Latest / Bible Chat Devotional / February 26 - A Shepherd's Heart, a Witness's Voice

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February 26 - A Shepherd's Heart, a Witness's Voice · Bible Chat Devotional

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  Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
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  rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, February 26th.
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  Speak life, Walk boldly. We all know how it feels to be
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  misunderstood, judged, or talked about when we're not in the
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  room. One comment can replay in your
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  head for hours. 1 Rumor can make you question yourself.
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  In moments like that, it's tempting to fire back, explain
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  everything, or tear someone else down just to protect your own
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  heart. But Scripture invites us to a
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  better, stronger way. Proverbs Chapter 11, verses 12
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  to 13, reminds us that wisdom isn't always loud.
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  It says that someone with understanding knows when to
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  remain silent and that a trustworthy person knows how to
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  guard what shouldn't be exposed. In other words, maturity shows
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  up in how we handle our words. Not every thought needs to be
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  spoken. Not every criticism needs a
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  response. Speaking life sometimes means
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  choosing restraint, choosing kindness, and choosing to
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  protect rather than expose. That kind of restraint isn't
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  weakness. It's actually rooted in deep
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  security. And that's where Psalm 23 speaks
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  so powerfully. David says the Lord is my
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  shepherd. I shall not want.
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  He talks about green pastures, still waters, and a restored
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  soul. That's the posture of someone
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  who knows they are being LED. When God is your shepherd, you
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  don't have to fight for control. You don't have to prove yourself
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  with words. You can rest because you trust
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  the one guiding your steps. Then we see courage paired with
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  that peace. In Acts chapter 26, Paul is
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  literally on trial, standing before powerful leaders,
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  explaining why his life looks the way it does.
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  And he says in Acts chapter 26 verse six that he is there
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  because of his hope in God's promise.
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  Not because he was reckless, not because he was chasing
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  attention, but because his hope was unshakeable.
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  Paul didn't let fear silence him.
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  At the same time he didn't let pressure turn him bitter or
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  defensive. He spoke truth with clarity and
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  courage. That balance matters for us.
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  God calls us to speak life with wisdom and to walk boldly with
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  faith. That means guarding our words so
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  we don't wound others. It means letting God restore our
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  souls when life feels messy. And it means standing firm in
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  our hope even when believing in Jesus puts us in uncomfortable
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  positions. You don't have to choose between
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  peace and courage in God. You get both.
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  He leads you gently, like a shepherd, and He strengthens you
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  to stand boldly when it counts. When your words are shaped by
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  wisdom and your steps are guided by God, your life becomes
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  steady, confident, and full of hope.
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  So today, choose your words carefully.
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  Let God lead you into peace. And when your faith is tested,
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  stand tall, knowing exactly why you believe and who is guiding
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  your life. Let's pray.
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  Heavenly Father, thank you for being my shepherd and for
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  restoring my soul when life feels overwhelming.
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  Teach me to use my words wisely, to encourage instead of tear
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  down, and to protect rather than expose.
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  Lead me in paths of righteousness and give me
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  courage to stand boldly for my faith, just like Paul did.
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  I place my hope fully in you and trust You with every step in
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  Jesus name, Amen. What if the way you pray changed
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  because you truly knew who God is?
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  The Supreme God Part 1 is an 8 book devotional and prayer
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  journey that unveils the power, presence and glory of God
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  through his biblical names. In Elohim you encounter God, the
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  Mighty Creator who forms and sustains all things.
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  Yahweh draws you into relationship with the Eternal I
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  AM who is present and faithful. Adonai calls you to surrender to
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  the Lord and Master who leads and directs your steps.
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  El Elian reveals the God Most High, exalted above every power
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  and authority. El Shaddai introduces the all
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  sufficient God who nourishes and strengthens you.
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  El Olam anchors your faith in the everlasting God whose
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  purposes never fail. Elroy assures you that you are
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  seen, known, and cared for by a compassionate father.
