF SLEEP.
• 15:00 I MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM ABOUT 2 SOLDIERS
• 15:04 HAVING BATTLES AND YOU MET THE GOOD CAPTAIN.
• 15:07 WE'RE ALL CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS AND I'M INVOLVED IN A BATTLE OF MY OWN I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.
• 15:13 BESIDES THE BATTLE AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS WHICH IS ONGOING,
• 15:18 I HAVE MY HEART CONDITION SEEMS TO HAVE RETURNED.
• 15:21 YOU KNOW, ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO I WROTE A SONG CALLED, "FATHER, I'M COMING HOME"
• 15:26 BECAUSE I WAS CONVINCED THAT I WAS AND I DIDN'T MIND,
• 15:30 A PROMOTION TO THE FRONT OFFICE IN HEAVEN WOULD BE FINE WITH ME
• 15:34 AND A TRIP TO THE KINGDOM AND FINALLY A RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT
• 15:37 AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND NO MORE WARS, NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
• 15:41 BUT, IT'S KIND OF A THOUGHTFUL SONG.
• 15:45 I HAD SOME CHEST PAIN AFTER A BYPASS OPERATION AND I THOUGHT,
• 15:49 WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, I WAS YOUNG, I WAS IN MY 40S, OF COURSE.
• 15:54 IT CAME FROM, TO BEGIN WITH, A STRESS TEST AT THE AEROBIC CENTER IN DALLAS
• 15:59 SHOWED UP SOME CHEST PAIN AND I WAS AT FIRST IN DENIAL.
• 16:03 I'M TELLING ALL THIS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS CONDITION UNDERSTAND
• 16:05 YOU CANNOT DENY THIS CHEST PAIN AND GET AWAY WITH IT.
• 16:10 I WAS TEACHING AT DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY AT THE TIME.
• 16:14 I WENT DOWN AND TAUGHT MY 3 HOUR EVENING CLASS, RAN UP 3 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO DO IT,
• 16:18 ALL THIS WITH AN OCCLUDING ARTERY BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT TO IT.
• 16:24 BUT, FINALLY I DID HAVE TO ADMIT TO IT.
• 16:26 THE PAIN GOT AWFUL. SO, BE CAREFUL.
• 16:28 IF YOU HAVE ANY PAIN IN YOUR CHEST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE EXERCISING,
• 16:32 GO STRAIGHT TO YOUR DOCTOR OR AN EMERGENCY ROOM OR SOMETHING,
• 16:36 GET A STRESS TEST, FIND OUT WHAT THAT PAIN IS ABOUT.
• 16:39 FORTUNATELY ON ONE OF OUR FALL TOURS BACK IN 1982,
• 16:44 IT MUST HAVE BEEN AN OCTOBER TOUR WE HAD A CARDIOLOGIST ON THE TOUR
• 16:48 AND HE WAS WATCHING MY ACTIONS AND THE FACT THAT I COULD BARELY WALK UP A HILL
• 16:51 AND I WOULD HAND PEOPLE THINGS I WAS CARRYING, TO CARRY FOR ME
• 16:54 AND FINALLY DR. RANDY BYRD, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE SAID,
• 16:58 YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT SOME SERIOUS STUFF GOING ON AND NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
• 17:03 HE PAID CLOSE ATTENTION AND BACK IN DALLAS I GOT AN ANGIOGRAM
• 17:07 AND RANDY LOOKED AT THOSE FILMS ALONG WITH MY CARDIOLOGIST
• 17:12 AND DECIDED THEY HAD TO DO A BYPASS OPERATION
• 17:15 AND THEY DID AND IT WAS A TRIPLE BYPASS WITH 6 GRAFTS.
• 17:20 BACK THEN THEY TOOK A VEIN FROM THE LEG
• 17:22 AND SEWED IT FROM THE AORTA TO THE CORONARY ARTERIES 3 TIMES OVER
• 17:27 AND IT'S A LONG COMPLICATED OPERATION, IT WAS THEN.
• 17:31 IT'S MUCH BETTER NOW.
• 17:33 IT LASTED, TOO.
• 17:35 RANDY, WHO ALWAYS TOLD ME THE TRUTH AND IS A CHRISTIAN BROTHER
• 17:39 SAID, HE THOUGHT THOSE BYPASSES WERE GOOD WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THEY HAD THEN FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS
• 17:45 AND THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN ME TO 1997 AND I THOUGHT, WELL THAT'S PROBABLY SOON ENOUGH.
• 17:52 I THOUGHT THE RAPTURE WOULD COME BEFORE THAT AND YOU KNOW,
• 17:56 IT DIDN'T AND IN '94 I HAD 2 MORE PROCEDURES.
