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THE DOOLITTLE RAIDER

The entry for the May 8, 2000 Promise Keepers’ devotional guide, Men of Integrity, shared this story:

After a daring and successful 1942 bombing raid over Japan, led by Jimmy Doolittle, Bombardier Jacob DeShazer was one of eight downed in Japanese-occupied China. The military rulers took savage revenge on them. Three died by firing squad. Jake DeShazer, in solitary confinement and consumed with hatred of his captors, frequently fought with his guards. In return he was cruelly beaten.

But one day, a guard thrust a Bible into DeShazer’s hands. In the dim light of the cell, Jake read and was gripped by the prophets, which he reread six times. Moving on, Jake read with mounting excitement about Jesus. Reading in today’s Key Bible Verse, (which was "If you confess with your mouth, ’Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).) DeShazer fell to his knees and prayed for forgiveness.

Jake forgave his captors as God had forgiven him. He realized that they mistreated...

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