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  And El Gabor awakens confidence in the mighty God who defends,
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  delivers, and prevails. Through Scripture, devotional
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  insight, and prophetic prayer scripts, this series teaches you
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  to pray from revelation, worship with understanding, and walk
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  boldly in God's character. If you're ready to elevate your
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  prayer life and rediscover the God you serve or to the Supreme
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  God Part One on Amazon today or visit prayerscripts.org to begin
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  your. Journey Now I invite you to
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  spend time with God in today's three-year Bible reading plan.
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  Proverbs Chapter 11 Verses 12 to 13 World English Bible One who
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  despises his neighbor is void of wisdom, but a man of
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  understanding holds his peace. One who brings gossip betrays a
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  confidence, But one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who
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  keeps a secret. Psalm Chapter 23 World English
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  Bible A Psalm by David Yahweh is my shepherd.
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  I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green
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  pastures. He leads me besides still
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  waters. He restores my soul.
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  He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's
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  sake. Even though I walk through the
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  valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are
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  with me. Your rod and your staff, they
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  comfort me. You prepare a table before me in
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  the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil My
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  cup runs over. Surely goodness and loving
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  kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will
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  dwell in Yahweh's house forever. Acts, chapter 26, World English
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  Bible. Agrippa said to Paul, You may
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  speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched out his hand
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  and made his defense. I think myself happy, King
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  Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today
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  concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,
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  especially because you are expert in all customs and
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  questions which are among the Jews.
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  Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
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  Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which
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  was from the beginning among my own nation, and at Jerusalem,
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  having known me from the first. If they are willing to testify
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  that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee,
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  now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made
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  by God to our fathers, which are 12 tribes earnestly serving
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  night and day hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am
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  accused by the Jews. King Agrippa, why is it judged
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  incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
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  I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things
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  contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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  I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the
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  Saints in prisons, having received authority from the
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  chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote
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  against them, punishing them often in all the synagogues I
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  tried to make them blasphemy. Being exceedingly enraged
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  against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
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  Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and
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  Commission from the chief priests, at noon, O King, I saw
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  on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining
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  around me. And those who traveled with me,
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  when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to
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  me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
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  me? It is hard for you to kick
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  against the goads. I said, Who are you, Lord?
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  He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
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  But arise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you
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  for this purpose to appoint you a servant and a witness both of
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  the things which you have seen and of the things which I will
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  reveal to you, delivering you from the people and from the
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  Gentiles to whom I send you. To open their eyes, that they
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  may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to
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  God, that they may receive remission of sins and an
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  inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
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  Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly
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  vision, but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem,
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  and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the
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  Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing
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  works worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized
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  me in the temple and tried to kill me.
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  Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand
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  to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing
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  but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, how the
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  Christ must suffer, and how by the resurrection of the dead, he
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  would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the
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  Gentiles. As he thus made his defense.
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  Festus said with a loud voice. Paul, you are crazy.
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  Your great learning is driving you insane.
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  But he said, I am not crazy, most excellent, Festus, but
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  boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
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  For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak
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  freely. For I am persuaded that none of
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  these things is hidden from him. For this has not been done in a
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  corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the
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  prophets? I know that you believe, Agrippa
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  said to Paul with a little persuasion.
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  Are you trying to make me a Christian?
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  Paul said. I pray to God that whether with
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  little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me
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  today might become such as I am. Except for these bonds.
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  The king rose up with the governor and Burness and those
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  who sat with them. When they had withdrawn, they
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  spoke to one another, saying, This man does nothing worthy of
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  death or of bonds, Agrippa said to Festus.
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  This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to
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  Caesar. Thanks for joining us on Bible
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  Chat, where Scripture meets everyday life.
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  If today's devotional encouraged you, share it with a friend and
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  be sure to follow the podcast so you won't miss the next
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  conversation. Until next time, stay rooted in
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  truth, anchored in hope, and walking daily with Jesus.