• 18:03 THEY WERE ANGIOPLASTIES.
• 18:04 IT SEEMS THESE BYPASSES WERE CLOSING AGAIN IN MY HEART.
• 18:08 THE DISEASE IS FILLING THE BYPASSES WITH CHOLESTEROL.
• 18:12 OR THE WAY RANDY SAYS, THE ARTERIES YOU'RE BORN WITH AND THE SITUATION YOU HAVE.
• 18:17 IN '94 THEY WERE ABLE TO PUMP THESE UP AGAIN,
• 18:22 BUT IN MY OWN MIND WHAT REALLY WAS GOING ON WAS THE INTERCESSORY PRAYER
• 18:27 THAT I RECEIVED FROM OUR VERY LARGE TELEVISION AUDIENCE.
• 18:31 WE JUST DON'T BEGIN TO ESTIMATE THE POWER WE HAVE WITH PRAYER.
• 18:34 LET ME DIGRESS A MOMENT TO SAY WHAT I USUALLY SAY IN THE CHURCHES ABOUT THIS:
• 18:40 YOU KNOW, GOD IS OUR FATHER.
• 18:42 JESUS SAID PRAY THIS WAY, "OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN"
• 18:47 AND IF HE'S OUR FATHER WE HAVE A SPECIAL "IN" WITH HIM.
• 18:52 I MEAN, WHEN YOUR CHILD ASKS YOU FOR SOMETHING, YOUR 5 YEAR OLD ASKS FOR SOME ICE CREAM
• 18:58 AND YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY "NO" AND HE APPEALS TO YOU AND HE TALKS TO YOU.
• 19:04 IT'S NOT HOW WONDERFUL HIS ARGUMENT IS FOR THAT ICE CREAM,
• 19:09 IT'S THE FACT THAT HE'S YOUR 5 YEAR OLD THAT BREAKS YOUR HEART
• 19:11 AND MAKES YOU BUY THAT ICE CREAM.
• 19:13 WE HAVE OUR FATHER'S EAR.
• 19:17 I ALWAYS SAY WE'RE MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE,
• 19:20 THAT MEANS NOT ONLY THAT WE'RE LIKE HIM, BUT THAT HE'S LIKE US.
• 19:25 HE HAS COMPASSION AND HE IS FORGIVING.
• 19:27 HE HAS A HEART AND DANIEL SAYS IN DANIEL 9,
• 19:31 USE YOUR COMPASSION AND SPARE ISRAEL THE PUNISHMENT FOR ITS SIN AND SO ON.
• 19:35 INTERCESSORY PRAYER IS A FABULOUS, POWERFUL--
• 19:41 WELL, WE USE IT WHEN WE WITNESS IF WE WITNESS PROPERLY.
• 19:46 WE PRAY FOR THE PERSON, GOD HEARS THAT PRAYER AND GOD WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN TIME, YOU KNOW,
• 19:50 CAN FILE THAT PRAYER BACK BEFORE HE MADE THE WORLD,
• 19:53 SLIGHTLY CHANGE THE DNA OF THAT PERSON, BRING HIM AROUND TO THE GOSPEL.
• 19:57 THAT'S WHY THIS DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION AND THE IDEA OF FREE CHOICE ARE BOTH TRUE.
• 20:05 I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE SAY GOD KNOWS WHO'S GOING TO BE SAVED.
• 20:08 WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE AND WE SHOULDN'T CHOOSE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO TO CHOOSE.
• 20:11 OF COURSE, WE CHOOSE WHOM WE LOVE, WHOM WE FORGIVE.
• 20:16 JESUS SAID, THOSE YOU FORGIVE ON EARTH, YOU'VE FORGIVEN IN HEAVEN.
• 20:20 WE HAVE THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM.
• 20:22 ON THE OTHER HAND ARE WE CHOOSING SOMEBODY GOD DIDN'T PREDESTINE?
• 20:26 NO, WITH THAT PRAYER WITH INTERCESSION ON THE PART OF THE WITNESSEE,
• 20:30 WE MOVE GOD TO COMPASSION AND WE BRING THAT PERSON CLOSER AND BOTH THINGS WORK.
• 20:37 IT'S THE WAY I USED TO ANSWER IT WHEN PEOPLE QUESTIONED ME ALL DAY ON THE RADIO ABOUT IT.
• 20:41 BELIEVE ME, THE BIBLE HAS NO UNANSWERABLE QUESTIONS.
• 20:45 WELL, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'VE GONE THIS FAR, NEARLY 23 YEARS ON THESE BYPASSES,
• 20:52 WHICH ONE DOCTOR TOLD ME HAD A WARRANTY OF 10, RANDY SAID 15, BUT ANYWAY I GOT 23,
• 20:59 THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS, THEY WORK.
• 21:02 AND I'M NOT TAKING IT EASY, I'M GOING LIKE A HOUSE A FIRE.
• 21:05 I MEAN, I GO TO ISRAEL AND BACK, I GO ON SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
• 21:08 I DRIVE A TRAILER AROUND, I PLAY GOLF.
• 21:10 I MEAN,I'M NOT SITTING IN A CHAIR AND I'M NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER,
• 21:15 BUT, I LOVE THIS WORK AND I WANT TO CONTINUE IT.
• 21:19 BUT, RECENTLY I HAD SOME OF THOSE OLD FAMILIAR PAINS RETURN
• 21:23 AND THIS TIME I WENT FOR A ANGIOPLASTY
• 21:26 AND FOUND THAT 2 OF 3 CORONARY ARTERIES ARE BLOCKED AGAIN AND THE 3RD ONE 70% BLOCKED.
• 21:32 SO,I'M IN A SITUATION.
• 21:35 IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN GO ON AND ON WITH.
• 21:40 SO, THE DIAGNOSIS IS I NEED ANOTHER BYPASS OPERATION
• 21:44 AND I'LL HAVE THAT, I THINK, IN ABOUT MID-AUGUST.
• 21:47 WE HAVEN'T REALLY SCHEDULED IT YET, BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU RIGHT AWAY
• 21:50 AS SOON AS THIS DECISION WAS MADE.
• 21:53 THE RECOVERY FROM THAT OPERATION WILL BE ABOUT 3 MONTHS.
• 21:56 IT'S NOT THAT SERIOUS AN OPERATION.
• 21:58 IT SOUND VERY DRAMATIC AND IT TALKS DRAMATIC
• 22:02 BUT AS MANY WOMEN HAVE TOLD ME IT'S NOT AS BAD AS HAVING A BABY
• 22:05 AND I DON'T THINK IT'S AS BAD AS HAVING AN APPENDIX OUT.
• 22:08 BUT, IT'S INCAPACITATING FOR AWHILE.
• 22:11 FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS I WON'T BE ABLE TO WORK ON NEWSLETTERS OR EFFECTIVELY MAKE TELEVISION.
• 22:16 BUT, I SHOULD BE ALRIGHT FOR THE NOVEMBER TOUR.
• 22:20 AT THE VERY LEAST, I WILL GO TO NEW YORK, SEE OFF THE FOLKS,
• 22:23 HAVE THE USUAL ORIENTATION SESSION, WHICH WE DID THIS PAST SPRING
• 22:27 AND THEY ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH.
• 22:28 WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS?
• 22:30 WELL, I COVET YOUR PRAYERS FIRST OF ALL.
• 22:33 PLEASE DON'T SEND FLOWERS AND STUFF.
• 22:35 I WANT PRAYERS AND FRANKLY WE'LL NEED SUPPORT.
• 22:38 WHEN I DROP OUT, MAYBE THE NEWSLETTER GET SLIGHTLY LESS EFFECTIVE,
• 22:42 THE TV PROGRAMS, WE MAKE THEM IN ADVANCE.
• 22:46 THERE'S NEW TV ALL THE TIME, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
• 22:51 BUT IF I'M NOT THERE ON THE SPOT WHEN A THING HAPPENS,
• 22:54 I CAN'T COVER IT OBVIOUSLY IN THAT PERIOD
• 22:56 AND SOMETIMES DONATIONS ARE DEPLETED A LITTLE BIT
• 23:00 AT A TIME LIKE THAT OVER THE LONG HUGE AUDIENCE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
• 23:04 SO, IF YOU WOULD, WE COVET YOUR SUPPORT ALWAYS,
• 23:08 BUT THIS IS PRETTY SPECIAL TIME
• 23:11 AND IT WILL REALLY MAKE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER
• 23:13 IF I KNOW THE MINISTRY IS IN SOUND SHAPE
• 23:15 AND WE'RE REMAINING ON PAX AND PAYING FOR OUR AIR TIME.
• 23:18 BUT, THE PRAYER, PLEASE, NOT JUST FOR ME.
• 23:24 PRAY FOR EVERYBODY THAT YOU NEED INTERCEDING FOR.
• 23:28 YOU KNOW, IN A CHURCH THERE IS ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WITH ALL KINDS OF GIFTS.
• 23:32 THERE'S PEOPLE THAT SING SONGS SO BEAUTIFULLY
• 23:34 AND A PREACHER WHO MAY SPEAK SO ELOQUENTLY
• 23:38 AND DEACONS WHO HAVE A TALENT AND THE PATIENCE TO RUN THE OPERATION AND MAKE IT GO.
• 23:43 BUT, I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY THE QUIET PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF THE CHURCH
• 23:48 WHO RARELY RAISE THEIR HAND IN A QUESTION PERIOD AND SO ON,
• 23:51 BUT WHO VOLUNTEER TO SET UP CHAIRS AND DO TASKS AND DRIVE PEOPLE AROUND,
• 23:58 WHO PICK ME UP FOR AN ENGAGEMENT AND DRIVE ME THERE, WAIT FOR ME AND DRIVE ME BACK.
• 24:02 IT'S STUFF LIKE THAT AND I TELL YOU IF YOU SET UP CHAIRS FOR THE CHURCH,
• 24:08 THEN SET THEM UP TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
• 24:10 BECAUSE GOD SAID THE SOLDIER IN THE BACK OF ARMY IS AS IMPORTANT TO HIM AS THE FIELD MARSHAL.
• 24:16 THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF ARMY, THE CHRISTIAN ARMY
• 24:19 AND YOU'RE CONTRIBUTION IS VERY IMPORTANT WHATEVER IT IS.
• 24:23 EVERY SOLDIER LIKE THIS WONDERFUL CAPTAIN WE HAD HAS SPECIFIC TRAINING.
• 24:27 HE'S ABLE TO DRIVE A TANK. HE'S ABLE TO OPERATE A GUN.
• 24:31 HE KNOWS WHAT TO DO, BUT HE DOESN'T DRIVE A SHIP AND HE DOESN'T FLY AN AIRPLANE.
• 24:36 HE WASN'T TRAINED FOR THOSE THINGS.
• 24:38 DO YOUR WORKS THE WAY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THEM
• 24:41 AND MAKE YOUR PRAYERS FOR EVERYONE IN NEED, ME AND EVERYONE THAT HAS A REQUEST
• 24:46 AND THERE ARE SICKER PEOPLE THAN ME OUT THERE.
• 24:48 LORD ALMIGHTY, I GO TO VISIT PEOPLE IN HOSPITALS AND I GET THERE BARELY IN TIME.
• 24:52 GO AHEAD AND PRAY FOR THOSE, AS WELL.
• 24:56 DON'T LET PRAYER DESERT YOU AT A TIME LIKE THIS.
• 25:02 YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ASK YOU TO PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM AT THE END OF EVERY PROGRAM,
• 25:07 THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND IT'S NECESSARY WE GET OVER THERE
• 25:10 AND ONE REASON I'M HAVING THIS BYPASS IS THE SURGEON TOLD ME WITHOUT IT
• 25:15 YOU MIGHT GO ON 3 OR 4 YEARS, WITH IT YOU COULD GET 10 OR 20
• 25:19 AND I WANT TO GO AHEAD OVER TO ISRAEL A LOT MORE TIMES.
• 25:22 I'M JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THE PLACE AND MY LOVE FOR IT JUST ALWAYS GROWS.
• 25:27 I WANT YOU TO GO. I WANT TO TAKE YOU.
• 25:29 I WILL LEAD THESE TOURS IN THE FUTURE AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT AT A TIME LIKE THIS.
• 25:36 I HAVE THE FEELING THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO BLOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
• 25:40 AND NOT THIS MINUTE, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THINGS LOOK
• 25:45 AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PLACE
• 25:47 TELLS ME WE SHOULD BE PRAYING FOR IT ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE THIS.
• 25:51 PRAY FOR THE DECENT HEARTED PALESTINIAN PEOPLE THAT DO WANT PEACE,
• 25:55 PRAY FOR THE TERRORIST THAT THE WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.
• 25:59 AND CERTAINLY, PRAY FOR THE ISRAELIS, AFTER ALL, THEY'RE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
• 26:05 TO WHOM GOD GAVE THIS PROMISED LAND.
• 26:07 THEY'RE COPING WITH WHAT AMOUNTS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS JUST AS WE ARE IN SOME CASES.
• 26:11 SO PRAY FOR THEM AS WELL.
• 26:13 PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES
• 26:14 AND SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM, PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.
• 26:19 ♪FATHER, I'M COMING HOME,♪ ♪ONE DAY SOON I'M COMING HOME.♪
• 26:32 ♪FATHER, I ADORE THEE♪ ♪ONE WHO CAME BEFORE♪
• 26:44 ♪PREPARED A PLACE THERE FOR ME♪ ♪FATHER, I'M COMING HOME.♪
• 26:57 ♪FATHER, I'M COMING HOME.♪